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[GCTerpfan]

Several people have recommended digging a hole under the splice and filling it with stone. If you do this you should really try to install some perforated pipe and clean stone under the splice and daylight it somewhere to allow the water to drain out of the trench.  I understand this may not be possible.  The problem with just digging a hole underneath and filling it with stone is that most ground water issues are caused by a high water table. At certain times of the year the water table most likely rises to the depth of your pipe, even if you have a stone filled hole underneath your pipe, it will still be in water unless you give the water a way to get out of the trench.

[Scott7m]

That could be true but I was thinking in his location the water table is usually fairly deep, but it could be

[GCTerpfan]

That could be true but I was thinking in his location the water table is usually fairly deep, but it could be

You may be correct. Water tables vary based on location, soils, etc.  I don't know his particular situation but it is something I would recommend that he consider and maybe do a little research on before proceeding with a fix.

[RSI]

That way I can get my service truck down  to the boiler and draw a vacuum on the boiler water so I don't loose much

Don't you have valves at the boiler? If not, I would put them on while you are working on the pipe. I would be very careful putting a vacuum on the boiler. It could easily damage the water jacket.

Did you use the stainless cinch clamps with the ear that gets pinched with a tool? If so, are there any marking on the clamps? (something OET 29.6)
What brand of tool did you use? There are a lot of junk tools out there now that don't squeeze the ear properly. Also some require calibration and if not set right can either cause the clamps to break it too tight or leak if too loose.

[ecc_33]

http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/ecc_33/media/boiler%20melting%20snow%205_zps3gkalvx6_1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0 hope that worked

[ecc_33]

I do remember someone getting badgers splice repair stuff but I didn't remember it being you.  Have you noticed a big increase in wood use.

Yea, It was me. No, That's whats crazy. As you can see in the pics its roughly 80 feet that's unthawed. You would think it would be using more wood. Its also been really cold. I've been burning swamp elm, cherry, ash mixed. Not the best wood but also not the worst. The only thing ive noticed this year is the hot water is lacking. Takes along time to catch back up but I think my plate exchanger is plugging up and I just need to take it out this spring and soak it in something to get the scale out of it.

[ecc_33]

That way I can get my service truck down  to the boiler and draw a vacuum on the boiler water so I don't loose much

Don't you have valves at the boiler? If not, I would put them on while you are working on the pipe. I would be very careful putting a vacuum on the boiler. It could easily damage the water jacket.

Did you use the stainless cinch clamps with the ear that gets pinched with a tool? If so, are there any marking on the clamps? (something OET 29.6)
What brand of tool did you use? There are a lot of junk tools out there now that don't squeeze the ear properly. Also some require calibration and if not set right can either cause the clamps to break it too tight or leak if too loose.

I shouldn't be able to vac it down enough to ever hurt it. If so every cooling system and hyd system I've done would be ruined. No. Basically a fancy hose clamp that I accidently got and used. I went to menards and bought a really nice band clamping tool with those brass clamps and used them in the house. The tool is a master force with a bunch of different dies. I think the water table isn't real low here. I wonder if I should have went 2 feet down instead of 3.

[mlappin]

That picture looks like what I had last year even when it was zero.

[DaveWertz]

That way I can get my service truck down  to the boiler and draw a vacuum on the boiler water so I don't loose much

Don't you have valves at the boiler? If not, I would put them on while you are working on the pipe. I would be very careful putting a vacuum on the boiler. It could easily damage the water jacket.

Did you use the stainless cinch clamps with the ear that gets pinched with a tool? If so, are there any marking on the clamps? (something OET 29.6)
What brand of tool did you use? There are a lot of junk tools out there now that don't squeeze the ear properly. Also some require calibration and if not set right can either cause the clamps to break it too tight or leak if too loose.

One of the best things I have done with mine is put shutoff valves at the boiler for when you need to work on it.

[Belknap]

My Pro 400 I just had to add 2 gallons after 3 months.  This is just evaporation.  It almost sounds like the splice is not actually leaking but water in the wrap.

[martyinmi]

Just a wild stab in the dark here......

It looks to me like maybe a clamp came loose on either the boiler inlet or outlet and maybe allowed a few gallons of water to make it's way down into the wrap. The melt looks to be worse nearest the boiler.
You did seal the ends properly, right?

I know of one local instance where the boiler end wasn't sealed properly and several gallons ended up in the pex pipe.
It took more than a month to slowly steam itself dry.
No more melted snow now.

Yours doesn't actually look that bad. My old line looked very similar yours from day one.

[netwerx-r-us]

I guess there is no sure way to tell where it is leaking...where it is melting the earth above the pipe is likely the lowest spot in the pipe. but an educated guess would say the likely hood of where the leak is would be the splice (unless a stone or something has worked it's way through the tile or it was damaged at installation   you splice it? if so you know what you did, now think long and hard and come to your own conclusion on whether or not the splice could have failed.  also when did you notice this melting..perhaps it was a mild day and if this is a low spot in the yard it may be the first spot to melt off a little?

Before you dig...be sure you have a problem

   Willie alluded to it here , I'm going to ride his coattails and expand , you need to find out if your leaking and loosing heat before you dig , a lot of times a ditch dig last year wont snow over for some reason or its a low spot as willie said, so figure out a way to accurately measure the temp coming out of your boiler and at the first device and monitor that over time for a big difference . Monitor if your leaking water same way over time , dont jump to dig it up until you know for sure

[free heat]

Exactly right last years dig probably isn't completely flourished with good thick grass yet it takes awhile. I personally would get 2 maverick high temp thermometer off of eBay. I paid $12 a piece put one on your supply at the back of the stove and the other in the home where it enters. Put the probe on metal or a fitting of some sort, as it doesn't accurately read off of pex. I believe that will tell you more what's happening. A decent 5 wrap will lose 2-3 degrees per 100ft

[ecc_33]

I have a very nice heat gun. I have some time today so I'll take some readings. I woke up this morning and it dawned on me what I used in the splice. It was two long, very nice brass shark bite fittings. Same ones I used in the basement. I know there not leaking. I left them uncovered for a good month to make sure. The hole ended up filling up  with dirt durning a rain last winter and then I just pushed dirt on top after it froze again. Im going to find the splice this spring and just water proof the ends of the pex at the splice. Temps coming out of the boiler pex was 157*. In the house before the first pump it was 153* Im not loosing much. It is 15* outside right now too.