On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 23:01:10 -0600, "Travis Thompson"
wrote:
wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 05:18:58 GMT, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:
wrote: (clip) that something happens between the
copper
and the gas.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You may be remembering something you actually read about copper and
*gas,*
but it may have referred to *natural gas* used to heat houses, etc.
Natural
gas causes copper to corrode to a black, flaky substance that clogs jets,
etc. I have seen this, 'cause did it before I knew.
Yet copper is now not only approved, but is the line of choice for
connecting natural gas appliances.
copper is used on propane, not natural gas, i believe the reaction has to
do with the odorant used in nat gas versus propane.
Sorry, but you are wrong.
From the Wolverine copper tubing site -
B149 code.
The 2000 edition of the Canadian Standards Association B149
Installation Code, permits only three Types of copper tube for above
ground natural gas and propane installations:
Type G/GAS, Type L, and Type K. Bare and plastic-jacketed versions of
these products are available for this purpose.
For underground applications, Type K copper tube, plastic-covered Type
G/GAS or plastic-coated Type L tube are required.
also, from the ccbda site:
The results of a CCBDA survey of gas contractors, have confirmed that
copper tube is the most cost-effective material to choose for natural
gas distribution in residences.Copper is less than half the material
cost of corrugated stainless steel tube (CSST) and is quicker and
easier to install than threaded steel pipe. These factors combine to
give copper the lowest installed cost when compared to the other
materials. For every $100 spent on a copper system, it would cost, on
average, $134 for an equivalent system using threaded steel pipe and
$144 for the system using CSST.
and:
With soft temper copper tube (Type G/GAS or Type L), a contractor can
use a coil of small diameter copper tube, and easily bend it around
ducts and other obstructions, connecting it to an existing gas line.
This ease of bending and small tube size is especially important in
retrofit installations. The time-consuming and messy cutting and
threading of steel pipe is eliminated.
Flexible copper gas tube has several advantages over threaded steel
pipe and CSST. Copper is easier and faster to install than threaded
steel pipe, and unlike CSST, no special fittings or joining techniques
are required. Copper tube and flare fittings supplied by different
manufacturers are completely interchangeable and readily
available—which is not the case with CSST systems.
Operating a natural gas fireplace is easy, and many come with an
optional wall thermostat or remote control. The natural, flickering
flames have all the look and feel of a wood fireplace, and can help
supplement the heating of a home. Natural gas fireplaces are usually
very energy efficient, and are generally much less expensive to
operate than wood or electric fireplaces.
The CCBDA publishes an installer manual, Publication No. 14E, Copper
Natural Gas Systems, as well as Publication No. 35, The Real Cost
Story…Natural Gas Installed Cost Comparison, and No. 37, Installing a
Natural Gas Barbecue. Available free of charge, they are guides for
professionals involved in the design and installation of natural gas
systems. They are also available on the Association’s website at
www.coppercanada.ca. For further information or literature contact the
Association toll-free at 1-877-640-0946
and it's not just in Canada. Florida and Alabama too:
Copper Delivers Gas
Winter 2000
Many builders in Florida are now specifying copper for gas
distribution as a result of a concerted program to promote copper tube
to deliver natural gas within new homes. To builders and contractors,
the main advantage of copper tube over competitive materials is lower
cost, plus the fact that the copper is available in long, flexible
rolls and is easy to install, which can reduce labor costs
tremendously. The program was started in 1995 in Tampa by Peoples Gas,
since acquired by Teco Energy, a division of Tampa Electric Company.
When Peoples Gas launched its drive to promote gas usage, builders
told the utility's executives that gas installation costs for heating
and cooking weren't competitive with electricity. However, Mike
Romano, the utility's vice president of marketing, decided to find out
what other suppliers of natural gas were doing to stay competitive.
At Alagasco, the Alabama gas company, he was attracted to its
two-pound-pressure system for distributing gas with copper tube. "With
a two-pound system, you can install ½-inch or 3/8-inch copper tube
instead of ¾-inch or 1-inch rigid black steel tube," Romano says.
As a result of Romano's investigation, the utility launched its
Peoples Gas Advantage Dealer program, which Romano describes as "a
partnership with developers and contractor-installers to promote gas
service for new homes." The program provides information to builders,
training for installers and sales-support materials for homeowners
about the benefits of a gas home, plus rebates on gas-appliance
installations to defray costs.
I couls add dozens of more citations - but you get my point.