FPH - Hotspot Energy Install Begins!

[jseyfert3]

As a safety precaution right now, I keep my condenser fan running ANYTIME the AC is called. I wanna make sure the system works consistently. It is! And that’s great.
Therefore, I will not see any reduction or savings right now. BUT IM GETTING FREE HEAT!!!!!

I can crank it up to 94 degrees and it feels, in the words of my wife, hottubbish. Lol

Well, even though you're passing up on savings from turning the fan off, that doesn't mean you aren't still using less energy. The biggest energy use of an AC is the compressor. From another thread:

In fact, my HVAC guy had his equipment set up reading the pressure gauges of the refrigerant lines between air cooled and water cooled modes. When air cooled, the pressure was 300psi. When water cooled, the pressure was 100psi. The translation of this that I got from my HVAC guy was that the compressor was working much less hard when the refrigerant is water cooled than when it is fan cooled, meaning it uses less energy and will extend the life of the compressor. Obviously, the fan isn't going either which saves somewhere around 300-500 watts of power as well from what I can tell.

A compressor that goes from pumping 300 psi to pumping 100 psi will use considerably less power. I'm not certain how that is if you pump the pool water temp up higher than the air temp, but likely still more efficient even still as water will cool the refrigerant a lot faster. In any case, it's free heat, with a good chance it's saving you money still which means you're getting paid to heat the pool!

 

[drglanton]

Well, even though you're passing up on savings from turning the fan off, that doesn't mean you aren't still using less energy. The biggest energy use of an AC is the compressor. From another thread:

A compressor that goes from pumping 300 psi to pumping 100 psi will use considerably less power. I'm not certain how that is if you pump the pool water temp up higher than the air temp, but likely still more efficient even still as water will cool the refrigerant a lot faster. In any case, it's free heat, with a good chance it's saving you money still which means you're getting paid to heat the pool!

Awesome. That makes me feel even better. I’ll tell you, I am the envy of the subdivision. This thing is great !!!!!!!!!

 

[mcampa]

Hi @drglanton, I'm installing the same heater. I just finished installing all the water pipes and electrical work. But I'm having trouble finding someone willing to do the refrigerant installation. Can you share more pictures of the refrigerant piping? and possibly a higher resolution of the diagram picture, the one with the components on the cardboard.

Here is a picture of what I've done so far. My system will have two heaters in series, solar panels and the Hotspot Energy AC heater.

 

[drglanton]

Hi @drglanton, I'm installing the same heater. I just finished installing all the water pipes and electrical work. But I'm having trouble finding someone willing to do the refrigerant installation. Can you share more pictures of the refrigerant piping? and possibly a higher resolution of the diagram picture, the one with the components on the cardboard.

Here is a picture of what I've done so far. My system will have two heaters in series, solar panels and the Hotspot Energy AC heater.

Here are some pics. Inbox me and you can call me. I’ll answer more questions if you like.

 

[drglanton]

Here are some pics. Inbox me and you can call me. I’ll answer more questions if you like.

 

[drglanton]

Hi @drglanton, I'm installing the same heater. I just finished installing all the water pipes and electrical work. But I'm having trouble finding someone willing to do the refrigerant installation. Can you share more pictures of the refrigerant piping? and possibly a higher resolution of the diagram picture, the one with the components on the cardboard.

Here is a picture of what I've done so far. My system will have two heaters in series, solar panels and the Hotspot Energy AC heater.

Did you ever get it hooked up ?