Here's another mystery.

[The Post Quartermaster]

I was told that one must use different size flexible hose for different appliances. We're talking propane, and I guess it would be the same for natural gas. The theory was that a certain appliance, stove for instance, uses more gas and thus needs a larger hose (connector size mayber????) than a space heater etc. It seems to me, as I just bought all the same type and size for everything --- not yet hooked up--- that it would be the individual orafices in each appliance that would govern, not the dang hose. Any thoughts?

[chaniarts]

yes. they are right. a particular appliance might need more gas than could be supplied with a smaller hose. it will say in the instructions what is required.

[DerbyDad03]

re: "I was told that one must use different size flexible hose for different appliances."

Just curious...

Told by whom?

[Wayne Whitney]

That's not how it works--instead the pressure loss accumulates from all the different parts of the system between the gas regulator and the appliance. In fact, I believe the flex hose at the end is often a larger source of pressure loss than the fixed piping leading up to it. If the total pressure drop is too high, the appliance does not get enough natural gas and you'll have a problem.

Cheers, Wayne

[The Post Quartermaster]

re: "I was told that one must use different size flexible hose for different appliances."

Just curious...

Told by whom?

One of those know all types at Home Depot. And don't take that wrong, I like the depot and Lowe's alright.

[The Post Quartermaster]

So, what if I use the largest hose, 5/8ths, on everything. It still seems like the orafice would be the governing factor. All of the gas inlet shut-offs require a 5/8ths female connector. I didn't pay any attention to all the different choices (regarding the opposite end being of different sizes) so I just bought all 5/8ths. I already had several of those universal hook-up kits but none of those had the

5/8ths male connectors. So, I guess what I'm now wondering is if you just use one of the various adapters/reducers etc from the kit to get down to where you need to be.

tks

[Stormin Mormon]

I know that's the case for furnace, and water heaters. They have pipe size requirements. One friend of mine had a Takagi water heater installed. The installer used 1/2 inch flexible gas line, which didn't provide enough heat. The book calls for 3/4 or 1 inch pipe. Which we'll do some day when his finance recovers.

[Stormin Mormon]

Furnaces and other appliances have min pipe size for gas, and for exhaust. It's a real concern.

[Wayne Whitney]

There's more to the flexible connectors than just the fittings on each end, there's the diameter and length of the flexible connector itself.

Each flexible connector should have on it a rating in BTU/hr. That is the maximum demand appliance that connector is good for. So just make sure that exceeds the input rating of your appliance. As long as that is true, the size and details of the fittings on each end don't really matter.

Cheers, Wayne

[The Post Quartermaster]

All of the black pipe coming is reg 3/4 as per the propane company. The shutoff valves are 3/4 with 5/8 female. I bought all 5/8 flex pipe to go from the shutoffs to the individual appliances.

[The Post Quartermaster]

Thanks. That was my feelings exactly. Now I guess I'm hoping we're both right.

[Joe]

[The Post Quartermaster]

[Bill]

Something interesting I've noticed... Go look at the wall and plumbing in the rear of many restaurants, or wherever their natural gas meter is. I've sometimes seen *very* large pipes coming out of the gas meter - like 2" or so. I guess that would be for the same reasons?

[EXT]

Current flexible stainless steel tubing all come with a label attached to them that says how much BTU it can pass through the hose, just read the label and compare with the input requirement of the appliance. No mystery to it.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Each appliance manufacturer will give a recommended minimum size, based on consumption. I use propane for cooking. Our old range specified 3/8" line and that is what we have. When we bought a new range with higher output burners, the company recommends 1/2". The service guy from the propane company did the hookup and checked each burner and with everything full on, it is easily supplied with the existing 3/8" line.

You may need larger than the 5/8 for a large furnace, but most other appliances will be just fine with it. Worst case scenario is you don't get the out put and have to replace a line, but I'd bet against it.

[The Post Quartermaster]

Thanks. We're going native and not having a furnace nor central air conditioning. This a a two story house and I'm not going to heat a cool a bunch of rooms that nobody is going to be in but maybe once a week. Just a 220 window unit built in upstairs and one down and a large space heater upstairs and one down all rated at over 1500 square feet so we'll see how that works out for awhile.