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gas advice

updated tue 27 dec 11

 

mel jacobson on mon 26 dec 11


remember, every local gas company, inspectors
have a different opinion and rules and regs.
(the opinions are as many as in washington d.c. about
politics.)

it is a local thing.
there are no perfect set of rules. they vary.

gas meters measure the amount of gas you use. it is a meter.
a house meter is set to measure the normal amount
of gas a house will use. if you increase the size of the
meter...it measures more gas. a regulator determines
gas pressure. there is X amount to your house. depends where
you live. rural, city, town, big city..who knows?

gas pressure is very different in Texas than Minnesota.

most inspectors have never in their life seen a kiln.

i have spent ten years researching a major book
on gas kilns.
i know one or two things. and, if i do not know, i know
who to ask.
i almost never give advice online. i have to know the details
of your installation. exact details.
mel

from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html

Lee on mon 26 dec 11


On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 8:58 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
>
>
> gas meters measure the amount of gas you use. it is a meter.
> a house meter is set to measure the normal amount
> of gas a house will use.

The meters vary according to the amount of pressure they can handle.
Both Center Point and plumbers always spoke about ugrading the meter,
not the pressure regulator.=3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0=3DA0If you asked them t=
o change y=3D
our
regulator without changing the meter, they'll know you don't know what
you are talking about.
=3DA0=3DA0 My new meter is 3 times bigger than the original (I wish I look =
a
photo of it.) =3DA0 The shelving that was against that wall has to find a
new place.

=3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0With the upgrade, if you keep your original applianc=
es, they
will put a regulator that reduces the pressure to your old style
furnace, water heater and stove. =3DA0 =3DA0Unlike the regulator associated
with your meter, these are not vented to the outside if you meter is
inside.=3DA0 My plumber said we might smell gas=3DA0occasionally=3DA0from t=
he
regulator to the original appliances, but that is normal.

=3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 At the end of the 30' run in the house and 30' run =
in the
ground from the house to the shed, is a regulator. =3DA0 =3DA0I have 4 turn=
off
valves for the kiln line and I turn it off inside the house. =3DA0 The
baso should keep most folks out of trouble, messing with the kiln.
But you might get some clever neighborhood kid being able to figure it
out. =3DA0 When you are working in the city, you have to think about those
things.

But before you do anything, you need to check with your gas
company to find out if you have adequate pressure on your neighborhood
line and that your line from the street to the house is big enough.
My plumber said that Center Point charges $2000.00 to upgrade the
street to house line, if it is inadequate.

=3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0 =3DA0I took photos so you can see the 3 regul=
ators, meter=3D
and
the kiln. Posted here: =3DA0http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue

Lee on mon 26 dec 11


Photos are up:

http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/2011/12/gas-upgrade-for-my-olympic-torchbea=
=3D
rer.html

If you look at the setup, you can see why the plumber and gas company
always referred a "meter upgrade." The increased duty meter weighs
about 20 times more than the regulator.

My inspector knew his stuff. He was impressed by the
plumber's work and how the plumber had labels and stickers on
everything (there were even stickers on the 1/2" line saying it was
2psi rated.)

--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue