1st Time Post

Wow. Thanks for the advice. The HOSS folks initially set me up with a large heat exchanger for the pool similar to what is used for my water heater for the house except it is very large. I have had several problems initially. I have two branches of supply and return coming off of the furnace. The first branch supplies the house and water heater. It works like a charm. But..... the 2nd branch has not worked well... to the point where I shut it down and gave up on it for a while. Being the the heat exchanger was so big, it overheated the CPVC connections between the heat exchanger and the PEX piping and blew out the lines. That morning my back yard looked like Yellow Stone Park and Old Faithful was blowing. Anyway, long story short Im going to hook up the heat exchanger again with metal connections and let her rip.

I understand about disclaimers!!!! Ultimately its about personal responsibility. Im 60 so Ive learned the hard way. Thanks!

 

Anytime you branch into multiple supplies and returns provisions should be made to balance the water flow to the respective circuits via a circuit setter or full port ball valve doing duty as a makeshift circuit setter. The gpm requirements of the circuits have to be determined and then balanced to achieve them and the respective temperature rises across the heat exchangers. The circuit setters actually have ports across a metered orifice that with the proper tools the gpm can be determined by reading the pressure drop across the metered orifice. Pex tubing typically has a 170 degree temperature limit, at least Pex with oxygen barrier does and I think you must have exceeded that temp.

Without a way to balance the circuits, water, like anything else is going to follow the path of least resistance. That's probably why your large heat exchanger did what it did... Dunno, cain't see it first hand and really don't know exactly what arrangement you have. I'm not sure if cpvc is really suggested for use with an OWB or any boiler as far as that is concerned, but if so, I would suggest never using female cpvc adapters over male steel, brass or copper threads....always go with male cpvc inside female steel, brass or copper. With cpvc female adapter over steel, it will have a greater tendency to swell, leak or burst depending on the pressure whereas the male threads are squeezed by compression down inside the female harder material. (Just a tip in case that was one of the points of failure in the piping.)

 

Shut down the HOSS 05MAR16. Its a lot easier to scrape down the fire box when its hot. A little creosote builds up in the corners during the season, even though I burned two year old seasoned oak. Its not a lot but I cant stand it due to the interference of heat transfer. I occasionally throw in some punk wood or 6 month hickory for the aroma. Love the hickory or Pecan.