Gas Regulator

boman47k

Have two ventless fireplaces, one under the other ( top floor and basement). Both require an external regulator. Do these (it) have to be on the outside of the house? If so, I will need to branch off line going to central unit and install pipe parallel to existing pipe. If not, I can branch off from existing pipe past the unit.

P.S. This is not for a customer.

PIPES

Check your local code ,but I have used "limited vent" regulators indoors with out a vent pipe.

boman47k

I've decided this is over my head, have to pass. Too many guestions on my part. One reg handle both without cutting pressure down, etc.? Insurance coverage....? Its for my son. A not up to par paint job I can live with if he can. It can be fixed. Gas is another thing! I told him he should get someone lisenced and more experienced than me. Just too damned risky. He says his dad-in-law can do it. You know I'm still concerned! I don't remember ever installing one with this requirement.

boman47k

Son just called asking if i had a flaring tool, etc.. Said the guy at the supply house asked if he was he was on city gas. He is. Guy told him he did not need the extra regulator, the heaters have their own. I knew they had their own regulators. But, the instructions did not say "unless on municiple gas sysytem". They did say the regulators on the heaters may be damaged without the external reg. So he/they will be using my tools. Didn't even ask about pipe cutters, dies, etc..

I did wonder about the municiple gas thing, but did not know. STILL do not know! Oh well, just babbling a little.

mickeyco

I've never heard of having to have an external regulator for a fireplace, aside from the one that every fireplace I have seen come with and the one at the service entrance. We have a building that had 5 furnaces explode (the whole block was effected) because the Gas Company opened a valve to quick, none of the regulators held, not even the one from the Gas Company, the only appliances that were affected were ones with pilot lights. The reason I mention this is what would be the point to add extra regulator if the unit has one and there's one from the Gas Company, adding "extra" regulators wont do anything, if you get too much pressure no regulator will hold.

I think the other regulator they're talking about is probably the one from the Gas Company.

Side note: The Gas Company paid for all the furnaces that were effected and cleaned the ducts, must have been one hell of a bill, now you know why gas has gotten so expensive. It's to cover their ***** ups.


I do have a question, what other gas is there, aside from LP, that's not from a Gas Company?

boman47k

It all comes from a gas company, buthere, LP is usually used in the county where the municiple line are not available. As you know, Lp works with higher pressure than natural gas supplied by the city here. The instructions did not differentiate between the two. The fact that he had municiple gas ( natural gas) with a regulator at the meter did cross my mindcross, but I did not feel the instructions were clear enough about the matter. He called the mfgr, and was told the reg at the meter was sufficient. He's got one in and burning. I wish I had thought to tell him not to apply pipe dope or tape on the flare fittings. I think these things are from the Phillipines, China, or somewhere. I was a little leery. All the ones I have put in I trusted the regulator on the heater itself.

logdoc

Call a gas fireplace professional. I recently got a call from a homeowner that his complaint was "odors" coming from his fireplace. Well, the "odor" was gas coming from the control valve where he installed a flair fitting in where a pipe fitting was suppose to be........this "odor" has been there since he installed it 18 months ago !!!!! His little oversight could have blown up his $750,00 home.