Best Of
Re: using a boiler in my shop. can I use PEX?
PureFlow is a Pex-B, per Viega. They have many studies and videos out there comparing their products to cold expansion/ Pex-A and it's quite apparent that they will not allow cold expansion with their tubing. I've personally run across a few instances in the field as well as ran a few tests myself using cold expansion with Pex-B and C with no apparent trouble, but I'd imagine under certain circumstances it'd fail prematurely. The Sioux Chief in particular, being orange in color, when expanded turns white which looks very sketchy but it seems to hold just fine. I did the same with a chunk of cheap BlueFin tubing and it also turned nearly white, but the sidewall of the tubing blew out before the expansion joint did… Technicalities, I suppose, but the point was that Viega does not approve expansion fittings for their tubing.
GroundUp
Re: Burnham 2 started gurgling and water rushing sounds
You’ve got no pressure on the boiler. It should be a minimum of 12 psi cold for a one story house - 18 psi cold for a three story house.
You may have a bad fill valve, but even if that’s true, it won’t lose pressure unless there’s a leak(s) on the system.
Ironman
Re: Radiant floor heating plan help
2" foam, closed cell like Owens Pink or Dow BlueBoard.
The edge insulation is a big deal, and if it is a slab on grade that is a tricky detail to cover the top edge. Usually a metal Z flashing under the siding to cover the top edge of the foam. Then edge foam should go down to frost level. May be a detail in that guide.
Yes to mini splits for AC or shoulder season heat.
Take pics of the tube layout for future reference. A drone is great for that.
Good for you for getting opinions before you start. So many bad installs come by here that could have easily been prevented.
hot_rod
Re: What type of circuit breaker is this?
looks like it is probably a commercial main lug subpanel and the overcurrent protection is on the feeders at the switchgear.
mattmia2
Re: What type of circuit breaker is this?
square d qo. looks like it is 3 phase. if you get the part number off it, it should help you find one. i know the larger breakers use 4 adjacent spaces but those are usually 150A+. perhaps they just couldn't make a 3 phase 100a breaker the size of a normal double slot.
is that an aluminum bus or is it tinned copper? i think all modern qo is tinned copper. that could be a factor too.
mattmia2
Re: Softwood flooring over low temperature radiant?
This came up the other day with a customer in Moraga who had a wall of double-glazed glass and an open floor plan with nowhere to install radiators. He said one of my competitors was feeling nervous about keeping the room warm at design conditions and I agreed. Sometimes you're cornered and don't have an easy solution and what rises to the top may be the only solution which would be to use best quality plates or Ultra-Fin which would keep the area warm on most days and then to fire up the fireplace when it gets very cold. Set up the system for constant circulation as well.
Re: using a boiler in my shop. can I use PEX?
I see several of the B pex now approve expansion fittings. Sioux Chief and Zurn are two.
hot_rod
Re: Steam Repiping Help
Possibly steam colliding with water and water hammer, possibly issues with steam taking the return to get to a vent and closing the vent before the air gets out of the main so some of it doesn't heat or is slow to heat.
Your current issue is that the reductions in the horizontal have the drip on the high side of the reduction so that the condensate can never get out of the bottom of the main and to the drip/return then the steam hits that pool of condensate and collapses and causes water hammer.
mattmia2
Re: The Result of Using Non Barrier PEX
I know the Rhomar products have a O2 scavenger included in the blend. As In recall sodium sulfite.
The other important ingrediant ia a film provider. After the system is cleaned the 922 or 925 puts a thin coating on the metals. This helps ptotect them from corrosion. Similar to a rust coating on exposed metal, or anodized aluminum.
You can buy stand alone O2 scavengers, like the OWF manufacturers provide. It may be less $$ but doesn't include the ph buffer, film provider, etc.
If you have any aluminun in the system it takes a specific conditioner.
However if the ThermoCon is in the hydronic loop? it will take a lot of cleaner and conditioner.
The fill water quality is part of the equation also. If it is hard or high TDS, maybe get a DI cartridge to fill through.
Axiom has a few different cartridge sizes.
hot_rod