Photo courtesy of ClimateMaster.
Trenching, drilling, load-sizing and geo equipment will be studied at Geo Farm Aug. 30 – Sept. 1 at Dwight Bucher’s farm in Aurora, IN. This event is a joint effort by distributor Corken Steel (Covington, KY) and manufacturer ClimateMaster.
ClimateMaster is sponsoring the first day, when geothermal professionals from around the country are invited to attend. The second day is reserved for Corken Steel dealers.
Geo Farm is billed as the most innovative, informative, one-day geothermal training event in the nation. All attendees may log continuing education hours required for master and journeyman programs.
Last year, the geothermal training event drew more than 250 contractors. Geo Farm offers six key hands-on stations that rotating groups move through in one-hour intervals. Tractor-drawn hayrides are the main form of transportation. The Bucher family prepares home-cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Dwight Bucher owns Bucher Trucking and Excavation, which also focuses on geothermal well drilling. Bucher teamed up with Corken Steel, a large distributor of ClimateMaster geothermal equipment, to organize and host the event. This is the third year Geo Farm has been offered.
After a quick review of national tax incentives, six groups are formed and directed to classroom settings in various buildings on the farm or to outdoor demonstrations.
Nearly every possible means of geothermal exchange is demonstrated here, according to Jay Kaiser, vice president of sales and marketing at Corken Steel Products Co. Pond loop installations are demonstrated on the farm’s three-acre pond, and another station addresses horizontal boring. There is a drilling station and a track-driven air rig demonstration. Three indoor sessions examine system performance, routine maintenance, loop temperature and pressure at the main house on the property.
In the basement of the home are two four-ton Tranquility split systems. In the back yard, Bucher installed a four-well, vertical geoexchange field.
Attendees also learn about ClimateMaster’s loop design software, GeoDesigner, a tool for sizing units and exchange fields that also helps to demonstrate operating cost scenarios for potential customers, according to Joe Fish, residential district manager for ClimateMaster.
For more information, visitwww.climatemaster.com/geofarm
- Supply House Times Staff
