Nat. Gas/LPG Maxitrols:

icesailor

Stupid question but I can't get an answer to.

I have a large gas burner that was ordered and installed wrong. It was ordered as Nat. Gas and should have been LPG. The previous installer didn't install the gas train properly and left a lot of required things out. The gas train needed to be 2" for Nat. Gas. It could have been 1 1/2" with LPG, even 1 1/4". The 2" gas regulator was a Maxitrol. I ordered a 1 1/2" one to get more room. I was told that they don't make LPG ones anymore and they just give you a spring. Are you supposed to write on the valve that it is converted and the new LPG pressure? All I got was a plastic Zip-Lock Baggie with a spring in it. No instructions.

Ironman

Regulator Spring

Ice,



You're doing better than I am: I didn't even get the plastic bag, just the spring.



Seriously, the only thing I know to do is also get a roll of "Propane" labels or write it on the reg with a sharpie marker.

Tim McElwain

It has to be tagged with a printed label

stating the pressure range say 8" W.C. to 12" W.C. and converted to LP Gas and the date of conversion.



If you have the original number of the regulator you can go to Maxitrol web site and get the LP conversion information. I am going to do that myself later if I find some time.

icesailor

LP Conversions:

This sounds like a shoot show waiting to happen.

When given this info to me by my supplier, I asked about it. This is all that was told to them and me. Whenever I convert an appliance from Nat. Gas to LPG, there is a sticker I have to fill out and instructions on what to do. Is there an adjustment?

If Maxitrol is going to sell you a conversion spring kit, they ought to send you a sticker with the new numbers on it with the new output pressures.

I guess it's like my old late boss used to say. When you get in this league, you're supposed to know what you are doing.

Bob Harper

proper fuel conversions

In order to maintain the listing of the valve itself and thus of the appliance as a whole, a mfr. is required to provide an OEM conversion kit with instructions and specifications. The conversion must include appropripate labeling noting the conversion, new fuel type, orifice, BTU input, manifold pressure, date and name of who converted it.

I did a lot of fuel conversions in my day using a revolving stock of common parts.Now I use kits that come in sealed plastic that include concise instructions. Then I test the appliance's gas presssures along with combustion analysis to ensure it was done properly.

Different mfr. have different requirements. I've converted fireplaces that required a complete burner changer, air shutter tweak by performance, pilot burner and main burner orfice replacements, replacement manifold pressure regulators then tweak the manifold pressure to meet spec. Recently, I converted a Bosch Mod/Con that required replacement of a plug & play chip on the board then adjust the fuel mixing valve guided by combustion analysis through the exhaust test port provided.

There is huge liability when a fuel conversion is not done per mfr. specs using OEM parts. Don't forget to test for combustible gas leaks, too.

HTH

icesailor

Conversions

This is not the first conversion that I have ever done. I tried to order the proper valve. I was sent a NG valve. When I questioned it, I was told that the "rep" said that they weren't making LP valves in that size and I had to convert it myself. I questioned that and that is why I posted it here. Where I work, everything is LP but all appliances come NG. There are detailed instructions on how to do the conversions. The regulator usually has detailed instructions and inside, a plastic plug that you must flip over to change the spring tension for LP.

Just because someone tells me something, doesn't mean I have to believe it is so.

Tim McElwain

Ice I would contact the

boiler manufacturer as I assume this is a CSD-1 type installation which has a special gas train requirement along with Massachusetts requirements.