Running gas pipe - 3/8"

[Johny London]

I'm just about to try and put the 3/8" gas pipe in place in readiness for the gas man - I'm wondering if anyone has tips on working with it? Obviously it's in a roll at the moment - I think I saw somewhere about straightening by drawing through a hole drilled in a bit of wood?

Or any other tips!

ta,

[bizzard]

12 minutes ago, Johny London said:

I'm just about to try and put the 3/8" gas pipe in place in readiness for the gas man - I'm wondering if anyone has tips on working with it? Obviously it's in a roll at the moment - I think I saw somewhere about straightening by drawing through a hole drilled in a bit of wood?

Or any other tips!

ta,

You've got it. Hole through a block of wood. Don't bend it about too much or it'll work harden.

[Johny London]

Thanks - I'm just getting everything out of the way to see the feasibility of running it at floor level as opposed to under the gunnels... looks a bit fiddly but I can put the coil inplace behind the oven and unwind in situ I think.

If I need to re introduce a bend then, I think I can draw it through the block at an angle? But note not to keep bending it about.

[bizzard]

1 minute ago, Johny London said:

Thanks - I'm just getting everything out of the way to see the feasibility of running it at floor level as opposed to under the gunnels... looks a bit fiddly but I can put the coil inplace behind the oven and unwind in situ I think.

If I need to re introduce a bend then, I think I can draw it through the block at an angle? But note not to keep bending it about.

If its on the floor where it could be trodden on it will need protecting.

[Johny London]

Most of the floor that side is behind/under stuff - cupboard, bed, bath, kitchen units - the exception being the wc where it would be exposed. Infact I'm coming round to the gunnel route - I just don't like the idea of having it right by my bed!

[bizzard]

Just now, Johny London said:

Most of the floor that side is behind/under stuff - cupboard, bed, bath, kitchen units - the exception being the wc where it would be exposed. Infact I'm coming round to the gunnel route - I just don't like the idea of having it right by my bed!

The gunnel route is favourite.

[Dave Payne]

Risky putting a pipe under everything, not being to get to it if something goes wrong....

[Johny London]

I think that's it then - the gunnel is easier too - should I make the holes in the wooden partitions snug or large?

[alan_fincher]

The whole length of it either has to be fully visible, or able to be made fully visible, as part of BSS requirements.

If you hide any part of it behind a fixture that can't easily be removed to allow inspection of the entire length then strictly a BSS inspector may fail it, (though not all do).

The logic I guess includes the fact you must only use the minimum possible number of joints, and there is no way the BSS inspector can prove there are no unnecessary joints if there's bits of the pipe he or she can't get to.

[MtB]

The standard to which new boats are built (PD54823) requires gas lines to be installed in the boat "as high as reasonably practicable" (or some such similar term).

I appreciate you only what to meet BSS but this is one more area where the BSS is a wholly inadequate standard for gas in my personal opinion.

The reason for this is that LPG is heavier than air and so if a joint leaks, you get at least a sporting chance of smelling it if the pipe leaking is higher in the boat. Fitting it at floor level is plain daft in my opinion as the bilge will fill with gas and you'll know nothing about it, regardless of whether it would pass a BSS inspection before the leak occurred.

 

[system 4-50]

The position of the coil is crucial to making drawing it out easier. It must be kept in one plane and restrained from following the takeoff. Also, when doing a bend, use the tool (Screwfix) to make tight inward bends. Tight other-way bends can be a nightmare when access is limited. When bending by hand, move the actual point of the bend slowly along the pipe as you make the bend. If all the bend is in one place then it folds instead of bending. Practice on a piece of pipe first, it is well worth the wasted metal. Beware of leaving yourself with an impossible bit of configuration - envisage the whole operation before you start. For bulkhead fittings, drill them through so that you don't create an extra joint. I have no joints except in the gas locker and at the appliance for all my appliances (4). Keep the coil in its bag when not using it to keep it clean. Use pipe cutters not hacksaws to cut the pipe. Plan the fixing points as well as the bends before you start. Read the BSS document until you can recite it backwards from memory before you begin. Thats off the top my head. I am a hammer-chewer not a professional so its all IMHO. 

Edited May 8, 2017 by system 4-50

[Neil Smith]

You need to clip them every 300mm I think, that's what I did and it passed bss.

Neil

[alan_fincher]

21 minutes ago, Neil Smith said:

You need to clip them every 300mm I think, that's what I did and it passed bss.

Neil

Not exactly.....

To be fully compliant the following must apply....

Quote

All LPG pipe joints:
· must have fixing clips attached no more than 150mm from each joint connection and must not move under light manual force;

 

[OldGoat]

300mm is seen as reasonable. Under the gunnel (as mentioned) is the easiest, 'cos it's a straight run and can be done by unwinding the coil from outside (on the fordeck) I did mine in half-inch because in those days BSS couldn't make up their ***** mind as  to what was needed. If it goes through the fore deck it must be supported by either a joint or a passthrough fitting. I did the latter, to save having to joint the pipe.  

[Johny London]

Thank you all for the excellent advice. I've now run the pipe under the gunnel. Not finished clipping it yet - I was giong to work on 500mm but there are obvious places were extra clips and/or shorter spacings work better. The last meter needs to go down and under kitchen units so that it can be inspected easily when required (or at least, that's what I think!) but its all in one run.

System - you mean drilling out the bulkhead fitting to pass the pipe all the way through? But I have a pipe to hose bulkhead fitting, so I can't do that. I was told to get the pipe to hose fitting by the gasman. However, I have not done the bulkhead fitting yet - I intend to drill for it and put it in place but won't be connecting any pipework.

I wont be having a bubble tester just now but I was told that the rubber tube could go from the bulkhead fitting to the tester later on if I want to add one. I wasn't clear if I could connect a tester to a 3/8" pipe.

[alan_fincher]

3 minutes ago, Johny London said:

I was giong to work on 500mm but there are obvious places were extra clips and/or shorter spacings work better.

I don't think clips only at 500m spacing would satisfy some examiners.

[system 4-50]

34 minutes ago, Johny London said:

Thank you all for the excellent advice. I've now run the pipe under the gunnel. Not finished clipping it yet - I was giong to work on 500mm but there are obvious places were extra clips and/or shorter spacings work better. The last meter needs to go down and under kitchen units so that it can be inspected easily when required (or at least, that's what I think!) but its all in one run.

System - you mean drilling out the bulkhead fitting to pass the pipe all the way through? But I have a pipe to hose bulkhead fitting, so I can't do that. I was told to get the pipe to hose fitting by the gasman. However, I have not done the bulkhead fitting yet - I intend to drill for it and put it in place but won't be connecting any pipework.

I wont be having a bubble tester just now but I was told that the rubber tube could go from the bulkhead fitting to the tester later on if I want to add one. I wasn't clear if I could connect a tester to a 3/8" pipe.

By bulkhead I mean just that, where you have pipe both sides, not a bulkhead that is part of your locker or anywhere else that would allow a hose on one side, so not applicable to you perhaps. Yes, you can connect a bubble to 3/8" pipe, I have, you can get them from Socal. I can't comment on rubber pipes, the only flexibles I have are the HP hoses into the regulator.

[WotEver]

On 08/05/2017 at 20:58, system 4-50 said:

I can't comment on rubber pipes, the only flexibles I have are the HP hoses into the regulator.

All of the setups I've seen have been like that. Flex to the regulator then copper to bubble tester and thence to bulkhead fitting. 

Even caravans only have flex on the HP side. 

[Johny London]

Well, it's all done now. Took me another entire afternoon to get all the pipe clipped (at 300mm) as some of it was rather fiddly to get to (although it is easily viewable).

I was just about ready for the gasman who put on the service valve, test point and a tee with fixed pipe to the built in hob and braided hose to the oven, and also made the bulkhead to bottle connections, which was a very lengthy 11 hours work.

It's all up and running, nice and neat and no leaks from the off, but with parts, pipe and labour I've blown nearly £600 (including the bss) so my solar panels are now on hold.

How nice to have an oven, finally. And thanks for all the great tips!

Edited May 18, 2017 by Johny London

[smileypete]

Is the oven fixed too? Would be interesting to know why the gas bod used braided hose, possibly access was a big issue?

[Johny London]

Well, the oven can be pulled out so access can be gained to the pipes behind and to the hob connection if needed. Otherwise a pipe would have needed to be attached to the oven, the oven slid into place then that pipe connecting after - which would have meant a join at low level. It was how I wanted it anyway.