Thermopex and 90 degree turns?

[MNBobcat]

Hi All,

I'm installing an outdoor wood boiler. In order to bring the Thermopex into my home, I will have to come up out of the ground alongside the block foundation of my garage, and then when the Thermopex is approximately 8 inches above ground, it will make a 90 degree turn and go through the wall into my garage. From there, it will follow the inside back wall of my garage and then enter into the home. I have no other access point that would not require digging up paver blocks and extensive work.

I can't imagine that a 90 degree turn is desirable as I assume it would reduce the flow rate. But the question I have is, does the Thermopex manufacturer offer any kind of special elbows or anything for making that 90 degree turn?

I assume I'll have to build a box around the Thermopex where it comes out of the ground and makes the turn. I don't really have a choice though. I can't stay below ground and come through the concrete garage floor. So I need to get above the floor and that means the tube comes out of the ground.

Anyone else had to install it like this?

 

[rowerwet]

I didn't have to do a 90, but I would get some shark bites or other 90 degree fittings to make the corner, cover them in spray foam inside a box made of plastic or metal. You want the spray foam to insulate the fittings from each other and the outdoors, and the box to keep water and sun off the spray foam.
You will find thermopex makes huge bends, to come up out of the ground at something close to a vertical angle I had to go down about 4 feet, to make the connection at the back of my OPB.

 

[Dune]

Pex makes 90 degree supports that clip on, or they also make 90 degree fittings. Another thing to think about is changing to copper at some convenient point, I asume you be be joining to copper eventualy anyway.

 

[flyingcow]

I came into my foundation and had to 90 up once inside. I converted it to copper once inside the building. Got the fittings for Home depot. The dealer for the Thermopex couldn't get the fittings quick enough and put me on to these. All I did was heat up the pex a little and slide them in. I also put heavy duty S/S steel hose clamps or good measure. Use very little heat so as not to damage the integrity of the pex. I seem to recall finding these in the well pump section. The fittings were for well piping.These were good heavy brass fittings. As pointed out above, this stuff does not bend/turn well, if at all. I had a straight run that was only about 3 to 4 ft under ground, still quite a job wrestling it in place. It's expensive, but I didn't get any heat loss from it....Good Luck.

 

[sgschwend]

Wirsbo has 90 degree bend supports that are contoured to hold the pipe at the minimum bend radius; perhaps other sources have them too.

These work really well, if you need a tighter bend then you will need to use a90 degree fitting.

Have you considered drilling the foundation? A rental of a rotor hammer, my local rental also provides the bit. Poke a hole low enough so that you can enter from the trench, then you would not need to make that type of bend.

 

[Tony H]

one method I have used before is to drill inside near the ext. wall of the garage go straight down some with a larger than needed bit then angle toward the outside at about 25degrees so that you exit 2 -3 below ground and then make the trench deep enough to bring the pex in with only a sweeping bend.
This will keep the pex protected from the elements and will not require you to make any connections outside. In any case use a method that does not require you to cut and connect the pipe because these connections are prone to failure at the worse possible times.

 

[JMann]

I went through the side wall and floor with Thermopex. Just make sure that your trench sweeps down as well as turns when you get to the garage.

Here are some pics (if it helps). The PVC around the pipe is just a small collar for when I fill it with concrete.

 

[Medman]

Due to the thickness of my foundation and the location of the inlet, I brought the pex up outside the wall, attached the fittings, and then used black pipe 90's to make the turn into the house. I wrapped the whole pipe in fiberglass, then spray-foamed the box full. I had the boxes (10"x10"x24") capped by my local window and door guy with white aluminum. Looks ok next to the siding, and saved me having to jackhammer through two cement foundations to get the pex in. Just make sure you have no leaks at max. temperature before closing in the boxes.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Thermopex and 90degree do NOT belong in the same sentance!!