Lajos Kamocsay on tue 4 dec 01
Hello,
Fred Olsen in his Kiln book says that one should pressure test all gas =
lines to a 100 psi for 1 hour. But how is pressure testing done?
Also I'm kind of worried tapping the gas line at my house. Is it =
possible to do it myself, or should I call a professional?
Thanks,
Lajos
Mike Gordon on wed 5 dec 01
Hi,
I don't know where you live but if you are around or within any city
limits or jurisdiction of the county, you will need a plummer to get a
permit or the gas company won't connect the gas. A pressure guage is
put in the line to see if the pressure drops over nite. Mike
MaryBeth Bishop on wed 5 dec 01
Lajos,
Around here we are required by law to have the gas company do anything with
their lines. It can be quite expensive to have the line run to your kiln,
but at least you aren't likely to blow up your house and half the
neighborhood with it.
When I talked with out local gas company, the man who is assigned to such
things came out. He was very nice and gave me a fair price. I changed my
mind (again) about the kiln but the gas company was not a problem to deal
with.
Mary Beth Bishop
Marcia Selsor on wed 5 dec 01
> I had my kiln hooked up this fall. Two men came out and measued for the new
> line. I du the 2ft deep trench according to their dimensions. Picked up the pipe
> and set it into the trench and covered it back up. Then a service man came and
> hooked it up.
The pipe costs 4147 and the hookup cost $100. I had the meter with a place to add
a line
put near the potential kiln site when they install new meters three years ago.
Marcia in Montana
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
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vince pitelka on wed 5 dec 01
Lajos wrote:
"Fred Olsen in his Kiln book says that one should pressure test all gas
lines to a 100 psi for 1 hour. But how is pressure testing done?
Also I'm kind of worried tapping the gas line at my house. Is it possible to
do it myself, or should I call a professional?"
Lajos -
The professionals use a end fitting which is temporarily attached to the
input end of your gas plumbing for the kiln. In other words, the point
where the line is going to branch off your existing gas system - you need to
complete the whole kiln plumbing system without actually connecting it to
the house system. At the input end, you attach this special fitting which
includes a pressure gauge and a nipple that accepts a normal tire-inflator
nozzle. This fitting is is screwed on to the pipe using teflon tape or pipe
joint compound, and then you use any air compresser with a tire-filler
attachment to pressurize the line.
In lieu of the above, you can simply get a high quailty ball-type gas valve
and a standard tee fitting to fit your gas line (and a short nipple to go
between them), a pressure gauge and bushing reducer to fit the side opening
on the tee, a male air-chuck nipple to fit the female air chuck on your
compressor air hose, and the necessary bushing reducers to fit the male air
chuck fitting to the gas valve. To the input end of your gas line, attach
the tee, then the gas valve, then the male air chuck fitting with
appropriate bushing reducer. Attach the pressure gauge to side fitting on
the tee. Connect your air compressor to the valve, open the valve,
pressurize the system to 100 lbs., close the valve.
Fill a spray bottle with a dilute soap solution, and after you pressurize
the line, spray this soap solution on every joint, and look for bubbles.
Anywhere there is a leak the soap solution will create bubbles or foam. Fix
any leaks, repressurize, and try again. Once there are no leaks, wait the
requisite hour and check the pressure drop.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
ThePottery@AOL.COM on fri 7 dec 01
CALL A PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!! Better to be on the safe side if you do not know
what you are doing. Tracy Penland NC
Rare - Earth - Design on fri 7 dec 01
Paul,
I do all my own plumbing and electrical work, you probably know
things
are changing fast in the world of pipes. Just been into my local supplier
and
discovered that right from the bulk tank, to wherever you want it to end,
is
now done by one length of a new type of, I call it plastic, pipe. No more
pipe
threading, well very little and no worries about having to maybe dig up a
whole
pipeline to find a leaking pipe or join. Just like copper the stock of
black iron
pipes carried by suppliers has suddenly got very low, and some young
plumbers will openly tell you they know nothing about running copper pipes.
The job is getting easier and faster but the charges remain high.
Regards,
Bob Hollis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Taylor"
To:
>
> If the pipes you laid are gas tight you are ok, and can wear the flat
cap
> with pride.
>
> You will need some tools, a pipe threader, and something to hold the
> pipe, the right gas fitters tape, and lubricant for the threader. I used
> Stilsons and a leg vice. If you are not a member of the 'oily rag brigade'
> you will sleep sounder getting a fitter to do it all.
>
>
> Regards from Paul Taylor
> http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery
>
>
>
>
>
Lajos Kamocsay on fri 7 dec 01
My father-in-law runs a construction company in Hungary, and he could not
believe that in the US the "old" copper pipes are still used. He says
they've been using plastic pipes for almost 10 years now. Former Eastern
block country, not even in the EU yet....
Lajos
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rare - Earth - Design"
To:
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 2:20 PM
Subject: Re: working with gas lines...
> Paul,
> I do all my own plumbing and electrical work, you probably know
> things
> are changing fast in the world of pipes. Just been into my local supplier
> and
> discovered that right from the bulk tank, to wherever you want it to end,
> is
> now done by one length of a new type of, I call it plastic, pipe. No more
> pipe
> threading, well very little and no worries about having to maybe dig up a
> whole
> pipeline to find a leaking pipe or join. Just like copper the stock of
> black iron
> pipes carried by suppliers has suddenly got very low, and some young
> plumbers will openly tell you they know nothing about running copper
pipes.
> The job is getting easier and faster but the charges remain high.
> Regards,
> Bob Hollis
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Taylor"
> To:
>
> >
> > If the pipes you laid are gas tight you are ok, and can wear the flat
> cap
> > with pride.
> >
> > You will need some tools, a pipe threader, and something to hold the
> > pipe, the right gas fitters tape, and lubricant for the threader. I used
> > Stilsons and a leg vice. If you are not a member of the 'oily rag
brigade'
> > you will sleep sounder getting a fitter to do it all.
> >
> >
> > Regards from Paul Taylor
> > http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
vince pitelka on fri 7 dec 01
> I expect you are not allowed to do any thing like gas fitting, and the
> company will only give you gas if the fitting is done by an accredited
> fitter.
In my experience this is rarely true. Most gas companies are happy to have
you do the gas plumbing, as long as it stands up to their pressure test, and
of course in some areas they will not hook up the gas until you get the
local building inspector to sign it off, which means getting a permit
beforehand. Of course, if you are hooking up to an existing system like
Lajos is, then that is a different matter.
And speaking of which, Lajos, are you sure that your household gas meter and
regulator are of adequate size to handle your kiln? I am assuming that your
gas kiln is NOT in a structure attached to your house, because that is never
a good idea. And if it is not in a structure attached to your house, then
you will have a pretty good length of pipe leading to the kiln. If you are
using natural gas, then that requires a LARGE line to supply adequate
pressure. For a 40-ft. run to supply a 40 cubic foot kiln requires 1 1/4"
black iron pipe. For a 30-ft. run to supply a 100 cubic foot kiln requires
2" black iron pipe. Also, if you get a separate meter for the kiln, you can
usually get commercial pressure (10 or 12 WCI) and perhaps commercial rates.
Good luck -
- Vince
Paul Taylor on fri 7 dec 01
Dear Lajos.
I expect you are not allowed to do any thing like gas fitting, and the
company will only give you gas if the fitting is done by an accredited
fitter.
However you may need to know more about the intricacies of the system than
the gas fitter so find out how to do it your self any way . You are the best
to decide how the burners are positioned and the pipe runs - so they are not
in your way .
More to the point, designing the system so you can change things and put
new kilns in with out having to dismantle the whole system. There is a thing
called a union joint that you can put in judicious places so you can repair
and dismantle stuff with out having to undo the whole system.
Also get a cut off valve that turns the whole thing off at foot level , if
anything went wrong I just have to stamp on a lever and all the gas is cut
off.
The reality is, that if you are all ready fitted out with a system there
is no reason not to do it yourself - if you are as arrogant as I am and
don't get caught.
A good compromise is to do all the fitting up to the line ,if the gas
company agrees - this could save you a lot of money . But threading joints
and designing a system with flame failure devices is not easy and there are
recommendations of distances between cut off valves dymentions of pipe etc
.
When the fitter arrives he will grumble and scoff until he does the
test. If your pipes leek he will give a triumphant 'I told you so', and
dismantle the whole system up to the offending joint. Woe betide you if its
half a mile of fittings because you didn't put in enough union joints, then
its going to be even more humble pie and an expensive slice at that.
If the pipes you laid are gas tight you are ok, and can wear the flat cap
with pride.
You will need some tools, a pipe threader, and something to hold the
pipe, the right gas fitters tape, and lubricant for the threader. I used
Stilsons and a leg vice. If you are not a member of the 'oily rag brigade'
you will sleep sounder getting a fitter to do it all.
Regards from Paul Taylor
http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery
> From: Lajos Kamocsay
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 18:04:45 -0800
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: working with gas lines...
>
> Hello,
>
> Fred Olsen in his Kiln book says that one should pressure test all gas lines
> to a 100 psi for 1 hour. But how is pressure testing done?
> Also I'm kind of worried tapping the gas line at my house. Is it possible to
> do it myself, or should I call a professional?
>
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