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Questionsable Fuel Piping Installation

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awaltiii
awaltiii Member Posts: 17
in Oil Heating
A friend has his oil tank replaced (on my suggestion as it was 55 years old) and the contractor installed the fuel piping across the basement floor about 4 feet in front of the electric panel (see photo). I do believe this is a code violation. But I don't know where to look for the actual code.

Also the orange poly coated 1/2" copper tubing is atached to the basement walls with 1/2" EMT conduit P straps. I was under the impression straps with a rubber liner should be used for fuel line installation.

At my suggestion, my friend had a Roth tank installed and the replacement fill and vent piping is not even level and plumb. Sory, I don't have a pictue of this stuation.

Can anyone give me advice on this??

Thanks in advance.

awaltiii

Comments

  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
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    I used those straps all the time. I can't see what is to the right, but if it runs across something, I would have put it in a piece of PVC NMT electrical conduit. So anyone stepping on it wouldn't crush it. And I would have used 3/4 HW one hole conduit clamps. You only need one hole.

    Local inspectors in some local jurisdictions like to make up their own codes. Not always right.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,284
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    Is that orange poly coated, or is it the kind which is a copper pipe inside a poly pipe with little spacers, so that if you get a leak in the copper it comes out at the end and you notice it?

    Because if it is the latter, and you keep the pipe there (I do wish it were straight, but that's hard to do) it would be wise to put some sort of ramp and cover over it where it goes across the open area -- regardless of the possible problems with being too close to the electrical panel.

    Why? Because where it is exposed like that, somebody, sooner or later, is going to trip on it. Depending on how they do that, they may either just spend a minute or two cussing -- or do real damage to the pipe, the burner, the tank fittings, or the whole lot.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
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    That looks like a oil approved oil line. Code approved. They also make it in yellow for gas. It counts as being sleeved.
  • billtwocase
    billtwocase Member Posts: 2,385
    edited November 2014
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    I would have trenched that into the floor to eliminate the potential for tripping or squashing the new line. As long as the copper does not make contact with cement or earth, it is legal-in Mass anyway. I would like to see the tank pics. Roth tanks should only be installed by Roth certified Installers. That has always been their requirement, but they seem to look the other way at times. It used to void any warranty or liability. The piping should always pitch back towards the tank. That's a start on recommendations.
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
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    FWIW, I always used 3/4" PVC/NMT flexible tubing, and ran the tube inside. Even the orange stuff. You can connect two pieces with standard 3/4" PVC pressure fittings. I ran it along walls. Clamped it in place with 3/4" HW one hole conduit clamps. You can get it nice and straight to the wall, and in corners, you just bang the NMT tubing as far in to the corner as you can get it. It will take a nice bend, and never kink, no matter how hard you try. Then, bring it out from behind the boiler where the only person that might step or trip on it doesn't belong back there.

    You can make a right spiffy job out of it.

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