Anyone ever try running PEX through conduit for extra protection? Seems like overkill, but maybe worth it if you’re set on plastic.
Tried that once when I was feeling extra paranoid about the sun nuking my pipes. Honestly, threading PEX through conduit is like wrestling a stubborn garden hose—awkward, but doable. It did give me peace of mind, though. Still, I’m with you: copper’s pricey, but I sleep better knowing it’s out there soaking up rays and not quietly crumbling under foam. PEX is tempting for the price, but I just don’t trust it long-term outside, no matter how many layers I wrap it in.
I get the worry about PEX outside—I've had the same debate in my head. Copper feels safer, but man, that price tag hurts. I did end up using PEX with conduit for a short run and yeah, it was kind of a pain, but it’s held up so far. I think as long as you’re not baking it in direct sun, it’s probably fine for most setups. Sometimes you just gotta pick your battles...
I wrestled with the same thing when I set up my solar water heater last fall. Ended up going with PEX too, but I wrapped it in foam pipe insulation and then slid that into some leftover PVC conduit. It was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, honestly, but it’s kept the lines cool and protected so far. Copper would’ve been nice, but my wallet said nope. If you can keep the PEX shaded or covered, it seems to hold up just fine. The trickiest part was sealing the ends to keep critters out... learned that one the hard way.
- Smart move with the PEX and insulation—honestly, that’s what I recommend to most folks unless they’ve got a copper budget (which, let’s be real, not many do these days).
- Wrapping it in foam and then PVC? That’s a solid double layer. I’ve seen too many setups where folks skip the conduit and end up with sun-baked, brittle lines after a couple seasons.
- Sealing the ends is always a pain. I’ve stuffed steel wool in there before capping, just to keep the mice from chewing through. Not perfect, but it slows them down.
- Shading is key. Even “UV-resistant” PEX will eventually get brittle if it’s out in the open. I’ve seen some people just toss an old tarp over their runs, but your method’s way cleaner.
- Don’t sweat the copper. Unless you’re running super high temps or have a lot of sharp bends, PEX holds up fine for solar water heaters. Plus, if you ever need to swap a section, it’s way less hassle.
Sounds like you did it right. Sometimes the “jigsaw puzzle” approach is what gets the job done without breaking the bank.
Swapping out copper for PEX was a game-changer for me too. I didn’t bother with PVC, just foam and a coat of cheap black paint for UV. Has anyone had luck with that long-term? My lines are still holding up after three years, but I worry about critters.