I am not planning on doing any work on gas pipes, but I am curious.

Here are pictures of the wall behind my gas range. I pulled out the range to work on the electrical.





So back when these pipes were installed, how did they install the elbow to the left and the valve to the right?

Both of these do not have the clearance from the wall to turn and tighten, and I think the wall was there before the pipes (because it was originally a 50A circuit that was abandoned so someone along the way switch from an electric range to a gas range).

Or was it all pre-assembled then the bottom of the vertical riser dropped down to the crawlspace to connect from below?



Edited 1 times.

there IS sufficient 'spring' in the vertical to insert a wedge behind to keep it out juuusssst far enough to thread on the elbow


pry the pipe away from the wall - insert shim/wedge - pipe - remove when test complete - voila


steel pipe is actually somewhat flexible (and much less subject to damage from mishandling than plastic)




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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

And the handle can be removed off the valve.

Thanks to Sum for asking, and to bernabeu and NP16 for answering. Learned a lot from this easy one!

we will not discuss the gas valve's packing gland being right next to a receptacle


don't know about code

BUT

most definately NOT good practice





this is why (at least in theory) alterations need 'permitting' and inspection

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

bernabeu, funny you bring this up because I had the same thought. Isn't it a bad thing to have this gas valve so close to an electrical receptacle?

Last after I bought the house, I had to turn on the gas service. The gas company came by, and first did a pressure test. I have three gas devices, a gas range, a gas WH and a gas dryer. So the gas company tech pulled out the dryer, the range and shut the valves off and did his tests, and detected a slight leak. He said he cannot turn on the service until that was fixed. I asked him at the time, whether the electrical receptacle being close to the gas valve is an issue, is it to code, he said there is no code regulating proximity of gas valves and electrical receptacles.

So I called a gas plumbing service to come out, and finally found the leak. It was NOT the 3 gas fixtures I had, but an abandoned BBQ line with a bad valve on the outside buried in dirt. He deleted that branch completely. While he was there, I asked him the same, is this gas valve being so close to the receptacle an issue? Also, that valve is so far to the right, the flex line has to bent into a 190 loop. I suggest I pay him to move the valve, perhaps to the elbow to the left, or may be remove the elbow and just put in the valve vertically, to get away from the receptacle and to relieve the strain of the flex line. He refused. He said it's perfectly fine the way it is. He said there is no code saying gas valves and electrical receptacles have to be away from each other, there is code of no electrical receptacle (or anything that can arc, including covered junction boxes) within 3 feet of a gas vent, but not a gas valve.

figured it was NOT a code issue

however

as per common sense

packing(s) leak

one does not want a (tiny) leak IMMEDIATELY close to a receptacle



if it were in MY house i would change the horizontal nipple between the ell and the valve to a 'shoulder' nipple
(fixing two birds with one stone)



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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

wonder if the small correction requires a permit, retesting and that's why the guy opted not to make easy money.

theoretically, yes

but

in a readily accessible and highly visible location where a bubble test is both easy and highly visible ..... ?

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

I don't know why he didn't want to do it.

The gas service was OFF. That was the reason for his visit, the gas company says service will not be turned on until the leak was fixed. Once he found the leak due to an abandoned line coming off a tee to an outside BBQ, well what used to be an outside BBQ that's no longer there, but that line went down and got buried in the dirt along with a valve (totally dusted) and flex duct. I dug that up and he capped that line. At the time I told him I don't want that line capped and buried, I want to terminate the line where that tee was on the inside. He did it but reluctantly. Then I told him I would like to shorten this nipple behind my range to get it further away from the receptacle and to relieve the strained bend on the yellow flex line, and change to a new valve, actually I asked him to change out all three gas valves. He looked at me and said I don't need to do all that with a look like "why do you want to waste money".

I do have a feeling, that that nipple was that long, because it had to be that long to allow the valve to be threaded. A shorter nipple may not allow the line to be shimmed out far enough for the valve? That yellow flex line is really pushing against the cabinet side.

there is enough room to 'shim out' the steel pipe for the (new) valve install

simply use WHATEVER force it takes - steel pipe is VERY VERY tough - if it bends slightly, GOOD, it will be easier next time


(whatever force it takes short of a chain to hj's F450 pick-up)



==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638