Natural Gas From House To Shed: Aboveground?

[(PeteCresswell)]

We've got piped-in natural gas and I'm tempted to convert my little generator to use nat gas so, in the event of an extended electrical outage, we'd be covered fuel-wise and be out from under the issues around storing gasoline. The alternative being a large propane tank or a number of smaller propane tanks.

But it's 50' from the house to the garden shed where the gennie lives and we're on a shale ridge - i.e. running the plumbing underground would be quite a task. I'm thinking close to a grand to get somebody in to dig the trench and run the pipe.

OTOH, I'm wondering if I could just have a natural gas outlet installed on the outer wall of the house and, when the need arises, uncoil 50' of the right kind of flexible hose to feed the gennie in the shed.

Safety/legality issues?

[dpb]

I'm certain even w/o looking it wouldn' meet any Code in existence.

Too spooky even for me; the possibility of something catching on an exposed piece of NG tubing is just _too_ much to contemplate given the potential result. If needing the generator means likelihood of bad weather that means possibility of an induced failure besides manual intervention/mistake.

What's $1K compared to replacement cost of the house...have somebody dig the trench; you can do the rest of the labor/install if you're that concerned over cost.

The only way I'd even consider something other than that would be to have a humongously strong and clunky protective barrier around the feed...and even then don't think I' consider it long.

$0.02, etc., etc., etc., ...

[Ed Pawlowski]

You may want to check the local codes. Gas can be above ground, but it may have to be black pipe, not flexible.

6.1 Plastic Piping Materials Plastic pipe, tubing, and fittings used underground shall conform with the Standard Specification for Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Pipe, Tubing and Fittings, ASTM D2513. Pipe to be used shall be marked ?GAS? and ?ASTM D2513?. Plastic pipe or tubing shall not be used for gas piping inside or beneath buildings, or outside, for above ground applications. Plastic pipe or tubing shall not be used for venting gas pressure regulators.

[trader_4]

If it's temporary for use in a power outage, IDK what the codes say, but they certainly sell long lengths of gas hose for use by RV folks and such. I even know someone who's bought about 25 ft length for a portable barbecue. Here is one place that sells them....

But, don't you also have to then run power back from the shed to the house? How about some kind of small utility type shed close the the house, nat gas, electric inlet, etc and keep the generator in there?

[clare]

The only issue - when did you last price 1 inch or larger flexible gas hose??? To run my 9000 watt genset on a 25 foot hose it needs to be 1 inch.(or so I'm told) and the longer the hose the bigger it needs to be to handle the same flow at the low pressure they run.

So I'm debating running a bit more hard-line so I need less hose - mabee get away with $200 worth of hose.

[clare]

Difference between permanent and temporary installs may also exist.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I've seen plenty of gas line(pipe, not plastic) run outside, but always along side of a building with supports attached to the building. It may be possible to run pipe but probably mounted to some sort of supports and possibly with a protective barrier.

It maybe cheaper and easier, and safer, to pour a pad and make some sort of shelter for the generator that is closer to the house. There are still regulations as to location.

[Dean Hoffman]

Above ground natural gas piping is pretty common in my area. It's along fence lines by the county road ditches. It looks like ordinary black pipe. This pipe was put in by the gas company. I guess they put it underground where there was no fence but over ground where there was fencing.

[dpb]

On 6/1/2014 4:10 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote: ...

Well, yeah, but that's a long way from OPs proposed stringing a temporary across the grass...

[Dean Hoffman]

What about using NH3 hose?

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, If I am in that situation, I'd have a free standing potable gas tank placed next to gennie and don't forget to convert it for dual fuel use. Easier solution than running pipe 50 feet long.

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Tony Hwang:

That's where I was going in the first place - until the thought of above-ground came to mind.

Actually, I thought it might be *less* hazardous because a leak would just dissipate into the air instead of maybe running along the trench/side of the building and maybe into the building - which seems to be the situation behind the few natural gas explosions in our area that I have read about.

I would not be comfortable moving the gennie closer to the house because of the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.... nasty stuff....

So I guess, once I verify the cost, it's back to my original scheme of storing/using propane in or behind the shed.

[trader_4]

What kind of gas is "potable"? And what do you do when the gas tank runs out in a power outage?

[gfretwell]

It is impotent not to forget your "R", even if it isn't "talk like a pirate day"

[clare]

Which was his "second" choice.

[clare]

Who't talking about drinking gas??? (Potable gas tank)

[clare]

CO poisoning in the house with the genset running on natural gas even

20 feet from the house is a REAL long shot!!!

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per [e-mail]:

That's what we're going for: the longest possible shot.... -)

[clare]

Cars, trucks and busses are passing closer than that to MANY homes, every day, day in and day out.

[Jimbo]

I have a natural gas Kohler generator about 5' from the house and its never set off the CO detectors.