mel jacobson on sun 10 mar 02
phil, you sound like an attorney describing fittings.
propane fittings.
go to:
yellow pages.
propane/gas/supplies
call them.
show them what you need.
they hand it to you and explain how to fit it.
RULE:
WHEN AT GAS SUPPLY COMPANY, BUY
A WHOLE BUNCH OF BRASS FITTINGS, ALL
SIZES. YOU WILL USE THEM AT SOME POINT.
GET SIX OF EACH.
how we do it at the farm:
i use welding hose most of the time...the red colored
hose. ask the welding supply guy to cut you off whatever
you need. i have some that are 30 feet long...standard
reverse thread male and female endings.
simple adapters make them fit `PLO` fittings.
1/4 inch hose, fittings, adapters.
many say that you need larger hose, but we sure have
a ton of 1/4 inch at the farm and it works great.
just jack up the regulator a bit. (welding hose is really
tough and strong...takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.)
we also use `quick connects`. you know, the fittings used
on high pressure air hose. all of our burners snap into
quick connect manifolds. we can run burners to different
kilns. our main `nils` burners have their own single connection
moving into a welding hose Y and then to two burners.
we have about 18 lbs of pressure to that system.
we can jack that to about 24 lbs, but 14-18 is more than
enough. WE HAVE HIGH PRESSURE GAUGES TO ALL
THE BURNERS. POUNDS OF PRESSURE, NOT WATER COLUMN.
(we try and standardize our gauges. propane guy gave
them to us...all the same, read the same. we do not
mess with anything else. your gauges may read entirely
different numbers. that is why your ears and eyes become
very important when using burners. get your kiln in
balance. don't become a slave to gauges. it is what you hear,
see, then adjust to make the kiln sing. your nose helps too.
(what i am saying is; don't use my numbers for pressure. find
your own that work well for you. different gauges, different
pressure requirements for different locations. this is what
works for us.)
we have several propane tanks....one 500, and a 250
and a T connect off my house tank that is a 500 gallon.
we have auto fill to all our tanks. we know our propane
dealer by first name. often have to have him over for a
beer when we are firing....`gd it, those kilns are really hot`.
he has the idea now.
we finally ran a copper line underground to the kiln cover.
we have several kilns in that area, so we do not have to run
welding hose on the ground. far too long a stretch. in the
walking areas we have run the hose through pvc pipe just
to make sure no one steps on the hose.
the raku kiln is 50 yards away, and has it's own horizontal
150 gallon tank. we have always kept raku away from the
working large kilns. safety first in all raku dances.
we have 5/ 25lb walkabout tanks and a 100 lb
tank that we use for the iron forge. all have plo regulators
attached permanently. tanks smaller than 250 have to be
taken into town and filled. the driver will not fill small tanks.
(of course for a beer or two most drivers will sorta help
out now an then with the 100lb tanks.)
WE TURN OFF ALL BURNERS TO THE KILNS AT THE TANK
END. NEVER LEAVE GAS IN THE LINE. NEVER.
ALL CAMPERS KNOW HOW TO RUN TO THE TANK AND
SHUT OFF THE BURNERS. ALWAYS TURN OFF THE
TANK `MAIN` WHEN IN DOUBT. also: simple ball valves
that throw across the line are superior to gate valves that
have to be screwed in to close.
REMEMBER, ALL GAS FITTINGS HAVE REVERSE THREADS.
SEE THE SLICES IN THE FITTING, IT TELLS YOU REVERSE.
AT LEAST THEY SHOULD.
REGULATORS SCREW IN FOR MORE GAS, OUT FOR LESS.
TURN THEM WAY OUT AND THE GAS DOES NOT FLOW.
one of the great scenes of all time is one of us guys trying to get
a gas valve off, going the wrong way. `i'll get that gd thing
off if it kills me...macho, macho....oh, ^%^#$ i was going
the wrong way.` colleen of course, just pointed out our
folly. dannon often just does the tsk, tsk, tsk thing.
kerry and andrea do all of our welding and brazing so
they don't do dumb things.
NEVER USE OIL ON GAS OR OXYGEN TANK VALVES OR
GUAGES. PUT THEM ON DRY. VERY DRY.
AND CLEAN. SAME FOR PROPANE FITTINGS.
USE PIPE DOPE AND OR TAPE ON ALL FITTINGS.
CHECK FOR LEAKS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. SOAP.
yes, then rinse in clear water. dry with a towel.
ok, enough. to much to remember.
mel
other smarty pants persons may add or subtract to
what i have just written...of course they will.
PROPANE IS DANEROUS, BUT IN THE HANDS OF
AN IDIOT...IT IS DEADLY. BE CAREFUL, NOT AFRAID.
HEADS UP ALL THE TIME.
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
| |
|
