Gas Line and Meter Installation Ep.90

These utility tradesmen did a great job installing this gas line!
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Thank you, be safe, and be grateful.

[@sixteentons810]

Idknif it's already been stated but sand, beyond keep rocks off the line is always a good sign that something lies beneath the surface since that material is by and large far out of place geologically speaking. Best tell tale sign before the caution tape.

[@HFG207]

I work at a utility and I see a lot of questions in the comments, so here’s what I can tell about this service. Scott is correct, this is a 2” medium density polyethylene (MDPE) main. The service line is 1”, which we typically use in larger residential or small commercial applications. Most homes could be served by a 1/2” line. The pressure test is at 100 PSI to detect leaks, but the maximum allowable of operating pressure of the pipe is 60 PSI. We use a different type of tee, called electro fusion, which essentially melts the tee to the main. The main is then tapped by screwing in a cutter that’s already inside the tee, then backing off the cutter. The cutter retains the “coupon”, which is the piece of pipe that was cut. The tracer wire is copper, and as someone else said, a signal is sent through the wire and the line is located with a detector. Our standard pressure entering the home is 8” water column, which is around 1/3 PSI. This is the pressure that most of your appliances need to operate properly. The meter location is chosen based on a number of factors, including proximity to the mechanical room, safety from vehicle traffic, and clearance from vents and electrical meters. Hope this helps.

[@essentialcraftsman]

Wonderful comment!!! Thank you!!!

[@mikez4132]

Thanks for that detailed info. Take care.

[@karm65]

I did this for years as well thanks for explaining it so I didn't have to :)

[@andrewv5104]

Interesting that you use copper tracer. I've typically seen steel core coper clad for tracer. It's a bit more durable and doesn't cost as much when someone steals it form a truck or site. I've deviated away from electrofusion wet taps as too many started to leak and have gone back to a saddle or regular fusion welds.

[@CashorChrist112]

It looks like they connected right on the property, is there an easement?

[@wszolcio]

This is really interesting to see. Here in Central Europe we use welded 2” steal pipe to the meter. After the meter and the primary valve you can use threaded connections.

[@karm65]

Some areas in the US still have that code but the poly pipe is much better it does not corrode or rusts it is flexible to shifts in the earth. the only thing that will normally damage it is someone being careless and digging it up with equipment the odds of damaging it with a shovel are small unless you're really trying.

[@robertbeirne9813]

@@karm65 this all makes a lot of sense, especially, earth shifting. I was totally expecting a steel pipe. What a dope !

[@tristeng5]

good work! 👍

[@trevorhardy3544]

That french drain is now compromised. Should have done it earlier.

[@notrut]

That's Low pressure not High pressure pipe/supply.

[@karm65]

This is not a high presser gas line those are made of specially lined steel pipe that is usually 200 to 1500 psi 140 to 1054 moh. This line is a medium distribution preacher 50ish psi or 344738Pa it is regulated down to low house pressure which is 7 WC or14.9 millibars or 1743 Pa, or about 0.25 psi or about 4 ounces of pressure per square inch. depending on whatever system you're using. Some industry uses special meters designed to measure the medium pressure to run things like founderys and industrial boilers...

[@josiahmatthews3804]

Why not a good family vid for the Halloween upload ? ...

[@cbarnettcti123]

Why are the identities of the gas workmen obscured? You don't do that for other people who work on the site.

[@rpavlik1]

I assume they didn't consent to being shown, they probably can't due to employer restrictions if I had to guess.

[@vlogerhood]

I am a bit disappointed you are running gas to the house. All electric is the way to go for the future. Otherwise you can expect an expensive retrofit to go electric in the near future as we will need to be switch all houses over to full electric as we transition our power generation to green sources. If I was building a house right now I would be going all electric and including solar generation as part of the initial design to get ideal facings and angles for the panels.

[@royreynolds108]

You can just be disappointed because installing a gas line, using it for a period of years, and then abandoning it in the ground is more cost effective than having to run the gas line later under or through the driveway. From experience, I can tell you that natural gas is the least expensive way to heat a house, water, etc.where it is available, then propane, and then electricity. When we lived in Michigan, we had electricity for all heating other than the house which was fuel oil. That stuff is nasty. If we had stayed, I would have switched to propane.

[@not2intoutube]

Not so sure about the "meter installation" part of the title...

[@pamelah6431]

That sign-off line is so good that when I showed my husband (who has watched a number of your videos, but I'm the primary junkie) an older video the other day and Scott didn't say it, he asked, "What about 'Keep up the good work'?" :) Keep up the good work, Scott. We're all pleased to see more progress on the house! I was sad to see the French drain get destroyed. Please comment on resolving that issue sometime.

[@outlandishprofessor]

It went by too fast: Did the French drain get re-done where they cut through it?

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

They missed it because the drain was put in deeper knowing how deep the gas line would be.

[@tableshaper4076]

Crazy me... I thought the pipes would have been cast iron or steel, some kind of metal or even like BX wire with a steel wrap. No wonder they say call before you dig!

[@adamliske]

Cast iron, black pipe, or the like would rot in a matter of years underground. Even the vinyl wrapped pipe doesn't last very long. The plastic pipe (which I think is polyethylene) will last forever as long as it doesn't have exposure to light, and thats why anything above ground is steel pipe.

[@frotobaggins7169]

when i dug for the new water line over the summer, the guy marking the gas lines looked me dead in the eyes and spoke slowly, "listen you are going to dig only by hand until you find my 12 inch, high pressure, plastic gas main in the sidewalk." i laughed and said there isn't a gas main in the side walk, i knew because it was marked before. he pointed to the 12" main marked between his feet and said, "i'm telling you it's there". lol as he marked down the sidewalk, slowly it edged off the curb and out in to the street. by the time it was where i was digging, it was 4 or 5 feet out in the street. i was relieved i didn't have to deal with it. i told him, "you know how you know when you find the 12", high pressure, plastic gas main? he said how, I said " when 1/2 the block is missing." he just laughed. i did dig it all by hand do to the high traffic volume hiway at the edge of the sidewalk. the excavator said just the signing would be thousands and total excavation was expected to be more than 5,000. i dug it by hand for the cost of 2 sheets of ply wood and some tap con screws.

[@steakwilliams4448]

So does that method of tapping into the gas line work somewhat like a saddle valve? Plumbers aren’t even allowed to install those for an ice maker on a fridge. There’s got to be more to it than that

[@AlanTheBeast100]

1) plastic lines. 2) this is not your dad's saddle valve.

[@sebastianmarquez3014]

I was wondering that too. Didn't seem like much of a reduction in pipe size from the main? Couldn't tell from the video. We had a saddle valve at the gaskets a few months back, was an interesting fix

[@SuperAWaC]

look up hot tapping gas main

[@ovidiuciuparu6421]

@@sebastianmarquez3014 is not an industrial usage so if is a reduction you won’t notice it... For home usage that is probably 1” so you will be good even with half of that...

[@danithaman4610]

Look up electro fusion. That’s what the technical term is called

[@mikilambastein1449]

Why do you guys install gas for heating? Why not a more renewable heating ?

[@thedge7]

What is it with Oregon and gas? They won't let you pump it in your own car or run it to your own house.

[@dan__________________]

Never heard anyone call a tracer wire a sounding wire. It doesn't make any sound where I come from...lol.

[@dan__________________]

@@geplayer Ya, I know how it works, I do fiber locates. Just never heard anyone call it a "sounding wire".

[@Cliffepoos]

Really interesting to see how they ta[ the line without having to shut off the supply. I wondered about that. Thanks for sharing.

[@DerH0ns]

I'd be keen to know how exactly that junction works

[@iandouglas4992]

@@DerH0ns saddle valve I imagine.

[@tbag-2224]

@@iandouglas4992 hopefully works better than the ones for copper water lines

[@craigbrewer433]

They either use a electrical fused saddle or a valve similar to how you tap a water line for a fridge. The companies I contract out for use various ways but these are the two primary ones.

[@DerH0ns]

@@iandouglas4992 Thanks never seen such thing before

[@Quicklikefawx]

“Yuuup. Reminds me of my days in the trenches” -All the comments

[@c2oddsends120]

Being a gas tech and fitter in ontario canada myself looks like they did a great job

[@bradywarn2400]

🇨🇦 705🇨🇦

[@Shakrii]

As some others have mentioned, I also would like to know what you did to repair the cut french drain.

[@garethsnaim8174]

4 minutes, come on guys I am missing my fix!

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

What would code say about running the gas line through a bigger line. That way if there was a leak in the gas line you could pull the gas line out and run a new one without damaging the concrete.

[@YNORUM]

A leak at the main would travel right through the larger pipe and up to the house. In this case, if the leak is at the main, it will just rise straight up from the main.

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

@@YNORUM Good to know. Thank you.

[@elffirrdesign2063]

Technically what you call medium pressure gas....about 40psi. Sounds like like all hell breaking loose when it does. Very dangerous if it catches fire. Static is all it takes.

[@Justin-l5y]

I dont know where your from but this is the opposite from where i live my gas company wolnt touch mine and says its the customers responsibility to dig and move their own meter all they do is come out and turn it on and pressure test lol i wish they cared about it being safe enough to do mine

[@lovejcdc]

Great video, I used to work for a general contractor who did work like this. I remember one day we were actually trenching a ditch for the local telephone company and we had done all the necessary locates etc. and then POP. Then you hear that horrible sound that a high pressure line makes when it's suddenly cut. Turns out that the gas company didn't get an accurate location on their line and we cut right through it. The boss killed the switch and we both ran away from the machine lol then the fire department had to come shut it down and put a plug in the line until the gas company could fix it. So it just goes to show you that even though you take all the necessary precautions, anything can still happen. All it would have taken was one tiny little spark and we could have been burned alive and who knows maybe half the city block. SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY

[@TWX1138]

do you mind answering how much this cost? We live in house in a residential neighborhood that's ~250' from a major natural gas line as the crow flies, around 650' based on the most likely alignment to get here. Gas company wanted *_$45,000_* to install natural gas service to the house. I thought that was insane, even if they'd have to work around the existing buried electrical, low voltage, water, and sewer lines.

[@kozemchuk]

Was that a quote for a trench or a bore? I'm not sure if they are allowed to do bores where you are....

[@TWX1138]

@@kozemchuk Donno. After that kind of quote we basically chose to let it go for the time being.

[@kozemchuk]

@@TWX1138 Trenching that distance would almost definitely be more expensive than boring, if you're allowed to pull gas lines through a bore in your area.

[@apainlessone]

My neighbor put in some pavers out at the street for a parking area. In doing so , he blocked a french drain for a small spring that runs in the winter. I had my gardener come to fix the french drain because water was coming up under my driveway. Of course ,in redigging, they hit the poly pipe that supplies my house with natural gas. The hole was filling with water and when the pipe was pierced, it looked like a witches brew bubbling up..Gas odor everywhere..I called the gas company, they called 911 and I had the gas company, the police blocking off the street, the fire department and a backhoe show up. The guys from the gas company put a clamp down in the water that looked like a long pipe wrench. They closed the jaws and pinched off the gas. We drained the hole and they put in a coupling and I was good to go...only cost $4,000 ! My gardener said he called them to mark but they never showed up...

[@michael931]

Your neighbor blocked the "natural flow of water" which is illegal everywhere. However, proving it is another matter.

[@AALHADES]

Did you fix the french drain segment they dug up?

[@alexanderx33]

I always wondered how plumbuses got made

[@Jack.333]

The new poly line is good for 100 years but what about the tap in ? its bolted together.

[@Adamsadventures83]

Looks like stainless bolts to me. Provided there's no major settling, washouts or idiotic ideas by future home owners/contractors it should be fine until 50 years down the road when they will inevitably make upgrades

[@ILikeWafflz]

@@Adamsadventures83 Lol My stupid brain read "washouts" as "was houts" for a couple seconds

[@Jack.333]

@@Adamsadventures83 Or zinc maybe. I will be 120 years old by then and living on Mars perhaps. Thanks

[@GibClark]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@1shARyn3]

Did they reconstruct the French Drains?

[@DavenH]

It's kind of sad to see that work get messed up. The canvas is not getting sewn back together that's for sure.

[@Jack.333]

It seems to me, it would work better now as a leach line after disturbing all that to the curb and replacing it with sand and 57 crushed

[@marioh5144]

I was wondering about that could they have done it with Directional Borring ?? Please I need the feedback I’m looking on installing a gas line over to my pool heater but I don’t want to break my pool deck so I was wondering if Directional Borring also works for gas pipes

[@WVdavidB]

@@marioh5144 you need to be able to dig a hole at both ends and then a mole machine can percussion under it. Directional drill works too but if you don't have far to go I'd mole it.

[@Jack.333]

@@marioh5144 Just had my gas line replaced with DB. Its fine and they know there stuff. two holes dug. dirt packed back in. I don't anticipate any issues as it was very clean and to me..& impressive.

[@iankristensen5483]

Was the caution tape buried on purpose?

[@eastafricanadventurestj7196]

A friend on a job , who works with gas’s and how he checked the gas’s for leeks was he would get his lighter out and check around the joints my days he was nuts This was inside the house not from the mains

[@geoe5137]

Yeah, that's fine to do. I use that method.

[@eastafricanadventurestj7196]

For me when I was there I just ran a mile , I don’t know much about gas , my work is marble He explained to me about it later but dam

[@chrishaug]

if you put that pipe in a bigger pipe its easy to repair/replace it in the future though.

[@eddiephillips264]

Where was this gas line put in?...what state?

[@FishFind3000]

So where’s this meter installation you speak of?

[@mdnt_ramble7]

Never pump air towards the main

[@tonyn3123]

When my gas line was installed, it was also high pressure from the main. However I found that the pressure past the meter into my house was very low. If I recall correctly, it was something like 1-1/2 psi. That surprised me.

[@dannywilsher4165]

Usually only a few ounces of pressure....

[@JohnSmith-ud9ex]

I see the "new" cameraman is coming along nicely... = )

[@ovidiuciuparu6421]

Why this cannot be done along with the electric service at the beginning? Why you have to dig over and over again that driveway?

[@geoe5137]

Poor planning. They clearly aren't following a site plan.

[@Rwconcst]

Working for a gas utility we only use those bolt on service tee in a pinch. Too much risk with the screws and the fact it’s not actually fused to the main. Other then that it’s the same way we install in CA

[@frotobaggins7169]

i'm glad you said that. i was thinking what happens years down the line when the screws rust away and you have a gas leak.

[@intothevoid17]

Those screws are just a built in way to clamp the tee to the main to hold the tee steady while it’s being electro fused.

[@cpad007]

Would love more details on how they tapped into the high-pressure gas feed. Cool stuff!

[@Rwconcst]

The bolt on service tee is a 2 piece design. Top has a seal where it contacts the main line and when the bottom is bolted together it seals against in the main. On the top is a shell cutter almost like a hole saw that is tapped down into the gas line. Once the shell cutter is brought back up gas flows into the service line.

[@danithaman4610]

@@Rwconcst I work for an energy company and this is how they do it!

[@Rwconcst]

@@danithaman4610 yeah I work for a utility company and have done these plenty of times. I try to avoid using bolt on Service tees though

[@michael931]

I believe the cutter/drill bit in it stays in it for life.

[@fatboyfester]

@@michael931 yes it does if there is a need to shut the service down for repair or retirement the cutter can be ran back down to shut the gas flow off. They also make a special tool to squeeze the plastic pipe shut for emergencies.

[@localcrew]

Here’s how we are required to install our gas service line in Louisville Kentucky. 36” deep trench, 12” wide. 10” sand in trench. 2” plastic conduit with rope to pull line through. Rope must be 130 pound rated. Wide radius L at meter (which the installer will break off for some reason). More sand. Safety tape. Wire gets pulled through with the gas line. Customer is responsible for trench and may do that himself. Installers thread gas line through and hang meter. I installed black gas piping inside the house and did the trench. Gargantuan pain in the ass, but it’s done. I wouldn’t do it again though. So we have a hybrid gas, heat pump furnace that rocks. Gas range & clothes dryer and as soon as our 23 year old electric water heater craps out on us we will have a gas water heater. Already have the drop and valve ready to go. Probably gonna run piping for a gas fireplace here soon too. Good times.

[@FootballerUSA]

URGENT!! Scott, check Carhartt's website, I think they've revived your coveted double front jeans! (They may also have just never gone away, but I think I remember you saying that they discontinued them.) My girlfriend happened upon them while browsing their site.

[@elnewchurch0]

Always use some kind of caution tape/flag tape to show where your stuff is! Saves $$! As an electrician that does significant underground work TAPE TAPE TAPE. Make your dig evident! Min ex’s/shovels will cut thru a lot of things.

[@okpail]

Why did you not go all electric? Less co2

[@whynotcaptaincrunch]

Gas appliances are more energy-efficient than their electric counterparts. So unless the electricity you're buying is from mostly from zero-emission sources, gas will be more environmentally friendly. Considering they're in Oregon, a lot of the electricity is probably from hydro plants, but there's also a substantial amount of coal power as well, so I can't say which is ultimately lower CO2. Gas is still cheaper though.

[@aserta]

Plastic gas line? Dunno how it is in NA, but here they wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole :)) Only 4 mm thick pipe for out of structure, and 3 mm thick inside. So weird to see that plastic line.

[@craigbrewer433]

The lines installed around here in western pennsylvania are being replaced and updated to the poly lines. They are mostly medium pressure lines then downgrade to low pressure at the meter. Most homes that were updated are using 1 inch line to the main feeder lines. Depending on how the companies want the work done determine the choice of connections and how fast they can go.

[@christophernies5756]

Also, what is the purpose of the corrugated black plastic sleeve as it rises from the ground?

[@karm65]

Really surprised they didn't use fuse welding a poly pipe tap saddle in the 2in med pressure service line it is a much better system. "edit" looking closer they did just not the kind I am used to seeing.

[@ILikeWafflz]

*staring enviously at excavator thumb*

[@Graveltrucking]

No natural gas where I live the next community down there is, any of the gas line work is done by one contractor who are province wide (BC).

[@brada1803]

The only thing I noticed was the safety tape (didn't have 60 different languages)

[@mikenormandy9250]

Would LOVE to see how they tapped into the main with a T and without cutting? That looks interesting!

[@2chipped]

I have watched them weld in a tee/tap on a Ga coastal Island. It was bizarre watching (from a distance 🧐) into an active main.

[@davem3789]

Ran my line from house out to the main at the street much like what you show. 6” ditch witch and a 5 minute certification from my utility company on how to make the compression connection for the riser at my house is all I needed. My gas supplier fused their saddle fitting but other than that pretty similar.

[@kirkyorg7654]

when I was a young man I installed furnaces for a few years and the test for inside pipes after install was to hold 25psi of air for half an hour not sure what the regulations where for the pipe coming in from the street but after it got to the house that was it this is in Canada mind you great video as usual

[@BjorckBengt]

Solar roof?

[@floorsbyfolts]

All good except chopping through the drain guess it wouldnt be too hard to fix but who wants to?

[@christophernies5756]

At what point does it transition from plastic pipe to a galvanized pipe riser to the meter?

[@joep8520]

Did you replace the tool tank with a Ram or is that a gas company truck in the front?

[@stevecocroft6195]

Y’all ever gonna finish that house? lol not hating just wondering.

[@ab-qn7kv]

Good video, just the right amount of information. Thanks

[@alexniehaus1336]

Great video for a young builder! Please do one for water and electric

[@teliatrepig]

Gas

[@lenhanson6719]

That high pressure is usually about 60 psi before the meter.

[@cyclesingsleep]

Is that 100 psi the pressure of the gas in the main line or is it a higher pressure only pumped into the extension to check for leaks?

[@sunny71169]

Just checking the line and fittings. Unless you're looking at long distance transmission gas pressure is measure in ounces.

[@Adamsadventures83]

Typically your house pressure is right around 1 psi. The pipe can handle well beyond that but you're not going to find some leaks if the test pressure is too low

[@frotobaggins7169]

they pressurize it to 100 psi with air to test for leaks. it has to hold the 100 psi for 10 min he said in the video.

[@michael931]

@@Adamsadventures83 Yes but that is after the regulator/meter. Street pressure is higher.

[@pfish23]

Was the sounding wire code or an extra to easily locate later?

[@timhale501]

The gas company calculates the usage. My last house I built has a 6 burner genaire cook top, 80 gallon water heater, 6 ft jetted tub for 2 , gas dryer, gas furnace, gas fireplace that can heat the house if the electricity is off, a gas heater in the 24 X 36 garage, gas outlet for a patio grille. from that number the calculate the pipe and meter size. I always back fill the trench at the house for both gas and electrical power with 100 % sand from the bottom of the trench to ground level and use a concrete vibrator and water to compact the sand to be almost as solid as concrete. , I have seen ground settle and pull on pipe and conduit and cause damage to electrical panels and gas meter mounts.

[@tr1llwill]

"I have seen ground settle and pull on pipe and conduit and cause damage to electrical panels and gas meter mounts." See this happen often as well as residential electrician on homes that have buried incoming lines. Meter box and lines are ran before grading is done usually. Then comes along a dope in an excavator and if they are not careful I can almost guarantee once they are done the conduit that the service lines are ran through gets pulled out of the meter box. I've seen them pulled out and/or shifted up to 6inches after grading is done. Usually doesn't hurt any of the important connections or wires but does leave the meter box or panel exposed or opened to weather at that point if not fixed and can sometimes be easy to miss if it's not being looked for.

[@timothydillon6421]

It always amuses me to the number that a trade puts as low or high pressure.

[@squeekhobby4571]

Excellent precautionary measures.

[@hardlyb]

The last time I had a gas line put in, which was 20 years ago, they bored under all the existing 'stuff' (driveway, sidewalk, yard) to get the line to the house. Is that something that's not done any longer? Or is it only done in special cases?

[@timhale501]

If there are too many rocks they usually have to trench

[@Coder-zx4nb]

I was kind of hoping for more info on this. Like how did they tie into the main? Do they have a shut off down the road? Do they do it live? How come you chose this placement for the meter? What are those screw in couplings? What's better copper or what ever that material was?

[@battlegalaxy3246]

Natural gas is corrosive to copper pipe. Do not use copper pipe for natural gas lines. In residential settings, black pipe is the common gas pipe used. Large scale utilities use the yellow plastic ( not sure what type it is) for higher pressure and volume distribution.

[@Coder-zx4nb]

@@battlegalaxy3246 Interesting! Thanks for the info sir

[@purpleidea]

Does code allow you to put down some PVC conduit or similar, and then run the gas line through that, so that you can change it out if you ever need to? Not sure it's necessarily worth it, but suppose you were running the gas line under an expensive concrete heated drive way, would it be legal?

[@mikez4132]

Good idea. I think it would be possible to directional bore drill if need be at a later date. Just wont be cheap lol

[@bobbrown645]

Kick the tire light the fires an wait til the water come through

[@dviii42069]

Did you repair the French drain?

[@DiHandley]

I would love to have seen how that no cut connection works!

[@slapuharder]

Call 811 before you did

[@goodfortune6399]

Think i would pressure test" before" i covered it up

[@DrewToner]

100 psi for ten minutes, I believe, was the test!

[@andrewplatt]

Has the drywall started to go up Scott?

[@landmarkcreations1183]

Thank you for the video!

[@brentderksen]

Clear and to the point.

[@matthewhoffman9242]

Wish there was sounding wire and caution tape when we were digging post holes for a fence.....course it wouldn't have mattered because the supervisor had us dig without the line markers having marked the lines...... found and broke through the water line and supervisor told us to keep going. . . .

[@frotobaggins7169]

when i dug for my water line. the plumber was telling me he was on a job where they had called and had all the utilities marked. the excavator dug up an unmarked terracotta pipe, just barely breaking it. inside they found wires. turns out it was a buried Verizon fiber optic main trunk line that carried 10 counties. she said Verizon said the cost to repair the line is 10,000 per hour. seems high but that's what he told me. he said he was glad they didn't break it. lol Verizon said they didn't know why it wasn't marked. yikes.

[@matthewhoffman9242]

@@frotobaggins7169 wow, that was a close call. The water line we hit was at the tail end of a branch feeder of the trailer park though. Took til after the third time hitting the water line that the supervisor finally said to stop digging and start at the other end of the fence. (Water line was broke through in all three instances....🙄....) funniest story I heard of cutting fiber line was when they tried to call to get the lines marked the couldn't get them because the fiber line they cut was the main line that handled the 811 line marking services

[@spencerjoplin2885]

Isn’t the scare tape made of Mylar? If so, doesn’t that make the sounding wire redundant?

[@joshthegasfitter]

That tape has foil in it. It’s sounds for sure

[@gmilla2825]

I disagree. That is just regular caution tape, which is just plastic, like maybe 6 mil

[@AsYouL4yDying]

Tracer wire should never be taped directly to poly pipe. A lightning strike will blow holes in the pipe.

[@mikez4132]

Just like flex gas line in a house. All has to be grounded per code here.

[@JohnSmithZen]

Wow they are using plastic for gas lines now? How long does the plastic last before it breaks down from age? I hope someone is keeping a list of all the places this stuff is going down in the country.

[@augustreil]

100yrs on that pipe...supposedly.

[@ILikeWafflz]

Well, all the tree huggers are always whining about how plastic is "nonbiodegradable" so I would imagine it would actually last longer than most metals

[@adamliske]

Cast iron, black pipe, or the like would rot in a matter of years underground. Even the vinyl wrapped pipe doesn't last very long. The plastic pipe (which I think is polyethylene) will last forever as long as it doesn't have exposure to light, and thats why anything above ground is steel pipe.

[@rockandmeatroll]

Great idea the sounding wire, how heavy guage does it need to be ? What would you use to detect it ?

[@jeanlafrance8746]

A metal detector?

[@dannywilsher4165]

A sounding wire detector....

[@mikez4132]

They apply a device with either a battery or a unit with a frequency that passes thru the wire and is detected by a handheld receiver. Kinda like a metal detector in looks.

[@jajomer]

would you mind explaining how the sounding wire works please

[@frotobaggins7169]

they attach a box that sends a signal down the wire and then they have a "detector" that listens for the signal. that's why the wire surfaces at each end, so they can attach to it. that's how the gas man marked the gas main when i dug.

[@jajomer]

@@frotobaggins7169 nice, is it some kind of special wire? when i google sounding wire it just shows some wire for measuring deapth on boats

[@jej3451]

@@jajomer google "tracer wire"

[@jajomer]

@@jej3451 thanks to both

[@andrewalexander9492]

@@jajomer No, there's nothing special about the wire. it's just a piece of wire that conducts the locate signal.

[@runejakobsen7046]

Why do you still use gas when electric induction stoves are so good?

[@ianmyers1593]

$$$$....in my area gas is cheaper

[@frotobaggins7169]

if using on demand hot water, electric can't keep up and geo thermal requires a storage tank. anyone using hydronic heat likely uses gas or oil.

[@Elkadetodd]

Cooking over a flame you can see will never go out of style.

[@frotobaggins7169]

@@treyhart6861 i would NOT want to pay the electric bill when heating water with 150 amps. i'm sure a cost comparison of btu/hour the gas will win on the cost side. the shear cost of having two 200 amp services would knock it out of the cost benefit all on it's own. not to mention, gas rarely gets knocked out of service during bad weather. to each their own but i was simply offering reasons someone might want gas.

[@michael931]

There are 29 kWh of energy in a therm of gas. In the northwest a therm of gas costs around .90. That's about .03 per kWh. A kWh of electricity costs around .11. That's why.

[@richey761]

Call Todd hoffmann he is great at moving dirt

[@ElectricGears]

That caution tape is good, but I don't think it's going to be very effective. As I understand it, that tape is meant to be buried just a few inches below the surface so you pull it up with the excavator or trencher well before your hit the pipe. If you can grab both in the same scoop you already hit the pipe. Here it looks like it was raised up over the first lift of backfill to about half the depth of the trench. It looks like it could have been higher.

[@michael931]

I thought it was supposed to be half way down.

[@xTiger77]

Gas

[@DriveCarToBar]

That would have been a perfect time to drop in a length of 1/2" or 3/4" CPVC with a couple lengths of fiber optic cable, both OM4 and Single Mode. A 6-strand run of each would be perfect for the future when the local internet provider eventually drops fiber to the curb. It's not that expensive, probably $200 for both cables and a little extra for the pipe, fittings and cement. And well worth the trouble of having to do it later.

[@janderson8401]

That would make sense if EC was allowed to hire his own subcontractor to dig the trench and run the pipe. When you have to call the utility to have them send a contractor to do it, the contractor is not going to be agreeable to adding another conduit on top as a “while you’re here...” there ma also be a state or local regulation against using the same trench for anything but the gas line.

[@DriveCarToBar]

@@janderson8401 The depends entirely on the contractor. The couple locales I've worked in don't care about running everything in the same trench. Both Florida and Nevada are fine with it as long as there is at least 12" of separation between gas and power, which usually means the gas goes on one side and the other stuff on the other. CATV and phone both go on the gas side. AC power runs on its own side. Both states require gas to be below the frost line, but fiber doesn't care where it sits. Fiber is non-conductive. www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiPiKut39_sAhWyIjQIHfqVBAQQFjADegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.portlandgeneral.com%2F-%2Fmedia%2Fpublic%2Fconstruction%2Fdocuments%2Fconstruction-pge-electric-service-requirements-underground-requirements.pdf%3Fla%3Den&usg=AOvVaw39nDUQUO45kewv3LtF32iW looks like you're fine to bury optional comm utilities with gas as long as you have 12" separation.

[@michael931]

I don't think you are permitted to run different utilities together. But you could have a second trench dug.

[@janderson8401]

@@DriveCarToBar last time I was involved with underground utilities was 1985 here in CT. My boss was building a warehouse for his son’s moving business. I think we dug one trench for sewer, a second for water, gas, and electric. Our plumber took care of the water and gas. We might have done the sewer since my boss held a P2 license, and we definitely ran the conduit for the electric service, and did all the back filling. I make no claims to know what current regulations call for. I think the gas company did the actual connection at the main and installed the meter. The same probably happened with water. The sewer line only got an inspection before backfilling. The electric utility pulled the service cable through to the meter box and connected the meter, and then made the connection at the pole. Our electrician had to have a brand new rope running through the conduit for the utility to use to pull the service cable. It just seems to me if a contractor is working for the gas company they are not going to want to hang around while someone else puts another conduit or two in their trench. If they are gas company employees they could probably be fired for it. If they are subcontractors, they probably work on a flat rate per foot of pipe and anything that makes the job take longer is cutting into their profit margin.

[@alasdairmunro1953]

So much more sensible to put a sounding wire in, compared to the ‘dig until you hit it’ method! 😀

[@kozemchuk]

The tape above the line is smart! I've seen the yellow sounding wire buried six inches or so above gas lines, which is a decent substitute - but would give an inaccurate depth measurement when locating.

[@YNORUM]

You don't use your equipment to get an accurate depth anyways, it's an approximate. You use proper excavation methods to find depth, Miss dig and hand tools.

[@julianreverse]

Why the heck is there a main gas line on a private property? Why is the meter outside? Why is there no shut off on the main line?

[@gmilla2825]

None of your questions make any sense. The main is in the roadway right-of-way area. You don’t want the meter inside, the gas company wants to be able to pull it if necessary without entering your home. Plus the whole reading it matter. Usually they make connections or fix breaks live, rather than shutting it off and then having to go into every home on the street/ block and relight pilot lights etc.

[@shooshx]

Why do you even need a gas line in a modern home? Electric stuff is so much less of a hassle

[@Elkadetodd]

Even if electric was the same price, I'd still want a gas range at least. Plus the whole "heat while the power is off" thing. (yes, you need a tiny generator to run the fans).

[@jeremiahmiller6431]

Electric is far more expensive than gas. I asked our maintenance man at work why we were all gas instead of electric, and he explained that not only would two electric pizza ovens and an electric deep fryer, plus commercial water heater and HVAC, approximately quadruple our utility costs, but also require electric mains off the transformer to be roughly 4" in diameter. It's just not feasible for serious volume kitchen work.

[@kengamble8595]

Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍