Bottled Gas Regs

[dolland]

Our house has bottled gas; no mains gas for miles.

There are two supply locations at either side of the house; each containing two bottles with a professional- looking switchable valve to allow me to change bottles. One location serves the Kitchen Hob, the other location serves a single fire in our living room.

I want to remove the kitchen supply altogether and route a new pipe (all 10mm) to connect to the remaining supply. This will involve a new run of about 5 metres through a single skin brick wall and along behind kitchen units up to the hob compared to an existing run of about 2 metres. through a brick wall and up to the hob.

It all seems pretty straightforward to me. However, I would like to understand what is involved, and does bottled gas require the same high level of expert, qualified, CORGI input that mains gas work require?

Any information would be gratefully received thank you.

 

[Agile]

Are you CORGI registered for work on LPG ?

Do you know how to calculate the maximum heat output per hour which a gas bottle can give?

Tony Glazier

 

[dolland]

Agile, thanks for your prompt reply,

Unfortunately your response hardly answers what I thought was a quite polite request for information on the regulations.

 

[noonespecial]

As you are asking those questions you should not attempt it. You may save a few bob but you wont be able to spend it in Heaven.

Your questions cannot be answered because there are too many safety implications eg do you know how to run a gas pipe through a wall safely?

Of course bottled gas work requires expert, qualified, CORGI input that mains gas work requires - they both can go bang and neither work too well in the lungs

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

does bottled gas require the same high level of expert, qualified, CORGI input that mains gas work require?

Requires more expertise. LPG is nastier stuff than Nat gas.
You are right about one thing though ... You should only have one set of bottles. In the event of an emergency all the gas can be isolated in one place

 

[dolland]

Where did I say I was going to do this myself?

Great, so I call out an engineer. Tell him what? 'Here mate, take my cheque book; heres a pen!' 'I don't know what I need you to do, those helpful men on DIYnot told me I shouldn't be asking the questions, it's none of my business'

I only want to know what is involved, not a step-by-step set of instructions. So that I can decide whether to even bother calling somebody out, what to ask for and what sort of company/individual to contact!!

Again thank you for the more helpful comments so far.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

I only want to know what is involved

The following appertains in addition to the usual stuff.
Valve assemblies have a lifespan of ten years so they may need renewing
Hoses ' pigtails' should be renewed after 5 years
Gas requirement should be calculated but having said that a 2 pack should suffice.
Pipes needs sizing. 10mm may not be adequate depending on demand and pipe runs.
Pipes should be sheathed as they go through the wall and the space sealed on one side only with a suitable sealant eg. Purimachos FJC which for some reason you only ever see this stuff on ACS training courses!
Bottles roughly speaking are not permitted within 1 metre of anything except the outside wall and especially near drains or gulleys.

When you do hand him your cheque book and pen don't forget that in addition to the 'usual stuff' your installer guy will have to acquire materials, pay for training and the unpaid time off work for that training, pay corgi fees, fuel and transport costs Public liabilities insurance etc etc.

Most of the LPG work I get is through the Corgi website so that may be a good place to start looking if you don't know anyone who can recommend an installer.

I suggest you get someone sooner rather than later as the Caravan season starts soon and you may not be able to get anyone to do the job depending on where you live

 

[rego]

I would go for four 47kg bottles with automatic changeover valve. this must have an opso. this way you are increasing offtake capacity by drawing off 2 bottles at one time. also you wil not need deliveries so often

 

[dolland]

Thank you for your advice, particularly Slugbabydotcom. I feel I can now have a sensible conversation with whoever I call in to discuss the job.

Slugbabydotcom: One point raised by your response however - the proximity to the house and location of the bottle installation that I was hoping to retain and connect up to.

Does this mean that the existing location is not now permitted and must be relocated? Bottles and changeover valve have been in situ for many years in a brick outhouse attached to the kitchen external wall?