Buried NG line -- Need Help

[Crazy68Dart]

See attached, but basically, I don't yet have the line that I am going to use. I want to get the patio put back together so I was going to use 2" SCH 40 PVC in the trench, and then slide the NG line through it when I get it.

Anyone see any issues with this? To be clear, I am not using the 2" stuff for the NG, but just as a "chase" that I can bury now and then put the line through later (next few weeks). I'll put a tracer wire in too before I fill it back in. And will leave plenty of space by the meter tie in so the NG line can be manipulated, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Steevo]

Seems pretty reasonable to me.
Are you going to bury a tracer wire alongside it for easy locating later?
I wish my plumber had done that. Would have saved me exploratory digging three times already.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

Yep, tracer wire will be in there. I will probably go with the rolled plastic stuff, otherwise I will use black iron pipe (no tracer needed!). I need to go about 80' so the plastic will be easier to deal with. Need to call my local plumbing supply and get some on order.

 

[Cyberbear]

As long as the trench is open and exposed, why not run the black pipe now, cap the ends and get back to it later when time permits?? Might be worth a try and save time later on.

 

[CNGsaves]

How deep is that trench ?? What is local code and gas company practice ??

Your idea is good protective planning, but you might as well buy the yellow polyethylene plastic pipe now while you have it all dug up. Around here the yellow PE pipe is 55 cents a foot, pretty much regardless of size.

You do want to SIZE the pipe for length, Btu demand and pressure. With typical low pressure residential NG service (ie about 1/2 Psi or 7 to 10 inches water column), you will want LARGE pipe so you don't starve the NG appliances at the end of buried pipe. By large I mean like 1 inch that would easily fit inside your 2" conduit "sleeve" you've got under the patio.

The tracer wire will go in backfill above the line.

How long is NG pipe run from house to shop ??

What NG appliances (Btu demand) will be in the shop ??

 

[FullRaceMerc]

The poly gas pipe is usually heated to connect it. Special tools are required for those joints. There are manual couplings that don't require heat, but they are a little pricey & defeat that whole "no mechanical joints" concept. To adapt to threaded pipe at the ends they make straight & 90 degree adapters. The 90 takes up some room & it would be a good idea to set the depth & end of the PVC to work with it. An advantage would be no joints in the middle of the pipe that can't be tested.

If you go with steel pipe, even inside the PVC it should be the coated pipe with primed & wrapped joints. You don't want any chance of water getting in the ends of the PVC contacting raw black pipe. Disadvantages to the steel pipe inside the PVC would be needing 10'-21' of clearance beyond the end of the PVC to be able to feed the steel. And not being able to test the joints once inside the PVC.

It seems like you'd be better off getting whatever pipe you are using, putting it together, & testing it before closing the ditch. Even if it isn't connected yet, cap & pressure test it while it is exposed.

 

[matt_i]

Hopefully you don't need any elbows. Pulling that yellow tube thru one with a fish tape does not look like a good idea nor fun with anything other than a dead straight run. You will also need some kind of way to seal the ends between the PVC and yellow tube, not a great idea to have an open-air passageway between shop and house as other flammable or noxious vapors could easily transfer.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

You guys are over thinking this. The 2" is just underneath the patio which is only about 13'. Trench is 13-14" deep code requires 12".

That time of year that we lose daylight and time. Trying to just stay ahead of things.

 

[JDMopar]

I think you're right on track, with a good plan. Only thing I would do beyond what you already have, is buy some bright yellow paint.....and paint the PVC pipe before you cover it. If someone dug up the middle of the patio in 30 or 40 years, that may make them recognize that it's gas instead of a water line.

 

[ggielen]

Can you have a gas line inside conduit? Just wondering, couldn't that turn into a potential bangalore torpedo if you have a leak?

 

[matt_i]

You guys are over thinking this.

Personally I'd be concerned about something like the following. You catch a gas tank hose on your lawnmower while putting it away, the gas spills into the garage while you are away. There's a downhill air gap to the basement of your house by virtue of the clearance between a NG tube and a PVC sleeve. Gas vapors settle on the basement floor and ignite via pilot light from furnace or water heater. Fire department shows up to protect neighbors' property from the intense flames.

 

[brewchief]

Can you have a gas line inside conduit? Just wondering, couldn't that turn into a potential bangalore torpedo if you have a leak?

Yes you can run a gas line inside a protective conduit, that conduit cannot enter a building and there are specific rules about sealing the ends.

What he has there is just fine, it appears to be a simple straight piece with no elbows so pushing poly pipe through later will work out ok.