Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    jdesotle's Avatar
    jdesotle Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Oct 18, 2006, 05:19 PM
    Pex Plumbing
    I'm hoping some one can help with my question regarding Pex plumbing (AKA Zurn Pex).

    I have recently run Zurn Pex throughout my renovated home for use in baseboard heating. The pex is used for supply and return and traditional copper baseboard will be installed as the heating element. The plan is to run the Pex up to where the baseboard is to be installed and then connect it to a piece of 3/4 copper (approx 6" long) using a Pex to copper fitting. This process would be repeated wherever a stub-out is needed. These small intermediary pieces of copper would run up through the floor and eventually connect to a 90 degree elbo which would be sweated onto the heating element. So far all my sweating is done prior to connecting to the Pex. My question is, now that the Pex is connected and is in some cases within 6" of where I am sweating my elbos, will the Pex melt from the heat? If so, does anyone have any ideas on how to prevent this, essentially how to keep the copper near the Pex cool?
    darrel1953's Avatar
    darrel1953 Posts: 86, Reputation: 12
    Junior Member
     
    #2

    Oct 19, 2006, 12:13 AM
    You can find a variety of cooling materials at your local plumbing wholesaler.
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
    Ultra Member
     
    #3

    Oct 19, 2006, 09:12 AM
    Six inches is pushing it, but as Darrel suggested, there are a number of products available at your local plumbing supply house.

    If you strike out there, you can also wrap the pex with a wet rag -- A *VERY* wet rag.

    I do PEX to copper transitions all the time, but I try to have all of my copper joints soldered before making the PEX connection.

    If you run into trouble with this, you can also cut the PEX back and then add a pex coupling.
    jdesotle's Avatar
    jdesotle Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #4

    Oct 19, 2006, 06:31 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by darrel1953
    You can find a variety of cooling materials at your local plumbing wholesaler.
    Darrel1953, thanks for your help - can you tell me what I am asking for, e.g. cooling material for soldering? Are there name brands or and industry phrase I should be using?

    Quote Originally Posted by iamgrowler
    Six inches is pushing it, but as Darrel suggested, there are a number of products available at your local plumbing supply house.

    If you strike out there, you can also wrap the pex with a wet rag -- A *VERY* wet rag.

    I do PEX to copper transitions all the time, but I try to have all of my copper joints soldered before making the PEX connection.

    If you run into trouble with this, you can also cut the PEX back and then add a pex coupling.
    iamgrowler - thanks for your help, as I asked darrel1953 are there any name brand products I should be asking for or an industry phrse I should be using?

    Also, when you mention the pex coupling, I am assuming you are talking about removing the pex if it becomes damaged in the process, correct?
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
    Ultra Member
     
    #5

    Oct 19, 2006, 07:19 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by jdesotle
    iamgrowler - thanks for your help, as I asked darrel1953 are there any name brand products I should be asking for or an industry phrse I should be using?
    I've seen them on the shelves at the supply houses, but I cannot remember any specific brand or trade name.

    Also, when you mention the pex coupling, I am assuming you are talking about removing the pex if it becomes damaged in the process, correct?
    I am.

    PEX is a great product, as is copper, but mating the two requires that the copper portion of the assembly be done first.

    Sweating copper pipe and fittings causes convective currents, which are drawn deep into the copper tube, and 6 inches of copper, no matter what the size, isn't much of a margin.

    OTOH, one of the benefits of PEX tubing is it's remarkable memory, which allows it to return to it's original form when heated, the drawback to this memory/heat ratio is that too much heat causes the PEX molecules to dissipate, leaving you with a weakened product.

    If this were a project I inherited after the fact, I would cut a portion of the PEX out before sweating the copper joints, and then couple PEX back in after the soldered joints had cooled.
    Rob Reese's Avatar
    Rob Reese Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #6

    Jun 4, 2012, 10:48 AM
    What size pex tube should I run to replace a 3/4" copper pipe

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Plumber quote using pex, new supplies to attic [ 2 Answers ]

Hello , back again. After all the away time from country/project, I decided to ask a plumber for a quote on running the supplies for my new attic 1/2 bath. (tapping into lines in basement, running all the way up. The attic bath is adjacent to water wall) also, 1st floor bath water wall is opened...

Advice needed on sizing/routing PEX lines [ 10 Answers ]

I am beginning to replace the 53 year old copper lines in my house with PEX as I am building a bathroom in the basement. I want to put in a manifold to separate some of the lines and give a central location for shutoff controls. Running individual lines to every fixture could be a bit expensive...

Sizing guide for pex supplies [ 5 Answers ]

hello again speedball, so I've decided to tackle my pex plumbing project myself and not shell out $700 to the "I know a guy" guy. From what I've read so far, sizing pex is the same as copper, but I value your input greatly. I am running supplies for an attic half bath. The total run for...

Plumbing [ 2 Answers ]

In our bathoom, we are not getting hot water from the shower. In fact its practically cold water. Why is this happening.. and what do we do to repair? We need to fix this ASAP... Thank you...


View more questions Search