Gas And DIY's Who Don't Know What They Are Doing

Splitpair

A dangerous combination.

Earlier today I came across this gem of a botched up LPG installation.

The appliance is a point of use indoor/outdoor gas water heater commonly used by campers and RV owners.

Whoever did the installation did not know how to properly connect LPG fittings and used Teflon tape on a NPS fitting which created 2 Code violations, one being NPS fittings should never be sealed with Teflon tape or plumbers dope as a NPS fitting is not tapered and the tape or dope can skew properly torquing the fitting, the other violation is Teflon tape cannot be used on gas fittings, Teflon tape can be sheared off by the threads while making up a fitting producing flakes of tape which can flow downstream possibly jamming a regulator causing it to over-pressure a appliance creating a serious fire/explosion hazard.

The correct method is to use plumbers dope that is listed for gas fittings such as this.

https://fedpro.com/products/gasoila%C2%AE-soft-set-thread-sealant

This is the improperly taped fitting.

The proper method of sealing a NPS fitting using a washer or O-ring.

Thane_Bitter

Gasolia is dope, useful for a number of things, but I have only used the red (hard) version of it. Any advantage to using the soft version over the hard?

Splitpair

Thane_Bitter Any advantage to using the soft version over the hard?

I find it easier to work with.

tp0d

gasketed unions have been illegal in gas codes since the 60s. The gasket can loosen with thermal changes, and also is not fireproof, which is a pretty big deal.

I concur with no tape on gas. It is a common occurance anymore tho, Ive even seen union plumbers use it on 2″ black steel… smh.

Sounds like your customer bought some chinesium tankless. i wish them luck.

I would definitely put wipe on dope on the male threads shown in the pic. They appear to be a zinc or magnesium alloy, based on the white crap. (potmetal) A brass union will corrode and glue itself onto the threads without some buffer.

-j

HFB1217

Yellow Gas Pipe Thread Sealant Tape - Length ½″ Width Thread Seal Tape - for Propane, Natural Gas, I have used this on RV and Mobil Home tank fittings many times and its gas seal has been inspected and passed County and Gas suppliers certifications

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DISTINCT YELLOW COLOR: Our tape’s distinct yellow color not only ensures visibility for accurate application but also signifies its compatibility with gas-related projects, offering a reliable solution for home improvement and plumbing tasks.

https://www.amazon.com/Tapewell-Yellow-Pipe-Thread-Sealant/dp/B0CVQTT59K/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_2_2/133-6300703-9521305?pd_rd_w=4WPOI&content-id=amzn1.sym.2cd14f8d-eb5c-4042-b934-4a05eafd2874&pf_rd_p=2cd14f8d-eb5c-4042-b934-4a05eafd2874&pf_rd_r=Q52CKZPRPRJFH2G4KXN1&pd_rd_wg=1aLMO&pd_rd_r=044eab48-efe1-4e5b-bb15-8811698cb3fa&pd_rd_i=B0CVQTT59K&psc=1

Splitpair

HFB1217 Yellow Gas Pipe Thread Sealant Tape - Length ½″ Width Thread Seal Tape - for Propane, Natural Gas, I have used this on RV and Mobil Home tank fittings many times and its gas seal has been inspected and passed County and Gas suppliers certifications

That appears to be a recent change as the white tape still cannot be used.

None the less I would never use tape because of the chances of a flake breaking lose and causing problems downstream.