Can a Natural Gas Shut Off Valve be Installed outdoors 1

[NYOH]

Hello,

I am inquiring if a 2" natural gas shut off valve can be installed outdoors exposed to the environment. I want to know if ASME of Ashrae has any regulation on this type of installation. Thank you.

 

[BigInch]

I have several thousand installed outside.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[NYOH]

what about the corrosion and functionality of the valve over the years? Doesnt it matter when installing one?

 

[BigInch]

A few get hard to move from time to time, but I've never known it to be a real problem for the typ outside environment.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[unclesyd]

We have manual gas shutoff valves, automatic shutoff valves, and Maxon valves outside that have been in service for 45+ years with no problems. The installation is near some saltwater marshes.

If look around your gas line control station you will see all their valves outside.

 

[BigInch]

Easiest place for the fire dept to find them as well.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[vzeos]

The gas shut off valves can be installed outdoors. Many state codes and local building codes require shutoff valves to be installed outdoors, either above or below ground. The federal code, 49 CFR 192.365 (below), suggests the valve be installed outdoors if feasible. Frequently a utility will install a valve inside as well as outside. In this case, the inside valve is designated as a convenience valve and the outside valve is designated as the shutoff valve.

[tt]
§ 192.365 Service lines: Location of
valves.
(a) Relation to regulator or meter. Each
service-line valve must be installed upstream
of the regulator or, if there is
no regulator, upstream of the meter.
(b) Outside valves. Each service line
must have a shut-off valve in a readily
accessible location that, if feasible, is
outside of the building.
(c) Underground valves. Each underground
service-line valve must be located
in a covered durable curb box or
standpipe that allows ready operation
of the valve and is supported independently
of the service lines.
[/tt]

 

[BigInch]

Title 49,Part 192 would apply to regulated pipelines only, so it would probably be a building code or fire regulation that would apply to unregulated pipelines and other types of facilities.


**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[msquared48]

After Haiti, it better be!


Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[rmw]

Boy I sure hope so. The gas shut off valve at my residence is outside and located right at ground level, about half of it is underground. It'd be a pain if they wanted me to move it inside, especially since it is the gas company's valve, not mine.

rmw

 

[nhliew]

You can. I use bronze or brass material for aboveground threaded connection valves with lockable handle in housing areas. The utility company supervisor in the area holds the master key. They are all outdoors.

 

[JLSeagull]

I agree with the lockable valve. Neither the block valve nor regulator at my home is brass or bronze. Within industry I have seen few brass or bronze block valves in natural gas distribution. Brass or bronze may be common for gas appliances. I lack low-pressure residential gas distribution experience.

 

[JLSeagull]

Refer to ASME B16.33 Manually Operated Metallic Gas Valves for use in Gas Piping Systgems up to 125 psig, sizes NPS 1/2 - NPS 2. The ASME web site states "This standard covers manually operated NPS 1/2 to NPS 2 metallic valves for outdoor installation as gas shut-off valves at the end of the gas service line at system gage pressures up to 125 psi."

 

[BigInch]

I'd recommend that it should be locable only if the valve is to be owned by the gas supply company.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[JLSeagull]

29 CFR 1910.147, Control of Hazardous Energy requires lockout/tagout for energy isolating devices including a line valve; a block; and any similar device used to block or isolate energy. For all practical purposes this could be interpreted as requiring all isolation valves to be lockable.

 

[jber82]

All of ours are outside and are inspected on a regular basis with a shut in test. We don't have to replace them that often but when we do it is rarely due to the outside environment. Most of the problems that come up are internal to the valve. This is for more of an industrial application than residential.

http://engineerhumor.com/