[VACList] Re: VACList Digest V3 #207

["Lee Pierce" <leefrankpierce@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have reciently gone through the water heater change out also and
had the same bad advice given to me from people who should know 
about propane. I eventually asked the mailing list and decided to go with
the same style copper lines that were origionally in the trailer. I
then noticed that the copper lines that I had been told should not be
used had natrual gass written on the packaging, so I became much less
worried. I believe the flex hose you mention is an accident waiting
to happen. Use the flair fittings and a little pipe thread putty to
help you tighten the flare nuts and I think you will be fine. All my
lines and fittings except the regulator and flex hoses came from home
depot. I have never done it before but it all seems to work great.
One suggestion is to leave the final fitting at the water heater a
bit loose, turn on the propane gass, wait a few seconds for the gass
to fill the pipes and then tighten it. Be shure to allow time and
ventilation to the area before lighting the pilot. For some reason I
didn't take letting the gass fill the pipes into account and almost
ripped the new water heater out when the pilot light wouldn't light.
I eventually got smart, bled the pipes and everything works great
now.
 
To mount it I used auminum plate cut with a skill saw equipped with a
metal cutting blade to fill the area origionally covered by the
origional water heater and then cut a new hole in the plate to fit
the new water heater.