Faro thermopastic pipe instead of copper

[cian87]

Hi all.

I had the LPG installation on my self-build done by a gas engineer specialising in camper installations. I wanted it done by someone who knew what they were doing, so I decided to pay for expertise and peace of mind.

He fitted Faro thermoplastic pipe from the regulator to the appliances, with compression fittings. I've since read lots of posts that say this is wrong, that thermoplastic pipe is only for liquid LPG, and that only copper should be used after the regulator. Has anybody else had this type of pipe fitted from regulator to appliances?

The installation was done a few years ago, but the van build stalled and the gas system hasn't been used yet. The installer has since stopped trading. I'm currently looking for a local gas engineer to look it over, but I wanted to see what people here think too. Basildog and The Ex-Gasman , you were suggested as potential experts to be consulted

Many thanks.

 

[Speve]

These people say it’s ok?

Thermoplastic FARO (8mm) Flexible gas pipe as LPG pipe in your car or for your camper, caravan or food truck. - LPGwebshop.com

Thermoplastic FARO (8mm) Flexible gas pipe as LPG pipe in your car or for your camper, caravan or food truck. Suitable for liquid LPG and vapor gas (high and low gas pressure). Available with various couplings.

www.lpgwebshop.com

 

[Gromett]

My opinion which is worth absolutely nothing on this subject. 8mm or 10mm copper for all fixed pipework and stainless steel braided hose for non fixed pipework.

I would not be comfortable with plastic for gas pipework, personal choice.

 

[RedFrame]

You're going to get lot's of personal views on this, as Gromett has said his personal choice would be not to use it.

Obviously what you need to know, as it is already installed on your van, is if it is within current regulations.

From my research I believe it is within current regs and GasIT told me it is when I was ordering my system for self installation earlier this year.

That's the sum of my knowledge, I hope it helps.

Cheers
Red

 

[Speve]

I believe it’s a new product out there just as it was with plastic push fit for water systems and trades people were very weary of change now it is very common and much easier to use?
I can see this gas pipe becoming very popular as it will be more flexible and possibly less jointing as for being in an RTC I wouldn’t think it’s any more vulnerable than copper but that is only my opinion.

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[berni109]

Liquid or gaseous LPG it's the same thing just thay in liquid form it's compressed.
As long as he used the correct faro compression fittings it will be fine.
"Famous last words"

 

[Raul]

My high pressure line from filler point to tank it’s thermoplastic supplied by gas it, with their own proprietary fittings, definitely not push fit. It’s a proper brass cone and ring fitting. Forgot the name. Thermoplastic suppose to outlast rubber flex braided, and protected by a sleeve.
I guess, on the low pressure side, after regulator this will be overkill. I see no reason why can’t be used, but I’m not expert in lpg.

 

[Basildog]

Hi all.

I had the LPG installation on my self-build done by a gas engineer specialising in camper installations. I wanted it done by someone who knew what they were doing, so I decided to pay for expertise and peace of mind.

He fitted Faro thermoplastic pipe from the regulator to the appliances, with compression fittings. I've since read lots of posts that say this is wrong, that thermoplastic pipe is only for liquid LPG, and that only copper should be used after the regulator. Has anybody else had this type of pipe fitted from regulator to appliances?

The installation was done a few years ago, but the van build stalled and the gas system hasn't been used yet. The installer has since stopped trading. I'm currently looking for a local gas engineer to look it over, but I wanted to see what people here think too. Basildog and The Ex-Gasman , you were suggested as potential experts to be consulted

Many thanks.

Thermoplastic hose such as Faro etc has been used for many years in the automotive propulsion LPG industry.
But here’s the problem, they aren’t mentioned in any of the leisure vehicle standards, they aren’t recognised by any trade body, and don’t comply with any inspection guidelines.
They are probably absolutely fine but we don’t sell or install them on low pressure gas installations, and in fact will not sell the components to diyers or anyone we don’t have a good understanding of their skill level.
In my opinion NO professional installers would use thermoplastic hoses on low pressure installations unless they either don’t have the necessary knowledge of the standards, or are so arrogant they believe they can do as they please.
We are actually just about to start supplying the thermoplastic hoses as high pressure filler hoses but these are all factory pre assembled with the required labelling and testing .

 

[Fragle]

Plastic and gas says it all. It doesn’t sound right. Why do it?

The number of houses I turned up to install their cooker to find that the builder/gas installers had used the yellow ochre pipe the gas transporter uses to get the gas to the property.

Inside the property. The thought was they use it so must be ok. One gas installer said he used it on loads of installations from the meter into the house. Unbelievable. He’s a registered gas installer
I mean what was so hard in a van build that you would not run 6/10mm copper. It’s not hard or that expensive.

Problem is Joe blog relying on these so called experts. Rant over I’d reroute in copper if I was you.

 

[Odd-no-more]

Thermoplastic hose such as Faro etc has been used for many years in the automotive propulsion LPG industry.
But here’s the problem, they aren’t mentioned in any of the leisure vehicle standards, they aren’t recognised by any trade body, and don’t comply with any inspection guidelines.
They are probably absolutely fine but we don’t sell or install them on low pressure gas installations, and in fact will not sell the components to diyers or anyone we don’t have a good understanding of their skill level.
In my opinion NO professional installers would use thermoplastic hoses on low pressure installations unless they either don’t have the necessary knowledge of the standards, or are so arrogant they believe they can do as they please.
We are actually just about to start supplying the thermoplastic hoses as high pressure filler hoses but these are all factory pre assembled with the required labelling and testing .

It's not something I have come across, when I was working the only pipes allowed were copper, iron or Tracpipe.

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[MisterB]

It's not something I have come across, when I was working the only pipes allowed were copper, iron or Tracpipe.

and i was weaned on lead gas piping .....

 

[Odd-no-more]

and i was weaned on lead gas piping .....

Yes I had forgotten about lead, mainly before my time although I have done a couple of cup joints from lead to copper including as upside down one, I will admit to taking two goes at that

 

[MisterB]

Thank god for lead clamps to hold the pipes together as we soldered them !! And those poor moles, without any skin ... sacrificing themselves so we could wipe joints, though my gaffer used to use cardboard and lots of tallow, just because he could! Doubt we will see the likes of him in the future in this country though I love watching YouTube's of mainly Asian workers repairing things, some of them are master craftsmen!

 

[mitzimad]

my son la strada regent had plastic gas piping to everything factory built

 

[cian87]

Thermoplastic hose such as Faro etc has been used for many years in the automotive propulsion LPG industry.
But here’s the problem, they aren’t mentioned in any of the leisure vehicle standards, they aren’t recognised by any trade body, and don’t comply with any inspection guidelines.
They are probably absolutely fine but we don’t sell or install them on low pressure gas installations, and in fact will not sell the components to diyers or anyone we don’t have a good understanding of their skill level.
In my opinion NO professional installers would use thermoplastic hoses on low pressure installations unless they either don’t have the necessary knowledge of the standards, or are so arrogant they believe they can do as they please.
We are actually just about to start supplying the thermoplastic hoses as high pressure filler hoses but these are all factory pre assembled with the required labelling and testing .

Many thanks for this very comprehensive reply. I had a similar reply from Gas It:

"Whilst the thermoplastic pipe is perfectly capable of carrying such low pressures ( as its designed for lpg pressures significantly higher than it has been used for in your application and works filling lpg tanks and bottles at 150 psi which is 10,342.1 mb) but it is copper pipe that is the only product that is certified for inside use and our thermoplastic is only certified for carrying lpg liquid for filling of lpg tanks and that’s how we advertise and sell it ( as you will see on our webshop also)

For info your regulator will push 30 mb into the pipe so there’s no risk of it busting but as the engineers you asked and us say, it’s not certified for the job it’s been fitted to.

We see several companies in the UK selling and using thermoplastic pipe as your engineer has used it, Propex are one well known company to use it on the regulator side but we don’t recommend it ourselves."

So I'm in a bit of a rubbish situation. Do I trust that it's probably fine, as some companies do do it, or do I fork out to get someone to replace all the piping, including re-routing some of it as the original route is now inaccessible... For peace of mind at the very least, I'm leaning toward the latter.

I'm so close to finishing the build, but also close to exhaustion with the process, and this has thrown a real demoralising spanner in the works.

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[Wanderlust]

I suppose one issue might be insurance, if it is not certified and you have a claim would they honour it ?

 

[Fragle]

I suppose one issue might be insurance, if it is not certified and you have a claim would they honour it ?

Do you think an insurance company will pay out?

Not a chance.

As said. I’ve come across numerous instances of pipe work inside the house that the gas transporter use. It can take the pressure.
But is not certified inside the property.
This would have then resulted in warning notices being issued to the owner.

I’m then called a jobsworth. You just don’t want to install the cooker and the guy that installed it was qualified so it’s ok.
It’s easy just use copper

 

[terryway]

It's not something I have come across, when I was working the only pipes allowed were copper, iron or Tracpipe.

 

[berni109]

It's done and it's not leaking. No more likely to leak than copper.
As long as you have proper faro compression fittings (not barbed with a jubilee clip) I would just leave it alone.