what is the difference between the yellow polythylene
pipe designed for gas, and garden variety black polythylene pipe? I am
not planning on using the black stuff, but just curious, as the gas
pipe seems more expensive.

Just check the wall thickness, it is a different product entirely. If I am
correct, it is not just polyethylene but a different type or mix of plastic.
Finally, it is color coded to identify it as gas pipe. Connections are made
with special fittings and/or are plastic welded.

wrote in message
oups.com...
what is the difference between the yellow polythylene
pipe designed for gas, and garden variety black polythylene pipe? I am
not planning on using the black stuff, but just curious, as the gas
pipe seems more expensive.

On 25 Feb 2006 17:23:43 -0800, wrote:

what is the difference between the yellow polythylene
pipe designed for gas, and garden variety black polythylene pipe? I am
not planning on using the black stuff, but just curious, as the gas
pipe seems more expensive.

I dont know the difference, but i wont allow plastic gas pipe anywhere
near my home. In fact the neighborhood I used to live, they were
running gas pipes along the street using that yellow plastic pipe.
They were running it on the opposite side of the street. My neighbor
across the street filed a legal suit against the city or gas company
or some such thing. This was about 25 to 30 years ago. He said that
he refused to have a gas line in his yard, claiming he would not be
using it and said it was dangerous. The whole project had to be put
on hold while the legal case was in progress. He won the case, which
would have forced them to run the pipe across the street to my side of
the street, then run it back to the other side again. Well, I was not
really too afraid of the gas pipes underground, but at the same time I
felt it should not be on my side either. So, I contacted the city and
complained. I was told that they had decided to run it right down the
middle of the road. That sounded good to me. When I saw them using
that plastic pipe, I was REAL glad I spoke with them. Natural gas is
relatively safe, but I dont trust plastic pipe for something
flammable. Under the street is a good place for it.

Do you have any reason to not allow the plastic gas piping? Your friend
sounds like a nut, delaying a whole public works project out of fear of
plastic gas pipe in his front yard

wrote:
On 26 Feb 2006 18:59:10 -0800, wrote:


Do you have any reason to not allow the plastic gas piping? Your friend
sounds like a nut, delaying a whole public works project out of fear of
plastic gas pipe in his front yard



Why is plastic pipe better?
We had a backhoe operator hit a plastic gas pipe once. (yes we called
for a locate, no they didn't mark it)

It wouldn't have mattered much to the backhoe whether it was gas or
metal but the operator shut the gas off by bending over the plastic
pipe, like you do a garden hose. A few turns of duct tape to hold it
over and the leak was stopped. Do that with a metal pipe and you are
dialing 911 for an evacuation of the neighborhood.

The chance of a leak without a "hit" from a machine? about even with
either type.
The plastic pipe used for gas is much thicker and the formulation would
be a little different although can not remember specifics.

At one time started using orange color in many places, switched to
yellow as telco uses orange for fiber burial.

Metal can rust which over time poses more of a leak hazard.

I was doing some irrigation work in my yard once, called to have all the
utility lines marked. Hit an older metal gas line that was not longer
used and did not hurt the pipe at all, thought that was the gas and they
failed to mark correctly. Kept digging a few feet and hit a plastic gas
line, the one in use, did not take much to cut the sucker, and was not
marked either. I called the gas company and they sent someone out and
they dug up the line and put a clamp on the plastic line leaving about a
foot exposed. put about a foot slice in and released the clamp.

What surprised me is how no one with the gas company there was even
concerned about all the gas leaking out before they got it clamped and
while digging it up.

"MC" wrote in message
What surprised me is how no one with the gas company there was even
concerned about all the gas leaking out before they got it clamped and
while digging it up.


Not much concern really. Once in open atmosphere, it is less harmless than
most people think. Danger comes from the right concentration in an enclosed
space. Ever watch them weld on a gas line that has gas in it?

On 2006-03-04, Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"MC" wrote in message

What surprised me is how no one with the gas company there was even
concerned about all the gas leaking out before they got it clamped and
while digging it up.

Not much concern really. Once in open atmosphere, it is less harmless than
most people think.

You mean "less harmful" or "more harmless"? Cheers, Wayne

Wayne Whitney wrote:
On 2006-03-04, Edwin Pawlowski wrote:


"MC" wrote in message


What surprised me is how no one with the gas company there was even
concerned about all the gas leaking out before they got it clamped and
while digging it up.

Not much concern really. Once in open atmosphere, it is less harmless than
most people think.


You mean "less harmful" or "more harmless"? Cheers, Wayne


With no ignition source, the concentration of gas from an open
residential gas line is not a health problem. Yes, It stinks. The
real risk is ignition, and the ignition source will need to be CLOSE to
the open gas line to ignite it.

Plastic gas line was brand new 25 years ago, most leaks are from
rusting in metal lines, that go unnoticed till something bad happens or
the stink is noticed which is why the odorant is there.

the big thing about gas leaks is they follow the lines so in the mddle
of the street gains little.

myself I would rather have plastic perhaps encased in a heavy outer
cover like 4 inch PVC sewer line for mecanical protection

Robert Gammon wrote:

Wayne Whitney wrote:

On 2006-03-04, Edwin Pawlowski wrote:



"MC" wrote in message



What surprised me is how no one with the gas company there was even
concerned about all the gas leaking out before they got it clamped
and while digging it up.


Not much concern really. Once in open atmosphere, it is less
harmless than most people think.


You mean "less harmful" or "more harmless"? Cheers, Wayne



With no ignition source, the concentration of gas from an open
residential gas line is not a health problem. Yes, It stinks. The
real risk is ignition, and the ignition source will need to be CLOSE to
the open gas line to ignite it.

Hi,
The smell is intentional so we can detect the presence of gas. The smell
is added for that. In open space the amount of gas should be a lot for
ignition.