1/4" inverted male flare adapter?

Smoky · 10-22-2009, 06:10 AM

I bought a Mr. Heater Propane auto changeover two-stage regulator the other day. When I got it home I was surprised that my ¼” pigtails would not fit. The box says the inlets are 1/4" inverted female flare inlets. So is this some kind of marketing scheme to get me to buy special Mr. Heater pigtails? I assume I can buy two 1/4" inverted male flare adapters, but I have had no luck locating them at my local hardware stores. Any suggestions as to where I might find them?...or am I stuck having to buy two Mr. Heater pigtails.

Thanks for any tips.

Silverhobby · 10-22-2009, 07:48 AM

Go to the Mr. Heater website and see if you can find what you need there.
Mr. Heater - America's Most Popular Portable Heaters

Beginner · 10-22-2009, 07:56 AM

Keep in mind that flamable (yea I know its mispelled) gas connections are left handed. Is that the problem? If it is contact a local bottle gas company to see if they have the adapters you need.
Beginner

Smoky · 10-27-2009, 03:29 PM

I ordered Mr. Heater Propane Fitting F273729 1/4" Male pipe thread X 1/4" Inverted Female Flare. It arrived today however the male end is too big to fit into 1/4" inverted female flare inlets and the female side isn't big enough to screw in my pigtails. So at this point I am questioning my sanity...I mean how complex can this be, even after about six hours of intense research on the internet and visiting about 6 hardware stores and talking to five people I am still back where I started. What am I missing? Could this be a manufacturing defect?.....or is this simply a defect of my mind.

**Kevin245** · 10-27-2009, 04:59 PM

Hey Smoky,

Standard flare fittings for gas use are typically JIC - 37 degree, or SAE - 45 degree. I'm not sure if what you have is a proprietary fitting, or a pipe vs. tubing issue. Most of the Big Square Box home improvement stores carry limited inventroy when it come to plumbing fittings. Have you tried a plumbing supply house, or maybe even McMaster-Carr?

www.mcmaster.com

If your not sure about what you see in their on-line catalog you can call their customer service line. They have been very helpful to us. I recently had to order some 4,000 psi JIC fitted hoses for a project, and they walked me right through the inventory with hoses, fittings, adapters, etc...

Does this look like what you need?

Smoky · 10-27-2009, 09:44 PM

Thanks for the reply...yes that looks like what I need.

This is the regulator I have.
MR HEATER F273766 REGULATOR 2STAGE PRPNE

Here are the fittings I ordered online.
Mr. Heater - America's Most Popular Portable Heaters

Perhaps I ordered the wrong adapter?

I'm starting to think I don't have the right pigtails....The ones I have will fit into a single type regulator but I've never had a dual one. Do they make special pigtails for dual regulators?