It's official, I've ordered a pair of liquid line solenoid valves. The reversing valve hasn't arrived and it's already obsolete.
I'm going to take my ice cream machine evaporator, and run water through it at atmospheric pressure. No need to get too crazy welding plates. Water will enter tangentially at the bottom, flow up, and drain through a standpipe in the middle.
Then I can switch from air source to water source when it gets too cold outside. No defrost needed, and raise those sweet sweet COPs.
The main housing with compressor and air source evaporator will be mounted outdoors, just outside the wall of my mechanical room. But I think I'll place the condenser and water valve indoors. I can avoid freeze up issues this way.
How many of you guys have your R290 gear in the basement? Any leaks, any worries?
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