Ritchie 4 Foot Thermal Tube Top #16612
PLEASE NOTE - This is considered an oversize product, increasing the cost of shipping.
Ritchie 4 Foot Thermal Tube Top #16612 is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Features
Features
Warranty
Warranty
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
All products will ship according to shipping option selected at checkout. Standard USPS and UPS average shipping times are 2-7 and freight up to 2 weeks. Allow extra time during peak season and the holidays. For more information see our Shipping Policy.
Ritchie 4 Foot Thermal Tube Top #16612
Ritchie 4 Foot Thermal Tube Top #16612 is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Description
Description
Permanently protect your vertical water supply line from freezing. Ritchie Thermal tubes provide two inches of insulation all around with an r-Factor of 7 per inch, 12 inches outside diameter, 8 inches inside diameter. Designed with the help for testing conducted by Iowa State University to determine the ultimate size for maximum waterline protection. 4 foot overall height.
TIP: Install Ritchie Thermal Tubes to sit flush with the top of the concrete pad.
TIP: Do not cut or modify Thermal Tube. This will expose the insulation to the elements and deplete the insulation properties.
Sizing this one. The 16612 is the 4 foot top, the single piece answer where the frost line is deep. Ritchie’s rule for any thermal tube is that it should extend at least 1 foot below the local frost line, so a deep frost depth is where this one earns its place over the shorter build.
This is a different build from the 1 foot top
Ritchie states that the 18158 1 foot top will not work with the 4 foot thermal tube. The two are separate approaches, not parts of one kit: either the 1 foot top with 16416 2 foot extensions stacked on it, or this 4 foot top on its own. Pick one route and stay on it.
Why the extra length matters. The whole point of a thermal tube is that the insulated column reaches past the depth at which the ground freezes. Where frost drives deep, the 4 foot top gets you there without a stack of joints.
Ritchie’s installation figures for the supply side. Ritchie calls for a 3/4 inch supply line as the minimum and recommends 1 inch, with the horizontal run buried at least 4 feet deep or 1 foot below the local frost line, whichever is deeper, on a concrete pad 4 to 6 inches thick with an 18 inch perimeter step.
Questions on which build suits your ground? Get in touch with your frost depth and we will sort it out.
Ritchie Thermal Tube
Learn more about the Ritchie Thermal Tube
Three things to get right with thermal tubes
Most of the calls we get about frozen waterlines come back to the riser tube, and almost always to one of these three things. They are easy to get right on installation day and expensive to fix afterward.
Do not cut them
Thermal tubes are insulated all the way through. Cutting one opens up the insulation inside, and once it is exposed it breaks down over time. You lose the protection you paid for, which defeats the point of installing an insulated tube at all.
Order the length you need rather than trimming one down.
Set them level with the pad
The top of the tube needs to sit flush with the top of the concrete pad. Many units sit directly on top of the tube once they are set.
Flush is what lets you seal along the base of the unit, and that seal is what keeps winter air off the waterline. A tube sitting low or proud of the pad leaves a gap you cannot close properly.
Bury deep enough, and put the insulation on top
Follow the manufacturer guidelines for your unit. As a standard, get the waterline protected at least one foot below your frost line. If you are not sure how deep your frost line runs, your local extension office can tell you.
If you are extending with uninsulated tile or PVC, do that part below the frost line and keep the insulated portion toward the top. The insulation does its work in the section where the cold actually reaches.
Whatever you use, center the waterline in it. The last thing you want is the waterline touching the ground or resting against the wall of the riser tube. That contact is how frost carries over to the line.
Avoid narrow riser tubes for the same reason. The tighter the space, the easier it is for frost to reach the line and for ice to build up in the line and in the valve.
Do I really need one
We recommend a thermal tube on every installation. Installation is what determines how well a waterer works and how long it lasts, and this is the part people most often cut corners on.
That said, in milder climates they are not always used. Some people center the waterline in tile or in 8 inch or larger PVC instead. What is not optional is centering the waterline in something. Bare line in an open hole, or line pressed against the side of a narrow tube, is how you end up with ice in the valve in January.
If you are not sure what your situation calls for, give us a call before you pour the pad. It is a lot easier to talk through beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the tubes be cut or shortened?
Can the tubes be cut or shortened?
No. They are insulated all the way through, and cutting one exposes the insulation inside. Once exposed it breaks down over time and you lose the protection you paid for, which defeats the purpose of installing an insulated tube. Order the length you need rather than trimming one down.
How high should the tube sit relative to the concrete pad?
How high should the tube sit relative to the concrete pad?
Flush with the top of the pad. Many units sit directly on top of the tube once installed, and having it level is what lets you seal along the base of the unit. That seal is what keeps winter air off the waterline.
How deep should the tube be buried?
How deep should the tube be buried?
Follow the manufacturer guidelines for your unit. As a standard, get the waterline protected at least one foot below your frost line. When you are figuring the length you need, remember to include the concrete pad, which runs 4 to 6 inches. If you are extending with uninsulated tile or PVC, put that section below the frost line and keep the insulated portion toward the top. Your local extension office can tell you how deep the frost line runs in your area.
Do I need one at all?
Do I need one at all?
We recommend one on every installation, because installation is what determines how well a waterer works and how long it lasts. In milder climates they are not always used, and some people center the waterline in tile or in 8 inch or larger PVC instead. What is not optional is centering the waterline in something. The waterline should never touch the ground or rest against the wall of the riser tube, because that contact is how frost carries over to the line. Avoid narrow riser tubes for the same reason, since a tight space makes it easier for ice to build up in the line and in the valve.
