Actually, the first circuit was pretty easy. This circuit uses the same 1/2" Pex that we used on the deck. It's fairly flexible and this was a small circuit - the stairwell. The HydroFoam has knobs with little lips all the way around that the Pex snaps into to hold it in place...in theory. Again, it worked well for the 1/2".
Jim also had to invent a way to bring the Pex tubing out of the concrete and eventually up to the manifold. He had bought a plastic accessory that allows you to do that; however, Jim needed a way to hold it in place. So out came the steel fab tools.
He cut the plastic accessory piece in half and will use the other half a little farther down. He's attaching everything to the concrete pad.
Then he was able to feed the ends of the Pex in through the accessory. We'll have to tape up the top of this when we pour concrete but it should work well.
Jim also had to fashion a temporary way to organize all the tubing so he attached a piece of steel to the foam.
...and temporarily attached the tubing to the top of a board. Of course, we have to make sure to make the circuits and whether it is an inlet or outlet so everything works as planned!
Jim had to feed through enough to attach everything and get it organized and then cut off any extra.
Then it was time for the next circuit. This is 3/4" Pex tubing - and this roll weighs about 80 pounds. It's definitely NOT flexible and it twists and turns like a snake. You can't just unroll it - you have to hold the roll up and unwind little bits at a time - which is a lot of work.
You can see how the tubing has a mind of it's own in this picture!
You also have to be very careful - of course you have to walk on the HydroFoam in order to place the Pex. However, walking on it tends to smash the tabs. And if the tabs get smashed, they don't hold the Pex in place. Making all these loops was not easy either - again, this stuff isn't flexible and doesn't want to bend the way you want it to!
This circuit went around the front of the building and then through the auto bay before coming down the back side of the building.
This is how Jim had to unroll the tubing. You almost had to toss the roll in the air to unwind it - Jim said it was like lifting weights over and over! Of course, once you left the area you were working on, the Pex would come out so I would have to stand on the tubing and Jim would go unroll more.
The second circuit is done!
Time for the next circuit - and for whatever reason, this one really gave us fits. I think the Pex just gets twisted no matter what you try when you're unrolling it and then it doesn't want to stay down, especially around the bends. Plus by this time, poor Jim felt like he had been working out for hours and hours!
We kept persevering though. It got to the point where Jim was putting concrete blocks down on some turns just to hold them in place. It was very frustrating.
On a water break, Jim called his rep at the plumbing supply house and asked if they carried clips to hold the Pex down to the tubing - and they do. So tomorrow, I will head out there in the morning to pick them up - they will especially be useful on the bends but we'll probably put them periodically on the runs too. The Pex can't come up when they are pouring concrete or we'll have a giant mess.
We got this circuit done and the ends in place. By this time, it was getting late and Jim said his arms didn't work any more - no doubt! We had lots to clean up - we had to empty everything out of this area today. Plus he made the other connection for the accessory to bring the tubing out of the concrete and mowed grass too before he came home!
Jim arranged to have our concrete inspection tomorrow afternoon so we want to get as much done on the last circuit as we can before then.
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