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System Installations

This Chapter contains information on:

• Appliance Installation
• Venting of Propane Fired Appliances
• Propane Service Precautions
• Regulator Failures
• NLPGA Regulator Date Code
• Rego and Fisher Regulator Selectors
• Propane and Natural Gas Orifice Capacities Charts

Appliance Installation

1. Install shut-off valve between supply line and appliance at all appliance connections.
2. Check pilot flame and main burner air.
3. Check all connections on application as well as hook-up connection for leaks with leak detector.
4. Re-light all pilot burners.
5. Check for good venting, when venting is required.
6. For additional information on appliance hook-up and venting refer to NFPA Pamphlet 54.

Venting of Propane Fired Appliances

Law requires the proper venting for a Propane appliance unless the appliance is listed and approved as an unvented unit. The vent system may not be required for low output BTU clean burning units. However, it is very necessary to remove harmful combustion gases to the outside atmosphere.

The temperature of Propane products for combustion is very low when compared to liquid or solid fuel. Vent gases from Propane have been recorded as low as 93° F and as high as 450° F. This low temperature makes it possible to use smaller vents and the vents can be located in 2 X 4 walls using specially designed vents for the venting system.

For each 100,000 BTU of Propane consumed, the vent must remove 240 pounds of vent gases to the outside. The low temperature vent system makes the job harder, as the energy to move the 240 pounds is heat.

In the event the vent is too large or located where it is exposed to very cold air, the vent gases may start to condense and change to sulfuric acid, which attracts metal, wood, etc., and in addition, does not remove the vent gases to the outside.

Check all units for proper venting using a Carbon Monoxide Detector smoke or a match flame at the draft hood. With burning operating, the smoke or flame should be drawn into the vent hood opening for proper venting. If match of smoke is blown out, vent is spilling flue gases, and must be corrected.

Refer to NFPA Pamphlet 54, Part 7, Venting of Equipment for proper installation regulations.

Propane Service Precautions

Dirt, chips, or moisture are the greatest problems of the Propane system. The items listed below are to assist you in reducing troubles from these causes:

1. All empty containers should always have valves closed. Tanks are dehydrated. If valve is opened, they will breathe, causing moisture to form.
2. Tanks received or found with valve open at any time should have alcohol installed on the first fill of the tank. Alcohol can be used, as a precaution, on all new tanks at time of first fill. (Usually ½ gallon in 500-gallon tank and 1 gallon in 1000-gallon tank.)
3. Regulators should always have openings plugged or taped over when removed from system or in stock. KEEP DIRT AND CHIPS OUT OF REGULATORS.
4. Al tubing should be plugged, taped or mashed closed as soon as the piece to be used id removed from the coil. KEEP DIRT, CHIPS AND MOISTURE OUR OF TUBING.
5. All tubing should be reamed and flared in position so dirt and chips will fall out instead of down into tubing. KEEP DIRT AND CHIPS OUT OF TUBING.
6. Where it is possible, tubing should be blown out before regulator is hooked up. This may remove dirt or chips that would give you trouble later. KEEP DIRT AND CHIPS OUT OF PROPANE SYSTEMS.
7. All cylinders, filled or empty, should be stored in upright position with cylinder cap or collars in place to protect the valve wheel.

When making installations of Propane, think of what can make trouble for you later on and take precautions to prevent these things from happening.

Always install regulator with the vent down or install vent suppressor (Fisher 4602-1 or 4602-11 or a Rego 1493A) when a regulator must be mounted with the vent up or on its side.

Regulator Failures

Chips or dirt getting into the regulator orifice at the seat causes most regulator failures and becoming embedded in the seat, which causes the seat to leak when closed. The pressure will build up under the diaphragm to 28" water column and at that point, a relief valve at the diaphragm stem will open and bypass the excess pressure out through the regulator vent. For this reason, all regulators installed inside of buildings MUST be vented outside.

A recommended practice is to replace regulators after fifteen (15) years of service. See the NFPA Propane Regulator Date Code Chart below.

Propane and Natural Gas Orifice Capacities

When converting gas burning equipment from one gas to another, the serviceman needs to know what a given drill size will handle in BTU’s of both Propane and Natural Gas. To assist you in converting gas equipment, we are attaching two sheets showing this information for your reference. These will come in handy when a serviceman is required to convert appliances to Propane from Natural Gas or Natural Gas to Propane.

Examples of how to use these charts on converting from Natural to Propane gas follows….

1. Measure orifice, using drill kit. We will use #55 drill size for the example.
2. Using the Natural gas chart, read across from #55 drill….which is 10,640 BTU.
3. Using the Propane chart, read down to closest BTU to 10,640….which is 10,420 BTU.
4. Read across to drill size….which is #62.
5. Using new orifice pre-drilled to #80 pilot (so orifice will be drilled straight), drill using #62 drill.
6. Install orifice.
7. Install burner.
8. Light burners
9. Adjust air for correct flame.

(See Conversion Charts Below)

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