Smarty wrote:
Thanks very much Bob. I probably should have asked this question first:

How much tightening is normally applied for doing gas pipe? My wrenches are,
at most, 12 or 14 inches long. And the pipe is mostly 1", with a few feet of
3/4 inch at the appliance (generator). Do I torque things down to the point
where the male threads bottom in the fittings? I understand that dope / tape
does the sealing job, but I have not a clue as to what the correct way is to
tighten gas pipe joints. Your reply sounds like I maybe should be using a
longer wrench and a lot of muscle.


Smarty


"Bob F" wrote in message
. ..
I watched the gas companys contractors install gas pipe
for a furnace and watet heater. They used pipe dope and
overtightened everything. They really reefed on the wrench
as they tightened each joint.

You could pressure test each section as you go. Pressurize
with air, and check for leaks with soap water.

Bob

"Smarty" wrote in message
...
Thanks Lawrence,

Now I wonder if tape is a better choice than the goopy joint pipe dope I
was
thinking of using?????

Smarty



"Lawrence" wrote in message
ups.com...

Smarty wrote:
At risk of sounding like a total novice (which I am)....I would very
much
appreciate guidance regarding tightening gas pipe and connections:

Specifically........if a run of gas pipe is put together, in this case
roughly 65 feet total, with about 15 fittings along the way, and the
finished piping shows leaks in one or more joints once the line is
pressurized, how is tightening best accomplished?

Since you are a newbie don't be surprised if you have to take it apart
and start over. At least your pipe is all threaded and correctly
sized.

Tightening the pipe is not the solution to avoiding or correcting
leaks. You should be using pipe tape which is wrapped aroung the
thread on the male end . It is this tape which prevents the pipe from
leaking not tightening it more or less.

So if you use the tape correctly you will have far fewer worries since
the tape that does the job not the threads on the pipe. You cant be
too safe when installing a gas line so be sure to double check each
joint before leaving the gas on.






Pipe dope is a lubricant not a sealer...no matter what the can says....
pipe threads are tapered they grind together just like the faces of a
ground joint union....the dope just lubricates the joint so you can get
the pipe threads to jam together.

Follow the directions on the can of pipe dope.... get the joint hand
tight and then make about 3 or 4 turns with a wrench..... on 1 inch
pipe a 14 inch should be fine but an 18 would be easier......

Are you threading the pipe yourself ??? If you are then when you thread
the pipe you want to thread it till 1 thread...2 maximum threads come
out the front of the die...... making longer threads makes it easier to
thread but impossible to seal..... shorter threads wont allow the pipe
to mate enough to make a good seal.

Put you a couple of unions in there....... you will need a pressure
gauge made for gas pipe to install on the pipe...before connecting to
appliance and cap the other end...then pump up the special gas gauge
with a bicycle pump..... 10 psi for 30 minutes should insure safety....
soap everything during the air test...make your last connections and
then after turning on the gas...check evrything again with soap.

If you feel safer...try 10 pounds overnight...but if it drops a pound
or so dont worry about it.......if it drops 3-4 pounds then
recheck....but 10 psis for 30 minutes is what most building officials
will accept.... the gas pressure on a natural gas line is like 3-5
inches of water....think its 27 or 29 inches of water to equal 1
psi..... unless you are running a high pressure gas line....