Weil Mclain AlumiPex fittings source

Bob Bona_4

Does anyone have a source for WM Alumipex fitting parts, specifically the O-ring that is part of the insert on the 1/2" screw compression type of fitting. I need 50 O- rings. The tube is 12 years old.

What happened to this tube, anyway? I haven't seen it marketed in years, and this is the first job I've seen it on.



TIA!

kcopp

not sure...

but i think that was the kissing cousin of the Wirsbo multi-cor pex-al-pex.... might be a source.

Mark Eatherton

Thats what happens when....

a company who was strictly known as a boiler manufacturer decides to jump onto the radiant tubing band wagon half way...



THeir reps and dealers had no idea what to do with this stuff, and there was already a BUNCH of competition on the market. I'm sure it sounded like a great idea at the time, but it was late coming to the market, and poorly planned. I think they had like one or two fitting adapters for their 3/4" tube...



Our local rep donated a bunch of this material to the college, and it's still sitting there waiting to be used for something...



As for seals, if you need ANY "O" ring style seals, there is one place that has never let me down regardless of the application, and that place is here in Denver. It's called Rocket Seals.



http://www.rocketseals.com/



Give them a shot.



ME

croydoncorgi

AliPex Pipe & fittings - Chaos and Cost!!!

Here in UK (and apparently also in US) the market for Alipex ('multi-layer') pipe is chaotic and prices are plain stupid!



First problem is no standards.  There are variations in outside diameter (eg 25 or 26mm!!) and wall-thickness (eg. 2, 3 or 3.5mm for the same O/D). Result is that fittings for pipe X will not be compatible with pipe Y.  And then there's a LOT of variation in the press-tools needed to crimp the fittings.  It's all the result of VERY VERY silly attempts at 'marketing' - in practice, there's no requirement for these variations.  Just bunches of Suits in different offices trying to make a Quick Buck for their company against their competitors, and at the expense of end-users.



And then the killer, second problem.  How to sell the stuff?  Merchants are already snowed under with existing inventories of single items for steel, copper and plastic plumbing components.  Why would they want YET ANOTHER type of single-item inventory, taking a lot of racking space and inventory cost, and (at least at the start) not selling much?  Answer: They want it like they want a hole in the head! 



Link these two problems toether, and what have you got?  A new product that will fall stillborn onto the market and, unless something radical happens, vanish without trace EXCEPT in 'special situations' such as new construction. And what are the repairers and maintainers supposed to do 2, 5 or 15 years down-track when called upon to repair or extend a system plumbed in one variety or other of press-fit?  You may well ask!  It'll be at least expensive, if not completely uneconomic to get involved with it, IMHO.

hot_rod

that tube

I believe was sourced from China. I believe several other US radiant tube manufacturers use the same tube, different color jacket. If the entire fitting can be replaced look at the fittings from Watts, Mr Pex, Aquatherm, and a few others.



Those o-rings tended to dry out and crack after some shelf life, beware of what you buy.



You might just source o-rings from a o-ring manufactures. many do small orders quickly, Google o-ring manufacturers. I found a bunch in Texas.



Weil was trying to move a lot of that radiant stuff off the books this spring, I'm not sure who ended up with the assortment, try some of the Weil dealers, maybe Able Distributing in Chicago.



hr

Bob Bona_4

Thanks

you guys, this is helpful. I may just have to get out the caliper and track down some generic O-rings.

This job is a whole house gyp done around 1998. 23 loops of the AlumiPex. Have to say, doesn't look like a bad product, all the mechanical nuts are tight, no corrosion or leaks.

The problem here is that in 1998, a local Baelz rep designated this home as a showcase for the Baelz product line. And what an animal this is. 5 ohm circuitry for starters.

12 motorized Baelz three way valves dedicated to each Baelz thermostat or room sensor. A giant motorized three way valve chooses whether the boiler primary loop gets the flow or the indirect. A B+G L60 flanged pump runs 24/7/365 as a primary pump. No manifolds; radiant loops are taken from respective three way valves.

The system has never worked right from Day 1. The HO said she has to use a portable electric heater in the MBR, which caught fire and melted last year, and the fire dept had to come out. Post it notes tell what valves to turn on for heat. An extension cord is at the ready to plug in a Taco SR501 to activate one of the zones.

The Indirect is a Plus 80, but the normal boiler in and out taps are not used. A large Baelz vertical tube HX heats the domestic, the tank is storage.

A stone age WM WTGO (!) is the second boiler here, as the first one rotted out in 10 years when the porch snowmelt sprung a leak and was undetected for a LONG time. 

The electric bill here is averaging 2K a month. The control box has to be seen to be believed.

So, I am re-habbing this, and part of it is bringing the AlumiPex loops to new manifolds. Along the way, I want to replace the O-rings in each fitting..one has already gone AWOL in the demo.

I will post some pics soon.

Paul Fredricks_3

ooofffff!

Better you than me, Pal!

Bob Bona_4

can't

be any harder than moving a boiler across a basement!

Charlie from wmass

Bob sounds like you have a shot at the prize money

Get some pictures up you may have a few extra dollars for the holidays.

Bob Bona_4

LOL!

I didn't even think of it!

There's some pretty nasty stuff over there. I'm afraid this isn't too dramatic, Everything is nice and neat and repetitive looking. It's when you look closer you see the swing checks installed vertically and stuff like that. And the overkill.

Although a shot of inside the Baelz control box would strike fear in any mortal man...

Pics on Monday when I go back!

Bob Bona_4

I remember

those days, Mark. It seemed like everyone had a radiant tube.

Now that it's almost 2011, we are down to what, maybe 3,4 tube mfrs.?

I find it fascinating seeing things come and go and what sticks, what doesn't.

Speaking of..today getting material, a HO wandered up to the counter. Holding a Filltrol. The young 'un's working there didn't know what it was. God, how I hated those