I am installing a Central Boiler Outdoor wood furnace, the furnace
cycles water to the house through a heat exchanger then back to the
furnace to be heated again.

The pump to circulate the water has a 3/4" inlet and outlet, the heat
exchanger also has a 3/4" in and outlet and is also reduced to 1/2"
inside the exchanger.

The instructions recommend 1" Pex piping rated 100 PSI at 180F, this
furnace can be installed up to 500' from the house. Here are a few
questions I have.

1)Would you think 3/4" pipe would work I am going to install it about
100' from the house?
2)I think if I were going to be 500' away I would then want the 1"???
3)But because of the restriction of the pump and exchange 1" may be
over kill as it costs 2 to 3x more?
4)Is there any reason I can't use CPVC piping? It is also rated 100PSI
at 180F?

Pro's of Pex pipe:
1)The only connection/joints are at the pump and exchanger.

Con's of Pex pipe:
1)Very difficult to install and work with a 200' roll of pipe, it also
needs to be threaded through 8' insulation tubes.
2)Connectors are harder to find and a crimp tool is needed.

Pro's of CPVC pipe:
1)Easy to thread through the insulation
2)Many connectors available all cement together.

Con's of CPVC pipe:
1)Each 10' piece will need to be cemented together more joints.

Thanks for any and all help,

John

On 16 May 2004 13:27:29 -0700, someone wrote:

The instructions recommend 1" Pex piping rated 100 PSI at 180F....

You have their rec.

I'd expect there are plenty of other ways to make it work.

If you want to do something different, its up to you.

You have theri rec.

-v.

"JBW" wrote in message
m...
I am installing a Central Boiler Outdoor wood furnace, the furnace
cycles water to the house through a heat exchanger then back to the
furnace to be heated again.

The instructions recommend 1" Pex piping rated 100 PSI at 180F, this
furnace can be installed up to 500' from the house. Here are a few
questions I have.

Use the PEX. If you don't agree, call the manufacturer, they will either
tell you why they recommend it, or tell you that you'll void some sort of
warranty if you don't follow their instructions. I'm installing a Heatmor
unit for my house and shop and intend to follow their instructions. 1" PEX
is tough to work with but you don't have joints every ten feet that are
bound to fail sometime in mid-February, right about the time that most sewer
and water pipes seem to break.

JE

"Jon Endres, PE" t wrote in message ...
"JBW" wrote in message
m...
I am installing a Central Boiler Outdoor wood furnace, the furnace
cycles water to the house through a heat exchanger then back to the
furnace to be heated again.

The instructions recommend 1" Pex piping rated 100 PSI at 180F, this
furnace can be installed up to 500' from the house. Here are a few
questions I have.

Use the PEX. If you don't agree, call the manufacturer, they will either
tell you why they recommend it, or tell you that you'll void some sort of
warranty if you don't follow their instructions. I'm installing a Heatmor
unit for my house and shop and intend to follow their instructions. 1" PEX
is tough to work with but you don't have joints every ten feet that are
bound to fail sometime in mid-February, right about the time that most sewer
and water pipes seem to break.

JE

Yep, I did some additional checking and agree with you. I have some
time this summer and was just wondering why?? I did learn PEX tubing
is the same OD size as copper so the ID is less because of the
thickness of the PEX.

I was talking to someone who installed the PEX a year ago and he
un-rolled the coil and held in down with a few blocks and let it lay
out for a while he said it was much easier to work with then just
un-coiling it.

Good luck with your furnace and thanks for the information!

John