Kitchen Gas Appliances - Undersized gas line?

I'm installing a new 48" DCS professional gas range in my house. I've always questioned the gas inlet size to the house. I have gas forced air heat(90K BTU), a large gas water heater, and gas dryer. I have never had any problems with these units working properly. The gas line from the meter going into the house is 3/8 " ID copper and upon inspecting this line I noticed that it was severly crimped ( like crimping a garden hose to stop the flow) as it went into the house. It had been that way for some time and no apparent degradation in gas appliance operation was noticed. I have since replaced that portion of the line with no change in operation of any gas unit in the house. After installing the new gas stove, it's performance was terrible; doesn't bring water to a rolling boil, just simmers instead. I am about to replace the 3/8" line with a 1" line but I question whether this will really help or not. The gas company didn't seem surprized when I told them the size of the existing line. They also told me that the gas pressure in this area is 2 PSI. I'm not sure what that would be in "WC. The stove has an internal regulator that is set to 5" WC as stated in the manual. On the regulator itself, it says 1/2 PSI.

Additionally, each gas unit has it's own external line pressure regulator instead of a single regulator on the supply line feeding the whole house.

My questions are:
Will the increase of supply line size really help the stove performance?

Do I need an additional regulator on the stove line and what size should it be?

Thanks

Hello slwebb. Welcome to my Gas Appliances forum and our Do-It-Yourself Web Site.

Based upon the only info you have provided, you always had gas delivery problems, just didn't know it until you located the crimp and the range was added.

Adding the range simply overburdened the entire gas delivery system and allowed you to visually see the problem at the top burners.

The other appliances have always displayed gas flow restrictions problems that only a trained eye would be able to recognize and only be visually detected when all appliances where on at the same time.

The starting point to determining the correctional method and procedures would be first to know what type of gas is it we are dealing with here???? Natural gas or propane???

I do not profess to know much about propane gas delivery systems, only natural gas. However, both fuels will burner similar when everything is correct and all gas appliance should have there own factory preset appliance regulators.

Your most likely going to have to contact a local gas piping plumbing professional for answers to piping size solutions and the local gas utility for gas delivery pressure settings and appliance adjsutments, etc.

Suggestions:
Read the manufacturers instructional or owners manual & online web sites for product information, problem possibilities, causes and correctional methods, part locations, disassembly, reassembly methods, repair proceedures, and instructions, pictorials and schematics, which may be available online.

Retail parts dealers can also help determine what the possible problem may be with your current range. Bring the make, model and serial numbers and stop in at the store. The info will help to determine the possible problem causes. Parts dealers are listed in the phone book under appliances.

Read the prior topics, within this forum and the replies offered. I'm sure you'll locate the exact symptom and the correctional possibilities.

If you need further assistance, use the REPLY button. By doing so, the additional information you add or questions you may have, will remain within this posting. Using this method also moves the topic back up to the top of the list automatically.

TCB4U2B2B Company Enterprises
Gas Appliances Forum Moderator
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

Thanks for the prompt reply. I have Natural Gas coming into the house. I've checked a few sources and they all agree that the supply line into the house is too small. I've also asked the neighbors and all but one has the same copper 3/8 " ID supply. The other went to 1" when he installed a large Viking range! Guess I have some work to do.

Thanks again.

Hello again S. L.

Hate to say it but I knew that piping was drastically undersized.
Much too small and the problems it was causing were also present without even being aware of it.

Glad to know your going to install a larger diameter houseline. It will improve the supply of gas to the appliances and improve there operational efficiency slightly.

BTW to all readers:
The ONLY informational source needed to be checked for almost any project or Do-It-Yourself task is right here on this web site.

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Tom_B

I'd suggest before you just go nilly willy replacing hard line, you find out what your flow requirements are and then speak with a professional on what size line you will need. It sounds as though you need a new outside regulator. If your stove calls for 5" and the outside regulator is only providing 2", it won't matter what size line you install.

All your gas appliances will have their fuel requirements on them, with this information you will be able to find out exactly what you need (and you may want to add some for the future, such as an outdoor grill, pool heater, etc).