Home  5  Books  5  GBEzine  5  News  5  HelpDesk  5  Register  5  GreenBuilding.co.uk
Not signed in (Sign In)

Categories



Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.
Buy individually or both books together. Delivery is free!


powered by Surfing Waves




Vanilla 1.0.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome to new Forum Visitors
 Join the forum now and benefit from discussions with thousands of other green building fans and discounts on Green Building Press publications: Apply now.




Heating and cooling: Under-stair PEX heat dump...

Bottom of Page

31 to 43 of 43

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. >
    • CommentAuthorcjard
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2015
     
    Ideally you don't want joins anywhere, other than at the manifold.. If you're after reasonably priced pipe, try rimex or psw on eBay.. 100m roll from them is about 55quid delivered
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeDec 13th 2015
     
    What the minimal bend on pert Al pert?

    Does it work in normal pushfit fittings, e.g. Hep20, otherwise how do you connect to it?
    • CommentAuthorgyrogear
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2016
     
    Posted By: ringiWhat the minimal bend on pert Al pert


    per a FR site, "The bending radius can go down to five times the nominal diameter of the tube, if bent manually; or 3 or 4 X the ND, (depending on type of manufacture...) if using a pipe-bender or a spring"...

    The pb seems to be a lack of manufacturing standard for this stuff; therefore in FR at least, the recommendation seems to be to buy ALL the stuff from a single supplier, and to keep the references in case installation needs changing later...
  4.  
    Posted By: gyrogearbuy ALL the stuff from a single supplier
    Big +1 on that - certainly here in Italy (where using such stuff is more advanced than the UK) lack of norms is a big problem as I found out when my local plumber went bust and no-one else around here sells the make i was using :cry::cry::cry:
    • CommentAuthorcjard
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2016
     
    Minimal bend, with just hands and cold pipe, I managed about 100 mm diameter. It's a bit mean though

    The pert pipe discussed so far is 2mm thick walls and 16 mm diameter. PSW on ebay sell loads of different fittings, including adapters from 16mm eurocone to 15mm other stuff(normal plumbing). Also try their site: http://www.pswtradesuppliers.co.uk/en/
    • CommentAuthorgyrogear
    • CommentTimeFeb 24th 2016
     
    As an interim measure, I am wondering about the feasibility of simply using a halogen lamp (150 W, say), in the under-stair cubby...

    cf. www.ushio.co.jp/en/products/light_source/halogen/index.html

    "Despite their large energy volume, these heaters have a compact, lightweight design, and they can be easily installed in a confined space. In addition, they provide non-contact heating, meaning there is no need to worry about polluting either the object or the testing environment. They can be used in any heating atmosphere, air or vacuum".

    Would certainly appreciate any thoughts on this application, positive or otherwise.

    gg
    • CommentAuthorcjard
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2016
     
    Surely an electric underfloor matting consuming 150w would be better
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2016
     
    I've lost track of what your objective is, GG, but certainly an 'infra-red' lamp of some kind (chicken heater?) or a small heater will be the cheapest (capital-wise) and simplest way of heating a smallish volume. Best to get one with a thermostat if you can. Should be possible under £30.
    • CommentAuthorgyrogear
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2016 edited
     
    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: djh</cite>I've lost track of what your objective is</blockquote>

    no problem,djh, so have I :sad:

    I am actually trying to (economically...) warm the house core (= concrete) stair well), from below (inside the cubby). So I need heat to penetrate the concrete flight, and reach air the other side.

    This is so that I can "retire" the 2kW ACOVA oil-filled radiator in the lobby...

    So I was looking at a PEX coil in there, and a circulator from (future) heat storage...

    But as the man says:

    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: cjard</cite>Surely an electric underfloor matting consuming 150w would be better</blockquote>

    could not have said better myself, so Thank you, cjard !

    I found a 2 sq.m "kit" for 89 Euros - it uses about 100 W per sq.m, so 200 watts - is ten times less than my Acova...

    Will get an electrician involved, of course !

    thanks again to all, I feel like I'm finally getting there !

    gg
      THIN-MAT.jpg
    • CommentAuthorgyrogear
    • CommentTimeMar 2nd 2016
     
    Continuing on from the above, I am considering using such a Thin Mat inside the stair well proper, on a wall.

    The ENSTO technical manual that I downloaded says it is "an underfloor heating mat".
    (Given this, I considered it acceptable to use it on a sloping understair soffit...)

    But does "underfloor" necessarily preclude a warm-wall application?
    (I could accept foregoing the warranty ).
    Up to me to apply means ensuring no-one will ever bang a nail through it...
    ==========
    The candidate wall is a hollow-brick partition, 5 cms nominal thickness, with one centimeter of cement render on either face, for a total of 7 cms.

    However, quoting from a different posting:-

    http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=12383

    Posted By: fostertomWall heating - not by panels but by smaller diam 12mm pipe array similar to UFH ways and means, is common in Europe and is intermediate in stratification effect - quite acceptable. Can be quick-response/intermittent only if part of stud/plasterboard walling, not if on masonry.


    masonry appears not to be an ideal support.

    Would the "hollowness" of my masonry alter this ?
    Would those airspaces sufficiently decouple the (hot) mat from the (cool) wall, and allow better response ?

    If negative, how much insulation, and of what type, would need to be applied to the partition ?
    and to which face ? (The back face of the wall is the cellar).
    Would 20 mm XPS be OK ? or insulated plasterboard (avl with 20 or 40 cms of EPS).

    Ideally, I would be looking not to insulate the partition wall at all, and just cement the mat on, then have it plastered over, professionally, to say 2 or 3 cms thickness...

    As an alternative to plaster, would cement render then terra cotta wall tiles be appropriate ?

    Or could the mat simply be boarded over with gypsum board, then tiled?

    So many questions, but I'd like to get this right...

    gg
    • CommentAuthorcjard
    • CommentTimeMar 9th 2016
     
    Depends on how you will use it. If you plan to never switch it off, and have a warm wall, insulate the back. If it will on and off twice a day for the occupation time of the house, insulate the stairwell side and have the masonry cold
    • CommentAuthorgyrogear
    • CommentTimeMar 9th 2016
     
    Posted By: cjardinsulate the stairwell side and have the masonry cold


    thanks again, cjard !

    gg
    • CommentAuthorgyrogear
    • CommentTimeMar 13th 2016 edited
     
    Just updating !

    Today I completed a one-week test whereby I had a 150-watt halogen lamp inside the cubby, pointed at the concrete soffit.

    The daytime starting temp mid-way up the treads was 16.8°C.

    For 3 days, I just ran the lamp in off-peak (= 6 hrs at night, and 2 hrs at mid-day).
    Did not notice much of a change.

    Then (following extra thinking post above contribution by cjard...) I left the lamp on 24/24.

    So there has been a dramatic improvement - the stairs are now "enjoyably trafficable" in bare feet and the daytime temp is over 18°C.

    So the total cost of the exercise is 3.6 kWh per day at (average) price of 15 euro cents per kWh = 54 euro cents.

    or about 3 quid for the week - The Price of Comfort !

    So I reckon this demonstration validates the idea of understair heat and the utility (in my house) of Warming the Core.

    So many thanks for all contributions - just shows the utility of this Site !
    I can now archive all the complicated "PEX" stuff :cool:

    So "Stair Heat" adds 14% to my average total daily consumption (25 kWh in February).
    However, the fact of leaving it ON, means that this month I will save on other consumption, such as no more "2-hour x 2000-W ACOVA sessions", and also less other wastage due to increased "thrift-awareness factor"

    gg

31 to 43 of 43

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. >
Add your comments

    Username Password
  • Format comments as
 
Back to Discussions Top of Page
   
The Ecobuilding Buzz
Site Map    |   Home    |   View Cart    |   Pressroom   |   Business   |   Links   
Logout    

© Green Building Press