Heat Loss From Out Building and Buried Pex

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 10:52 am

LOL, I have put 260 degree water through mine!

(Wood boiler overrun.....wood sucks) I don't recommend it but it wont melt those lines! I adjusted my Harman to put out 210 degree water in super cold weather. Its still working and so is the one inch pex to my cast iron radiators.

Kevin

If you read the pipe, I think it is 180 at X PSI, much higher then your system runs.

dchartt · Post by **dchartt** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 10:53 am

your losing me on seeing the line I have never seen this line?

dchartt · Post by **dchartt** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 10:54 am

KLook wrote:LOL, I have put 260 degree water through mine! (Wood boiler overrun.....wood sucks) I don't recommend it but it wont melt those lines! I adjusted my Harman to put out 210 degree water in super cold weather. Its still working and so is the one inch pex to my cast iron radiators.

Kevin

AHHHH!!!! I wish I would known that! you know how many people have told me 190 degree water for so long your skating on thing ice!

you are right it also states at 80psi 200F

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 10:55 am

Check your pipe and let better heads then me advise you on that. That is just my experience.

Kevin

dchartt · Post by **dchartt** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 10:59 am

KLook wrote:Check your pipe and let better heads then me advise you on that. That is just my experience.

Kevin

No you are 100% correct it states on mine 200 degrees at 80psi and 180 degrees at 100 psi, so if you lose 20 psi your temp can be 20 degrees higher at 30 psi it would be 250, someone smack me

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:11 am

I'm a big fan of deeper is better if water table is not an issue,getting heat pipes below the frost line is good !! dchartt you have to read all the print on your pex ,you are probably only running 15 psi max which raises the temp allowed thru ,we run 180-190* thru ours all the time--7+ yrs.,no melt down yet.Question is , is the coalgun up to maintaining the water temp.,or do you need more temp in the house?,you could get lots more BTU from hotter water if the boiler can maintain the water temp.

dchartt · Post by **dchartt** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:21 am

windyhill4.2 wrote:I'm a big fan of deeper is better if water table is not an issue,getting heat pipes below the frost line is good !! dchartt you have to read all the print on your pex ,you are probably only running 15 psi max which raises the temp allowed thru ,we run 180-190* thru ours all the time--7+ yrs.,no melt down yet.Question is , is the coalgun up to maintaining the water temp.,or do you need more temp in the house?,you could get lots more BTU from hotter water if the boiler can maintain the water temp.

well I recently have seen my unit sitting in the barn at 180 to 190 degrees with the pump never shutting off in my basement and the whole system was at 160 degrees and it just kept circulating, thats all the mixing valve would let through and my 130 had the whole system to that temp so it was kinda just hanging out meanwhile 160 wasnt keeping my house warm enough with neg 30 windchills

cabinover · Post by **cabinover** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:29 am

So...what makes you think that a wood burner or anything else will do any better IF the AHS is doing what is asked of it now?

You need to get that mixing valve out of the way and let the boiler do it's job to start with.

Why the mixing valve anyway?

dchartt · Post by **dchartt** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:31 am

Well I was not a plumber a few years back and Im not now by anymeans I know one thing a plumber will never step foot on my property again for many reasons...I didnt install the mixing valve a plumber did and it was to keep from melting the pex

I didnt mean a wood burner will do a better job I just have access to free wood

that mixing valve cant come out fast enough!

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:33 am

To clarify,if the coalgun is cycling & the circulator is running continuously then higher water temp. would help ,but if coalgun is running constant then it is too small.Easy fix .. get rid of the mixing valve & see what happens,20* higher water temp will make a huge difference !

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:33 am

I think he has just realized that, no sense hitting him over the head with it. get the temp up and this cold snap will tell you volumes about your 130....good luck!

kevin

I meant the comment about why did he think a wood burner would be better. The OP has learned a bunch today.

cabinover · Post by **cabinover** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:35 am

Gotcha now. Still, the first thing to go that looks from here like an impediment is that mixing valve.

An extra 30° or so of available heat may help a bunch.

I don't mean to sound like I'm hitting ya on the head either

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:35 am

LOL

Kevin

Post by **Rob R.** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:36 am

If the pex lines are uninsulated in a single piece of PVC, won't the heat try to transfer from the supply to return? Not sure how much...depends how tight the lines are to one another.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Sun. Jan. 26, 2014 11:44 am

Sorry,i was not trying to beat on him,only trying to clarify a few things.My key board does not have the alphabet in order so typing goes slow for me,besides,repetition is often the only way to get thru my thick skull or slow functioning brain.

Rob R. is it really critical if the pipe temps are similar IF you have hot enough water for needed heat ? at least the water going back to boiler is not cold in that scenario.