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1/4" tubing

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Devan
Devan Member Posts: 138
in Radiant Heating
Replacing a heating unit with a Triangle Tube. However, the radiant zones are connected to some type of 1/4" o.d black rubber tubing, manifold seems to be made out of 1" copper pipe with the 1/4" tubing pierced into pipe.



No way to replace tubing.



What is this, I'm guessing no O2 barrier. Would I need a HX with the TT.



Thanks.

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  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,139
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    sounds like

    Solar roll? Better check for circulation, they had a habit of sludging up and blocking flow. No warranty written or implied if you touch the stuff.



    Yes, for sure a HX to keep the two separated.



    hr
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Devan
    Devan Member Posts: 138
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    Thanks

    I did a quick search, found this popular mechanics article interesting. Seems like solaroll is what I have run into.



    http://books.google.com/books?id=fAEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA121&lpg=PA121&dq=sola+roll+tubing&source=bl&ots=5dqlyA4798&sig=aJScw5PoQtjbtU9VVJrTrBlZNUw&hl=en&ei=3BsNS7SSHNHhlAf5y9SLBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CCgQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
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    That's the stuff...

    It is best left untouched. As soon as you start moving the tubing around near the header, then it develops leaks. It is an absolute oxygen sieve, and it breaks down over time, causing a real hard black sludge to form and settle in the lowest parts of the system, eventually completely blocking flow.



    You can treat the water with Rhomar products, which will limit the oxidation, but I suspect the damage has already been done.



    I would make certain the consumer signs off on any additional liability on your part from here forward. The unfortunate thing is they are addicted to radiant heat, and now they need to start formulating a plan to replace the system. Not cheap in most cases, and very dusty.



    The Chiles brothers were dealers of this material early on. Between them and Richard Trethewey, they started the current radiant revolution we are living in. I just wish the Chiles brothers would have selected something other than the material that they did to kick off the revolution.



    Richard predicted, almost to the day, when their rubber product would start failing. How prophetic :-)



    That is a GREAT resource you found on line. I absolutely LOVE perusing the back pages of PS and PM. Learn Las Vegas Gamblers secrets, build a steam powered boat. Build a hover craft. And the Pinto commercial. How precious is THAT!



    Thanks for sharing that find Devan.



    Treat your system as an open system with lots of disclaimers and caveats and start looking for an alternative radiant surface, like maybe the ceilings. I LOVE my radiant ceilings in the mountains. And the floors are never really cold.



    Happy Thanksgiving. I'm spending mine at Hydronicahh...



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • Chris S
    Chris S Member Posts: 177
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    solar roll?

    Singh,

    There was a company in Ellenville NY that made that product for radiant heating both embedded and as a staple up product,  they also used it for snow melt-  the first hydronic snow-melt I ever saw.  They were also into some other cutting edge energy technologies ( I'm thinking about 17-18 years ago)  I think it was called bio energy.  The owner of the company whose name escapes me was Maurice Hincheys campaign manager in a re-election bid, and was indicted for some type of impropriaty related to that campaign.  He died in a small plane crash several years ago, and the company is long gone.  Yaun sold the product and I'm sure there are a lot of their installs in similar shape around the hudson valley.  I have two customer that run radiant slabs , both with hx, both runnning15 yrs on the same pump, fingers crossed
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