Which Pipe is water and which is gas?

[Nifty]

I want to put in a garden tap and have unearthed the gas and water pipes at the spot. I layed the pipes and they are exactly the same 1 inch copper. Is there a way to figure out which is water??

[Mike Grooms]

"Nifty"

Assuming they do things over there like here in the USA, then here are the hints to look for. Scrape the pipes. If one is copper, that's the water pipe. Copper isn't used with natural gas. If both pipes are threaded steel, then, once again, scrape them. The shiny (galvanized) pipe is the water pipe.

If they're both some sort of plastic coated tubing, then clean them, and the natural gas one will be clearly marked.

Failing these tests, drill a hole in one of the pipes. If you get asphyxiated, then it was gas. If you get wet, it was the water.

[Nifty]

It sounds like I'm drilling as they are both 1 inch identical copper - I layed them.

[steve]

Run some water and listen. Feel for flow with your fingers. Come on now.

[Ned Flanders]

Seriously man... drill a hole in your pipes / gas line.

I'd bet that if you ran water through one you would figure it out like he said. The one with water going through it just might get some condensation on it.

GL

[TJE]

That copper shouldn't be used for gas is a given. But your situation is existing. With the water running, try straddling each pipe with a water key and put your ear to it the handle. The sound of the water rushing thru the pipe will transfer thru the key and should identify the water pipe.

[Christian McArdle]

Wow, you don't use copper for gas? What do you use, then? In the UK, it is used almost exclusively. You're only allowed to use plastic for underground services. You occasionally see some sort of steel or iron pipes on ancient installations.

Christian.

[TJE]

Here in the States we cut & thread iron pipe. More recently, a stainless steel flexible pipe is now approved for gas but you have to be schooled & certified to install it (to prevent a repeat of the polybutylene problem). Using copper for gas had been frowned upon in recent years and is a code violation in most states because it can be confused with water piping, leading to a gas leak if "Joe Homeowner" decides to install a hose bibb on his own & doesn't know what he's doing. Further, all gas pipe here must be identified as such with yellow sleeves wrapped around the pipe or painted on in a code approved method. This prevents any confusion about what the pipe is for.

underground

[Mark Monson]

Types L and K copper are approved by the International Fuel Gas Code adopted by North Carolina and other US states, as long as the gas contains no more than .3 grains of hydrogen sulfide per 100 cubic feet of gas.

Same here as Christian said, plastic pipe is allowed only underground and outside.

I prefer black pipe for larger distributions simply because the Trac pipe ( corrugated stainless) fittings are so expensive. And I don't like to put copper or Trac pipe inside walls because you never know what some idiot with a Saws-all will do. If he's going to cut through steel pipe at least he will have a chance to change his mind after he hits it.

MM

[Christian McArdle]

Ouch. Must take an age. I can't imagine iron pipe is good for a pipe bender, either. It's all copper and solder over here (and compression for valves). You are supposed to wrap it in tape when burying in walls, though.

Christian.

[Ned Flanders]

I use all of the above. I think the yellow plastic is best underground. I come out of my riser with black iron, 90 through the sill, T with a drip-leg & valves. If possible and its not far stay rigid to the manifold. From here I use track pipe or flexible CU with flare connections. I did not think you were supposed to solder gas (obviously not when live) I do not use compression connections.

It is not a big deal to thread pipe and do the job rigid. Most of the time you are not going any bigger than 3/4 to 1" and even by hand threads easily. the real pain is the pipe vice for me. (i got power threader). Hang it with split rings and threaded rod ,spray the rod and baseplate W/ grey primer, it looks nice and the threaded rod wont rust as fast.

I don't bend it very much at all, only if I have to and only to tweak it slightly.