PB or PE?

Ken_8

We are bidding a huge snow melt job and would like your opinion on which is better, cheaper and the pro's and con's about each (polyethylene or polybutylene with a SS or non-ferrous HX (or perhaps SS/alloy boiler - directly piped); and...

A replacement of steel pipe in yet another failed Frank Lloyd Wright in-floor/slab radiant job that has steel pipes looking like swiss cheese.

Both PEX and Copper are off the radar screen.

Whattaya think?



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Mike Kraft_2

I aint no chemist

but many car wash snow melts are using PB.Why is pex out?

cheese

Mark Eatherton1

Inasmuch...

as your system WILL have glycol in it, and that glycol WILL have corrosion inhibitors in it, and it WILL have annual fluid maintenance checks, o2 barriers are irrelevant.

So, use what ever tickles your pink. Or would that be whatever pickles your tink...

In any case, both tubes are capable of withstanding the temperatures you will be exposing it to (140 degrees F max).

The only kink I can see would be the transition fittings. Crimp rings for PB are rare and getting rarer.

Smile for the camera!!

Good to see you my friend.

ME

kevin coppinger_4

> as your system WILL have glycol in it, and that

> glycol WILL have corrosion inhibitors in it, and

> it WILL have annual fluid maintenance checks, o2

> barriers are irrelevant.

>

> So, use what ever

> tickles your pink. Or would that be whatever

> pickles your tink...

>

> In any case, both tubes

> are capable of withstanding the temperatures you

> will be exposing it to (140 degrees F

> max).

>

> The only kink I can see would be the

> transition fittings. Crimp rings for PB are rare

> and getting rarer.

>

> Smile for the

> camera!!

>

> Good to see you my friend.

>

> ME

kevin coppinger_4

I thought that ...

the crimp rings for the Pex and polybute were really the same thing....it has the same crimper.....kpc

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Grumpy

Wouldn't be too hard on old Frank

Considering that Frank Lloyd Wright will have been dead 45 years come this April 9th, and the fact that he had a limited selection of materials to work with regarding radiant slab heating, I'd say that any black iron system that has survived 50+ odd years, has fulfilled it's useful life expectancy. Maybe giving old Frank Lloyd W. the "bad rap" isn't really justified.

Just my $.02 from an ardent admirer of the greatest architect of his day.

Ken_8

PB vs. PB

Cost is the reason.

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Ken_8

What camera?



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Ken_8

What camera?

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Ken_8

Photo I.D. - optional

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Boilerpro_3

Well, along with failed heating systems

most of Wright's structures also have serious structural problems. He may have been a genius designer, but a good builder he was not. When Walter Burley Griffin left his office, there was a huge drop in the quality of work coming from his office.

Dave "Boilerpro" Bunnell

Professional Bach. Architecture, 1989
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL.... One of the worlds archtectural Meccas... especially for Prairie School architecture.

Mark Eatherton1

Not according to my supplier...

I'd hate to have a leak because I'd used an improper crimp ring. The tool may be the same, but I suspect there is a difference in the crimp ring used, but not being an expert in Poly Suitylene, I dunno...

ME