ON 20060604@10:32:39 PM at page:
http://www.sxlist.com/other/spac.htm#38869.2233912037
James Newton[JMN-EFP-786] published post 38869.2233912037

 with comment: 'For cooling tubes, you want as much surface area surounded by as much earth as possible. So the ideal configuration is a lot of tubes radiating deep into the mass of the earth. And since the air temperature in the tube will reach the air temperature of the earth fairly quickly with a low volumn of air flow, you don't need that long a tube unless you are pulling the air through quickly, which takes more energy and is therefore less efficient.
<P>
Another issue is one of condensation and moisture in the pipe. That can lead to mold and <I>serious</I> health problems. To prevent it, the air inlet of the tube must be at the low point and there has to be a steady slope all the way down so the condensate can drain. This is hard to ensure with a coiled pipe.
<P>

In your case, it would be easier just to vent from your basement up into the house. The air between the house and the earth is probably several degrees cooler.'

<A TITLE="P-24.177.109.40" NAME="38869.2233912037">
</A> 
I'm looking at buying a home with a dirt basement on a city lot, so I don't have 200 yards of ground to put pipe in.  However, it does have a dirt basement.  Is there anything that says the pipe has to be straight AND not underneath the house?  Could I curl it around in a spiral underneath my basement's dirt floor and have the far end duck under the foundation and come up just outside the house?
|Delete 'P-' before: '<!-- 38869.2233912037 EOR -->' but after: '<A TITLE="'.



ON 20060604@11:51:56 PM at page:
http://www.sxlist.com/techref/other/spac.htm#38869.2233912037
James Newton[JMN-EFP-786] Replied to post 38869.2233912037

|Insert 'For cooling tubes, you want as much surface area surounded by as much earth as possible. So the ideal configuration is a lot of tubes radiating deep into the mass of the earth. And since the air temperature in the tube will reach the air temperature of the earth fairly quickly with a low volumn of air flow, you don't need that long a tube unless you are pulling the air through quickly, which takes more energy and is therefore less efficient.
<P>
Another issue is one of condensation and moisture in the pipe. That can lead to mold and <I>serious</I> health problems. To prevent it, the air inlet of the tube must be at the low point and there has to be a steady slope all the way down so the condensate can drain. This is hard to ensure with a coiled pipe.
<P>

In your case, it would be easier just to vent from your basement up into the house. The air between the house and the earth is probably several degrees cooler.' at: '<!-- 38869.2233912037 EOR -->'

<A TITLE="24.177.109.40" NAME="38869.2233912037">
</A> 
I'm looking at buying a home with a dirt basement on a city lot, so I don't have 200 yards of ground to put pipe in.  However, it does have a dirt basement.  Is there anything that says the pipe has to be straight AND not underneath the house?  Could I curl it around in a spiral underneath my basement's dirt floor and have the far end duck under the foundation and come up just outside the house?

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ON 20060623@10:46:45 AM at page:
http://techref.massmind.org/techref/other/wafa.htm#
James Newton[JMN-EFP-786] edited the page. Difference:
http://techref.massmind.org/techref/diff.asp?url=H:\techref\other\wafa.htm&version=0



ON 20060624@11:24:36 PM at page:
http://www.piclist.com/techref/other/solar.htm#38892.9754166667
James Newton[JMN-EFP-786] See also:
http://www.thesietch.org/projects/solarthermalpanel2/index.htm
Solar water heater from a refrigerator coil, floor mat, glass and wooden frame.