Natural Gas Manifold (with shut-offs) for meter-side install
#1
06-09-11, 06:28 AM
Natural Gas Manifold (with shut-offs) for meter-side install
I have a newly installed meter system for my natural gas service that was necessitated by my new tankless WH (installed externally a few feet away). Unfortunately, the installing plumber chose to make a big loop up and over my meter and a new hole in the brick wall to route the line. Code requires me to keep the shut-offs outside the house since the pipes are otherwise inaccessible, but I'd like to consolidate the termination for my WH, furnace, and a gas kitchen appliances into some kind of simple manifold instead of the ugly spaghetti I have now (similar to a copper water manifold used for home-run PEX plumbing, but with black-pipe or similar). Does such a thing exist commercially or am I better off getting a bunch of close tolerance fittings and valves at the supply house and fabricating it myself?
Dan
Dan
#2
06-09-11, 11:45 AM
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
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I've never seen such a manifold that wasn't made up from individual fittings but they might exist. I doubt that any pre-made manifold would be as good as one specifically made for your particular installation.
I am curious though, do you have individual shut-off valves at the various appliances? Do you have individual pipes running from each appliance all the way back to the meter? I've never seen an arrangement that didn't require shut-offs at the point of use or that required individual piping runs all the way back to the meter. Where exactly do you live?
I am curious though, do you have individual shut-off valves at the various appliances? Do you have individual pipes running from each appliance all the way back to the meter? I've never seen an arrangement that didn't require shut-offs at the point of use or that required individual piping runs all the way back to the meter. Where exactly do you live?
#3
06-09-11, 01:11 PM
Super Moderator
To add what Furds comments are below, the only manifold type systems I was using for gas was track pipe. I dont know how long its been out, ( I think late 90's) but I started using it in 2004 or so. Most guys used it for short runs and stuff. Also old time plumbers were afraid of it and continued to use black pipe.
Once I got a hold of the catolog, and saw all the extras fittings they offer, I started piping the manifolds with homeruns to the appliances. It was more cost effective in parts and labor costs. Of couse inpectors sometimes give you a hard time. Some inspectors never seen it, let alone used it.
Just follow code for proper gas line sizing, etc. Look around the links below.
Just a note: You need a certification to use this stuff. The connections could leak if not done correctly. Plus I dont think supply houses will sell this material to homeowners anyway.
I would ask a licensed pro to give you a estimate.
I have been out of the trade for 2 yrs now so they might have something else out, but this was pretty new when I was using it.
TracPipe > Home
http://www.omegaflex.com/trac/techni...Omega_Flex.pdf
Mike NJ
Once I got a hold of the catolog, and saw all the extras fittings they offer, I started piping the manifolds with homeruns to the appliances. It was more cost effective in parts and labor costs. Of couse inpectors sometimes give you a hard time. Some inspectors never seen it, let alone used it.
Just follow code for proper gas line sizing, etc. Look around the links below.
Just a note: You need a certification to use this stuff. The connections could leak if not done correctly. Plus I dont think supply houses will sell this material to homeowners anyway.
I would ask a licensed pro to give you a estimate.
I have been out of the trade for 2 yrs now so they might have something else out, but this was pretty new when I was using it.
TracPipe > Home
http://www.omegaflex.com/trac/techni...Omega_Flex.pdf
Mike NJ
#5
06-09-11, 01:43 PM
Thanks, all. I'm in Georgia for reference. The existing appliances on the service are my furnace, which has a shut off at the meter side and also the appliance (which is connected by ~30 feet of black pipe in a crawl space) and the tankless WH, mounted 10 feet away from the meter on the same wall, but plumbed with a combination of galvanized (which the inspector asked them to "paint" black....) and flex pipe which is grounded and loops back to the other end of the wall within the crawl space.
I'm mostly trying to clean things up so I can gain some more space for other utilities on the wall. Anyone have a quick link to the code (national unless you happen to know GA...) that describes where shut-offs, access, and clearances must with the NG supplies?
Dan
I'm mostly trying to clean things up so I can gain some more space for other utilities on the wall. Anyone have a quick link to the code (national unless you happen to know GA...) that describes where shut-offs, access, and clearances must with the NG supplies?
Dan
#6
06-09-11, 01:56 PM
Super Moderator
As far as I know off the top of my head, and as Furd stated, a gas shut off must be within 3 ft of the appliance. It also must be accessible. The gas flex from the shut off to the appliance can be no longer then 3 ft. I know they sell longer but not to code as far as I know.
Drip tees also.
They make you pay to view the International fuel gas code. Below is the NJ version which is adapted from the IFGC
Chapter 4 section 409.
New Jersey Fuel Gas Code
Hope this helps
Mike NJ
Drip tees also.
They make you pay to view the International fuel gas code. Below is the NJ version which is adapted from the IFGC
Chapter 4 section 409.
New Jersey Fuel Gas Code
Hope this helps
Mike NJ
#7
06-20-11, 08:50 AM
We converted from oil-fired to gas-fired heat a few years ago. Local gas company ran pipe from street to house and installed meter on outside wall. Plumber ran pipe though wall, a couple of els, and then this "manifold"
(click to see the full image)
flex pipe on left goes to boiler, the one next to it goes to clothes dryer. Remaining fittings are in expectation of eventual gas cooking range and possibly fireplace insert.
Both boiler and clothes dryer have valves nearby.
(click to see the full image)flex pipe on left goes to boiler, the one next to it goes to clothes dryer. Remaining fittings are in expectation of eventual gas cooking range and possibly fireplace insert.
Both boiler and clothes dryer have valves nearby.
