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Author Topic: Manifold/zone loop materials  (Read 2265 times)

Jon_E

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Manifold/zone loop materials
« on: December 13, 2017, 09:43:05 AM »

Got a question that may or may not be simple.  When I built my house, 13 years ago, I had a local plumber help me with my heat piping.  I don't know why he did what he did.  When the PEX from my OWB comes into the house, it transitioned to copper to go through my flat plate HX.  On the other side of the HX, he came out of it with copper and then transitioned to black iron for the main loop.  Yet, every zone off that main loop (there are four heat zones and one hot water zone) are all transitioned to copper with a threaded fitting, then the rest of the zone is copper.  The main loop is 1-1/4" black iron and the zones are all 1" copper.

I have never asked the guy why he used the black iron.  I know all my circulator pumps are cast iron (all Taco 007) but why build some of the system with black iron and some with copper? All the black iron is rusting on the exterior, it's ugly and looks like crap.

I am planning on installing a new heat-pump electric water heater as a backup system in the spring, and as part of that work I would like to replumb the entire thing in 100% copper and get rid of all the black iron.  Any reason this shouldn't be done?  I have looked at dozens of photos of heating manifolds and piping systems online and most of them stick to copper pipe (although some are using more and more PEX). 
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wreckit87

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Re: Manifold/zone loop materials
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2017, 10:55:16 AM »

Mostly because black iron is cheaper and easier to keep straight than copper, in terms of manifolds. Copper always has a bit of slop in the fittings so to build a straight and true manifold out of copper tees can be difficult, as they tend to sag a bit in each fitting. I prefer everything copper for aesthetics as well, but there is nothing wrong with black iron. You can always paint it if the rust is all that bothers you
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Smokeless

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Re: Manifold/zone loop materials
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2017, 11:17:53 AM »

The black iron is a lot stronger it will hold all the circ pumps with no problem when properly anchors in place. And wreckit is right on keeping the manifold true. It is hard to do without a jig of some sort. The rust is probably on the surface just wirewheel it off and paint the hot supply manifold red. And the return manifold blue. Also the less solder joints you have the less chance of a leak down the road. I like the welded 1 1/4” IPS x36” L with five 1” zones. All pressure tested and threaded.
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wreckit87

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Re: Manifold/zone loop materials
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2017, 11:48:59 AM »

Welded is nice! I built a 5" Schedule 40 manifold once upon a time with eight or ten 1-1/2" ports welded in for a geothermal system, worked like a champ. Type L copper will easily support 4 pumps if properly hung (I use split ring hangers) though.
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Jon_E

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Re: Manifold/zone loop materials
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2017, 02:03:25 PM »

Type L copper will easily support 4 pumps if properly hung (I use split ring hangers) though.

Pretty much what I had in mind.  I am building a zone loop for my garage heating, single zone, and it is all laid out horizontally on a plywood sheet, using split ring supports.  I'm building as much of it as I can (well, all of it) before it gets hung on the wall.  Everything is 1" Type L copper. 
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