OWB pipe question

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fireman31

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tappahannock VA
Most of the lines I see run from the boiler to the building have the send and return lines in the same sheath of insulation.... touching in fact. It seems to me that it would be better to insulate them individually but still run them in the same corrigated pipe. Does anybody have any thoughts on this??
 
there really isn't any heat loss when you think about it. There may be some transfer between the lines but, that is no different than the water mixing back together when it gets back to the owb. The heat stays within the system.
Oh and welcome to the site:newbie:
 
I will diasagree with grandpa

I feel as much of the heat as possible should reach the house. Not have a chance to rub off onto the other line in passing. I insulated mine induvidually, then wrapped them together..Mine are only buried less than a foot.and frost stays on the ground at all times. Good luck. PS the reason I did not bury it any deeper, It is only 35 feet to the house. The lines start out of my storage tank about a foot down to the bottom of the pipes.and at the other end I had to be above my slab to enter my house. I had to notch the siding on the house then sprayed it full of spray foam. I will pile fancy rocks over it this spring.(I am sure people will ask why I would bury a pet so close to the house) LOL
 
Pex line insulation

Most of the lines I see run from the boiler to the building have the send and return lines in the same sheath of insulation.... touching in fact. It seems to me that it would be better to insulate them individually but still run them in the same corrigated pipe. Does anybody have any thoughts on this??

This might be an issue if you are running lines a really long way, or have high line heat loss. Otherwise the heat lost from the pipe out would just be picked up by the return line. Granted, you do want more heat delivered to the heat exchangers and not returned to the boiler. I insulated both my out and return lines individually and stuffed them into a 4" corrugated drain pipe and buried it 18 inches deep. Seems to work OK. Most of the energy/temp drop comes from the HX losses where I want it.
 
owb

The best way would be to insulate the pipes separately,but I have done it both ways and it does not seem to loose heat when the lines are together.
 
I have the kind where they are toghether then wraped in silver bubble wrap and burried 3 feet down.
minus 25c and no sign of snow melting on the tube where it exits the boiler and goes into the ground.
the best way of doing it is this ....1 inch pipe of your choice i used wirsbo cause i like that if frozen it will not burst or pex with 02 barrier but its hard to work with as it has metal inside and if you kink it your done.
then you take the pipe and lay it into 8 inch square styrofoam pieces that have channels cut out.
then tape it every 2 feet and after its all taped wrap it in poly and if you want run a bead of silacone
I say this way cause you can get pipe for around $200 for 300 ft and the styrofoam pieces for $10 for an 8 foot piece.
so a 150 ft run would cost you $200 for pipe $200for strofoam pieces and $100 for poly and some tape.
this way is the most cost effective way and by far the best for insulation.
if ground water is a problem i say use premade from central at $15 a foot

I am no expert but i have installed my system and it has been the hardest thing i have ever went through in my life as far as heating .
email me at bassman(at)sasktel.net if you want pics or need more info .
keep in mind plumbers dont work with 1 inch so fittings are hard to find and when you do you need tools to expand pipe ect .
good luck

shayne
 
I have the kind where they are toghether then wraped in silver bubble wrap and burried 3 feet down.
minus 25c and no sign of snow melting on the tube where it exits the boiler and goes into the ground.
the best way of doing it is this ....1 inch pipe of your choice i used wirsbo cause i like that if frozen it will not burst or pex with 02 barrier but its hard to work with as it has metal inside and if you kink it your done.
then you take the pipe and lay it into 8 inch square styrofoam pieces that have channels cut out.
then tape it every 2 feet and after its all taped wrap it in poly and if you want run a bead of silacone
I say this way cause you can get pipe for around $200 for 300 ft and the styrofoam pieces for $10 for an 8 foot piece.
so a 150 ft run would cost you $200 for pipe $200for strofoam pieces and $100 for poly and some tape.
this way is the most cost effective way and by far the best for insulation.
if ground water is a problem i say use premade from central at $15 a foot

I am no expert but i have installed my system and it has been the hardest thing i have ever went through in my life as far as heating .
email me at bassman(at)sasktel.net if you want pics or need more info .
keep in mind plumbers dont work with 1 inch so fittings are hard to find and when you do you need tools to expand pipe ect .
good luck

shayne
i have newer heard of an OWB before this site,,,please send some pics and any info would get chewwed on for a spell
 
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