I don't have any filters, softeners, or anything else on my system. My water
is as clear as a bell but is on the acidic side. My basement ceiling is low
and there is no way I could change the anode without disconnecting the tank,
draining it and tipping it on its side to have enough clearence to replace the
anode rod.
s
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael baldwin
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 12:03 PM
Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] PEX?
Sounds like an interesting concept.
Never heard of it before, but around here with electric rates averaging
$0.07 to $0.08 per KW, conserving electricity isn't a big deal.
You must have some bad water. i know people on wells that are on 30 years
on their water heater, they have only replaced the elements, and have no
filtration system.
Soften water can shorten the life of a water heater to.
have you tried replacing the anode every year or two
have you thought of having the return end of the pump connect with your
furthest hot water supply? this would give you almost instant hot water,
because it would keep hot water in your hot water supply lines. Insulate
the pipes good, and should be a good energy saver, and a water saver. You
won't be waiting several seconds or longer for hot water to reach your
faucets. Then you only have the one connection to your water heater to
worry about when you replace it.
have fun.
Michael
_____
From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com [mailto:blindhandy...@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of NLG
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 10:02 AM
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] PEX?
No, I have copper connected directly into the water heater/tank and no, I am
not returning the heated water from the furnace back through the pop valve.
I installed a T at the tank and the return line connects into the T. The pop
valve on the tank is functional as well as the other pop valve I installed
at the highest point in the run.
As far as to how long a water heater will last depends on the water being
heated. I am on well water and so are others here in my neighborhood. We get
5 to 6 years use from our water heaters/tanks before they spring a leak and
need to be replaced.
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael baldwin
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 12:18 AM
Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] PEX?
if i understand correct, you want to connect the PEX from the copper
directly to your water heater?
if this is the case, that is a big no no. PEX, or any plastic pipe is not
to be used for direct connection to water heaters.
They actually make flexible water heater lines that are about 2 foot long.
they are 3/4 female on both ends. this is for the inlet and outlet.
You should get 10 years or more out of a water heater. the last one I
replaced was about 25 years old.
And please don't tell me you are returning the water in through the pressure
relief valve, without some way of relieving pressure. I don't even want to
think of the mess if the thermostat broke, and the coils kept heating the
water.
Michael
_____
From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> ]
On Behalf Of NLG
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 8:19 PM
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] PEX?
I have never worked with PEX before. Under the impression that PEX was
flexable, I thought I had an application here where PEX would be ideal. Last
year I added a hot water coil to my wood/coal furnace to heat my domestic
hot water. This setup consisted of a stainless steel loup, approximately 24
inches long and installed into the fire box of my furnace. Being
approximately 20 feet away from my electric water heater I could not utilize
a thermo-syphon, so installed a small circulating pump to move the water
from the bottom of the electric water heater through the loup installed in
the wood furnace back to the top of the electric water heater. I used 3/4
inch soft copper to make the run from the electric water heater to the wood
furnace and back. This setup worked great last winter, reducing my electric
bill considerably.
This summer, my electric water heater had to be replaced and like always,
the inlet, outlet, drain valve, as well as the pop valve are never in the
same location on the new tank as it was on the old. Not wanting to plumb the
system again with copper (knowing a few years down the road) I will have to
do it all over again, I thought I would connect PEX from the copper I have
in place overhead in the floor joyste to the electric water heater, thinking
that PEX would be more flexable and when the next time I have to replace a
water heater, the hook-up would be easier. I bought the crimping tool,
copper crimp rings, the fittings I needed and 100 feet of 3/4 inch PEX
tubing. From examining this PEX tubing I know that it is not as flexable as
even soft copper of the same size.
All that having been said... Did I purchase the wrong type PEX? Without
installing elbows / 90 degree fittings, is there a way to accomplish a
substancial bend in this type PEX (perhaps type C). perhaps using a heat
gun? Or would heating the PEX enough to accomplish my goal diminish the
integrity of the PEX tubing?
Thanks :)
However,
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