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[big cat]

I believe a pipe replacement project is in my future. This past winter posed several problems for me using a Nature's Comfort NCB-175 to heat our 3,000 sq foot house and DHW. My wife and I would fill the unit ~5 times per day, without bringing the house completely up to temp. I should note that we purchased the home in November and the OWB was installed by the previous owner.

I have a 14 degree temp delta between what comes out of the OWB and what goes into my plate ex-changer in the basement. The lines appear to be triple wrapped, 1" pex lines in corrugated pipe. I'm thinking of replacing the lines with Logstar.

Any thoughts?

[RSI]

How were you measuring the temperature? If you were losing that much heat from the underground pipe you could almost grow grass over it in the winter. 

Where are you located? Unless you are fairly far south or have a really well insulated house and are burning well seasoned wood, an NCB-175 is probably not big enough. It may have been ok on the milder winters we had been having but last winter it would have been struggling.

[slimjim]

Sounds like you have water in the wrap, the wrapped pipe works fine IF it stays dry, water in the tile allows for lots of heat loss into the ground water! The Logstor will be your best investment!

[big cat]

I'm located in upstate NY and if I'm running the #s correctly, the NCB-175 provides more than twice the amount of btus for our 14 year old, 3000 sq' house. I'm leaning towards Slimjim's thinking in that I have water in the lines. The lines are ~4 feet deep in shale. I didn't grow any grass this winter I think due to the depth of the lines.

I'm hoping the logstar does the trick, although I'm also thinking of putting a larger plate exchanger in. I'm thinking a larger plate would aide in heat transfer/efficiency?
Thanks for the feedback guys.

[slimjim]

If it was even close to being able to heat your home with those sorts of temp losses then it's not the plate exchanger, I would be willing to bet it's simply water in the tile.

[big cat]

Slimjim,
Would it make sense to encase the logstar in drain tile as protection or is that overkill?
thanks

[mlappin]

Slimjim,
Would it make sense to encase the logstar in drain tile as protection or is that overkill?
thanks

I'm thinking of doing the same regardless of what I buy, make sure you get the solid and not the perforated.

[slimjim]

If you use Logstor I see no need but if you are ambitious it's Ok

[userdk]

Is the insulation waterlogged? I've seen that happen  before. If so, solid core foam line would likely help.

[big cat]

I guess I'll find out if its water logged when I dig it up. 
Any feedback on the depth I should bury the logstar at (my current lines seem to be about 3-4' deep)? Also, any feedback on sealing the poured foundation wall penetration (I've read about hydraulic cement or spray form)? 

[slimjim]

They ask for at least 18 inches if you will be driving heavy equipment over it, you will need at least 3 1/2 feet deep to make the bend up to your boiler straight up, I would use sand directly around the pipe in case you ever want to move it, a sleeve also would be helpful there but not necessary for protection, the outer wall is strong enough that I have taken a scrap piece, thrown it down in my gravel driveway, grabbed a bucket of gravel in my 416 cat backhoe and driven over it to show a customer that it will not damage the pipe

[Ridge]

Hey Slim, how strong is the rehau casing compared to the logstor? My installer sent me the rehau so I used it 3' deep. Thanks

[slimjim]

 I have never used it but it looks like very good quality, would you like me to send you a sliver/sample to compare the two?

[Ridge]

Thanks for that offer! If you would like I have leftover and would sent you a piece as you would be better at comparing the 2, your opinion is valued on the forums, mine is in the ground and too late for me

[slimjim]

I would like that! I will PM you my address, let me know the shipping cost, I will only need a sliver to compare the two, could you share with us the retail cost?