Barbacue Gas Line

[Peter Stahl]

I want to have a quick disconnect outside attached to the house for my grill so I can use natural gas. I already have the new burner, hose and disconnect fittings. I want a shutoff valve outside besides the one that will be inside. Does anyone have one of these? Is there a special valve I need? Should it be in a enclosure?

thanks, Pete

[Philip Duffy]

Peter, I have exactly what you describe. All the fittings are standard stuff and the main valve is a turn handle on the supply line. It is totally exposed and has not had one problem in ten years.
I must say, natural gas b'q is not my dream. It just never gets to the temp you see with propane. My "to do list" has an item of going to the b'q store and see if there is a different set of nozzles, or getting a conversion kit to use bottled propane. Phil

[Peter Stahl]

Phil,

What grill do you have? What size is the supply line? I was going to run 1/2" to the disconnect with a 12 ft. 3/8" hose to the grill. Thought this would be more convenient and burn a little hotter. I don't seem to get the gas flow from the newer type propane bottles like I used to.

thanks, Pete

[Jim DeLaney]

...I don't seem to get the gas flow from the newer type propane bottles like I used to.

thanks, Pete


Pete,
It may not be the gas bottle. Take a look at the orifice in the connector that's on you grill. The newer style gas connector has a much smaller orifice than the old style did. My propane dealer showed me the difference, and also sold me a replacement with the 'old style' orifice in it. It did make a difference in my big Weber grill.

[Chris Padilla]

Jim,

I'd love to hear more about this. I have a Weber with the little propane tank that is used to get the coals going and it never seems to put out as nice a pattern of flame like it did when it was new. Should I just find a propane store and chat with them?

Thanks! :D

[Christopher Stahl]

Jim is correct, the orifice is smaller for a natural gas setup. I have a large SS grill that I converted to NG. I had to replace orifices for the grill to work properly. It gets just as hot as it did when it was propane.

Here's some pics of my baby.
http://www.stahlee.com/GrandClassic/index.html

chris

[Bill Turpin]

The orifice for natural gas is LARGER than propane. Nat gas is metered through the orifice as a gas that is lighter than air. Propane is metered as a dense near liquid vapor, that is heavier than air. The L in LP stands for liquified. Therefore propane is much denser than natural gas and requires an orifice that is roughly half that of natural. Most natural pressure regulators are set at 11 inches of water column pressure, while pressure for propane is 4.5 to 7 inches. Gas grills or any gas appliance should be converted only by a qualified gas technician that will change the orifice, regulator, and the air butterfly damper. We burn 600,000 cu feet of natural gas daily at work.

Bill Turpin, ceramic kiln guru

[Dean Baumgartner]

The orifice for natural gas is LARGER than propane. Nat gas is metered through the orifice as a gas that is lighter than air. Propane is metered as a dense near liquid vapor, that is heavier than air. The L in LP stands for liquified. Therefore propane is much denser than natural gas and requires an orifice that is roughly half that of natural. Most natural pressure regulators are set at 11 inches of water column pressure, while pressure for propane is 4.5 to 7 inches. Gas grills or any gas appliance should be converted only by a qualified gas technician that will change the orifice, regulator, and the air butterfly damper. We burn 600,000 cu feet of natural gas daily at work.

Bill Turpin, ceramic kiln guru


Bill's right, LP is smaller orifice size than natural gas.

As far as gas consumption goes though just started up my second papermachine that sucks down just over 4 million cu ft of natural gas per day along with about 40,000 horse power.

[Christopher Stahl]

I stand corrected. Thanks for the heads up Bill. I went and checked the orifice size and it is larger.

thanks,
chris

[Philip Duffy]

Phil,

What grill do you have? What size is the supply line? I was going to run 1/2" to the disconnect with a 12 ft. 3/8" hose to the grill. Thought this would be more convenient and burn a little hotter. I don't seem to get the gas flow from the newer type propane bottles like I used to.

thanks, Pete
Peter, I have a Ducane. The main supply is 3/4 with a reducer and the valve ass'y, to a 1/2 in supply to the grill. I used to think, and have since removed, that there were too many briquets. That helped but still no way nearly as hot as propane. My LOML thinks there are spiders in the valves, and she may be right. Phil

[Paul Smith]

Jim,

I'd love to hear more about this. I have a Weber with the little propane tank that is used to get the coals going and it never seems to put out as nice a pattern of flame like it did when it was new. Should I just find a propane store and chat with them?

Thanks! :D


Chris, I have the same grill. (Nothing beats the flavor you get from charcoal, especially when you throw some smoking chips on there! Eat your hearts out, gas guys ;) )

Have you cleaned out the tube leading into the grill? Use the "match holder" that came with the grill and just run it through that tube. Just be careful not to damage the igniter. Also, use a small, brass-bristle brush to clean the orifice at the end of the rubber hose coming from the propane tank.

It really doesn't take much to get it burning well again.

[Chris Padilla]

Paul,

I still love cooking over coals...just seems better and somehow more right! :D

I've done that and cleaned everything that I can think of since it seems like an obvious flow problem but to no avail. Something is clogged somewhere...I just don't know where.

I even took back the hose/gizmo attachment from the tank and got another one (supposedly brand new) and it did the same thing.

I can still get a flame and it works but it just isn't as good a flame as I've seen. Funny thing, the ideal flame pattern is something I've only witnessed a few times in the 4 years I've owned the grill! I think I'll visit a propane store some time and see what they find.