oxygen barrier pex

[maytagman]

What is the main issue with the o2 barrier pex? I am planning on putting in either a brass or stainless pump, if I do that does it really matter if I use barrier pex or not for my inside work? The only reason I ask is that I can get pex in straight 20 ft sections which would be much easier to work with than the rolled up stuff.

 

[windthrown]

With a CB boiler it is not needed. Your boiler is open to the air, and thus Ox will get into your system regardless. I used plain PEX myself. No problems. Also with a CB, just use their corrosion stuff in the boiler water and lines. It is a pretty good mix, according to the chemists here on AS.

As for the pumps, I would just use a Taco pump and replace it every 5 or so years. I was advised that in an open system like a CB, to place the pump as low in the circulatin loop as possible. The idea is that cavitation is the big cause of failure in these pumps, and the lower they are in the line, the higher the pressure will be where the pump is (even in an open system).

 

[mtfallsmikey]

O2 barrier PEX used on closed systems, radiant. I used Zurn pex, non-O2 barrier. The CB chemical works out pretty good, unless you have a lot of iron and/or sulphur in the water. Keep your ph around 8-9 as the instructions say. Since this mix is a corrosion inhibitor, you can use standard CI pumps.