Steam shower roughin - bill of materials

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IDoDIY

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I need to rough-in steam shower piping and need help with a list of parts to buy (I haven't bought the steam unit yet).

It looks like the output of the steam units (planning on the MS400E) steam supply pipe is just 1/2" NPT, and at the end I need something like a drop ear fitting and a temp nipple pipe while the shower stall gets built. Instructions say to use 1/2-inch brass pipe or copper tubing from unit to steam head, so obviously no threaded iron.

So what's the right/best way? There are a lot of options, brass/lead free brass/copper, NPT/sweat?
Or am I overthinking this, just pick one, grab a union and measure it out, install it with the right pitch and be done?

Thanks
 

JohnfrWhipple

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The boys I work with all use copper pipe. I come in later with the high heat insulation.

Has the builder your working with ever built a steam shower. I bet the tile guy has no clue. Most don't.
 

ShowerDude

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I need to rough-in steam shower piping and need help with a list of parts to buy (I haven't bought the steam unit yet).

It looks like the output of the steam units (planning on the MS400E) steam supply pipe is just 1/2" NPT, and at the end I need something like a drop ear fitting and a temp nipple pipe while the shower stall gets built. Instructions say to use 1/2-inch brass pipe or copper tubing from unit to steam head, so obviously no threaded iron.

So what's the right/best way? There are a lot of options, brass/lead free brass/copper, NPT/sweat?
Or am I overthinking this, just pick one, grab a union and measure it out, install it with the right pitch and be done?

Thanks

add it all up, this is a more budget minded unit yet ive had good luck with 3 of these in the last few years...


steam shower plumbing.jpg
 

IDoDIY

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johnfrwhipple and redshoecounterbalance - thank you.
Redshoe, thanks for that pic. I'm glad to hear any other feedback on amerec since there's not much info out there on how people like them or how they hold up? They look like they're built well and less expensive than mr steam, but their low-end controls don't look all that 'sexy' compared to mr steam.

Here's what we went with:

Temporary nipple and cap, 1/2" iron pipe about 6" long. These are just used temporarily, for the rough in while the tiling is done and to test. Iron's cheap. You can't use iron anywhere in the final build with a steam system, it will rust, so these will be discarded when the final nipple and fitting go in. No iron, no pex.
Drop ear elbow fitting, sweat to NPT (FPT).
Copper tubing, L since it's a steam application and the run isn't long enough to make much of a difference in the price.
2" union fitting, to easily connect/disconnect the steam unit.
For pipe hangers, 1/2" insulating and suspending clamps since there are wooden studs. These keep the copper away from the wood so the condensation has a chance to evaporate instead of soaking into the studs.

Hope that helps somebody else that runs into the same issue.
 
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