Black iron gas pipe

[Mainiac Mat]

I'm putting together a shopping list on Zoro to plump LPG to my new Hot Dawg and am surprised to see what a difference there is in the price of fittings.

Since these are low pressure lines, is the inexpensive class 150 (likely imported from Asia) sufficient?

I could easily quadruple my cost here and my mat'l list is already pushing $100.

 

[stokefire7]

Yes.

 

[marinusdees]

I have a friend who was a pipefitter in the Navy. He attempted some gas piping for his daughter. The problem with the cheap pipe was the threads were of such poor quality he could not get them to seal. And, the steel was such that cutting his own threads didn't work. He wound up getting some MILSPEC pipe, don't know where. Again, a second hand story, but true.

 

[spudley]

I have a friend who was a pipefitter in the Navy. He attempted some gas piping for his daughter. The problem with the cheap pipe was the threads were of such poor quality he could not get them to seal. And, the steel was such that cutting his own threads didn't work. He wound up getting some MILSPEC pipe, don't know where. Again, a second hand story, but true.

I believe every word. I ran black pipe to my heater and the **** pipe and fittings available at big boxes is just crazy. Buy three of everything you need and maybe you'll be lucky enough to finish the job leakproof. Good luck trying to get mating surfaces of Chinese made unions to seal up.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Same experience as others with import fittings when I ran mine a few weeks ago.

 

[PCustoms]

Go to Webb, get real fittings.

Cheaper too.

 

[Jim greengo]

I've used box store fittings,and supply house fittings.
They all seem to say china on them.
That's why the good lord gave us Rectorseal Tplus2

 

[SJay3660]

I have run quite a few feet of gas line (black pipe) over the years. Bought most from big box stores - though my first batch was from a Ace Hardware (35 years ago). I have never had a problem with leaks. Actually can't remember the last time I had a leak. I even threaded some a few weeks ago.

 

[Robbie B]

Do a fair amount of black iron piping at work. We use 150 for steam @130 psi all day long. Use thread tape and then pipe dope, and then tighten the piss out of it. All the pipe we buy comes from china unfortunately and it is garbage. I’ve warped more premade schedule 40 stainless ******* than I care to mention. It does seem like, even with the chinese pipe, if you buy the pipe and cut and thread it yourself it seems to do a lot better and seems to be sturdier.

 

[jabelding]

Use thread tape and then pipe dope, and then tighten the piss out of it. .

Exactly this! never had a leak even with cheaper pipe.

 

[nadogail]

Low cost pipe was made to sell at a price, not meet quality standards.

 

[Robbie B]

Low cost pipe was made to sell at a price, not meet quality standards.

That’s the gospel truth. Me and my boss were shocked the first time I flattened a 1&1/2” pipe tightening it into a fitting. It’s gotten so bad we expect it to a degrees now and try to make our own when we can.

 

[Sawlog]

I run black iron pipe at least once a week at work for the last 22 years.
Steam boilers, hot water heat, air lines etc. never had a problem with it.
We do only buy domestic pipe though. Never used import.

 

[yeldogt]

I run black iron pipe at least once a week at work for the last 22 years.
Steam boilers, hot water heat, air lines etc. never had a problem with it.
We do only buy domestic pipe though. Never used import.

That's why ... better pipe and fittings.

 

[yeldogt]

If you work with junk everyday -- you get good at making it work.

As an advanced DIY'er I'm not afraid of spending a bit more for quality parts. Mostly because I will run into fewer problems that i'm not used to. I had my first run in with cheap fittings years ago when I was doing a water heater for a friend ... not only did I have leaks ... but, the fittings did not have straight threads. First alignment issues ... then leaks. A few hour job became two days and multi trips to a big box store.

Why bother ?

There are different grades of pipe and threads -- including from China. Buy from a supply house and ask for the better grade. The overall cost up-charge is minimal. Still way ahead of having a pro.

 

[Jackfre]

The F W Webb suggestion is spot on. Ask them for their best fittings. Threading your own pipe by hand means that you have to back up to clear the off-cuts so you don’t load up the dies. You will hit hard spots and you may gouge the threads. Inspect each fitting for sand holes. I only have hand dies now and do little of it, but the differences in the pipe are surprising from ‘65 when I started to today. Fittings had sand holes back then too.

 

[mcbane]

... and then pipe dope, and then tighten the piss out of it...

That works until the ChiCom fitting splits down the side. Have had that happen several times.

 

[Robbie B]

That works until the ChiCom fitting splits down the side. Have had that happen several times.

Thankfully haven’t had that happen yet, won’t be surprised when it does other than it’ll inevitably be when I’m 20’ in the air in our sketchy *** scissor lift reefing on a couple 24” pipe wrenches.

 

[Robbie B]

I run black iron pipe at least once a week at work for the last 22 years.
Steam boilers, hot water heat, air lines etc. never had a problem with it.
We do only buy domestic pipe though. Never used import.

I’d love it if my boss would get domestic piping. Consider yourself lucky because that chicom **** is awful.

 

[yeldogt]

The plumbers on my new build used all USA pipe and fittings for the propane service inside ... Ward. It's available ...

The Propane company --- they used galvanized that's obviously a lower quality. Not everywhere ...

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

I haven’t looked at Zoro’s pricing on black fittings... but I’ve tried to only use Ward [USA] from local supply house and/or online. It’s all relative, do a job in copper and you’ll think the black stuff is peanuts. Even PVC fittings are nearly the same price as Ward, IIRC. Cheap in the scheme of things...

 

[BD1]

Exactly this! never had a leak even with cheaper pipe.

If you use Teflon tape, it should be for Natural gas or propane.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nadogail]

When you specify the lowest price materials, you can be assured you will be getting the lowest quality.

The above statement does not guarantee that high price means high quality.

 

[D45]

Big box stores only carry fittings and pipe from Mexico and China

My local True Value carries pipe and fittings from Anvil, which all say USA

Worth the extra price tag for the quality and the threads

 

[Renegade1LI]

I'll just add that it pays to get pipe & fittings from a local supply house & spec domestic. We do a lot of work for NYC SCA & their spec is based on the longevity & quality of domestic pipe & fittings. Most low pressure gas pipe is standard weight black steel pipe seamless or welded grade A meeting ASTM53. We usually submit wheatland pipe with anvil or ward fittings, you will know the difference when you thread good quality pipe.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Thanks for all the replies...

Apart from having a commercial account at F. W. Webb, how does one even go about purchasing American made pipe and fittings?

I'm not especially fond of being treated like **** at distribution houses that really only want to work with tradespeople.... especially if you do the unthinkable and ask a question.

 

[PCustoms]

Thanks for all the replies...

Apart from having a commercial account at F. W. Webb, how does one even go about purchasing American made pipe and fittings?

I'm not especially fond of being treated like **** at distribution houses that really only want to work with tradespeople.... especially if you do the unthinkable and ask a question.

I always walk in with cash or a credit card, grab what I need and check out. No account.

If they recognize me from a past job (been a few years, so not often) then I might get a discount.

Only issue I ever had was trying to buy a propane water heater. You can buy all the pipe and fittings you want, just not the actual appliance.

 

[75gmck25]

Some stores have different rules on what it takes to set up a commercial account. For example, I am registered as a commercial account with the Tile Store and get the contractor discount. I was doing a lot of tile work for a new addition, and basically made up a business name and used my home address and telephone number.

Another option is to find a friend or business associate who has a commercial account with an HVAC supplier. You can give that account number when you purchase parts, and just pay for it all directly on your credit card. It gives your friend "credit" for doing more business with the supplier, and the supply house doesn't seem to care as long as the bill gets paid.

Bruce

 

[yeldogt]

Some stores have different rules on what it takes to set up a commercial account. For example, I am registered as a commercial account with the Tile Store and get the contractor discount. I was doing a lot of tile work for a new addition, and basically made up a business name and used my home address and telephone number.

Another option is to find a friend or business associate who has a commercial account with an HVAC supplier. You can give that account number when you purchase parts, and just pay for it all directly on your credit card. It gives your friend "credit" for doing more business with the supplier, and the supply house doesn't seem to care as long as the bill gets paid.

Bruce

This typically was the way years ago ..... today it seems it's no longer an issue at most place.

 

[Dagny]

I install a lot of gas pipe last I ordered I specified USA made was pretty sure I would receive wheatland good pipe . stuff was from fayette pipe co. nicest threading pipe I ever worked with.

 

[1953mercury]

There is no need to "tighten the piss" out of black pipe fittings. Mike

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Well Zoro came through and my stuff showed up before the Turkey Day shutdown and I should have everything needed to do the deed.

I am pleasantly surprised, as all the import fittings look really good. The 90* elbows are actually marked USA with the anvil mark. Most of the rest of the fittings are made in Thailand with UL USA cert mark. Ages ago I worked at a factory that machined sand cast iron blanks into oil pump bodies and I was trained to pick out bad castings, and all of these fittings would have passed... with only one union having the smallest little pit in it. Threads look crisp and clean.

The pipe looks about like any other black iron pipe I've used (which isn't a lot). The sources are Mexico and China. Threads look decent, though there's some threading debris on a couple of them.... so may have to clean up with a file or wire brush, but it may not be a problem... If they thread right in I'll use them "as is"

I saved over >$100 from Home Depot prices on this order and everything I needed was in stock and arrived at my door within three business days.

I also got a 50' roll of 10-3 Romex for a 220 v outlet, and that cost me half of Home Depot's price. I was concerned that it would be some off brand **** wire, but it is Romex brand, exactly the same as HD sells.

So I'm pretty darn pleased. My helper is coming on Saturday and he just got his gas tech. license.... so I'll have to see what he thinks about the quality. He's been doing HVAC work for his dad for years.... though he just got his gas card.