Corzan CPVC for heat lines

Rocky_3

Feel free to "crash my party" anytime. You actually answered several questions or concerns I had in your last three posts. Its almost as if you teach this stuff or something! ;-)

One of the largest fuel consumers in this building is keeping the system hot all summer long to stop vic leaks. I knew that by at least dropping the temp lower in the summer we could save a gob of money, but maybe I go the distance and tell them we should let the system go cold and fix the leaks as they appear for ultimate long term fuel savings. (Kind of like the old Fram oil filter commercial..."you can pay me now, or pay me later")

Also, the pool heating thing about air temps and zero load for maintenance on the pool heater. Makes really good sense. If maintenance is zero, then really no need to have one dedicated boiler supplying constant hot water to pool heat exchanger, can use the entire system during start up to provide necessary BTU's.

Will investigate using Vic on the new stuff and putting in appropriate expansion compensation and anchoring. I guess if MY stuff doesn't leak, then they have no gripes. Can address "their" stuff if and when the issue arises.

Thanks for your input, I really do appreciate it.

Warm regards from chilly Fairbanks,
Rocky

Rocky_3

Has anyone tried this stuff in heating system?

Website says it can be used in industrial applications, up to 230 degrees, 46 psi. Anyone with experience using it in their heating system? If applicable, beats the snot out of using 6" welded steel piping for an application I have coming up. http://www.corzancpvc.com/DesignManual/design-installation-manual.pdf

What say ye?
Regards,
Rocky

[Deleted User]

I say...

it has no oxygen barrier, has an extremely high co-efficnt of expansion, if operated at temps above 140 will probably need 100% support.

Now, if it is a real low temp operation (less than 140), is going to have inhibitors induced on a regular basis (ongoing h2o treatment program IN PLACE), and you can live with or compensate for the expansion, and you can get the manufacturer and engineers to agree on teh application, why not?

But, if you are going to go to all that trouble, why not go with PE fusion socket welded or butt face welded joints. A LOT less expensive than CPVC, has the exact same CEoE, and pass virtually the same amount of oxygen/day. :-)

We used our first PE on a major snowmelt job were doing. I'm the designer, so it met my needs:-)

Check it out. A real labor and material saver, and NO LEAKS!!

ME

Rocky_3

Mark, good points all

Was blinded by the "zippy-wow" factor. Will need oxygen barrier for this job and don't know how, but I COMPLETELY spaced out that "small" detail! I still hate the thought of running 6" welded steel pipe, and am uncertain about Vic pipe and its ability to not leak when gaskets cool off in summer. Might look at running two runs of 4" copper to carry required 360 gpm.
Thanks for crashing my party ;=)!
Rocky

[Deleted User]

Party crashing...

is just ONE of my many talents :-)

Rocky, I used 4" Vic's on amajor snowmelt job we did at a Target Store up in the mountains, and we have had ZERO issues. Zip, nada, zero. Its in its 6th year.

If these people are eating energy trying to keep the system from leaking, that is one expensive leak control measure. I'm CERTAIN the folks at Victaulic would LOVE to see that job...

Sounds like there needs to be some good and proper property management training here...

Sorry for raining on your parade. BTW, for what its worth, the swimiing pools loads should be zero for maintenance. If the air temprature is maintained a few degrees higher then the required pool temperature, the pool won't require any maintenance heat. Just recovery heat from when they empty and refill. And thats a matter of days, not hours for recovery. I think once you get a better handle on their expectations, you can properly size the distributuion system. And probally make is MUCH smaller.

Go Vic, but be cautioned, the welders hate that stuff...Its putting them out of a job.

ME

[Deleted User]

PS...

We all get blinded by the zippy wow factor and it obscures the obvious sometimes...

As for using Vic, if the system is properly designed AND installed, the fittings are made to handle some deflection.(7 degrees if memory serves me) Its simply a matter of control. If you have a real long run, Put a long legged U shaped expansion joint parked in "neutral" in the very middle, then tie your other ends of the pipe to the structure, thereby sending the growth into the middle, and your problems are negated. You do have to think at least 2 dimensionally as it pertains to expansion growth, and not having enough expansion compensation, or not having adequate anchoring causes more leaks on ALL pipe systems than you can imagine. Then people start doing things like keeping them hot and expanded to avoid leaks, at a VERY Expen$ive co$t to human comfort and resource consumption.

It's like ANY pipe system. Properly designed AND installed, it is tested and proven to be trouble free. Improperly designed and installed, it can be a disaster.

It all in the details...

ME

[Deleted User]

Been thinking about gettin' a job at the local community ....

college. But haven't got time:-)

We're here to help each other learn from our personal experiences bub.

Stay warm.

ME