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Started By
Message
Natural gas pressure/flow volume issue (possible regulator or other problem)
Posted on 9/4/21 at 7:22 pm
Posted on 9/4/21 at 7:22 pm
My whole home generator hasn’t run more than a few house the whole storm aftermath. After it’s initial daily few hour run in the morning, it doesn’t run more than a few min from manual start. I have neighbors that haven’t turned them off other than to service them and crank them right up. Gas company came out and said my issue is low pressure. Generator installer said the same.
My line pressures up from the regulator/meter to 7inH2o of pressure at the generator. Generator cranks up and sucks the line dry to 0 pressure faster than my gas system can keep up and dies (I witnessed this on the pressure gauge at the generator). Also, I can light the stove and watch the flame die during this process as well. Everything turns off and my system refills to 7inH2o and does it all over again.
Atmos came the other day and showed between 2-4psi before the regulator. The tech said it should be 35psi-50psi. So at min (2psi), that’s 55inH2o, way more pressure than I need.
I’m trying to think logically through this. There’s pressure in the main line more than enough to supply me. Why would it not be keeping up? Fill, get sucked down to 0, fill again, rinse, repeat. Regulator issue? Not enough pressure in the main line for the regulator to work properly?
Help me out.
My line pressures up from the regulator/meter to 7inH2o of pressure at the generator. Generator cranks up and sucks the line dry to 0 pressure faster than my gas system can keep up and dies (I witnessed this on the pressure gauge at the generator). Also, I can light the stove and watch the flame die during this process as well. Everything turns off and my system refills to 7inH2o and does it all over again.
Atmos came the other day and showed between 2-4psi before the regulator. The tech said it should be 35psi-50psi. So at min (2psi), that’s 55inH2o, way more pressure than I need.
I’m trying to think logically through this. There’s pressure in the main line more than enough to supply me. Why would it not be keeping up? Fill, get sucked down to 0, fill again, rinse, repeat. Regulator issue? Not enough pressure in the main line for the regulator to work properly?
Help me out.
3
Posted on 9/4/21 at 7:50 pm to Coon
quote:
Regulator issue? Not enough pressure in the main line for the regulator to work properly?
This, with such low pressure upstream of the regulator, it can’t replenish the volume of gas through the regulator.
Posted on 9/4/21 at 8:09 pm to LSUtigerME
Thanks for the response. Especially from an me.
What would be the cause of all my neighbors not having issues and mine having issues? I’m not asking because I’m mad at them, one of them has two cords coming through my window, just trying to figure it out.
What would be the cause of all my neighbors not having issues and mine having issues? I’m not asking because I’m mad at them, one of them has two cords coming through my window, just trying to figure it out.
Posted on 9/4/21 at 8:44 pm to Coon
quote:
What would be the cause of all my neighbors not having issues and mine having issues?
Do they have the same pressure? Same size generator? Same regulator?
Posted on 9/4/21 at 8:52 pm to LSUtigerME
Same genset and regulator. Atmos didn’t check their pressure.
Posted on 9/4/21 at 10:25 pm to Coon
The few nat gas generators I installed we used a larger diameter pipe in a long length to store and initial volume of gas for the startup and surge demand. Ex: 2” pipe x 20’ when the gas line is only 3/4”.
Posted on 9/4/21 at 10:31 pm to Coon
quote:
Same genset and regulator. Atmos didn’t check their pressure.
Based on that, it would have to be an issue with your supply line, or something wrong with your regulator.
If you can check their pressure, or swap regulators, you can narrow down the issue.
Posted on 9/5/21 at 12:33 pm to LSUtigerME
I think you have a lot of people using propane gen sets on your service pressure is one thing but volume is another when normally you are running appliances water heater etc you have enough volume now add generators and they are hardly efficient and you are seeing loss of fuel maybe consider converting to propane put in a tank
Posted on 9/5/21 at 1:58 pm to Cracker
What size line is the generator on and how far from the meter? I think the standard home meter is like 250 CFH. Your regulator most likely can exceed the meters flow rating. It sounds like the regulator before your meter is jacked, or the gas pipe is to small going to your generator. Unless you go to a 2 psi regulator you have to think volume. Even the low pressure regulator can flow a lot of volume, but the volume you can flow in the pipes is dependent on their size. All that fluid dynamics shite. You take a volume flow penalty for the pipe size, each 90, T, and even the material the pipe is made from.
Even my 30 KW operates from the standard 1/4 psi, but it is plumbed with about 10 feet of 2” pipe right by the meter and Entergy changed out our standard meter to, if I remember right, a 550 CFH meter with a little larger flow rates regulator. That generator specs out at about 450 something CFH under full load. I wouldn’t think a standard generac air cooled 20 KW unit would require more than around 200 CFH at full load.
I vote bad regulator or your supply piping not being able to handle the volume.
Here is a link to a fairly decent calculator. LINK
Edit: I’ve helped a few friends with the portable units with NG conversions. A few tips.
A Goodyear rubber garden hose works great as a supply line. On most meters you can put a T in the section that had the drop to catch any debris. Adapt it down to a 3/4 or higher ball valve and use a 3/4 quick connect or in an emergency a barbed fitting and hose clamps. The shorter the hose the better, 10 feet or less can supply all the gas a 6000 or 8000 portable will need. The most we have been successful in running close to rated watts with was about 25 feet. If you buy a dual fuel and it has a low pressure regulator on the generator and a step down regulator to connect to the propane tank, it will run natural gas with no problem. Just don’t use the hose with the high pressure regulator. The low pressure regulators are about the size of a IHOP pancake. The high pressure ones look more like BBQ grill regulators.
Even my 30 KW operates from the standard 1/4 psi, but it is plumbed with about 10 feet of 2” pipe right by the meter and Entergy changed out our standard meter to, if I remember right, a 550 CFH meter with a little larger flow rates regulator. That generator specs out at about 450 something CFH under full load. I wouldn’t think a standard generac air cooled 20 KW unit would require more than around 200 CFH at full load.
I vote bad regulator or your supply piping not being able to handle the volume.
Here is a link to a fairly decent calculator. LINK
Edit: I’ve helped a few friends with the portable units with NG conversions. A few tips.
A Goodyear rubber garden hose works great as a supply line. On most meters you can put a T in the section that had the drop to catch any debris. Adapt it down to a 3/4 or higher ball valve and use a 3/4 quick connect or in an emergency a barbed fitting and hose clamps. The shorter the hose the better, 10 feet or less can supply all the gas a 6000 or 8000 portable will need. The most we have been successful in running close to rated watts with was about 25 feet. If you buy a dual fuel and it has a low pressure regulator on the generator and a step down regulator to connect to the propane tank, it will run natural gas with no problem. Just don’t use the hose with the high pressure regulator. The low pressure regulators are about the size of a IHOP pancake. The high pressure ones look more like BBQ grill regulators.
This post was edited on 9/5/21 at 2:09 pm
Posted on 9/5/21 at 1:59 pm to Coon
I couldn’t having sworn my plumber put an 11”H2O regulator for my generator. I have a 24Kw Generac. We also ran a 1-1/2 line to it. I know for sure we have an 11”H2O regulator on our 35Kw at our office because we were having problems with it surging when the gas heaters were on in the winter and it ran it’s exercise program. So we put a gauge at the inlet on the generator and adjusted the regulator till we had 11”h20 with the heaters on.
Posted on 9/5/21 at 2:12 pm to lsujunky
I was going to mention adjusting the regulator but without a manometer and knowing how to adjust the regulator, you are looking at trouble.
I’m also one of the lucky people who’s gas pressure is at the upper end of the 5.5 to 10.5 wc level.
I’m also one of the lucky people who’s gas pressure is at the upper end of the 5.5 to 10.5 wc level.
Posted on 9/5/21 at 6:14 pm to Coon
The regulator has an orfice in it; it’s likely that it’s too small for the needed volume of gas.
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