underground piping [RE-wrenches]

[Graham Owen]

Gator Tom,

You are right.  Flat plate collectors have proven themselves over time.
Stagnating panels and constant over heating takes its toll on the
overall system and valving.  I have never used or even seen evacuated
tube collectors in action and it appears they are not necessary in the
southwest.  In fact in Los Angeles it is best to use black paint
absorbers as opposed to black chrome. From my experience I have noticed
that black chrome systems get the water in the storage tank up to the
high limit shut off temperature too early in the day.  I set my high
limit in the controller at 180 F. and systems that limit and shut off at
1:00 pm on summer days produce extreme temperatures and increase
pressure.  If there is no check valve on the cold feed, before the
tempering valve, it is possible to get hot water in the toilet, when
flushed.  I like to install 2 4'x8' glazed black paint panels matched
with an 80 gallon Bradford White solar tank and a Grundfoss pump.  With
all that said I have never seen Rubbatex melted, even on piping that has
experienced extreme temperatures.  There used to be a product available
in the 80's called Sun-Shield.  This was a paintable adhesive aluminum
tape about 12" wide and came on a roll.  Richard at Sun Cycle used to
buy wide rolls of this tape from 3M, then he would cut the rolls into
different width's for different pipe sizes. This product worked well and
kept the sun from ageing closed cell pipe insulation.  Due to the fact
that all pipe insulation shrinks when exposed to the sun, I cut the
insulation a couple of inches longer than necessary, glue the ends, and
force it into place.  

While on the subject of direct burial, Windy's suggestion of Type K soft
rolled copper is great advice.  This advice should always be followed
when plumbing pipes through attics.  I drill a 1" hole in the roof and
also at the exit point, hopefully in a garage.  Have one person unroll
and feed the copper up into the attic and the attic guy carefully pulls
it to the roof penetration.  This eliminates any possibility of water
leakage into the attic, even in the event of an earthquake.

Graham

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