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OT LP gas tank revisited

P

pat sublett

Well-known Member
Grounding or not. After previous discussion, considering content of discussions, The only conclusion that I came to is, no one knows. But I have applied the following logic: because my line going to the tank is not copper but aluminum with a plastic coating, therefore it will not be grounded by the line nor is it setting on the ground but on concrete. It will not be grounded by either of the previous conditions either of wich would be normal. My tank is isolated from ground although most tanks are not. It seems that grounding it would not cause any problems while isolating it from ground would be unusial therefore I am going to ground it. Thanks for the discussion.
 
It shouldn't hurt but like I said it my reply I have never seen a residential tank grounded in 13 years of setting tanks and training. What makes you think a concrete slab would be more insulated than concrete blocks?
 
Aluminum? Are you sure you are not using Corrugated Stainless Steel CSST. That needs a ground somewhere but I do not have the code next to me so I am fuzzy on the wording. I think it is in the fire code
 
I just had to help my boss replumb his tank.

He had added on to the garage, which put the tank less than the required 10' from a building. The supplier refused to fill it until it was moved.

He had a slab poured, I stubbed up the poly line by the slab. The supplier came out, moved the tank, connected and pressure tested the plumbing, filled it up.

There was nothing said about a ground.
 
There is coated aluminum tubing I've seen a sample of but haven't see it used on any jobs I've been at. Csst inside the house is required to be bonded to the house electrical ground. I don't remember any requirements about outside use except per manufactures requirements. But the inside system is supposed to be isolated from the outside metal piping by a dielectric union.
 
This must be a relatively new concept. I can't see enough gas passing through a pipe to create static electricity. In any case I bet the grounded tanks are a rare commodity. It's not a problem that needs fixing.
 
(quoted from post at 21:19:21 11/23/17) It shouldn't hurt but like I said it my reply I have never seen a residential tank grounded in 13 years of setting tanks and training. What makes you think a concrete slab would be more insulated than concrete blocks?
Click to expand...

Exactly! I have never seen an LP tank that was not setting on concrete blocks or a concrete slab, and I have never seen any that had any kind of grounding apparatus.
 
RE . . ."The only conclusion that I came to is, no one knows."

What do you mean, "no one knows?"

You asked if you "need to ground your tank." The answer is NO, plain and simple IF "need" means required by NFPA code.

On the other hand if you "need" to do it to feel better that is different story.

The NFPA (national fire protection association) parts 58 and 77 has a lot of info dedicated to static electricity. Nothing that states grounding an LP tank is a requirement, nor is it even suggested IF the tank sits on the ground, concrete blocks, etc.
 
I cant speak for your jurisdiction or any relevant local government authority or inspectors etc.,, but LP gas tanks were not bonded to "grounding electrodes" such as driven into earth copper rods or other approved electrodes in our area. In our jurisdiction when an electrical service was installed which required bonding to "all readily available Grounding Electrodes" LP Gas piping (often copper tubing) was not included. Simply setting on mother earth or on concrete blocks or slabs setting on mother earth is not the same as an effective and NEC approved "Grounding Electrode"

John T Long retired and rusty Electrical Engineer so nooooooooo warranty, things may have changed.
 
The thory on bonding is that; The potential between any two indipendantly grounded objects can be twice the potential as the single object. The resistance of the bonding conductor is significant, however; meaning that the size of the conductor required is impracticle if the distaance is greater than a few feet.
 
My theory is don't ground it. Lightning looks for a way to get to ground. If a grounded LP tank is convenient lightning will choose the grounded tank over the tree next to it because it has a lower resistance path to ground. Do you really want lightning to strike your LP tank.
 
". The resistance of the bonding conductor is significant"

Indeed, we sometimes specified braided copper for a Grounding Electrode Conductor BUT WOW WAS IT EXPENSIVE even more then No 4 Copper

Nice chatting with you

John T
 
I often don't get too excited about what codes call for or not. Example ever since I can remember there has been conflicts about whether the neutral should be bonded to the ground in a electrical breaker box, different jurisdictions different requirement. All circuit breaker boxes come with the option to bond or not. Both can't be right. When I was a kid in the 30s and 40s, trucks hauling gasoline had to have a 3/8 chain attached to the fram and other end dragging on the ground. I don't see any trucks going down the road dragging a chain anymore. Physics didn't change only the regulation.
 
When I worked in the propane industry we never grounded the tanks. Plus I've never seen on grounded from one of our competitors.
 
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