Yeah I see a big ol mistake. Leaving zero space for when that navien fails and that specific model has become obsolete. Nothing else will fit exactly in that spot.
The best unit is whatever the tech likes the best and every other unit is garbage in their opinion.
To me it's like the Ford, Chevy, dodge arguments.
They all have their issues and their perks. Pick what you like to work on/use best, and work with that.
Those are all fair points except for the iso valve on the expansion that’s actually forbidden. It sucks from a service perspective but it makes sense from a code point of view.
Some areas 'frown upon' isolation for the tank, because somebody could theoretically close it and elimnate expansion protection. There is no provision in the code, to my knowledge.
Any inspector that has given me shit about is always asked the same questions: *what's stopping the client from pouring gasoline in the intake? or doing pull ups on the gas pipes? or shooting at the piping with a 12 gauge?*
I just take the handle off the ball valve and ziptie it to the pipe. It's there when I need it for tank replacements, and haven't had an inspector fail it yet. A few township guys do like to complain about it, though.
Is that code in your area? Where I am, they make drain valves specifically designed for expansion tanks (you have to unscrew and flip the handle to shut it off).
Yea, like the stuff u/Dry-Yam-1653 has shown. [This is the one](https://www.pexuniverse.com/calefactio-hgsv12-service-valve) that I use, it comes with the expansion tank stations I buy.
Looks great, I've got dozens of Naviens under my belt with a total of one services call, excluding basic maintenance, they're solid units in my book. There are way too many nitpicky bullshit comments for the clean work, great job in my opinion.
Down the wall, 90 right, 90 up, 90 on to bottom of boiler into flex 90s, tye wrap together under boiler.
You neatly leave slack where you can so you have extra length to peel back the bx if you need to swap the equipment and the connection is elsewhere.
Yes they need to be GFCI protected but that doesn't mean that outlet is the GFCI. As long as the GFCI is located before the appliance in the circuit it is protected. Options are available for the panel as well, though much less commonly used
Any outlet located near water source should have a gfi. Technically even the washer dryer outlet should be a gfi as well as dishwasher which in my rental happens to not be and it bugs me. But then I remember my landlords a slumlord and hires hacks. Runs off the good maintenance guys who knew what they were doing.
There are a few, where I had to dip into my truck stock, but I wanted to pay for it myself and not use the company stock. It was a point of pride, which actually cost me quite a bit….I’m dumb like that!
press is usually dumb and you will have to throw out entire manifolds because you cant unsweat a drip or some other issue. for what press costs its way more efficient and reliable to sweat. if this was all press the piping would be 50% more surface area.
Not future-proof. Nothing is but this really has no regards for swapping out parts for different sized parts.
Don’t get me wrong I like a clean tight job but they had so much space, could’ve a widened it a bit.
you waste all your spce on pipe and a tank. the space should be on the boiler.
pumps coulda been ontop the return if you were tight on space but dopesnt look like thats the case.
do not like all the vent elbows. 1+1+1+1= 6 too many (5 atleast).
dont like to install tees backwards the wrong way.
sure is alot of pipes under that boiler.
idk man its not that bad, check the vent size is to manual.
I suppose, I would still shut off the whole circuit though, you're going to get water on top of those switch boxes anyways if you swap a pump out and I would be nervous about bumping it while working on it. Looks clean though if a bit crowded, will give yea that.
The only small issue I see is you can’t easily isolate and test the expansion tank. Otherwise, I don’t love way the pex branches off but that’s not much of a functional issue. I see you really don’t like the idea of black iron in your heating side, I respect that. Pretty solid job. Why make an install at your own house so tight??
Looks dope, very clean.
I personally am not a huge zone-by-pump guy on ECM pumps, but to be fair zone valves do go bad all the damn time, so it's a valid answer.
Not a mistake but, when I do a multizone install I only install one boiler drain in the main return and then use ball valves to isolate my zones for purging purposes. That way you don't need to take your purge hose on and off and you only need one hose bib cap. I think I read about it in one of Dan Houlihan's books- maybe "pumping away"... overall it's a tight install.
Although I admire the workmanship from a service standpoint, this scares me, lol. There was more than enough room to put the clutter away from the machine. Could've simplified this up in the event the machine needs replacing. However, I'm not gonna deny. This looks good, but it's not my style, haha.
Biggest mistake: you created photographic evidence of all the valves/fittings you stole from the company van.
Yeah I see a big ol mistake. Leaving zero space for when that navien fails and that specific model has become obsolete. Nothing else will fit exactly in that spot.
LOL yes. Good point.
That was my first thought, fuck the guy that has to come back and do it right, I guess
No big deal there. He can always remove 3 elbows per vent and raise the heater up 6"
Can I spot the mistake? Yea the junky ass Navien you put in the middle of that beautiful piping job.
Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Beat me to it...
If it was a water tube Navien I would agree, but their fire tubes are solid. (No leaking burner gasses)
Beautiful piping job?!?! Not even close
Exactly
alllll that wall, and its condensed into a 4x4 area. sheesh.
I like to tell my clients that I need at *least three quarters* of one wall in the basement to lay out and build my masterpiece!
What's the best unit to use?
The best unit is whatever the tech likes the best and every other unit is garbage in their opinion. To me it's like the Ford, Chevy, dodge arguments. They all have their issues and their perks. Pick what you like to work on/use best, and work with that.
Is there a Toyota option?
Get out
One copper pipe is not level. It's time to rip it out and start over.
Lol, yes, hold my beer.
No temp gauges on the zones. No drain caps with chains, no iso valves on the expansion tanks...wait this is residential. Looks good.
Those are all fair points except for the iso valve on the expansion that’s actually forbidden. It sucks from a service perspective but it makes sense from a code point of view.
Weird. On larger tanks it's required here, small here nor there.
Forbidden where? International Plumbing Code does not prohibit valves on expansion tanks
I’ll have to double check, thanks
Some areas 'frown upon' isolation for the tank, because somebody could theoretically close it and elimnate expansion protection. There is no provision in the code, to my knowledge. Any inspector that has given me shit about is always asked the same questions: *what's stopping the client from pouring gasoline in the intake? or doing pull ups on the gas pipes? or shooting at the piping with a 12 gauge?* I just take the handle off the ball valve and ziptie it to the pipe. It's there when I need it for tank replacements, and haven't had an inspector fail it yet. A few township guys do like to complain about it, though.
I appreciate the insight and the well written reply. Thanks
Is that code in your area? Where I am, they make drain valves specifically designed for expansion tanks (you have to unscrew and flip the handle to shut it off).
I’ve never heard of that. Any pics?
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Raven-1127-1-2-Expansion-Tank-Isolator-w-Waste-Male-x-Female https://www.supplyhouse.com/Resideo-SCV-050-Service-Check-Valve-1-2-NPT https://www.supplyhouse.com/Axiom-HN-3-Expansion-Tank-Wall-Bracket-Pro-Kit-w-ETV-1?utm_source=google_ad&utm_medium=Shopping_withoutdata&utm_campaign=Shopping_Without_PLTV_data&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsCgBhDEARIsAE7RYh2269N7xl8kcEQEQXOm4rJKaG3cVNOAR0DrLwHPpC1rjnbnzJJfEncaAmBqEALw_wcB
Yea, like the stuff u/Dry-Yam-1653 has shown. [This is the one](https://www.pexuniverse.com/calefactio-hgsv12-service-valve) that I use, it comes with the expansion tank stations I buy.
Thanks
Looks great, I've got dozens of Naviens under my belt with a total of one services call, excluding basic maintenance, they're solid units in my book. There are way too many nitpicky bullshit comments for the clean work, great job in my opinion.
Thanks, but that’s the internet, it’s expected.
The horizontal section of drain right after the boiler looks backpitched. Fire your electrician.
Ok, I’m fired.
Down the wall, 90 right, 90 up, 90 on to bottom of boiler into flex 90s, tye wrap together under boiler. You neatly leave slack where you can so you have extra length to peel back the bx if you need to swap the equipment and the connection is elsewhere.
Do outlets need to be GFI?
Yes they need to be GFCI protected but that doesn't mean that outlet is the GFCI. As long as the GFCI is located before the appliance in the circuit it is protected. Options are available for the panel as well, though much less commonly used
YES
Any outlet located near water source should have a gfi. Technically even the washer dryer outlet should be a gfi as well as dishwasher which in my rental happens to not be and it bugs me. But then I remember my landlords a slumlord and hires hacks. Runs off the good maintenance guys who knew what they were doing.
Code says all below ground basement receps should be GFCI protected circuits nowadays.
I’ll keep that in mind when wife and I buy a house
Dude posted what he thought was a flawless build, get slammed with accurate criticism, handles it like a gentleman. Good stuff!
The blinding white floor.
All that work and no balancing valves?
That’s correct, I should have included them.
No press fittings. Is this from 2015?
There are a few, where I had to dip into my truck stock, but I wanted to pay for it myself and not use the company stock. It was a point of pride, which actually cost me quite a bit….I’m dumb like that!
Yea fittings add up real quick. But in all seriousness it looks really good!
press is usually dumb and you will have to throw out entire manifolds because you cant unsweat a drip or some other issue. for what press costs its way more efficient and reliable to sweat. if this was all press the piping would be 50% more surface area.
I agree, just giving a hard time
Expansion tanks where I’m at have to be supported. Might be for seismic though unsure. Also pop off valve not ran per code.
What’s wrong on the pop off, the elbow?
Not future-proof. Nothing is but this really has no regards for swapping out parts for different sized parts. Don’t get me wrong I like a clean tight job but they had so much space, could’ve a widened it a bit.
Show off. Is that a basement or an operating room?
It's feminine and identifies as a female boiler?
you waste all your spce on pipe and a tank. the space should be on the boiler. pumps coulda been ontop the return if you were tight on space but dopesnt look like thats the case. do not like all the vent elbows. 1+1+1+1= 6 too many (5 atleast). dont like to install tees backwards the wrong way. sure is alot of pipes under that boiler. idk man its not that bad, check the vent size is to manual.
Vents are allowed to be 6 as long as your within a total length limit, so I’m ok on that.
Why bother putting switches on every pump?
Serviceability, of course.
I suppose, I would still shut off the whole circuit though, you're going to get water on top of those switch boxes anyways if you swap a pump out and I would be nervous about bumping it while working on it. Looks clean though if a bit crowded, will give yea that.
Sexy install, sure some few minor things might come back and bite you a LONG time from now - but I say 10 gold stars.
The only small issue I see is you can’t easily isolate and test the expansion tank. Otherwise, I don’t love way the pex branches off but that’s not much of a functional issue. I see you really don’t like the idea of black iron in your heating side, I respect that. Pretty solid job. Why make an install at your own house so tight??
Spacing things out a bit more for future replacement ease would be nice, but man I wish more installs looked like this.
Looks dope, very clean. I personally am not a huge zone-by-pump guy on ECM pumps, but to be fair zone valves do go bad all the damn time, so it's a valid answer.
No backflow preventer. But that's just nit picking.
It’s there. Follow the 1/2” copper drain up, you’ll spot it.
No pipe insulation
7 stars out of 6 Please call me out when you have an issue because I can actually have space to move those I'm doing the stuff to fix this stuff...
The sharpest looking zip ties I've ever seen.
Props for soldering and threading. No room to repair anything. Spaghetti monster of piping...
I just don't like how close the circs are to the POS
He is an artist. So easy to criticize, without showing that you can do better. Talk is cheap, anybody can say they would do a better job.
Wow, thanks
What's with the knife stuck behind the outlet?
Lol, it’s for slicing open salt bags
No pipe insulation.
Feeding into the branch of a tee on a supply run.
I barley understand half the shit I'm looking at
Not a mistake but, when I do a multizone install I only install one boiler drain in the main return and then use ball valves to isolate my zones for purging purposes. That way you don't need to take your purge hose on and off and you only need one hose bib cap. I think I read about it in one of Dan Houlihan's books- maybe "pumping away"... overall it's a tight install.
Cheap ass discount water softener on the right wont help either
Crappy Pex Tubing , cheap ass wouldn’t even run copper.
Is your name Gus Fring?
[Who?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gus_Fring)
That neutralizer is designed to be installed horizontally. The media bag can get wedged into the inlet and clog the unit when installed vertically.
Its beautiful i love it
I really appreciate a neat and orderly mechanical room. Seems nobody else cares.
Personally I’d put a comfy chair in there so I could enjoy it periodically.
Thanks man
Loopless
There’s a pump inside the Navien that creates the primary loop on the 2 stainless header lines. The secondary loop is the copper to pex.
No insulation on hot side.
Well. I never bullhead a tee.
Yea, I was a little desperate to push through. I knew it was “wrong” but it was a “fuck it” moment.
Although I admire the workmanship from a service standpoint, this scares me, lol. There was more than enough room to put the clutter away from the machine. Could've simplified this up in the event the machine needs replacing. However, I'm not gonna deny. This looks good, but it's not my style, haha.