Propane Gas Tank - 5lbs

[Ir3th0283]

State or Country

City of Somerton, AZ

Customer stopped by to get information on a fuel conversion from Natural Gas to Propane. We are currently on the 2018 IRC and 2021 IFGC.
Need to know if a permit will be required for such a small gas tank. The customer did state that she will be upgrading to a bigger gas tank in the future, perhaps a 25lbs.

 

[jar546]

You need to give a lot more information in order to get an answer.

 

[Ir3th0283]

You need to give a lot more information in order to get an answer.

Good Morning,
What information are you looking for?

 

[Gregg Harris]

Good Morning,
What information are you looking for?

Is this for a portable gas grill? piping etc.?

 

[ICE]

The appliances must be listed as being compatible with propane. At the least, the orifice must be changed to accommodate propane and that might not be possible. The location of the tank might be an issue.

 

[BN4537]

Good Morning,
What information are you looking for?

1. What kind of appliances are being fed by the propane?
2. What kind of building are the appliances in - single family home, apartment building, bank, grocery store?
3. Are you in a city?

More questions may follow depending on the answers to these questions.

 

[steveray]

A 5# tank is a camping tank...And a small one.....You are not using it in a building....

 

[Ir3th0283]

Is this for a portable gas grill? piping etc.?

I see.
Per the customer, she is proposing to feed her stove. She was feeding natural gas to her stove, but instead, she

1. What kind of appliances are being fed by the propane?
2. What kind of building are the appliances in - single family home, apartment building, bank, grocery store?
3. Are you in a city?

More questions may follow depending on the answers to these questions.

According to the resident, the only appliance being fed would be the kitchen stove.
It is a single-family home within the City of Somerton, AZ.

 

[BN4537]

If the cylinder was outside, I could see ways to make that work. The tank being inside would not be allowed for that application per NFPA 58, from what I can tell. The International Fire Code would send you to NFPA 58.

 

[ICE]

I would have nothing to do with this. Portable BBQs are outdoors for a reason. I might be overreacting but it's kept me alive so far.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

A 5# tank is a camping tank...And a small one.....You are not using it in a building....

And a 25-pound is what most people use for portable grills. The ones you see in cages outside supermarkets, Lowe's and Home Depot. (Around here the prevailing brand is Blue Rhino.) I wouldn't know where to begin looking for using such tanks for a permanent installation. They are not intended for the purpose.

 

[Gregg Harris]

One weird thing is that propane is more expensive than natural gas. I have never converted from natural gas to propane.

 

[BN4537]

Need to know if a permit will be required for such a small gas tank.

I guess I got off on a tangent as to whether it would be allowed or not, rather than your specific question.

As for getting a permit to install it, I would say that the size of tank is mostly irrelevant. It has more to do with if you would be installing gas piping/hose etc.

Whether it is legal to do at all, with or without a permit, is something that it is best to talk to your local building department about. Our city has specific ordinances that prohibit this built into our city ordinances themselves that are separate from the building code. There may also be zoning issues with propane tanks located outdoors. They might be intended for large propane tanks, but if the language is not specific could still prohibit small tanks.

 

[BN4537]

The house I grew up in had a 500 gallon propane tank installed approximately 50' from the house with an underground line running to the house, where it popped up to enter the house to feed the gas appliances. Worked fine as long as you remembered to call the propane truck to fill it back up every 6 months.

If the small tank is located far enough from the house, gas lines properly installed, meets zoning and local ordinances, and the lady still has a working microwave if the gas doesn't get changed out - I think we would be getting close to allowing it.

 

[TheCommish]

One weird thing is that propane is more expensive than natural gas. I have never converted from natural gas to propane.

Many places do not have natural gas. In the NE built up areas have natural gas, however many more rural areas use propane, the next choice is fuel oil, then electricity. Electric heat by heat pump is becoming popular due to the energy code requirements which bump out the use of propane which bumped out fuel oil a number of years ago because of the need for sealed combustion appliances.