Best pipe system for boiler

[rs1626]

anybody have any good or bad experience with underground boiler pipe systems?  I  have one that has styrofoam insulation and then covered with a plastic bag the bag must have got a hole in it to let ground water in because the snow melts off real quick in one area

[beenthere]

rs
Are you losing any boiler water?

[rs1626]

no but i think ground water is geting in the plastic sleeve and therfore getting to my pex

[Jeff]

When we were testing the first incarnation of the Bio-Mizer, we used thermopex.  I don't think you could get better than that. The first winter, it was installed above ground, and then became buried in the snow. The snow was in direct contact and would not even melt off from it when the boiler temp was running 185°  There would be no way moisture could infiltrate that stuff.  It is pricey though.

[MudBud]

After researching for months prior to installing a OWB in 2008 the best underground pipe made is the CB Pex system....This is my opinion only.  I didn't like the look of the bag type systems or the pex wrapped in a wrapped insulation.. It has to go in the ground once and not have to worry about it.  The CB pex system is a little more expensive but I think it was worth it on the long run!!!!

Keith

[upsnake]

I also used CB's Thermopex when i put in my owb. It was 10.25 a foot from the dealer, which wasn't super fun for 130', but I didn't want to ever have to worry about it again.
There are a couple spots where i still need to bury mine and the snow just sits right on it with out melting it at all.

That and the temp in the house is within a degree of what it is at the boiler. The underground pipe is not the spot to skimp.  8) haha

[darnet]

I wanted to use 1-1/4 and my dealer did not carry it. So I went to another supplier and it cost 32$ a foot. If I knew then what I know now I would have ran 2 runs of 1 inch and had more flow and still alot less money.
  Scott

[upsnake]

Darnet - How long of a run do you have?

[MudBud]

In September 2008 I paid about $13.50 a foot and ran about 65' to the house.

[doctorb]

I put in 300 feet of thermopex from the CB dealer.  Expensive? -yes.  Worth it to minimize heat loss and the risk of needing replacement? - yes and yes.

[Dean186]

anybody have any good or bad experience with underground boiler pipe systems?  

I have had good experience with Central Boilers Thermopex.  Underground water (i.e. very wet dirt) coming in contact with the water line is the biggest enemy.

I have created a post showing the BTU loss calculations in cords and sticks of wood per degree of loss.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,48429.0.html

[darnet]

Thank god I only had to run 65 feet.
  Scott

[Dean186]

anybody have any good or bad experience with underground boiler pipe systems?  I  have one that has styrofoam insulation and then covered with a plastic bag the bag must have got a hole in it to let ground water in because the snow melts off real quick in one area

Is the water line to which you are referring the product marketed as Central PEX, or Central Therm and Central Therm Sleeve?  I have experience with Thermopex only, so just curious.  My manual talks about using Central Pex and recommends a buried depth of just 6 to 8 inches, not sure why.  How deep did you bury your pipe?

[rowerwet]

1" thermopex at 12.50/ft in '08, using my infrared thermometer I can't find any temp difference over my 85' with the water temp at 180.
check this guys thread out for a comparison of foamed in place and thermopex costs
http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/55730/

[firechief]

I ran the thermopex from CB, and luckily, I only had to run 40 feet.  The other plus is that I can read my 2300 boiler temperature guage from my sliding patio door (while watching t.v.)

[woodmills1]

I am on my 7th year


got the old style insulation with styro and plastic sleeve, it was hard to install


what saved us I think, was I lined the trench with nice clean sawdust before the Kath and I tried to pull that bag over the styro box

so far no water infiltration

I loose about 6 degrees from in and out, but believe me My house takes all of it

did I say Heat Monster

[Ohiowood]

Just ran thermal pex  40 ft. 8inch underground that's what they called for. Payed 10.00 ft (good price) any know if that was deep enough ? 

[chevytaHOE5674]

My insulated PEX tubing is the cheaper stuff that is just wrapped in insulation and then inside black plastic pipe. It was around 4 bucks a foot and when buried 4.5-5 feet underground I don't think the $11 a foot thermoPEX from CB would be any better. I have a very small temp loss from the boiler to the first heat exchanger. I also only have a 35' run.

[stumper]

Dean said it.  Subfurface water coming in contact with the line should be avoided. 

I installed mine line about 4 feet deep.  8 inches of 3/4 stone and a 6 inch underain below then 2 inches of ridgid foamboxed around the the CB thermo pex, more stone and the fill over the top.  I daylighted the underdrain and because the pex run crossed over the foundation under drain I dug dow and there is a collum of stone between the two now.  While the snow melts away from the boiler there is no sign of any melting above the pex.

If I where to do it over I think I would eliminate the 2 inch rigid box and have the spray foam company come in and insulate it like the would a waterline above the normal frost line.

I would even consider skipping the Theropex and just going with the underdrain and spray foam as with the spray foam the should eliminate the need for the expensive Themopex.

Do not forget to insulate all you can in the back of the boiler.

I think this is all just a very long answer to your question so let me say virtually all the pex is equivelant.  It is the insulating system that differs.