Aquapex flow/pressure rates vs copper

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

btuser

Minister of Fire
Jan 15, 2009
2,069
Principality of Pontinha
Just looking for verification. I'm re-routing the cold water lines that feed my indirect DHW and want to avoid losing any pressure. About 60' total line will be added. Original line is 3/4" copper, so should I upsize to 1" auquapex or would 3/4" be fine? If it was the crimp-style fittingings I would just do it but something tells me because of the expansion fittings I'd be fine with 3/4" and wouldn't gain anything with upsizing. Max flow is probably about 5gpm so its well within the limits for both 3/4" copper and aquapex.
 
Well, let me post my own reply:

Copper vs Pex : Pex has about 75% the interior volume of the same size copper, so a 3/4" pex line will hold about 3/4 the volume of a 3/4" copper pipe. However, because of the lack of fittings with pex vs copper, the maximum speed/flow rate for pex is almost double that of copper pipe before you start to eat away at the inside of the piping. Copper is bigger but a lot of twists/turns even it out.
 
I swapped out all of my copper lines with pex and didnt notice a difference in pressure. The only difference is Im not down in the basement fixing a pinhole leak once a month! Well water and 60yr old copper pipes arent a good combo.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.