Thinking on switching from electric to natural gas ..

[sphelps]

Our warrantee just ran out on our elect range oven and of coarse it's going south on us . So instead of spending the cash on a new electric range we are considering switching over . My wife has never used gas to cook with other than gas grills and would like to give it a shot ..
I know it's gunna cost more to get set up . I have been given a quote of around 2200 bucks for a 120 gal filled underground tank installed with about 25 ft of line run . The question is can I run additional line myself without risking blowing my house up . This should be a single uninterrupted line with flared fittings on both ends right .. I also plan on running an extra line out to an outdoor kitchen area that I hope to build eventually .
Also how many times do you think I would have to refill the tank per year . 3 people with normal use . May switch the water heater also just not right away .
Never used gas so any insight would be great ....

 

[bruceb58]

Never knew they did compressed natural gas tanks for homes. Just propane.

 

[sphelps]

Your right Bruce . My mistake I am talking about propane . They don't have lines that run where I live ..So it will have to be propane that I go with ..

 

[MH Hawker]

It should work real well, and i suspect it is propane instead of NG but your will will like it fine it cooks faster and will drop your electric bill a good amount. The new house i just bought has NG heat and hot water and by this spring the stove will be changed over.

 

[bruceb58]

I am on propane. Where I live it's cheaper to have propane than electric but it is probably 3 times more money than NG.

 

[sphelps]

How much propane do you normally use in a year ? Do you have just 1 large tank ?

 

[bruceb58]

I have a 500 gallon tank. I use it for water heater, gas dryer and heat. Unfortunately, when I built the house, I didn't plumb it for cooking.

Too be honest I never really check how much I use but I likely use way less than 400 gallons in a year. I don't heat my house much which is where the largest use is.

Not sure how much you pay per kilo watt hour but it is very expensive here. Propane is as well. I think propane here is around $3.70/gallon/

 

[midcarolina]

IMO.......... with propane prices being what they are, electric is cheaper in almost all regions of the country..........Now a stove is not going to eat the gas anywhere near the rate of say a furnace or even a on demand water heater.
Is gas superior to electric for cooking no doubt about it.............the outcome may outway the additional cost.

I have attached a gas vs electric calculator........If you input real numbers it will give you a good idea of how often you would need to refill.

 

[dingbat]

Locally, the break even price or electric verse propane is roughly $3.20 per gallon. Last week, I paid $3.40 to fill the 100 gallon tank for the gas fireplace. Last winter, people we're paying in excess of $4 a gallon, if they could find it. I heard of prices as high as $4.50 in places

At $2,200 just to install the tank, you're break even point is way, way down the road.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Our summer place has gas range, we use about 100 gal tank n 2 years so you would use a tank a year at most. Love gas cooktop, have a duel fuel stove at the main house. Pipe after the regulator is only about 2 lbs per sq inch. So yes you can Black pipe can be used never use galvanized pipe for gas it will cause major problems.

 

[bigdee]

I question the $2200 tank fee. My 100 gallon above ground tank and installation was free. I just paid for the gas which was $280. Is it necessary for you to have an underground tank?

 

[bruceb58]

I question the $2200 tank fee. My 100 gallon above ground tank and installation was free. I just paid for the gas which was $280. Is it necessary for you to have an underground tank?

Depends on the propane companies in the area. Some require you to own your own tank and some require you to only use theirs. Underground tanks are always paid for solely by the owner of the property.

 

[bigdee]

Depends on the propane companies in the area. Some require you to own your own tank and some require you to only use theirs. Underground tanks are always paid for solely by the owner of the property.

Sound like he needs to shop around. There are over a half dozen propane retailers in my area so there is some competitive leverage.

 

[bruceb58]

Sound like he needs to shop around. There are over a half dozen propane retailers in my area so there is some competitive leverage.

Depends on if he needs an underground tank or not. Some communities require it.

With my 500 gallon tank, I pay a $90/year tank rental fee.

 

[sphelps]

I don't think an under ground tank is necessarily a requirement where I live . I have only got a rough quote to purchase a 120 gal tank full installed underground for around 2200 from one place . I plan on doing the switch around the beginning of the year . That gives me time to shop around and decide what range /oven to get and maybe run the lines . I could go with an above ground tank but I would want to cover it up somehow so I wouldn't have to look at it . I guess I could put ears and a tail on it and paint it pink ..
I will need to run about 40 ' or so from the tank to the stove and also around ,I'm guessing, about 150' over to my screen porch area to service an outdoor kitchen .
3/8" copper tubing ? or the black pipe FD suggested .. Is that plastic ?
The gas set up is new to me so I,m trying to do a little research before just diving in ..

 

[bruceb58]

You can run black pipe above ground...not below. Below is coated pipe or special plastic gas pipe. Need to look at what is allowed for code in your area. It needs to be sized properly because the regulator is at the tank so the 40' from the tank to the house will be at low pressure.

 

[midcarolina]

Check this link out.......... I have ran a lot of gastite, .....IMO it is perfect for adding gas to an existing structure, there are several manufacturers, lowes and HD sell a brand of it...........

 

[sphelps]

All good advice guys I appreciate the help . I guess I will need to get the requirements from whatever appliances I plan on purchasing before buying the lines . Would hate to run undersized stuff by mistake ..

 

[bruceb58]

My tank is around 50 feet from where it enters the house. I have a tankless water heater there and then it goes around another 30 feet to a large central heater. It is 1 1/2" line.

You also need to realize that a 120 gallon tank is a very small tank. Also, the tank is only filled to 80% full. Depends on what your future plans are.

 

[bigdee]

For average household cooking a 120 gallon tank should last at least a year, most likely two.