CSST or Flex connectors thru cabinet

Posted by Vern Heiler on June 10, 2008, 11:11 am

With the problem of lightning burning thru the thin wall of CSST, and
subsequent bonding requirements now enforced by code officials, is running
CSST or flexible gas connectors thru the side of the furnace allowed by
mfg's. installation inst?

The practice is not a code violation in itself but mfg. instructions trump
code. I have seen several installation instructions that state the furnace
is designed to be connected with steel pipe, street ells, unions, etc. Kind
of vague but none I have seen said run CSST or flexible gas connector
straight to the regulator valve.

I can't think of a worse place to have a hole punched in the gas line than
at the edge of the furnace cabinet. Probably would happen in the middle of
the summer, during a lightning storm, and go undetected until the furnace
lights for the first time in the fall.

98% of the furnaces I see have black pipe extending to the exterior of the
furnace cabinet where CSST or other pipe connects. It's the other 2% that I
have a problem with. If the majority of mfgs. require using a heavy steel
pipe to the exterior, I would like to know.

Thanks in advance

Vern

Posted by Noon-Air on June 10, 2008, 12:10 pm

I always extend the black iron pipe to the exterior of the cabinet before
attaching gasflex. I have had a couple of calls in the past where gasflex
has been compromised by either lightning and/or vibration where it went
thhrough the cabinet.

> With the problem of lightning burning thru the thin wall of CSST, and

> subsequent bonding requirements now enforced by code officials, is running

> CSST or flexible gas connectors thru the side of the furnace allowed by

> mfg's. installation inst?

>

> The practice is not a code violation in itself but mfg. instructions trump

> code. I have seen several installation instructions that state the

> furnace is designed to be connected with steel pipe, street ells, unions,

> etc. Kind of vague but none I have seen said run CSST or flexible gas

> connector straight to the regulator valve.

>

> I can't think of a worse place to have a hole punched in the gas line than

> at the edge of the furnace cabinet. Probably would happen in the middle

> of the summer, during a lightning storm, and go undetected until the

> furnace lights for the first time in the fall.

>

> 98% of the furnaces I see have black pipe extending to the exterior of the

> furnace cabinet where CSST or other pipe connects. It's the other 2% that

> I have a problem with. If the majority of mfgs. require using a heavy

> steel pipe to the exterior, I would like to know.

>

> Thanks in advance

>

> Vern

>

Posted by repair on June 10, 2008, 2:30 pm

repair had written this in response to
http://www.thestuccocompany.com/hvac/Re-CSST-or-Flex-connectors-thru-cabinet-32714-.htm
:

\//.
(__)
(oo)
/-------/
/ | ||
* ||----||
~~ ~~

****** ****** ******* =============================
******* ******* ******* ============
** ** **
-------------------------------------
Noon-Air wrote:

> I always extend the black iron pipe to the exterior of the cabinet

> before

> attaching gasflex. I have had a couple of calls in the past where

> gasflex

> has been compromised by either lightning and/or vibration where it went

> thhrough the cabinet.

> message

>> With the problem of lightning burning thru the thin wall of CSST,

>> and

>> subsequent bonding requirements now enforced by code officials, is

>> running

>> CSST or flexible gas connectors thru the side of the furnace

>> allowed by

>> mfg's. installation inst?

>>

>> The practice is not a code violation in itself but mfg.

>> instructions trump

>> code. I have seen several installation instructions that state

>> the

>> furnace is designed to be connected with steel pipe, street ells,

>> unions,

>> etc. Kind of vague but none I have seen said run CSST or flexible

>> gas

>> connector straight to the regulator valve.

>>

>> I can't think of a worse place to have a hole punched in the gas

>> line than

>> at the edge of the furnace cabinet. Probably would happen in the

>> middle

>> of the summer, during a lightning storm, and go undetected until

>> the

>> furnace lights for the first time in the fall.

>>

>> 98% of the furnaces I see have black pipe extending to the

>> exterior of the

>> furnace cabinet where CSST or other pipe connects. It's the other

>> 2% that

>> I have a problem with. If the majority of mfgs. require using a

>> heavy

>> steel pipe to the exterior, I would like to know.

>>

>> Thanks in advance

>>

>> Vern

>>

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Posted by repair on June 10, 2008, 2:30 pm

repair had written this in response to
http://www.thestuccocompany.com/hvac/Re-CSST-or-Flex-connectors-thru-cabinet-32714-.htm
:

\//.
(__)
(oo)
/-------/
/ | ||
* ||----||
~~ ~~

****** ****** ******* =============================
******* ******* ******* ============
** ** **
-------------------------------------
Noon-Air wrote:

> I always extend the black iron pipe to the exterior of the cabinet

> before

> attaching gasflex. I have had a couple of calls in the past where

> gasflex

> has been compromised by either lightning and/or vibration where it went

> thhrough the cabinet.

> message

>> With the problem of lightning burning thru the thin wall of CSST,

>> and

>> subsequent bonding requirements now enforced by code officials, is

>> running

>> CSST or flexible gas connectors thru the side of the furnace

>> allowed by

>> mfg's. installation inst?

>>

>> The practice is not a code violation in itself but mfg.

>> instructions trump

>> code. I have seen several installation instructions that state

>> the

>> furnace is designed to be connected with steel pipe, street ells,

>> unions,

>> etc. Kind of vague but none I have seen said run CSST or flexible

>> gas

>> connector straight to the regulator valve.

>>

>> I can't think of a worse place to have a hole punched in the gas

>> line than

>> at the edge of the furnace cabinet. Probably would happen in the

>> middle

>> of the summer, during a lightning storm, and go undetected until

>> the

>> furnace lights for the first time in the fall.

>>

>> 98% of the furnaces I see have black pipe extending to the

>> exterior of the

>> furnace cabinet where CSST or other pipe connects. It's the other

>> 2% that

>> I have a problem with. If the majority of mfgs. require using a

>> heavy

>> steel pipe to the exterior, I would like to know.

>>

>> Thanks in advance

>>

>> Vern

>>

##-----------------------------------------------##
Delivered via http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
alt.hvac - 26794 messages and counting!
##-----------------------------------------------##

Posted by KJPRO on June 10, 2008, 12:44 pm

> With the problem of lightning burning thru the thin wall of CSST, and

> subsequent bonding requirements now enforced by code officials, is running

> CSST or flexible gas connectors thru the side of the furnace allowed by

> mfg's. installation inst?

>

> The practice is not a code violation in itself but mfg. instructions trump

> code.

It *is* against the manufacture's installation instructions and IMC to run a
flex line through an unprotected knockout.