Proper BBQ Island Construction: Put LP tank under grill? How many vents?

[Eric]

Hi Guys, I am a couple weeks away from having a company build an outdoor island, and install my new grill (its a turbo elite drop-in). The plan is for a cantilevered island, with two vented access doors centered under the grillhead with room for the LP tank and a spare. The back of the island would then have two 6X4" vents (one top, one bottom). The area under the grillhead would have a heatshield.

I just got the grill today, and I'm flipping thru the manual, and it is very specific about having having only ONE LP tank isolated in a seperate enclosure, cross-ventilated, with a vented access door. It also states that the barbeque enclosure should have upper and lower vents (20 sq in minimum each) on both sides of the island.

I realize its generally a good idea to keep the LP tank as far away from the heat/ignition source as possible, but is this a requirement? Where can I find the code that regulates this? (is there one?)

Thanks,

[Eric]

I can understand venting the LP tank enclosure, but I am still trying to figure out why the manual wants the sides of the built in open (see links for scans of what I am talking about). I am guessing they are thinking that if you turned the burners on without actually being lit, the propane (being heavier than air) would flow out the louvers in the grill, down into the island, and then out the vents. To me this seems like even more of a risk. What if the vents in the island were clogged or something. Now you are filling the entire island with propane. Wouldnt it be better to leave the walls around the grill solid? Worst case is the propane fills up the grill-head (which is also vented). This seems less dangerous than filling up the entire island...

[Eric]

Almost forgot: This is how the island would be setup:

[willshak]

I have a large barbecue grill with a storage space in the cabinet underneath the burners. When I first got it, I put the extra filled propane tank in there. I ran out of fuel during the party and reached into the cabinet to get the extra tank. I burned my hand on the metal shield around the nozzle. I decided that it was not safe to store a propane cylinder under the burner, so no longer did. Put it outside of the burner area, even if in the open air.

[Don Phillipson]

Fire safety code regulations for LP storage are available from the municipal government office that issues building permits where you live. (Some fire brigades may also provide this information free.) You may find out your contractor needs a building permit for the work you want done.

[SteveB]

It's likely you _will_ need a building permit. Most towns where I work require a permit for any permanent construction. Heck, they require permits for anything but paint.

[Boden]

Your town doesn't (yet) have a Historical Preservation Review Board. They issue the permits to paint, approve the color and finish.

Love those liberals.

[willshak]

I used to live in a town that had a Historical Preservation zone. No AC units in the windows, no vinyl or aluminum siding, outside paint could only be Colonial colors, etc. They went so far as to regulate Christmas tree decorations visible to the outside. A single white or clear electric candle in each window was all that was allowed. A new resident of the zone protested the zoning ordinances by painting his house and trim in shades of purple. I thought it looked kinda cool, like something out of Disneyworld. I never found out what was the resolution to the dispute, since I moved away.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

IMO, the new resident is an idiot. He knew the regulations before buying so painting the purple is just being arrogant and antagonistic.

If someone comes in and tried to regulate after the fact, I'd be one of the first outside painting yellow and pink stripes.

[Eric]

So it looks like Tucson, AZ abides by the 2003 International Fire Code. I've looked thru it, and it doesnt say much about LP appliances/ storage. It refers to the International Fuel Gas Code (which is also vague), and NFPA 58 which I cant find a copy of. I guess I will take a trip down to the development services office and see if anyone can help.

[Eric]

I made a sketch - its not the greatest, but here it goes. What do you think about the design below? It is similar to what the manual wants, but modified for my application. The grill-head can vent into the left and right chambers. The right chamber has the LP Tank. Both chambers have two rear vents. The LP tank access door is also louvered. This leaves the seatwall, the area directly under/behind the grillhead, and the left-most portion of the island (under the round bar) sealed with no vents (and they shouldnt be needed, since the propane wont enter those sealed areas and will vent out the other provided paths).