[Greenbuilding] Al Pex for Solar Heating System

[Willy Williams]

I'd go along with that thought.  I installed a Helio-Pack solar water 
heating system last summer, and wondered about using PEX vs. 
copper.  One call to Heliodyne, the manufacturer, disabused me of the 
notion of substituting PEX for copper due to temperature and pressure 
concerns.  PEX is great stuff for regular household plumbing, but not 
quite there for solar use yet.

Willy Williams

At 1/3/2008 at 03:34 PM, Dan Antonioli wrote:
>Sacie,
>
>I'm currently reading Bob Ramilow's "Solar Water Heating" and he
>strongly discourages the use of any PEX, unless it's on the cooler
>return line. PEX, he claims, will hold up for a few years and then
>begin to break down under high temperatures.
>
>It's tempting, I know. I have a couple of thermal projects coming up
>at my home and I want to make it easy and use PEX. Sure would be nice
>if a high-temperature PEX could be developed to last thirty years!
>
>Dan Antonioli
>
>
>
>On Jan 2, 2008, at 8:55 PM, Sacie Lambertson wrote:
>
> > When we built our house we plumbed it for a back-up solar water
> > heating
> > system.  Unfortunately this was before I learned that PEX could not be
> > used.  Now I'm ready to complete the job (our propane bills have
> > gone from
> > $350/yr to $750/yr) but I'm told that AL PEX should NOT be used
> > either, that
> > it can't take the extreme heat of the glycol coming out of the
> > solar panel.
> > I would appreciate hearing some opinions and best advice on this.
> > Copper is
> > the only recommended carrier this knowledgeable source told me
> > (though he
> > had heard of using copper for the first six feet, with an
> > alternative after
> > that, but didn't think this a good idea either).  I really don't
> > want to use
> > copper if I can help it.
> >
> > A follow up question: what is the best insulator for the copper/
> > alternative
> > line which will have to be buried for 20 ft before it enters the
> > house?  Yes
> > I know that copper must be contained if it is going to be buried in
> > the
> > ground.
> > Thanks
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