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[Farmer85]

Hey all, I'm finally making the switch to thermopex before winter. I have found a local dealer that will cut it to length for $11.00/ft. That is the most reasonable I've found so far. Any way my question is my current setup has a 1/2" pex for fill water. I am worried it may freeze where I stub it out of the ground. My plan is to run it next to the thermopex and just above ground tape it to a warm line and insulate it to below grade. Anyone have Any ideas? I realize I could probably order it with my line in it but not for this price. What are guys doing here with your fill lines. Thanks

[juddspaintballs]

My fill line is inside the house at the water heater.  I have a T on the boiler loop with a check valve and I use a washer style hose to fill from my well's pressure tank into the boiler loop.  The check valve keeps boiler water from getting into domestic water.

[mlappin]

My fill line is inside the house at the water heater.  I have a T on the boiler loop with a check valve and I use a washer style hose to fill from my well's pressure tank into the boiler loop.  The check valve keeps boiler water from getting into domestic water.

Exactly, no need to run a separate line clear out to the boiler just to fill it. T off in the basement into a line coming from or going to the boiler.

My well kicks in at 50 PSI, I’ve never seen my boiler system carry more than a few PSI, so no need really for a check valve although it doesn’t hurt.

When I switched to all copper in the basement last winter I installed a double check and a 120V solenoid valve and ran more than three wires to the G400, I can fill it from outside at a push of a button.

[Farmer85]

I like my setup I have now. I have to fill from outside because that's where my over flow is. On the earth rancher there is a 90 degree elbow turned up and when it bubbles up its full. SO any thing done remotely would be a guess and I like to know that it stays full. I could do it with a solenoid electrically with a remote pushbutton but I like just having the water out there as the stove was designed to do. simple and easy and nothing mechanical to fail. thanks for the ideas but I am really wanting to stay the same. I just need to figure out how to run the line without it freezing in the back of the stove where it stubs up. as I said before the line is premade into my existing underground so it never freezes. Now with the thermopex it will have to be ran on the outside of it I guess.

[RSI]

What about just putting a hydrant by the boiler? You would need to fill above the water line in the boiler but then there would be nothing to freeze.

[juddspaintballs]

That's a great idea, RSI. 

[Farmer85]

well that is a great idea accept that unless im overthinking it I will have to have some sort of hose to fill with and ill be out there messing around in the freezing cold with a hose froze up. the way my system is setup there is a ball valve on the front of my stove and I turn it on until it comes out the overflow. pretty easy. if I tie the 1/2'' line to a 180* main line just above grade do you think enough heat will transfer to keep it from freezing as it comes up at the back of the stove?

[RSI]

If you could run the water in above the water line in the boiler, it should suck the water back out of the piping when you turn it off. You would need to put it close to the boiler and need good enough drainage under the boiler to not cause a problem.

Running the line up out of the ground like you said may work but not really any way to know for sure.

[BIG AL]

I put a tee in my return line going back to the boiler and I have a ball valve that I use to add water when needed. I connected it to the nearest water supply in the basement and I stand at the door and watch until its full and shut it off. Then again I only have to do that maybe once a year.

[patvetzal]

last year (first for OWB) I found that there was enough radiant heat loss to keep the snow melted from the piping end of the unit. As long as the tank was hot and fire going nothing was going to freeze. In fact I hope to build a "doghouse" up tight to the unit to keep my genny warm so it will start...