So my PEX-A tubings are finally here, in 100' rolls both 3/4" and 1/2".

What is the best way to uncoil the tubing so it can be more or less straight before I use them?

I heard that I need to uncoil it outdoors and let it soak in the sun for a day or two to soften it? Then I heard that it cannot be exposed to the sun...which is true?

I am going into the crawl this Sunday to lay all the pieces where they need to go, not making any connection, just running all the different legs and secure them to the underside of joists. That's phase 1. Phase 2 will be doing the manifolds, then phase 3 will be a second trip into the crawl to cut old PB tubings off, and connect to PEX.

Build a rack out of 2x4s or metal to suspend the pex just outside the crawl space then pull, luckily your in a warm climate your piping should cooperate

now you understand why it is affectionately know a "wrestlepex"
[www.google.com]

It’s cheaper to pay someone to stand there with safety glasses and a broom stick to hold it

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

we're talking a 100 ft coil not 300-500 or 1,000. just remove it as you need it (don't pull it out of the plastic all at once) and you'll be fine.

I will be pulling it in the crawlspace, I guess I need someone at the coil to feed it to me by uncoiling it as I go or else it will be a mess?

Will it help if I precut the tubing into the lengths they need to be? For example I know one run is 42', one run is 32' one run is 25', will it help if I uncoil the whole thing ahead of time in my backyard where there is an open field, cut them to say 46', 36', 29' (extra 4' to be on the safe side), then use my knees to unbend the tubing so it's not curved in one direction, to get it to be as straight as possible, that should make it easier to run them as I move into the crawl?

There still going to re-coil on you once cut... This is why I love Pex a in 20 ft Lenths. The un-coilers make it supper easy, but they are pricy.

sum, if you can get 46', 36', 29' out of a 100 foot coil, i need you to come to the blackjack table wityh me ASAP.

LOL Packy, I have two 100' rolls of 3/4" and one 100' roll of 1/2".

What if I drive a 2" steel post (like the ones you use for chain linked fences) two feet into the dirt at the entrance to the crawlspace, and put both the 3/4" roll and the 1/2" rolls on it, I wonder if I can drag both into the crawl say 30', 40', 50' or I will get stuck without some sort of a lazy susan spinning platform?

Back to questions about PEX manifolds.

If I do my own ball valves for each outlet in the manifold, for the handle of one to not interfere with it's neighbor valve when closed, how far apart do the outlets need to be? 3" separation? What if I use those valves with butterfly handles? Will that be less interference?

One other thing, most of the manifold I have seen the feed comes in on one end, then there are many 90 degree branches. If my main supply line is 3/4" (because the line from the meter to the house is 3/4", is it a problem to use one of the 3/4" branch as the feed?

In other words, the top sketch shows how typically a manifold is done. Is there any reason I cannot do it like the bottom sketch with the incoming water feeding through one of the branches?

feeding INTO the 'bull' of a tee creates excessive turbulence

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

Personally, I would not worry at all about turbulence sum and either of those illustrations are fine. one of my pet peeves with the Plumbing codes (water Piping) in this country is they never changed and took into consideration the newer water saving toilers and very restrictive flow rates in faucets and shower heads. even what comes out of the tub spout is a fraction of what it was in a 1950's home. I have a Speakman showerhead from the 1960's removed from a job I clocked at 9 1/2 GPM, those were the days.... you came out the shower squeaky clean without soap.

sum, since a ball valve can be installed either directiom, you can alternate the valves so the handles open away from eachother.

form follows function..

since you are feeding 3/4 into 1 inch, i don't think turbulence would be a big concern

if you are buying a bunch of pex ball valves make sure they have a packing nut at the handle

Time to get a laborer to help with this.
I think a labor staffing company is $25/hr with 4 hour minimum.
this will be worth it to save you the frustration of trying to do this yourself.

OPTION: B
Return your rolls of PEX and go buy 20 foot lengths.

Just rotate the valves slightly so the handles do not hit the valve next to it an you can put them as close together as you want to.

The reason I am thinking of doing the feed amongst the branches is to allow a better organization and location of the manifolds with respect to the holes where the PEX will need to emerge from the crawlspace.

If I stick with the traditional layout with the feed coming in on one side, I will have to go through a number of 90s to get it there because where I can drill those holes is not flexible due to other obstructions (ducts, drains, gas lines etc...) and where I can mount the manifold on the wall is also limited.

Packy, I will be using a copper manifold with 1" header and 3/4" branches, I am ordering it through Ferguson as a custom order and the manufacturer is Alberta Custom Tee. I checked Sioux Chief too but they have suspended their custom manifold operations (for now).

This header comes in 72" trunk with options of 3", 4", 5" or more spacing options. I am going with the 3" option which is the smallest. I am getting it with 3/4" branches and will be cutting it up into segments to suit my need on the cold side and the hot side.

It also has an option to have soldered valves, but since it's 72" long I don't want to have 24 valves.

With this copper manifold I will be soldering my own ball valves on, regular ball valves not PEX valves. The reason is once I mapped things out, half my branches will be in hard copper and half in PEX. The long runs to bathrooms, kitchen through the crawlspace will be in PEX with no joints. The bibb on the back side of garage, the washing machine, the front side garage bibb etc...those are all inside the garage where the manifold is, I will do those in hard copper since they are already in hard copper. Then there are some 3/4" some 1/2" branches. So what I will end up with is the copper manifold, some of the 3/4" branches will be reduced to 1/2" first, then will be soldered to valves either 3/4" or 1/2". That way the valves will be solidly supported through rigid connections to the manifolds. At the other end of the valves will be either a short piece of either 3/4" or 1/2" copper, and some of them will have a PEX adapter soldered on to run down to the crawlspace, while some others will continue on in copper to all the fixtures in the garage. I will also have a few spare valves presoldered to an off position for added services later on.

Anyway that's the plan. It will be a lot of soldering but since there is nothing I can buy that will get me what I want anyways (mixed 3/4" and 1/2" valves, mixed 3/4" and 1/2" sizes, mixed PEX and copper outlets).

hj do you think slightly turning the valves is better than getting short butterfly handle valves?

Butterfly handles!

a wet storm past through south Florida this weekend and it was so wet I didn't get to run the pipes. Have to try another weekend.