OK, you can’t break the 1st Law of Thermodynamics, but Ed’s come pretty close to doing it! When Ed set about inventing a better mouse trap he did a great job finding a better way to pre-heat the incoming air supplying to his ERV. There were a number of cool features in Mr. Marion’s house, but this one took the cheese… er, I mean the cake.
When BGG went to 3rd party test Passive Home builder Ed Marion‘s home, the coolest feature was his “near free energy machine”.
With a few turns of 3/4″ pex buried outside the foundation wall at footing level, he connected the loop to a in-line radiator with the incoming fresh air and filled the loop with glycol.The loop gather’s the ground’s heat and imparts it on the incoming cold air warming it significantly.
Using a wickedly efficient Grundfos circulator – drawing only 7 watts – on a -15°C he managed to get an 12°C temperature lift for the incoming air.
Ed’s perpetual energy machine
Shervin setting the baseline prior to the pressurisation and depresurisation tests for PH testing.