what size pipe for propane?

[Devin & Amy]

Hi all,

I had 1/2" black pipe from the regulator to the appliances (stove, furnace, water heater). I then had a shutoff, then 3/8 flexpipe to the hookup.
I'm redoing the whole bus and this is something I want to do right.

Question is do you think this is too large a pipe for the feed line? Should I use 3/8" pipe, or will it be fine as is?

[gumpy]

1/2" will be fine.

[TomC]

I couldn't quite follow the tracing of your path.  But it is suggested that you have an electric solenoid shutoff near the tank.  So you'd have the tank, the tank valve, then the solenoid valve, the regulator, then the line into the coach.  I only have two appliances that are propane-the stove and furnace that are right next to each other with the propane tank directly below for the shortest pipe run with a switch from inside to control the flow of propane into the bus.  Personally don't like propane-have seen too many times what a tank of propane can do to a motorhome.  Good Luck, TomC

[kyle4501]

That is the size & way I plan on running mine. There isn't much gas in 30 ft of 1/2 pipe (~.06 cubic feet or less than 200 BTUs).

If the pipe were smaller, you might starve the appliance for gas.

[Devin & Amy]

Tom,
I've not heard of the electric shutoff. Is there a switch inside the coach, so you can turn it off when you want to? Or is there a safety switch combined with a sniffer?

Thanks
Devin

[Len Silva]

Here's the electric propane detector and electric shut off valve.
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/lp-gas/cci-control-pre-tell.htm

I would prefer to make a manifold out of 1/2" black iron pipe with individual shut off valves and a home run out of 3/8' copper tubing to each individual appliance.

That would allow you to shut off any one appliance for maintenance.  It would also eliminate any hidden joints, the major source of leaks.

Len

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Len,
Just a safty issue.
The state code here in NJ,now States that Black Iron Pipe can omly be used for warm water applications, such as low preassure/high preassure boilers.
It's not allowed here for gas pipe anymore. Only galvinized pipe is allowed. There is too much moisture in propane and Nat Gas and the enviroment that
the black pipe will be in stalled [in the bays] may be subjected to moisture and corrode the black iron.
Nick-


Len, I mistakeingly posted in your post and erased it.

[kyle4501]

I need to check my local codes again. ~10 years ago, the code inspestor was very vocal about something in the gas reacting with the galvanizing to create a poisonus gas.

When I put drip legs on my gas piping runs, I added a gas cock (capped unless I'm draining water) to the bottom. I never got any water out of mine, must be lucky or just have a dry gas supply???.

Darn, there is so much to keep up with.

Thanks Nick!

[pete81eaglefanasty]

 Nick, I thought that propane or nat gas would cause the galvinized to flake off
Here in Illinois i believe the rule is black pipe only. All of the homes i have seen have been black iron pipe, and so were my motorhomes. So what is true? Just wondering. Black iron gets rusty inside so it's a no no for any water, people have been changing to pvc or copper for water. No disrespect for New Jersey laws or you intended.


              Pete

[DrivingMissLazy]

As I recall, California insisted on black pipe for natural gas. I had to remove the copper line I used to install a bathroom heater and replace it with black pipe. Galvanized was absolutely a no-no also.
Richard

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Pete,

I would have to say Check your local Laws. And that's what you should Maybe follow..??..??..??

It's so funny how rules from state to state vary. I hold a black seal for high preasure boilers and I'm always getting

change notices in the state codes. Sometimes I think Theese officials don't even know themselves whats right and whats wrong?

more so, what works for them [maybe Huh!]

Good Luck
Nick-

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Richard,

Every Job I've been involved in since 1986 has been Galvinized pipe foe nat. gas

Now, we use nothing but Gas Tight. Flexable stainless wraped in yellow pvc.

We still have to hard pipe Galvinized to the outside of a heater, then flex to a manifold. Than from a meter to the manifold it's gavinized...

Nick-

[belfert]

Here's the electric propane detector and electric shut off valve.
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/lp-gas/cci-control-pre-tell.htm

I would prefer to make a manifold out of 1/2" black iron pipe with individual shut off valves and a home run out of 3/8' copper tubing to each individual appliance.

What about using corrugated stainless steel tubing instead of copper tubing?

In my mind, copper doesn't seem like the best idea for propane in a RV since the vibrations can crack it.  Many RVs do use soft copper, but the RVIA standards are very lax and RV makers usually cheap out and do the bare minimum.

Brian Elfert

[oldmansax]

Black pipe is the code in Maryland outside. We can use copper or Gastite inside. We used to use copper outside but the dope addicts would steal it to sell. My personal advice was to shoot the dopers instead of changing the piping but it was against regulations. LOL