Converting the geospring from air source to ground source

nokiasixteth · 03-17-14, 06:57 PM

Ive found a lg geospring for pretty cheap . The guy says that the EEV valve is bad. Gives a FF code . Guy says heat pump works great until it shows that code . Ive been giving thought to buying it and fixing it . Thought about switching it to ground source . But am not sure it would really be worth doing. With our average weather down here . I could probably benifit dearly during the summer with the dehumidifier. Has anyone got any comments on it.

NiHaoMike · 03-17-14, 08:03 PM

How much are they asking for it?

nokiasixteth · 03-17-14, 08:08 PM

They want 150

NiHaoMike · 03-17-14, 09:28 PM

Take it! The tank itself is easily worth that.

jeff5may · 03-17-14, 10:16 PM

geospring is GE, part of thomson consumer group. They also make whirlpool, maytag, hotpoint, lots of kenmore, roper, rca, the list goes on...

If it doesn't leak, and tries to work for a few minutes, it may or may not be the valve. The tank is worth it for a hacking project. If the compressor works, even better.

nokiasixteth · 03-18-14, 09:30 AM

Guy says its a yr old . Says the heat pump will work until it shows that code . Then he says you have to use it as a regular old water heater .

AC_Hacker · 03-18-14, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nokiasixteth

Ive found a lg geospring for pretty cheap . The guy says that the EEV valve is bad. Gives a FF code . Guy says heat pump works great until it shows that code . Ive been giving thought to buying it and fixing it . Thought about switching it to ground source . But am not sure it would really be worth doing. With our average weather down here . I could probably benifit dearly during the summer with the dehumidifier. Has anyone got any comments on it.

It's almost worth the money for the EEV valve alone, which can probably be repaired.

I think that you are correct in saying that there is probably not so much benefit in going ground source for just a water heater, when looking at the typical Mississippi weather. The unit will give you some dehumidification, but when the tank is up to temp, the dehumidifier will stop.

But if you can bring this thing back from the dead, it would make an awesome water heater.

However, if you were to make the decision to go ground source all the way, and use a ground loop to be a heat and cool reservoir for ALL your vapor-compression equipment:

Refrigerator
Water Heater
A/C
Heat

Your domestic energy efficiency would become legendary.

Nobody on this forum or on any other forum that I know of, has taken the ground source idea that far.

-AC

jeff5may · 03-18-14, 08:20 PM

I found the TRAINING manual for the geospring units. Another quirk of Philips and Thomson, this manual is easy to understand and tells you secrets about the models (unlike the service manuals, which omit various important secrets). It speaks of the EEV and how to test it around page 85. Around page 105, it tells of the "secret" service menu and its use.

https://gestore.custhelp.com/ci/fatt...ngtraining.pdf

I learned of these training manuals during my stint as an electronic service tech in the 90's. Most every digital electronic device made has a "secret" service mode where you can actually enable optional features on some models. You look up a model number (in the training manual) that is compatible with the chassis under your control, navigate to the proper place, twiddle some buttons, and presto! Your $ 50 tv set now works in stereo, has V-chip, spanish, and picture-in-picture. While you're there, you can balance the grayscale, so everyone doesn't look purple in the shadows.

A few things to know about the geospring units in general:

They have a 10 year parts warranty (if you have a receipt).

The first generation of units has been known to leak refrigerant (aluminum condenser, copper evaporator, and crimp connectors in between).

Refrigerant leak throws code fc or ff and unit runs electric elements to heat water. If GE service is notified, this will generate a free service call under warranty.

Code ff is derived from temperature sensor measurements.

nokiasixteth · 03-18-14, 09:24 PM

Got that link now in my favorites. Figure now is good as any to learn to work on hvac instead of having to get someone down here to fix it.
Guy says the heat pump will work until it throws that code. If its the refridgerant ill have to pressureize it and get it pressured up with some bubble soap. The manual shows all of the specs for how many ohms everything should be.

nokiasixteth · 03-27-14, 01:44 PM

Well i had planned on getting it . But of course someone beat me to it.

03-17-14, 06:57 PM	#1
nokiasixteth Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 348 Thanks: 43 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	Converting the geospring from air source to ground source Ive found a lg geospring for pretty cheap . The guy says that the EEV valve is bad. Gives a FF code . Guy says heat pump works great until it shows that code . Ive been giving thought to buying it and fixing it . Thought about switching it to ground source . But am not sure it would really be worth doing. With our average weather down here . I could probably benifit dearly during the summer with the dehumidifier. Has anyone got any comments on it.

03-17-14, 08:03 PM	#2
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	How much are they asking for it? __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

03-17-14, 09:28 PM	#4
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	Take it! The tank itself is easily worth that. __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

03-17-14, 08:08 PM	#3
nokiasixteth Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 348 Thanks: 43 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	They want 150

03-17-14, 10:16 PM	#5
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	geospring is GE, part of thomson consumer group. They also make whirlpool, maytag, hotpoint, lots of kenmore, roper, rca, the list goes on... If it doesn't leak, and tries to work for a few minutes, it may or may not be the valve. The tank is worth it for a hacking project. If the compressor works, even better.

03-18-14, 09:30 AM	#6
nokiasixteth Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 348 Thanks: 43 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	Guy says its a yr old . Says the heat pump will work until it shows that code . Then he says you have to use it as a regular old water heater .

03-18-14, 08:20 PM	#8
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	I found the TRAINING manual for the geospring units. Another quirk of Philips and Thomson, this manual is easy to understand and tells you secrets about the models (unlike the service manuals, which omit various important secrets). It speaks of the EEV and how to test it around page 85. Around page 105, it tells of the "secret" service menu and its use. https://gestore.custhelp.com/ci/fatt...ngtraining.pdf I learned of these training manuals during my stint as an electronic service tech in the 90's. Most every digital electronic device made has a "secret" service mode where you can actually enable optional features on some models. You look up a model number (in the training manual) that is compatible with the chassis under your control, navigate to the proper place, twiddle some buttons, and presto! Your $ 50 tv set now works in stereo, has V-chip, spanish, and picture-in-picture. While you're there, you can balance the grayscale, so everyone doesn't look purple in the shadows. A few things to know about the geospring units in general: They have a 10 year parts warranty (if you have a receipt). The first generation of units has been known to leak refrigerant (aluminum condenser, copper evaporator, and crimp connectors in between). Refrigerant leak throws code fc or ff and unit runs electric elements to heat water. If GE service is notified, this will generate a free service call under warranty. Code ff is derived from temperature sensor measurements.

03-18-14, 09:24 PM	#9
nokiasixteth Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 348 Thanks: 43 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	Got that link now in my favorites. Figure now is good as any to learn to work on hvac instead of having to get someone down here to fix it. Guy says the heat pump will work until it throws that code. If its the refridgerant ill have to pressureize it and get it pressured up with some bubble soap. The manual shows all of the specs for how many ohms everything should be.

03-27-14, 01:44 PM	#10
nokiasixteth Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 348 Thanks: 43 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	Well i had planned on getting it . But of course someone beat me to it.