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[Gilks]

Hi guys, Building a house which will be completed in the next couple of weeks. Have been doing all the pex work myself. Six zones. Pex in the concrete floor of the garage and basement, pex-al underneath the floor, between floor joists creating four additional zone in the house. Stove has been delivered and is sitting on concrete pad and watts insulated pipe is coming from wood stove into the basement. Here start the dilemma. I have materials such as thermostats (wires run), taco pumps, thermostat controller, and mixing valves. Some of the manifolds are close (9 loop for basement, 4 loop for garage, and four loop for one zone in the house), and some are more distant. My question to you is, is there a good resource available to guide me through the construction of the control panel? Or, do I just need to bite the bullet and turn it over to the plumber and heating guys? I like doing stuff myself when I can but don't want to screw this up. Second, are control panels ever constructed exclusively with pex, or do you recommend copper. And lastly, should I invest in a crimp tool and work with that, or do I need to get a loan for a truckload of shark bites? Thanks in advance. 

[slimjim]

Some of us work far better with a sketch, could you draw up what you wish to do and post a picture of it, I"m sure we can talk you through it.

[CountryBoyJohn]

I like the stainless cinch rings over the copper crimp. The cinch rings are removable in the event of a boo boo. You can reuse the fitting. If you go with the cinch, get the expensive wrench, not the $80 one. You will get hernias with the cheap one. You'll still be money ahead with the expensive tool and rings over the shark bite.