Concrete Slab water cooler loop - Hooked up!!!

[gigs]

Originally Posted by JTF

Depends what, and how many, waterblocks you're going to use, flow through the blocks makes a reasonable difference, you could always use the smaller of the 3 pumps you listed inside a reservoir, then run a little Mcp355 for the Pc loop...
Then you can have the 240v pump running all the time (saves having to remember to switch it on)..

Yer thats a good idea. At this stageits just gonna be CPU and maybe GPU but who knows by the time I have finished building the house...

Originally Posted by Smoke87

Make sure council and the completion certificate guy don't see it or you will be ripping that slab up and re pouring the entire section. Because what you've done right there while ingenious is illegal in the eyes of the scum.

Some good info here: http://www.copper.org/applications/p..._concrete.html

It is completely acceptable to bury/embed both hard drawn and annealed copper water tube in concrete. Decades of satisfactory service experience with the use of copper tube for in-floor radiant heating systems, water distribution systems and snow melting systems attest to the compatibility of copper tube embedded, encased or in contact with concrete

The copper tube must be completely embedded in the concrete and adequate provision for thermal expansion should be provided where the tube enters/exits the concrete.

It is also acceptable to run a copper water tube through a concrete floor or wall, provided that allowance is made for the lateral thermal expansion and movement of the tube and protection of the tube from abrasion. This can be done by insulating the tube where it passes through the wall or by wrapping the tube with an approved tape (to avoid abrasion) and installing it through a sleeve. Please refer to your local plumbing code for specific requirements regarding the protection of pipes and tubes passing through concrete and masonry floors and walls

Originally Posted by dazzawul

Who turns it off? :P

But yeah, I'd be interested in how you build this loop, personally I would probably set up some sort of tank being circulated through the loop in the slab, and a secondary loop feeding out of the tank.
Though then I might get lazy and just plumb the loop straight into the computer :P

Do tell!

well I just planned to do the one loop but your idea of running a secondary loop out of the reserve is a good idea... thanks dazzawul

Anyone got any ideas on setting up a test to work out how many heat watts this loop can take?

[lennie]

Just a thought... perhaps you could put some chairs under it so it will be entirely encased in concrete rather than sitting on the plastic and sand.

[SLATYE]

Originally Posted by lennie

Just a thought... perhaps you could put some chairs under it so it will be entirely encased in concrete rather than sitting on the plastic and sand.

I would have thought that copper pipe full of air would be less dense than concrete, so it'd actually float. You'd just have to push it down a bit to make sure it stayed below the surface.

[lennie]

It would be less dense. But concrete is viscous enough that it wont likely float to the surface unless the concrete is vibrated. Which most house slabs arent these days. I am yet to see an underslab copper pipe float to the surface. Nor will it come up through the weight of the rio mesh. If you want to be sure this doesnt happen, you could use some twitch wire to tie the pipe to the rio mesh, thus ensuring it doesnt sink nor float.

[gigs]

Originally Posted by lennie

Just a thought... perhaps you could put some chairs under it so it will be entirely encased in concrete rather than sitting on the plastic and sand.

yes agreed! I plan to tie it down and use "chairs" to keep it in place so that it is completely encased with concrete. Here is the house plan and we have made a study for all my "computer junk" as the wife calls it so the pipe will come up next to the stud wall under the desk that is going to be built in.


Click to view full size!

[BrickTop]

normally the pipe would be wrapped with some dense foam which will defeat the purpose for your needs, however, i'd still wrap it with duct tape to provide some abrasion resistance.

Also, why not get the pipe into the wall - much less likely to be damaged that way and you can then finish it properly with some chrome flanges / cistern cocks and it provides 2 easily isolated points to the loop.

[Copie]

Damn i just built a place a few months back and this didnt even occur to me

Oh well, got to run all of my Cat6 though before the fibro was put up.

[terroristone]

Originally Posted by BrickTop

normally the pipe would be wrapped with some dense foam which will defeat the purpose for your needs, however, i'd still wrap it with duct tape to provide some abrasion resistance.

Also, why not get the pipe into the wall - much less likely to be damaged that way and you can then finish it properly with some chrome flanges / cistern cocks and it provides 2 easily isolated points to the loop.

it do is this was, because if you ever decided to sell the house it would be easy to push the pipes back into the wall and plaster the hole's up.
Andrew

[phil_is_mrx]

This is a really brilliant idea. Please let us know how it goes!!!!!!

[zoidbergmerc]

Gigs, you're an amazing person.

[gigs]

Originally Posted by BrickTop

normally the pipe would be wrapped with some dense foam which will defeat the purpose for your needs, however, i'd still wrap it with duct tape to provide some abrasion resistance.

Also, why not get the pipe into the wall - much less likely to be damaged that way and you can then finish it properly with some chrome flanges / cistern cocks and it provides 2 easily isolated points to the loop.

Yep thats a great idea, I can come straight up through the bottom plate and out the plaster. I was worried about kicking by accident under the desk. Good idea also about wrapping the pipe in duct tape. I might do this on the entry and exit points. cheers

Originally Posted by phil_is_mrx

This is a really brilliant idea. Please let us know how it goes!!!!!!

will do, going to be quite a few months before the house is finished though.

Originally Posted by zoidbergmerc

Gigs, you're an amazing person.

lol zoidberg

[disco frank]

i would not use gaffa tape for the entry/exit points of teh copper into the concrete IF it does move due to expansion it will wear quite fast

something a bit thicker might help


also is the copper in the slab a/b/ or c grade?

i would suggest A grade as it is thicker walled

[aznpsuazn]

I'm worried about the pipes expanding. Generally the water temperature shouldn't rise too high, however if it did for some reason rise enough to cause the pipes to expand, they basically have nowhere to move to and will buckle.

That pipe length looks at least 1.5m, and 5 degrees higher or lower can cause a length of pipe to contract or expand a few mm or even a cm at higher temps i estimate. This is gonna cause major problems if its encased in concrete.

Run some test water through. Some winter days you'll have cool 10-15 degrees, then on the summer days when the heat penetrates, you'll get 20? maybe?

[Smoke87]

You *really* need to get council approval for this...they are going to want the surface of the slab water proofed, and insulation on the copper tube...copper.org < local dickhead council members

[grazhopa]

Originally Posted by gigs

Yep thats a great idea, I can come straight up through the bottom plate and out the plaster. I was worried about kicking by accident under the desk. Good idea also about wrapping the pipe in duct tape. I might do this on the entry and exit points. cheers

yeah, run it up and put standard fittings in the wall like the small ones for washing mashine connections or something.

i'd tend to go with smoke tho. getting approval prior is easier than undoing it - besides, if they do get narky, plumb it out through the wall and bury a massive copper network underground!