[jozabi]

I haven't installed the manifold as yet as I am waiting for the city to bring a 1" line to the meter. I'll post once have completed this project...

 

[Ratman]

Thanks, Jozabi. I wish I had planned ahead and done the outside first, too, but I do have to replace this galvanized time bomb- one section already failed so you know what that means.
I must have messed up the first part of my post as I was trying to get to Allthunbs since his system has been in for awhile.
Hitlines, yours looks good- are those the push on connections? Do the valves appear to be of sound quality?

 

[ddawg16]

And this is better than copper how?

 

[Ratman]

ddawg16, who knows? Time might prove it to be inferior to copper. Time might also prove soldered joints without lead to be inferior. Both have been used about the same period of time- although copper by far has been used much more extensively. I like the idea of no joints between manifold and fixture, but still- not sure.

 

[JKeefe]

And this is better than copper how?

A few reasons:

1. Many fewer joints. Potential for no elbows or tees. This means many fewer potential points of failure.

2. While there is a cost premium, it is much faster to install PEX than copper.

3. Ability to install new line, while still potentially challenging, is much easier than running copper in existing construction, and faster, because the PEX is flexible. Plus there is no need to turn off the water to any of the house while putting in something new.

 

[HitLines]

So how is the Manabloc holding up for you? Are the shutoffs stainless steel ball-type or other?
I've read where some reported leaks around the inlets over time, as well as the shutoff valves themselves- anything like that?
It does seem that Viega is the only company that is making the manifold with the full benefit of home run in mind- having combination 3/8 and 1/2 feed lines as an option.
Thanks in advance for your original posts and further updates.
(Also noticed some chat about installing pex up to the hot water tank- and believe this is fine for electric tanks but gas requires about 18" of metal to get the pex 6-8 inches past the flu)

My manifold has been installed for 8mo so far with zero leaks at any of the connections. Each line is a complete home run with one end connected to the bloc and the other with a crimp to a shutoff valve at the fixture. No additional 90s or Ts were used and most turns were gradual or supported with a 90 brace (see the black supports). This pic is before all of the lines were nailed down and properly supported at the bloc.




For the hot water heater you will want to use a pair of the 3/4" FIP x 3/4" FIP, 18" Corrugated Stainless Steel Tube:

 

[jozabi]

Why the corrugate stainless steel connection? I already have a tankless water heater which will be located within 4 feet of my manabloc manifold. Would you recommend that I find a 48" stainless steel connection?

 

[Digitalfiend]

I have a quick question about this system. Can the incoming cold water supply be attached to the single port at the bottom instead of the top? I would assume so, but I can't find the installation manual for the Manabloc to confirm.

The only other thing holding me back from this system at the moment is the seeming lack of vendors and support here in Canada. The only place that I can find that sells Viega products is Amazon.ca and they don't have much of a selection in stock, which is worrisome and frustrating. For instance, I can buy a 24 port unit but can't buy the supply adapters because they are out of stock and no one else seems to carry them up here. Furthermore, I'd prefer an 18-port unit but that won't ship for 1-3 months. Argh.

If Viega is indeed restricting US vendors from shipping parts up here, I'm not totally sure I want to support the company. The only other alternative is to order from the US and use a forwarding service. It's quite frustrating.

<rant>I still don't understand why so many Canadian websites look like they're from the late 90s-era of website design - static, no search capabilities, no pricing or information on availability. Ugh.</rant>

 

[Allthunbs]

I have a quick question about this system. Can the incoming cold water supply be attached to the single port at the bottom instead of the top? I would assume so, but I can't find the installation manual for the Manabloc to confirm.

Ok, the cold water goes into the bottom. I put an extra shut-off valve at the bottom of the bloc just before the input. Then, at the top of the cold side (blue valves) I ran a 3/4" i.d. pex across to the input of the water heater. On the hot side, I ran a second 3/4" pex back to the hot side of the manabloc. Like this the cold and hot water are always balanced. I can have a shower and my wife puts on the dishwasher and I'm perfectly comfortable. I will notice a drop in flow but not a variation in temperature

The only other thing holding me back from this system at the moment is the seeming lack of vendors and support here in Canada. The only place that I can find that sells Viega products is Amazon.ca and they don't have much of a selection in stock, which is worrisome and frustrating. For instance, I can buy a 24 port unit but can't buy the supply adapters because they are out of stock and no one else seems to carry them up here. Furthermore, I'd prefer an 18-port unit but that won't ship for 1-3 months. Argh.

Absolutely. I have to point out that I purchased with the idea that I could get support from the U.S. vendor, overnight if necessary. It wasn't until sometime later that the Canadian distributor had a temper tantrum when he found out he couldn't buy a new yacht 5' longer than the old one.

If Viega is indeed restricting US vendors from shipping parts up here, I'm not totally sure I want to support the company. The only other alternative is to order from the US and use a forwarding service. It's quite frustrating.

It's rather interesting. Viega is an European company with a manufacturing facility in the U.S. I wonder if we can purchase from vendors in England or France? Shipping might be a bit higher but the product shouldn't. After all the European market is 500 million people. That's a bigger market than the U.S.

<rant>I still don't understand why so many Canadian websites look like they're from the late 90s-era of website design - static, no search capabilities, no pricing or information on availability. Ugh.</rant>

It's called lazyness and lack of research. You go on a web site and you get a banal imitation of what I was producing under HTML 1.0 (actually it didn't exist but you get the idea) back in 1990, that's before the internet was the internet. Nothing has changed since then in many vendors. The online vendors are the real joke. Very few are actually created by artists and even fewer are implemented by inventive programmers. I find very few web sites created for customers. Most are created to pad the programmer's pockets and do little to reflect the wishes and needs. I have a mantra "the shortest distance between the question and the answer" is the only path. I haven't seen it implemented on any site yet. Most are treating you as a captive client. The vendor has never realized that you can close a browser tab and shut down the transaction.

My rant too!

Allthunbs

 

[jozabi]

finished...

I finished the install of my manifold and couldn't be more happy. The city ended up bringing in only a 3/4" line from the street. The install was easy. I used a home run style, no joints or t's, direct from the manifold to each outlet. My total cost was less than $1,000. I purchased the manifold from a US distributor and had it shipped to a UPS store in Buffalo where I picked it up while shopping. I purchased the pex and fittings at Home Depot/Lowes.

 

[Digitalfiend]

Ok, the cold water goes into the bottom. I put an extra shut-off valve at the bottom of the bloc just before the input. Then, at the top of the cold side (blue valves) I ran a 3/4" i.d. pex across to the input of the water heater. On the hot side, I ran a second 3/4" pex back to the hot side of the manabloc. Like this the cold and hot water are always balanced. I can have a shower and my wife puts on the dishwasher and I'm perfectly comfortable. I will notice a drop in flow but not a variation in temperature

I was hoping that was the case. I've got a whole house filter to incorporate into the mix, so I think I'll tee off of the main line for the outside hoses (don't need to filter lawn water haha) and then into the filter, to the manifold, and to the tankless and back loop (keeping it as short as possible.)

Absolutely. I have to point out that I purchased with the idea that I could get support from the U.S. vendor, overnight if necessary. It wasn't until sometime later that the Canadian distributor had a temper tantrum when he found out he couldn't buy a new yacht 5' longer than the old one.

Yeah, I remember when PEXSupply used to ship up here and now they are called SupplyHouse and have stopped that practice.

It's called lazyness and lack of research. You go on a web site and you get a banal imitation of what I was producing under HTML 1.0 (actually it didn't exist but you get the idea) back in 1990, ...

I remember the days of Trumpet Winsock, dial-up, BBS, etc and it seems most Canadian vendors are still stuck in that era - not all - but most have shockingly poor websites. I dabble in website development and I think even I could do a better job on the front-end and certainly better on the back-office integration part (my area of expertise.)

I feel Canadian businesses that complain about people shopping south of the border don't realize that sometimes it's not just about the money...sometimes the customer doesn't even know it's available up here because the websites suck! :laughing:

 

[Allthunbs]

I was hoping that was the case. I've got a whole house filter to incorporate into the mix, so I think I'll tee off of the main line for the outside hoses (don't need to filter lawn water haha) and then into the filter, to the manifold, and to the tankless and back loop (keeping it as short as possible.)

Hi Digitalfiend: Ok, I don't know about whole house filters. In another house I used to have a complete water purification plant, injected chlorine, air, activated filers, holding tanks the whole bit. I had copper and I'll never do that again.

There are things that you must remember. Firstly, pex is polyethylene and minerals don't stick to it. Any minerals that remain in the water get passed through to the device at the end of the chain. Alternatively, your pipes won't corrode like copper. In this house I had 30 year old copper that sprung leaks daily. I must own part of the Sharkbite company, I bought so many of their quick fixes. Now, there is no degradation of my PEX at all. I have a slight slickness on the inside wall of the PEX from jellied water but other than that, nothing.

Yeah, I remember when PEXSupply used to ship up here and now they are called SupplyHouse and have stopped that practice.

I still get adverts and 'help requests' from them and they're still using the PexSupply name on those.

I remember the days of Trumpet Winsock, dial-up, BBS, etc and it seems most Canadian vendors are still stuck in that era - not all - but most have shockingly poor websites. I dabble in website development and I think even I could do a better job on the front-end and certainly better on the back-office integration part (my area of expertise.)

Good Lord. You're almost as old as me. I started my website in 1988 and made it available on Fidonet ;-) I run HTMLCompendium.org -- now a private site -- badly due for an update.

I feel Canadian businesses that complain about people shopping south of the border don't realize that sometimes it's not just about the money...sometimes the customer doesn't even know it's available up here because the websites suck! :laughing:

I constantly tell local merchants that their competition isn't the guy next door, it is the guy in Tokyo. Even kids I tell that their competition for jobs isn't the kid in the next street but the kid in China. The young people listen but the adults can't be bothered.

I'm writing three books right now about growing up and what kids need to know to be adults. Lazy and selfish are the two killers. I could go on for hours but I'll quit while I'm ahead.

Allthumbs

 

[Knucklez]

for recent readers of this thread.. trying to import PEX into canada is still a necessity because cbsupplies.ca is outrageous and all the distributors won't sell to the public. but now there are options... GOOD options.. SIMPLE options..

buy what you want here (or anywhere in the states, but this site had good value and free shipping)
http://www.blueridgecompany.com

and then ship to US postal address found here:
http://www.reship.com

and done.