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My Builing Dept. and PEX?

square668 | Posted in Construction Techniques on April 3, 2008 01:38am

Just talked to the directer of our building dept.  According to him there is supposed to be an issue with pex tubing degrading when in contact with cat 5 cable and romex???  Anyone else hear any thing to that effect?

 

If I could spell I would’nt be inthis mess

 


Edited 4/2/2008 6:54 pm ET by square668

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  1. plumbbill | Apr 03, 2008 03:30am | #1

    I haven't heard anything on that.

    I get 5 different plumbing trade magazines, & haven't seen that issue come up at all.

    “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein

  2. frammer52 | Apr 03, 2008 03:58am | #2

    sounds like an excuse not to allow use.

    1. square668 | Apr 03, 2008 04:06am | #3

      that's what it sounds like to me

  3. McPlumb | Apr 04, 2008 12:59am | #4

    Several years ago, an Uponor Wirsbo rep in a training seminar said not to put electric tape on the pipe. It had to do with the addhesive.

  4. Waters | Apr 04, 2008 03:18am | #5

    maybe it can't go near Cat 5 or you'll receive the neighbor's phone calls when you're in the shower...

     

    ;-)

    "Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."

     

  5. brucet9 | Apr 04, 2008 06:21am | #6

    There might be something to it.

    A few years ago I worked for a telecomm company that installed a new phone system for California Speedway in Fontana. Big PVC conduits from the main phone room to the infield had had sheathed cables pulled in them when the first system was installed. Moisture had damaged many of the individual wires, but attempts to pull the old wiring out of the conduits failed because the plastic cable sheathing had welded itself to the PVC by migration of plasticizers.

    BruceT
    1. Scott | Apr 04, 2008 06:52am | #7

      But what's that got to do with PEX? PVC and PEX are very different products. PEX is not used as conduit where conductors could sit in moisture.Moreover, (I'm talking to the OP now), why would CAT5 cable or any other electronic or electrical conductors be in extensive direct contact with plumbing pipe? That would strike me as a sloppy installation. There might be the odd place where they'd touch but for the most part they run independently.Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”

      1. plumbbill | Apr 04, 2008 07:01am | #8

        why would CAT5 cable or any other electronic or electrical conductors be in extensive direct contact with plumbing pipe?

        More common than you think.

        Highrise residential has very limited space above ceiling, pex home runs look like spahgetti thrown against the wall, higher end units have cat5 & similar cables running all over the place for various remote control & communications.

        “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein

        1. square668 | Apr 06, 2008 04:00am | #14

          I am considering installing Pex in my own home as a test bed and having a hell of a time getting any plumbers to bid it.  If I were cosidering  doing the supplies myself...  do you have any recomendations where I start my education/research?

          1. plumbbill | Apr 06, 2008 04:16am | #15

            Google always works ;-)

            Here's a couple that I have found. First is for plumbing & the second is Uponor's radiant systems.

            http://www.toolbase.org/PDF/DesignGuides/PEX_Installation_Handbook_2006.pdf

            http://www.heatinghelp.com/pdfs/71.pdf

             

            “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein

          2. reinvent | Apr 06, 2008 04:18am | #17

            Dang you beat me by a few seconds.

          3. square668 | Apr 06, 2008 04:37am | #18

            Thanks thats a great pdf do you have any brand preference or dislikes?

          4. plumbbill | Apr 06, 2008 04:52am | #19

            I am biased to Uponor's system FKA Wirsbo.

            It uses the expansion tool & relies on the 100% memory of pex.

            I like it that I do not have to get the tool into tight places to make the joint.

            “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein

          5. reinvent | Apr 06, 2008 04:16am | #16

            Ask these guys:http://heatinghelp.com/In the section called the wall.

      2. square668 | Apr 04, 2008 07:11am | #9

        I agree that contact if any should be minimal.  I am just wondering if anyone else had heard of this being an issue.  I have my doubts.

      3. brucet9 | Apr 04, 2008 08:57am | #10

        "But what's that got to do with PEX? PVC and PEX are very different products."You miss my point. I did not say PEX and PVC are the same, I just suggested that since adverse reactions between some plastics occur, it is possible they may also happen with PEX. The inspector may know of an actual problem or he may simply associate the old PVC/cat5 problem with PEX and Cat5 and expect that there MAY be a problem.
        BruceT

  6. Piffin | Apr 04, 2008 06:16pm | #11

    Simple - ask him for documentation.

    maybe he has a brain tumour from spending too much time on his cell phone

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. square668 | Apr 04, 2008 06:24pm | #12

      Good theory however that would imply the existance of a brain in the first place.  He does work for the builing department and they strongly discourage that sort of thing.

      1. Piffin | Apr 04, 2008 06:37pm | #13

        ROAR!;) 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

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