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tubing to sub-floor transfer efficiency

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jp_2
jp_2 Member Posts: 1,935
in THE MAIN WALL
you are seeing first hand that thin plates do not work well, good information to know! those thin plates do not have the mass necessary to carry heat across them. just like tin foil on the turkey, you can touch in right out of the oven, try the same on a pan out of the oven.

Comments

  • Justin_7
    Justin_7 Member Posts: 2
    tubing to sub-floor transfer efficiency

    I’m worried about the heat transfer from PEX to sub-floor in a between-joist staple-up system. I’ve got ½” PEX with fitted thin aluminum plates, some air space, reflective bubble-sheet, and fiberglass below. Heat loss downward does not seem to be a problem at all… I’ve never done this before and I don’t see any numbers for this on the web, but I really expected the sub-floor temperature to be closer to the PEX temperature with this setup. With PEX at 145 degrees F I’m seeing above-the-plate sub-floor under-surface at 115 deg.



    Is this typical? I’ve delayed further installation until I come to terms with this. Due to warm weather, I’m not able to assess total performance. Is there a conducting paste or something I can smear on the sub-floor to make better contact with the tubing and plates?
  • brucewo1b
    brucewo1b Member Posts: 638
    i would say yes

    it is normal, extrued plates would be much better but you are warrmiming the air space and the wood so the temps are going to cool as the heat disapates to the cooler surfaces.
  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    The conductive transfer

    is by far the most powerful. And yes, it does depend on a good tight tube to plate connection. The thin plates just don't have the mechanism to grab the tube tightly, hense some transfer efficiency loss.

    I have tanken infrared movies of the various installation methods and the heavy extruded plates are a clear winner.

    I also watched some UltraFin work through the IF camera. That fin, near the tube does track within a few degrees of the tube wall temperature. I think Mr Bean has some pics of this at healthyheating.com.

    The thin plated do not conduct the temperature to the edges like the extruded plates either. There is a lot to be said for the aluminum thickness if you are chasing ultimate performance. It can be measured, felt, and seen with the right equipment.

    The extruded plates I use need an pneumatic palm nailer to drive the tube into the groove. It stays put without any silicone, by the way :)

    hot rod

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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    extruded transfer plates vs staple up

    EPDM.

    Any questions?

    hot rod
  • jp_2
    jp_2 Member Posts: 1,935
    you had to ask!!!!

    yep, i have some curiosity questions hot rod.

    1.) is that a start up or somewhat stable condition photo?

    2.) roughy what is the color/temperature references? or the temp differnces across the samples?

    thanks

  • Justin_7
    Justin_7 Member Posts: 2
    thanks

    Well, thanks. I guess I'll get a few thick plates up and try to analyze performance as cold weather sets in.
    Are there any thick plates that mount under the tubing, i.e. the tubing is set in on top?
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