[Sccoupe]

Geothermal drilling is FINALLY complete. With double the geothermal capacity, stage two can run on the heat pump and the loop temps should stay in a more efficient range. Eight new holes drilled this summer making 800 feet total drilled in 14 holes. Over 600 feet was into solid limestone. Added to the drill this year was a universal joint to help stop the machine from rocking around from mis-alignment, leveling bolts to help the mis-alignment and the double v-belt pulley's. A single 5/8" belt just wasn't getting it done and burning up too often. Now I just have to drop the pipes in, bury, plumb, flush and this very long event is a complete and successful DIY job that will hopefully heat the house this winter without help from any other more expensive source.

Edit: Also forgot to note that I added the water solenoid valve on the right so that when the drill stopped so did the water. This run happily on one of the 220v phases running the motor. One other addition was a switch at the bottom of the rig to stop the drill when it bottomed out. Both of these saved a lot on water and allowed the machine to run unattended as it would either bottom out or the VFD would overcurrent and shut down. Either way everything including the water would stop automatically.