The use of 4-ways cross in natural gas pipe system

adavis

Hello, I am looking for some opinions on the use of a 4-way cross in natural gas pipe system to supply two appliances off the main, instead of using two tees piped close together. Is there any difference in flow or pressure drop? I have only seen a cross used in the field two times most are tees.

Thank you for your time.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Unusual to use crosses. I guess there is no reason not to except for cost which is probably the reason they are avoided.

EdTheHeaterMan

You want to avoid bushings on gas pipe. Many AHJ will not approve a gas piping with a bushing to reduce the pipe size. That said, if you use a cross fitting, I have not been able to find a reducing cross. This means that you will need a nipple and a reducing coupling or elbow to transition from the main gas pipe size to the branch size.

I can't see an application where the full main pipe size would be needed to go three ways after the cross fitting.

But sometimes, looks are everything, and if you have a plan that looks better with a cross in lieu of two tees... Go for it.

adavis

EdTheHeaterMan said:

You want to avoid bushings on gas pipe. Many AHJ will not approve a gas piping with a bushing to reduce the pipe size. That said, if you use a cross fitting, I have not been able to find a reducing cross. This means that you will need a nipple and a reducing coupling or elbow to transition from the main gas pipe size to the branch size.

I can't see an application where the full main pipe size would be needed to go three ways after the cross fitting.

But sometimes, looks are everything, and if you have a plan that looks better with a cross in lieu of two tees... Go for it.

That's a good point that I did not think of, I have also not seen a cross that reduced it's branch ports. I agree it would be far more costly to pipe a cross with reducing couplings if there are alot of appliances to hit.

If someone were to produce a cross with reducing branch ports it would make a very good looking pipe job. say on a roof with packaged AC units or straight heaters.

Thank you

hot_rod

There are reducing crosses available, they seem to only drop one pipe size however. Here is a Ward brand 1-1/4 X 1"

mattmia2

The number of combinations of reducing fittings goes up what geometrically with the number of ports so it would not really be practical to manufacture and distribute all of the possible reducing cross combinations.