Gas Piping

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

sarg1

Member
Hi. How shall the gas pipe be bonded? When doesnt the gas pipe have to be bonded? I have been told that flexible metal gas piping covered with an insulater(plastic) doesnt need to be bonded. Similarily, If water piping that has a minimal amount of copper piping with the majority being nonconductive piping is bonding required.
I have some idea, just not enough to convince others in residential construction.

Thank you for any and all responses
 
Re: Gas Piping

Sarg - do you want the real world (i.e. what you are going to encounter out in the field from most of the inspectors who will be doing the inspections?)....they want to see the gas pipe bonded (this is usually done at the gas supplied water heater where all the water/gas piping can be bonded at the same time...hot/cold/gas...and the size of the gas bonding conductor is sized the same as the cold water pipe...i.e. per Table 250.66).......I am NOT saying this is the correct way to do it!!!!!!!!!!!!![Get BACK you guys!!!]

I'm saying this is the way most inspectors are going to require you do it because they don't know any better.

If you actually get around to reading the code [250.104(B)] - it says to bond the gas piping "that may become energized" using a bonding jumper sized per 250.122 using the rating of the circuit 'that may energize the piping system.'(see this article for the particulars).

If you read further it says "the equip. grounding conductor for the circuit that may energize the piping shall be permitted to serve as the bonding mean."...in other words...those appliances (with electric circuits serving them) and that have gas piping serving them are those that 'may energize the piping system'....thus the equipment grounding conductor serving that appliance is already bonding the gas piping, thus you don't need any further bonding.

However - that is 21st century thinking....and you'll have to look far and wide to find a jurisdiction that will accept that 'new fangled' idea and thus .....revert back to the beginning of this long-winded answer.
 
Re: Gas Piping

Hi guys,

Dana,

Here in Northern NJ, the inspectors follow your latter opinion and do not require a "bonding jumper" on the gas pipe. Quite honestly most of them agree with the majority of ES's that it is a bad idea.
 
Re: Gas Piping

I've had an inspector in south NJ wanted the gas pipe bonded. Told me to check with him at next inspection to see if the county was still inforcing this. That was the only time.
 
Re: Gas Piping

I don't want to get into any arguments over this but I'm curious. Are there any statistics on the number of injuries and/or property damage directly related to the gas pipe being bonded versus not being bonded?
 
Re: Gas Piping

physis: for a look at some problems, check CSST subjects, failure with near lightning strikes in different parts of the country. there might be some comparisons there.

paul
 
Re: Gas Piping

In Oregon the AHJ required all gas piping to be bonded. This included pvc coated flexible piping. In Nevada it is not required at all. Some gas companies do not want ANY bonding whatsoever. Some have had static sparks which ignited the gas lines when reconnecting lines at the street.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top