Natural gas hookup help!

[mrtbig]

See photo. This is my hookup to my pool, but I want to hook up another line on pipe coming up and put in a on-off cutoff so extra line can be shutoff as well. I will be running along base of slab you see in photo.

I need help in telling me what connections and fittings I need to buy to make this happen? Can someone help me with this?

Thanks,
Terry

 

[dcg9381]

That looks like standard 3/4 black pipe to me. Available at any hardware store. It's just another tinker toy experiment, a bit like gluing PVC, just with a lot more at risk. The "larger connection" just on top of the on/off valve is where that's made to be taken apart initially.

There is also a "capacity" issue. That pool heater likely requires 3/4" line. If you "T" off of it you're taking capacity away. We don't know what you're hooking up.

Where this is different - and perhaps why you don't want to mess with it - outside of any local ordinance that requires this type of work to be done by someone with a license is that it's critical that you don't have leaks. And you're not going to know unless you're able to properly pressure test (over time) your new gas run and connection.

 

[rlitman]

That looks like standard 3/4 black pipe to me. ...
There is also a "capacity" issue...

Look closer. That's 1-1/4" coming up from the ground reduced to 3/4" going to the heater. Not knowing about the length of that underground run, I couldn't guess about the capacity, but if it were me, I'd replace that reducer with a 1-1/4 x 3/4 x 3/4 tee.

 

[Smoker]

See photo. This is my hookup to my pool, but I want to hook up another line on pipe coming up and put in a on-off cutoff so extra line can be shutoff as well. I will be running along base of slab you see in photo.

I need help in telling me what connections and fittings I need to buy to make this happen? Can someone help me with this?

Thanks,
Terry

Would need to know what is being supplied. If it uses alot of gas it'll pull down the pressure and prevent whatever else is hooked up from working correctly. If it exceeds current capacity theyll make you put in a bigger meter to supply the house at a higher pressure and then require pressure regulators at each applicance downstream. Looks like regular galvanized pipe. I would check on any applicable local city/county permit requirements and what specs/standards they require for gas work and stick to them. Don't fool around when it comes to gas lines..

 

[dcg9381]

Look closer. That's 1-1/4" coming up from the ground reduced to 3/4" going to the heater. Not knowing about the length of that underground run, I couldn't guess about the capacity, but if it were me, I'd replace that reducer with a 1-1/4 x 3/4 x 3/4 tee.

Agree, I'm talking about most of that being 3/4".. Definitely has a bigger source pipe.
This is one of those things I don't fiddle with unless I've got the time to turn the gas off and pressure test it overnight.

It's a little difficult to tinker-toy this stuff if you've never dealt with it.

 

[mrtbig]

Agree, I'm talking about most of that being 3/4".. Definitely has a bigger source pipe.
This is one of those things I don't fiddle with unless I've got the time to turn the gas off and pressure test it overnight.

It's a little difficult to tinker-toy this stuff if you've never dealt with it.

Thanks,
I should have added going to gas grill. The pool line comes off the meter and has a shutoff as well. I’ve had both off for a couple of months debating how to do this but pool heater or grill really won’t be used a lot, I am in Cypress, Tx outside of Houston.
So, would that 1 1/4 tee mentioned be good to use and then have shutoffs on both sides so I can shutoff pool and grill seperately?
If so, I just need list of parts I need?
Thanks

 

[Firebrick43]

Is that a regulator on the generator?

Normally the regulator is before the meter?

 

[nadogail]

From this distance I am unable to adequately diagnosis your problem.

Best have your Gas Supplier look at it for you.

 

[The Cobbler]

I'd be curious what size feeds this line, if it's 3/4 you may run into issues with not enough volume .

 

[bb29510]

in my area, they will put you under the jail, playing with gas, only a license plumber with certifcation in gas can touch it. County doesnt play when it comes to gas

 

[Bert_]

in my area, they will put you under the jail, playing with gas, only a license plumber with certifcation in gas can touch it. County doesnt play when it comes to gas

And here I can do it with none of those qualifications... We have no permits or inspections for it. Neither one of those statements is real helpful

 

[75gmck25]

During renovation of my side porch I replaced the old fireplace with a new high BTU direct vent unit and also installed a larger gas water heater in the basement below. I could do the work as a homeowner, but as part of my permit I had to provide a riser diagram of the connections and all pipe sizes, and the BTU requirements of all other appliances in the house. It was simple math once they told me the pressure of the incoming line and I measured the sizes of all the feeder pipes (black pipe right up to the appliance feeders).

When the inspector came I had all my documentation ready, and we had isolated and installed a gauge on the new lines to show they were holding pressure. The inspector just walked in and said - It looks good, and signed off on the permit. YMMV.

 

[Smoker]

And here I can do it with none of those qualifications... We have no permits or inspections for it. Neither one of those statements is real helpful

Same here though I do follow code and make sure it passes the same pressure test the city inspector would do. Every jurisdiction is different.

 

[bluedog225]

Sorry OP. You shouldn’t be messing with this. It’s clear you don’t have the background or understanding of the dangers. Or an understanding of how to do this properly.

Please spend the money of a licensed plumber. You can watch, ask questions, and learn.

edit-or find an old guy who knows what he is doing.

 

[Metal-Marc]

Worst case scenario you blow up the house to bits.

 

[mrtbig]

Well, I completed project. Thanks for your input.

 

[PoorUB]

Did you bury black pipe in the ground?

 

[mm08822]

Did you bury black pipe in the ground?

You beat me to it..............sure looks that way to me!!

OP, this will rust out in a few years creating a gas leak waiting to ignite. Everything near/in the ground should be copper tube, poly, rated fittings, risers, etc.

Can you run this above ground on the brick surface?

 

[Fav Onefour]

At least the shutoff is a gas valve.

 

[mrtbig]

The horizontal pipe I put in pvc.

 

[PCustoms]

The horizontal pipe I put in pvc.

Sleeved in PVC, or routed gas in PVC pipe?

 

[mrtbig]

Sleeved.

 

[mm08822]

Sleeved only may hold more water than without. The verticals have no protection?

 

[PoorUB]

Your under ground run does not meet code. Black pipe exposed like that will rust out eventually. When it leaks hope it doesn't decide to find a crevice and seek it's way into your home. It happens!

You can buy some nasty butyl tape and tape up the under ground if it is a short run. Or you can buy coated pipe and tape up the fittings. Any black pipe within 6"(?) of the ground needs to be protected.

And while we are on the subject, how far down did you bury it? It needs to be a minimum of 18".

 

[Joemctag]

Did you bury black pipe in the ground?

FWIW Galvanized pipe not allowed for gas. Think it’s because after a long time, small bits of it might cause appliance gas valves or pilots to malfunction. They make stuff to wrap black pipe for burial. It’ll take a long time t rust out, but in or on the constantly wet ground, that might only be 15 to 20 years.

 

[PoorUB]

FWIW Galvanized pipe not allowed for gas. Think it’s because after a long time, small bits of it might cause appliance gas valves or pilots to malfunction. They make stuff to wrap black pipe for burial. It’ll take a long time t rust out, but in or on the constantly wet ground, that might only be 15 to 20 years.

Why bring that up?

Galvanized is accepted for gas. That changed somewhere around 2000-2005. We piped a lot of gas with galvanized around that time. International Mechanical Code required all gas pipe outside had to be galvanized or painted.

Now underground galvanized is not and acceptable coating. There is poly coated black pipe for direct bury, but today I would just go with poly.