Hydronic radiant floor system: Change copper verticals to PEX?

[Hcw3]

We have a (soon to be) finished basement.
With our radiant floor system, our installer created a 'forest' of copper verticals to the zones, but he put them directly in front of a window (in the attached pix, the lines change to PEX where the pipe-insulation starts)...
There's just enough space to potentially route them across below the window.

1. Is there any reason not to go directly into an el, coming out of the circulator pump?
2. I could redo it in copper, but PEX would be easier, and would actually use fewer els. Any reason not to use PEX near the circulator pumps?

Thanks for any help...

 

[NY_Rob]

You need some straight pipe at the output of the pump before going to an elbow. Also, 3/4" copper fittings and pipe have much lower resistance to flow compared to 3/4" pex fittings and pipe. Ideally you'd like to do as much of the near boiler piping in copper/iron to keep head values low- then transition to oxygen barrier Pex after all the twists and bends are done in copper.

Hold a 3/4" copper elbow and a 3/4" Pex elbow in your hand... look at the inside diameter of both- which will give you more flow?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Hcw3]

Ok, that explains why the installer did the verticals, and the copper.

Shoot. But I guess that lets me off the hook on changing all those (which is a good thing!)

Thanks for your help.

Have a great holiday, all.

 

[NY_Rob]

Well, I didn't say nothing could be done- but you can't just put a Pex elbow on the pump flange.

Without seeing the layout from farther back it's hard to give advise... but I personally wouldn't accept a job where the contractor blocks off a window.

Did he discuss that w/you in advance?

 

[Dana]

What, the jail-bars look doesn't really work for you?

The six-pack 0' pumps of one super-efficient ECM drive smart pump & zone valves on the secondary is starting to be a bit old-school now too, unless the math showed it really needs them.

 

[Hcw3]

Heh. Well, I wouldn't say "discussed". I questioned him about the window when he first started putting the system in, and he didn't explain it, just went ahead and did it. By the time he'd finished all the work in the job (plumbing and heating) I'd realized it'd be best to not let him do any work for me again - not even bring him back for corrections to his first work.

I've linked to a few full resolution pix of the job, here:

Left (click here for full size pic on Google Drive)

Center (click here for full size pic on Google Drive)

Right (click here for full size pic on Google Drive)

Dana, seeing your nice clean tidy install makes me not want to show anyone the big picture here at my house! I've been told by others that the one-pump-per-zone system is dated.

So that leaves me with correcting mistakes and deficiencies. I don't think I really wanted to learn this much about it, but it's been educational.

Well, I didn't say nothing could be done- but you can't just put a Pex elbow on the pump flange.

Without seeing the layout from farther back it's hard to give advise... but I personally wouldn't accept a job where the contractor blocks off a window.

Did he discuss that w/you in advance?

 

[NY_Rob]

The shame is he had plenty of space under the window to route everything with better pre-planning.

Perhaps post over at http://forum.heatinghelp.com and see if one of the pros there are local to you to see what can be done to make it acceptable to you with minimum alteration/waste of materials.

 

[rjbphd]

I think you hired just a plumber ,not a true hydronic heating guy. . Your system looks overpumped..

 

[Hcw3]

Thanks NY_Rob, I will.

The shame is he had plenty of space under the window to route everything with better pre-planning.

Perhaps post over at http://forum.heatinghelp.com and see if one of the pros there are local to you to see what can be done to make it acceptable to you with minimum alteration/waste of materials.