Thread: Gas regulators

Originally Posted by Pulpo

The plumber just mentioned he needed to change the LPG regulator for the home, cost $120 plus labour.

He mentioned something about twin stage regulator.

Why is this more than a barbie regulator?

What has twin stage got to do with this?

Thanks

Pulpo

i have one of them laying on the ground where the gas guy threw it when he install natural gas.
If they cost $120, i might put mine on ebay!

maybe he is talking about a "twin" as in two gas bottle inlets?

Howdy,

The reason for a two stage regulator is due to the high pressure from the mains out in the road. This needs to be dropped down to a suitable pressure to suit your appliances.

If the pressure is too high you will use more gas than necessary and your appliances will only be rated for a certain pressure.

The two stage regulator will reduce the first stage of pressure and then the second stage. You will find that the spring required to reduce the pressure will only drop it a certain amount and hence the need for a second stage or spring suitable for the last stage.

Example:

Inlet pressure from mains may be 1200kpa and your appliance only needs 300kpa. The first stage will drop it from 1200kpa to 700kpa and the second stage from 700kpa to 300kpa.

For peace of mind it may be worth checking with your local gas authority on what the gas pressure is into your meter so you get a better understanding of what the plumber is saying.

Good Luck

Originally Posted by Pulpo

The plumber just mentioned he needed to change the LPG regulator for the home, cost $120 plus labour.

He mentioned something about twin stage regulator.

Why is this more than a barbie regulator?

What has twin stage got to do with this?

Thanks

Pulpo

The twin stage is , as said earlier- exactly that. The reason you need one is because they are required by law, they protect you and your family, and less importantly your appliances.

They also ensure that your gas pressure remains constant- meaning your appliances will run more efficiently and it will cost you less.


Think of this tho- if your gas bottle explodes, the initial blast radius is 1600 x the size of the bottle!

PS $120 for that changeover is a pretty good price IMHO

Any domestic, or any LPG installation is a two stage set up, from your bottles to the reg, 1st stage and from th reg to the installation is the second stage. He may of meant he was going to install an automatic change over regulator for the two bottle set up, all that does is stop people being "inconvenienced" when they have to go outside in the cold to manually switch over the reg when one of the cylinders runs out. In simple terms, the first stage reg is crucial, in that it regulates the pressure from the bottle (1.3mPa) to the installation (2.75kPa), it also acts as a, lets say an RCD, you wouldnt plug your tele into power straight off the street would you, unprotected, you'd plug it into a GPO,(or in this case your barbie or appliance reg) which would be protected, if your plumber recommends you replace it, listen to him.

Originally Posted by whizbang102000

Howdy,

The reason for a two stage regulator is due to the high pressure from the mains out in the road. This needs to be dropped down to a suitable pressure to suit your appliances.

If the pressure is too high you will use more gas than necessary and your appliances will only be rated for a certain pressure.

The two stage regulator will reduce the first stage of pressure and then the second stage. You will find that the spring required to reduce the pressure will only drop it a certain amount and hence the need for a second stage or spring suitable for the last stage.

Example:

Inlet pressure from mains may be 1200kpa and your appliance only needs 300kpa. The first stage will drop it from 1200kpa to 700kpa and the second stage from 700kpa to 300kpa.

For peace of mind it may be worth checking with your local gas authority on what the gas pressure is into your meter so you get a better understanding of what the plumber is saying.

Good Luck

LPG dude, on bottles. Natural gas is in the street, usually in three different pressures, low, med and high, most common being med, which is between 7kPa and 210kPa, and then it is regulated within the property to either 1.38kPa or 2.75kPa in domestic situations. All domestic NG appliances run on a regulated pressure of 1.13kPa maximum.

Thanks everyone.

Its LPG gas and only one cylinder well I have two bottles but in two different locations.

$120 was the cost to buy not to install I imagine it would be more like double to install.

Anyway he has now bought the regulator but has not fitted it because it was for two gas bottles, left it behind.

He did mention he needed 225mpa size regulator [no idea what that means] and I noticed the one bought was 500 mpa.

I guess he knows what he is doing.

Thanks.

Pulpo