Gas Bottle Placement Regulations

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#2657766 16-Feb-2021 19:42

Handle9:

The gas contractor may be gone (or may not). IME for services the council relies on the certifying contractor rather than inspecting everything themselves - building inspectors aren't competent to inspect services, they don't have the expertise. If the installation is certified as compliant (in line with the regs) then that's generally enough to get COC.

CCC.

Yep. Another issue may be whether a gasfitter actually needed to issue a formal CoC in ~2008. I suspect possibly not, Gas safety regs changed in 2010, but if there are docs, they should be attached to the building CCC docs.

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#2657767 16-Feb-2021 19:43

networkn:

Which is pretty weird, since Gas likely won't go "around" a corner to get to an ignition point. It's not "more" safe with a wall between them.

Gas can flow in any direction aided by the air movement, including around corners (although with propane and butane being heavier than air it will tend to flow downwards).

The hope is that by the specified distance it will be dilute enough to have a concentration below the lower explosive limit. Adding a wall to go around increases the distance and hence the likely dilution of the gas from a leak.

gregmcc

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#2657801 16-Feb-2021 20:53

Handle9:

Beccara:

Is the heatpump gas or electric? if electric the installation of it and it's COC would have not considered the gas system in any way? unless i'm missing something

I don't think you can't install within an explosion zone without using EX rated gear.

@gregmcc would have a better idea.

The only electrical gear that can be in a hazardous area is the directly associated equipment or electrical equipment installed in accordance with As/NZS3000:2007, 7.7.2.4 (such as EX rated as per AS/NZS 60079.14) so a heat pump is a big NO, I would argue that the earth pin would be allowed as it is designed to keep the ground at the same (or close to) the same electrical potential as earthed metalwork (it stops you from getting electric shocks)

rogercruse

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#2657894 16-Feb-2021 21:37

Use the smaller 9kg bottles. less regulation and you can swap the bottles at many places.

Scott3

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#2657970 16-Feb-2021 23:01

rogercruse:

Use the smaller 9kg bottles. less regulation and you can swap the bottles at many places.

Much higher price per kWh. Might not be too much of a big deal if OP is only running a cook top.

networkn

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#2657971 16-Feb-2021 23:03

Water, heating and cooking all Gas. 9KG would be wildly inconvenient.

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Paul1977

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#2658086 17-Feb-2021 10:04

I think walls are the best bet if possible. But I assume you'll need two as I imagine the gas bottles are in between the door and heat pump.

At the current 700mm and 1m the walls wouldn't have to be very deep at all. Wouldn't even have to be full height since the measurement is taken from the base of the cylinder and gets less the higher up you go.

Do you have a diagram or photo shows the current layout?

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#2658103 17-Feb-2021 10:37

networkn:

Water, heating and cooking all Gas. 9KG would be wildly inconvenient.

Are you in a natural gas area? An install might be economic with all that stuff running on gas.

If in Auckland:

https://www.vector.co.nz/personal/get-connected/gas-estimator

networkn

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#2658104 17-Feb-2021 10:38

Unfortunately natural gas is not available directly outside your property.

mclean

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#2658109 17-Feb-2021 10:45

The relevant standard in 2006 was NZS 5261:2003. It was superseded by NZS 5601.1:2010, subsequently amended to the current NZS 5601.1:2013.

The requirements for separation from ignition sources and from wall/drainage openings haven't changed over that period.

NZ Building Code Acceptable Solution G11/AS1 has always called one of those standards (since 1997), so the standards have always been mandatory for compliance with the Building Code. The only exception might be if the gas system was designed under some "alternative solution", which is exceedingly unlikely.

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#2658116 17-Feb-2021 11:05

mclean:

The relevant standard in 2006 was NZS 5261:2003. It was superseded by NZS 5601.1:2010, subsequently amended to the current NZS 5601.1:2013.

The requirements for separation from ignition sources and from wall/drainage openings haven't changed over that period.

NZ Building Code Acceptable Solution G11/AS1 has always called one of those standards (since 1997), so the standards have always been mandatory for compliance with the Building Code. The only exception might be if the gas system was designed under some "alternative solution", which is exceedingly unlikely.

Thanks for clarifying.

I think we will need to move the heatpump condenser onto the roof, and then we can move the gas bottles further to the left to comply.

I assume getting slightly longer flexible pipes is no drama? The arrow designates 1m from door entry. If I get a longer pipe, and move the right hand bottle to the left of the left hand one, we should comply.

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Paul1977

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#2658137 17-Feb-2021 11:58

Double check that the window (unless it's not an opening window) to the left is at least 500mm higher than the valve on the gas bottle too, since you're looking at moving one of the bottles directly under it.

Assuming you can put a longer hose on it, you'll need a gas fitter to do that and certify it.

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#2658148 17-Feb-2021 12:11

Also, make sure there are no downpipes within 1m. They can't be within 1m of the opening into the storm water at the bottom of a downpipe either. Not sure if the same applies to gully traps.