My GSHP is about 40' from where my loop will be entering the house. Can I run rigid PVC or copper to the point of entry for the loop or should I run HDPE to the circulating pumps. Anybody got pics?
Thanks, Paul

PVC should suffice. I used it on my open loop system with no problems so far.

Copper would seem to be needlessly expensive; HPDE would certainly work.

What is the material for your exchanger?  Pvc is generally frowned on but still used.  Hdpe is preffered due to the lack of glue or mechanical joints.  C heck out the gallery section of my web site and others here for pics.

Thanks

Our preference is to have flow center in garage or other unfinished space - takes some of the risk and fear from flushing and repairs.

I agree that HPDE is preferable.

Honestly never saw anything with an advantage over heat fused HDPE. A DIY might choose something else due to tools available, but IMHO everything else is second best. Functional perhaps, but not best.
J

Agree with that as well.

HPDE fusing is not yet in my arsenal, so have settled for second bests, though above ground only.

I'm speaking in terms of closed loop and have no objection to other materials on pump n dump.
J

Posted By joe.ami on 04 Apr 2010 11:49 PM
I'm speaking in terms of closed loop and have no objection to other materials on pump n dump.
J

Agreed.
When installinf a pump and dump, it really is just plumbing.  a lot of choices out there in regard to material.

What about using pex? I don't have a long run from entry into basement to furnace but obstacles means a lot of turns. Less fittings mean less likely to have a leak.

Hydron install manual" "Interior Piping All interior piping must be sized for proper fl ow rates and pressure loss. Insulation should be used on all inside piping when minimum loop temperatures are expected to be less than 50°F. Use the table below for insulation sizes with different pipe sizes. All pipe insulation should be a closed cell and have a minimum wall thickness of 3/8”. All piping insulation should be glued and sealed to prevent condensation and dripping. Interior piping may consist of the following materials: HDPE, copper, brass, or rubber hose (hose kit only). PVC is not allowed on pressurized systems. Non-pressurized system: The interior piping can incorporate all the above-mentioned pipe material options (see interior piping), including PVC."

Climatemaster install manual:" Open Loop - Ground Water Systems Shut off valves should be included for ease of servicing. Boiler drains or other valves should be “tee’d” into the lines to allow acid fl ushing of the heat exchanger. Shut off valves should be positioned to allow fl ow through the coaxial heat exchanger via the boiler drains without allowing fl ow into the piping system. P/T plugs should be used so that pressure drop and temperature can be measured. Piping materials should be limited to copper or PVC SCH80. Note: Due to the pressure and temperature extremes, PVC SCH40 is not recommended."

I had one schedule 80 female adaptor blow on me in a pressurized system. SCH 80 male adaptors are fine. We feel more comfortable with the non-pressurized systems now and SCH80 now. HDPE is preferred, but sometimes for larger headers (2" or 3") we use SCH80 now.

Curt,
"HPDE fusing is not yet in my arsenal, so have settled for second bests, though above ground only." Check out geo stab fittings. Expensive but so are fusion tools. For someone doing high end custom work/ lower volume, they make sense.

Volleyball, Pex is a good choice as well. I still don't have the same confidence in it as other materials and would not conceal it, but for basement plumbing; sure.
j

I used PVC on my own open loop system only. Everything else the well driller has done with HDPE - he plumbs the units to the flow center. He's been very pricey lately.

Next job is going to be a 2 bore reinjection system using a different driller. I think I'm going to be on the hook for the horizontal bits so I'll either be learning to fuse or using something else, perhaps the stab fittings.

Curt shop your well drillers as we would have folks shop geo.
I'm six weeks deep into regretting well driller change.
RE stab fittings per Dewaynes suggestion we looked at them for the Doityourself designs and have used them in the ground already. I also have used their gas pipe product for years. One thing we found was a possible distribution oppurtunity there.
J

We have serviced and used the stabb fittings and other than the cost I have nothing to say about them on the negative.
Eric
Joe,
am curious about the new driller, why the dissapointment???
We recently picked up some new clients based on staffing of the office, and streamlining of the bid and transfer of design information.

In fairness, one of the prettiest sites I've ever seen. Problem is I've had extremely poor EWT's indicating to me I don't have all my loops in play.
Because of the newness of our relationship (and the propensity of most folks to over size equipment and loops around here) he has spent a lot of time questioning my design vs possibility of loop problem. I tried to explain that an undersized heat pump wont take extra btu's out of the ground........
He is having another geo contractor out to flush his loops and try to guess what's wrong tuesday. This will be the 4th flush by third company (lots of wasted time) there is no evidence of air (no compression during dead head) which leads me to suspect cross circuiting of the loops or a bad grout job......dig is scheduled Friday if no miraculous change.
I'm sure they will do what is right in the end, worst thing is I think they over stated their experience with loop work other than wells. Been a headache I didn't need in the middle of a headache elsewhere.
Gratefully the customer is patient as long as we keep him in the loop on our findings and plan.
j
j

Majority of all our jobs are HDPE AND insulated. We were busy this summer repairing a fair amount of jobs with indoor PVC that needed HDPE and a flush, purge, fill.

For a couple long runs that I needed a couple crazy bends, I utilized PEX-AL-PEX.

AJ, the repairs you had to do, were they SCH40 or SCH80 PVC? Were they on pressurized or non-pressurized systems? All the fixes we had to do were on older systems installed 10-20 years ago, SCH 40 and pressurized.....