Fabricating a manifold for my secondary loops.

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Buzz Saw

Minister of Fire
Jan 18, 2014
523
Attica, Ohio
I'm thinking about fabricating and welding my manifold for my secondary loops instead of using a bunch of tees and nipples.

I would use a piece of 1-1/4" pipe and weld forged 1" connectors to the pipe. Then I would use forged 90* elbows for the turns. Each end of the manifold would be threaded so I could attach it the supply/return using unions.

Before install I would pressure test at like 50lbs for a 24 hrs....or something like that.

Anyone ever weld out manifold? Anyone see any reasons not to go this route? Only issue I can think of is the drilled hole & welded connector won't have as a smooth transition as a tee. Does that even matter?

Edit: This is for an open system(Garn 2000)

Thanks d4889df7b57f95238758cf4dab52aea4.jpg9d85cf8ee994a1a0f30a89195197de84.jpg

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If you trust your welding skills have at it. Just be sure to lock it down to a table that will hold it from warping. That many welds down the pipe will turn that thing into a banana. If this is your first project like this I'd be happy to give some pointers on set-up for the weld joints if you PM me.
 
I'd guess you are a certified welder
I am a certified welder, however not in pipe. I've welded up enough things to follow proper procedure. If this was a pressure vessel I would get the cert for the application.

I'll edit my original post to include that this is an open system. The only pressure the manifold will see if from the pump.

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If you trust your welding skills have at it. Just be sure to lock it down to a table that will hold it from warping. That many welds down the pipe will turn that thing into a banana. If this is your first project like this I'd be happy to give some pointers on set-up for the weld joints if you PM me.
Your the guy I was thinking of. I knew there was someone who did a lot of fab work on their system.

My biggest issue is finding fittings. I want a long sweep 90* but can only locally find that short 90* in the pic.

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What is your process of welding going to be? MIG, TIG, or stick?

Supply house has long radius 1" 90s in stainless. Stainless can be welded to black but it's recommended you use stainless filler material.

Here's the supply house fittings

Click here

Or there's 2 on thE bay right now in black steel

Click here
 
I was planning GTAW.

I never even thought to check EBay. I'll check it out.

IIRC use 308L to weld stainless to mild?

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Don't see where it would be an issue if one knew what they were doing.

I can sweat copper, so that's how I went in places like this. Copper fittings are expensive though, no doubt about that.
 
Have you looked at the Webstone Purge Tee? If not I would recommend them. The valve in between the tees does make it easier to fill the system. I would still use check valves, because I do get a little flow through my loops.
 
if it is an open system I would think about stainless sch.10 pipe, should be fine for 0psi, we run up to a 100 psi through it in the sprayer

as far as long radius bends, any electrical supplier should have a pipe bender that should be capable, most of my boiler system uses bent pipe that is all welded.

if you need long weldable sweeps I usually get them from dultmeier sales, but their closest branch is in davenport, IA so shipping my be cost prohibitive, although they do have a good website, might be something to base ideas off of.