Gas line repAir

[airtwins]

Can I replace the old copper gas lines that are attached to the the bottom of my RV with flexible gas line? Thanks

[TG Twinkie]

Not recommended. Also, it may not be legal. What is the reason you want to replace it?

[airtwins]

Looks like there may be a spot that was kinked at some point. Its not leaking but I kinda want to cut it out and put in new copper then. I guess tube copper it is then.

[Bigventure]

You could cut it on the kink and put a flaired coupling in it's place. The cutter will round it out. Just be sure to put the flair nuts on before you flair the ends. The coupling will take out a little as well.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by airtwins

Can I replace the old copper gas lines that are attached to the the bottom of my RV with flexible gas line? Thanks

I would replace it if it is damaged, but I would use the same type of copper as the original gas line was made from. I believe you can get it as Lowes or HD and it comes in a coil and is easily bendable.

Dan

[idroba]

And never use the coregated metal flex lines they use in homes. They are NOT rated for the kind of movement we get in RV's, and are dangerous. If you must use flex lines, the only kind that will work are the rubber ones, specially made for gas, of course, not just any old rubber lines.

Copper lines seldom need any attention, other than if they get crushed, or severe stone damage. Flair nuts occasionally crack, thats about all. I would just fix what you have, especially if relatively little is damaged.

[polarlyse]

Just recently I found a section copper crushed where it passed under the A-frame. I guess someone put a jack or jack stand there and didn't realize it. Might have even been me I guess. Since it was only about 1' from the tanks I ended up simply cutting it past the crush and using the flare nut already on it I flared it and had a longer rubber hose made. Easy solution. Check your phone directory and see if you have a HOSE SHOP nearby. They make them up while you wait. If not a larger propane distributer may be able to make it. Now, if it's farther back it's going to be different. Cut it out and with a pair of flair nuts replace the section. Use thread sealer and check with soapy water for leaks when done.

Good luck with your job.

[KYAirstream]

Originally Posted by idroba

And never use the coregated metal flex lines they use in homes. They are NOT rated for the kind of movement we get in RV's, and are dangerous. If you must use flex lines, the only kind that will work are the rubber ones, specially made for gas, of course, not just any old rubber lines.

Copper lines seldom need any attention, other than if they get crushed, or severe stone damage. Flair nuts occasionally crack, thats about all. I would just fix what you have, especially if relatively little is damaged.

Just curious, is there any evidence that those corrugated lines can't withstand the movement of an RV?

[drboyd]

I just replaced a section of copper gas line last weekend. It's not difficult. You will need a flaring tool (about $30) and the correct type of copper tubing. Make sure you buy copper tubing that's rated for propane or refrigeration use; do not buy "general duty" or "utility" grade copper.

Take a few minutes and watch a couple YouTube videos on flaring copper - just remember to put the flare nuts on first!

[idroba]

From what I understand they are only code approved in residential situations, and the reason they are not RV approved is that they are not built to withstand constant flexing, only the occasional put on them by the initial installation.

When you look at them you will see that they are very thin, much less thick than the normal copper lines we use in an RV. Apparently they just will not hold up under the constant vibrational movement they would get in an RV.

So, I have no evidence directly, but have been told any number of times that the corrugated flex gas lines are not to be used in an RV setting due to cracking dangers and are not RV approved.

[KYAirstream]

Interestingly, I found this at csstfacts.org


Historically, rigid piping was used to pipe buildings for gas to supply furnaces, hot water heaters and other gas appliances. In some cases, rigid black iron pipe is used to make this connection. But due to earthquakes and other natural disasters that fracture rigid pipe, in the 1980s the Japanese developed a more robust flexible piping system. Subsequently, a flexible pipe design was developed for the United States by the American Gas Association and its research arm, the Gas Research Institute. In 1991, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) published the ANSI LC 1 standard, and products based on this standard are called Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST).

[idroba]

A close friend here in Idaho has an ACE hardware store. We happened to be talking about the corrugated SS gas pipe that he sells in his store. He told me that now they don't even approve (in Idaho anyway) the corrugated SS pipe unless it has the flexible epoxy coating on it, so his old stock became useless.

Now you know all I know...LOL. Just passing along the cautions I have run across, and they are that the flexible corrugated pipe is not RV allowed.

Maybe someone else can shed more light on the topic.