Old Radiant Floor tubing help

David Ashton

I am trying to determine what the product was that was installed in a slab back in 1980, photo attached. It is an extruded EPDM/rubber product in approximately a 4-3/8" wide mat, that has 6 tubes, each approximately 3/16" id. The rubber mat was cast into the slab in a closed loop system as typical.

I need to know the name of the product so I can research what the maximum temperature fluid is that can pass through it.

I also need to determine if it requires a special glycol or whether standard propylene glycol is sufficient.

Does anybody know who made this product, what its called and any specifications about it. Thanks

David Ashton

Old Radiant Floor tubing question

I am trying to determine what the product was that was installed in a slab back in 1980. It is an extruded EPDM/rubber product in approximately a 4-3/8" wide mat, that has 6 tubes, each approximately 3/16" id. The rubber mat was cast into the slab in a closed loop system as typical.

I need to know the name of the product so I can research what the maximum temperature fluid is that can pass through it.

I also need to determine if it requires a special glycol or whether standard propylene glycol is sufficient.

Does anybody know who made this product, what its called and any specifications about it.

Paul Pollets

Bio Radiant EPDM

the product was made by a company in Ellenville, NY called Bio-Radiant...the EPDM tubing does not have an oxygen barrier, and needs to be separated from the boiler water using a flat plate HX.

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Unknown

Solar Roll

It appears the product you have is called Solar Roll (6 pair per sheet)or Radiant Roll (1 pair). Glorified poly pipe. To my knowledge it is no longer available. Max temp 140F. No oxygen barrier.

Last contact number I have is (as of 1981): Originally: Bio-Energy Systems, Inc, Then: Bio Thermal Unlimited, Now" The Energy Archetect, Inc., Ellenville NY 12428, phone 914-947-6700 http://www.theenergyarchitect.com/thermalsolar2.htm

David Ashton

Many thanks. I have confirmed the product is Sola Roll. I tried the phone number and its disconnected, and the web address too. Any possibility of a spec sheet from anyone?

When you say there is no oxygen barrier, can you explain further, and how exactly that means it needs to be plumbed?

Unknown

non-ferrous

David,

It means that Oxygen can find its way through your plastic and will create rust on any iron or steel product clogging and infecting your system causing early failure.

To avoid this you must use antifreeze in the syetem or treat the water or isolate thorugh use of heat exchangers and use all bronze parts o the solarole side.

make sense?

BTW - I have quite a few systems out there using CI boilers, CI circs and solarole that are 40% glycole... no problemo.

hr

It has a lot to do with operating temps

regarding O 2 ingress through the tube. Even with EVOH O2 barrier, temperatures above 140 will increase O2 ingress.

I've seen plenty of high temperature SolarRoll systems sludge up.

If in fact you glycol a non barrier tube system, such as this, it would be wise to check and re-inhibit the corrosion inhibitors in nthat glycol from time to time.

Severe sludge will render those small diameter systems "un-cleanable"

As for design info, get your hands on some early Heatway TwinTran design sheets. That tube was a very similar ID.

hot rod

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