My Industrial Cabin Build

[WoodChuckDad]

I measured it today. From the farthest point, the shower on the other side of the house is 108 feet from the manifold. The manifold is 10 feet from the heater. So from pressure tank to shower, including all turns about 125. I am a little uncomfortable stuffing the 3/4 inch pex thru those bends. This is, without a doubt, one of the times where inexperience bites you. I was solving problems. I didn’t know that the sweep of grey pvc was so much larger. I didn’t even know grey pvc was a thing. So I made conduits from side to side of the house with 2 inch pvc schedule 40.
Now I’ve done that calculations 100 foot run of 1/2 at 2.5 gpm for a 40 PSI system is 29 psi. On. 50 psi system you still get about 40. Ot seems like that would be plenty for a shower. But all that became a moot point when I was searching thru the building code and saw something that said distribution lines were limited to 60 feet. So I bought 2 rolls of 3/4 pex and I’m gonna have fun stuffing them thru the conduit. Hopefully others can learn from my foolishness. When I get them to the other side, I’ll put a 3 port manifold on the lines to feed the washing machine, sink and shower with 1/2.
I was sitting on the porch enjoying some chicken tacos and a margarita so I took a picture.

 

[Xfaxman]

----------------- I am a little uncomfortable stuffing the 3/4 inch pex thru those bends. ------------ So I bought 2 rolls of 3/4 pex and I’m gonna have fun stuffing them thru the conduit. ------------------------------

Just shoot air into the pex as you feed a string in and it will bring the string out the other (exhaust) end. Then use the string to pull a rope through to pull the pex while it is being pushed from the other end.
Or if you don't have a compressor, hold a vacuum hose on the outlet end for the same result!

 

[airbiscuit]

It won't be the first frustrating task you have faced, but having a 3/4" supply line is a good thing. This isn't going through any SIPS walls is it?

 

[pmsmechanic]

Could you tie into and use the 2" schedule 40 as your supply line? As for pulling the 3/4" through could you dump a bottle or two of dishwashing soap into the schedule 40 to act as a lubricant?

 

[dstig1]

It's been a while since you discussed the plumbing feed layout, so maybe I am off base or you are already planning this, but if you use an instant on heater you can just pull one cold water feed line the length of the house. Then feed that into a cold manifold and the instant heater, and then into a hot manifold for that side of the house. Frankly, you will be much happier with an instant heater on both ends vs pulling hot water thru the length of the house.

 

[MoKelly]

It's been a while since you discussed the plumbing feed layout, so maybe I am off base or you are already planning this, but if you use an instant on heater you can just pull one cold water feed line the length of the house. Then feed that into a cold manifold and the instant heater, and then into a hot manifold for that side of the house. Frankly, you will be much happier with an instant heater on both ends vs pulling hot water thru the length of the house.

Yes yes yes.

We bought a house last year. Once in, discovered it took 75 seconds for the water in the Master shower to heat. Doesn’t seem like a long time but just sit and count to 75.

So, we went with a booster.

But, if from scratch, I’d go with an instant heater.

Don’t get too frustrated. You are doing a fantastic job.

MoKelly

 

[pmsmechanic]

Here is another idea. If you can't get the 3/4 pex through the 2" just run a single 1/2" through and use it to feed a small water storage tank in the "storage" area. A tank with enough capacity for a shower. (30 gallons ?) Run a separate pressure system up there for that side of the house and with an on demand heater you should be good.

 

[MossRoad]

Just shoot air into the pex as you feed a string in and it will bring the string out the other (exhaust) end. Then use the string to pull a rope through to pull the pex while it is being pushed from the other end.
Or if you don't have a compressor, hold a vacuum hose on the outlet end for the same result!

At my old employer we'd tie a piece of rag onto a pull string and suck it through a conduit with a shop vac. Worked great!

 

[WoodChuckDad]

This Doesn’t go thru any sips. When I was putting in the waste plumbing I made several white 2inch schedule 40 conduits from the interior wall of the Master Bath to the wall of the laundry room on the other side of the house this all runs below the slab. I didn’t know about the grey pvc that is made for this purpose and has large radius sweeps. So mine are the 2inch “long sweep” which basically gives the minimum radius for a bend with the 3/4 inch pex-a.
I already have a 1,000 lb pull line thru it so that part is done. I also bought a bottle of pull lube. Hopefully, if I take my time and wife doesn’t pull the line too hard, I can feed the line down the hole and across without it kinking. If that doesn’t work, I’ll go back to 1/2. Someone mentioned 5/8. That is hard to find and fittings are equally hard to find. A lot of 5/8 is he-pex which is for heat and not potable water. I expect to finish all foaming this week after work. The roof is done and the walls were started yesterday. I’m tired of having this stuff on my skin all the time.

 

[Ford850]

The PEX might pull easier if you leave it in the sun a while to soften it.