Propane Plumbing

[DrivingMissLazy]

Not familier with that technique, I've always just used the single flare.

There is a double flare tool available. It is well worth purchasing and should be used on all high pressure lines, such as brake lines and for lines carrying explosive  gases such as propane. Compression fittings should not be used for this application.
Richard

[niles500]

Sometimes terms can be confusing depending on you industry std. or the area your in - technically both flared and ferruled fittings are "compression" fittings - I just mention this cause I've been lax before in not being specific as to what I meant HTH

[belfert]

Is PEX really approved for propane use?  Are you sure that this really isn't CSST?  (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing)

My travel trailer used black pipe under the trailer and then copper tubing to the appliance.  I can't remember if the black pipe or the copper went through the floor.

[boogiethecat]

When using black pipe (my recommendation) every time you do a 90 degree turn, use two street-L 90's instead of one single L ... IE one goes "up" then the second one goes "over", instead of just one fitting to make that same turn.  This way the joint has an extra degree of  freedom if it gets pushed, pulled, or twisted by the bus doing the same as you drive.  It makes for a very flexible and much less breakable system...

[maria-n-skip]

I went out to the NFPA (national fire protection asscosiation) which works closely with UL.

It appears that all their standards are purchase only with UL numbers to boot.

They have info on RV's and RV parks. FWIW

   The one thing I did find out is that rubber hoses have a max length of 5 feet and must be stainless wire wrapped and/or
non-corrosive to the gases used. In reading the committee reports I get the sense that less fitting used the better. FWIW

Brian, now I am confused I guess it will require more research. I'll ask my soninlaw sense he lays natural gas lines for
     a living. Maybe he has some standards manuals.

Skip

[Kristinsgrandpa]

Skip, the thing I didn't see mentioned was the fact that you shouldn't use teflon tape on the black iron, or on anything used in a gas system.

Ed

[maria-n-skip]

Thanks Ed,

     I hadn't thought/known about that. What about pipe dope....? non-teflon?

Skip

[luvrbus]

Guys,not trying to rain on your parade but for years George Myers has been doing articles on propane starting in 1997 in the bus conversions magazine some of you may not have the magazine from that far back but if you have the issues from June 2006 he tells your where to get the code book and what issues of the magazine to look for other articles about propane he has written.also you can purchase his book on the topic and he goes into detail with photos.I don't think MAK will mind if i tell you can buy Georges book.one great thing if you do it right there wiil not be a 40,000 lb bomb going down the highway and your family will be safe.        have a great day

[JackConrad]

   If I recall correctly, I don't believe compression fittings are allowed on copper LP lines. You must use flare fittings.  If you have an issue of Bus Conversions Magazine. George Myers has an ad in it every month. His ad will be listed in the advertisers index as Epic Conversions.  Jack

PS: If you don't have an issue of Bus Conversions Magazine, you need to subscribe.  Just click on the center banner at the top of this page.

[cody]

Jack seems to be right in regards to compression fittings, a call to our local gas supplier, the service man told me that here in Michigan compression fittings are not considered code for gas connections, he recommended flare fittings.

[Fred Mc]

There is a "special" dope for black pipe fittings. It comes in a stick.

Fred Mc.

[maria-n-skip]

Fred thanks.

Luvrbus..Your not raining on our parade when questions go out and info to other sources is always good!
I am a little torqued that the association that helps set the standards charges for everything. Here you have
a board of engineers, Moterhome manufacturers, national rv park corporations etc etc. And they charge you for their
standards that feed UL. It is the same association mentioned in George's book. I believe the last release is 2002
with 10 revisions. Reading the committee reports is really boring but have the most up to date changes!
Ok I'm of the soap box.

Jack...I do have a subscription and like other granddaughters mine likes to eat the Eagle pictures too:)

Skip

[gumpy]

I used CSST. It's a little expensive, but sure makes for a nice installation. Used rubber wrapped stainless hanger straps to support it and rubber grommets where it passes through the bulkhead. I welded some brackets to my black pipe risers to go through the floor, and brazed brackets on some brass tees to mount them to the bulkhead. Has been working well for 3 or 4 years. I use an electric solenoid at the tanks, and have manual shutoff valves at each end of the line. I only use propane on the range and for outdoor cooking, so the installation was somewhat overkill, but it sure works well.

[JohnEd]

I just the other day installed natural gas in my home.  I installed "black" pipe and I used teflon tape on the connections....per code.  The teflon tape for gas is EIGHT DOLLARS A ROLL AND IS YELLOW.  Not the white stuff we use for water, but it is teflon.  The meter installation jockey used teflon paste.  I think the paste is better as I had to really torque on my fittings to get them to quit bubbling.  But then I had the system pressurized to 125psi for the test.  Hels that without a quivver for 5 days and then I called for an inspection.  The inspector gasped at the meter and said you are only supposed to pressurize it to 15 pounds.  He flunked me cause my meter was graduated to 5 pound increments and he needed one pound per line on the scale.  Oh, well!  Next day he showed up and pressurize the line to 15 pounds and and waited ten minutes to sign off on the installation.  Who knew?  15 pounds fo ten minutes...who knew?

My original lp in the S&S was double flared and had a seperate line to each appliance.....5 lines total.  I wanted to clean things up and got three ganged on one line and two ganged on the second.  Made ferrel compression fittings and had it all run so neat it needed pictures.  Kept having to go back and retighten the fittings as I kept getting "new" bubbles.  DO NOT DO AS I HAVE DONE!!!!!  Never use those ferrel fittings as they start leaking if you torque the line.  NEVER gang the appliances....seperate run for each cause you can only terminate the line in a "double flared" fitting at the appliance.  There can be no splices in the run of any sort.  I don't know if this is the code but it should be a minimum.  Got this from some very reliable RV service techs and supervisors.

Double flares are less prone to failure due to cracking at the flare.  Required for brakes and should be required for gas if it isn't and I think it is a requirement.

John

[DrivingMissLazy]

As a point of interest, copper piping is prohibited in California code for natural gas connections. I do not know if that applies to propane or not.

I had an inspector in Pasadena turn down my installation of a bathroom heater because I used copper line for the connection. If it is not good enough for natural gas, then I would not use it it for propane. BTDT
Richard