Natural Gas grill hookup - any reason this is not a DIY task?

[Brian]

I swapped out my propane grill for a natural gas grill. There is a gas line stub with a shutoff valve at the right spot on the deck. I've never messed with natural gas before. Any reason this isn't something I can do myself? It looks as simple as removing the "plug" from the wall line with a wrench, hooking up the flexible hose, turning the valve on, and checking for leaks with soap and water... Should I use teflon plumber's tape as well?

[Great-Kazoo]

Use the yellow teflon , it's for natural gas. DO NOT USE the white tape. Since you're going to a NG unit there's no need to change the orifice, as you would for a propane unit.

[Wulf202]

Pipe dope is better.

You do not need to dope the flare fittings. Only the pipe fittings.

Get the next size up of flex line you think youll need. Block your grill from rolling in a storm

[newracer]

It is pretty easy. You might need to hold the pipe with a pipe wrench to get the cap/plug off and not loosen the next fitting back. I used pipe dope.

[Brian]

With natural gas, do you have to turn off the supply pipe every time you're done grilling, or are the grill controls enough?
I often didn't remember/didn't care to bother to turn off the propane tank when I used that type of grill. Pretty sure I'm not alone.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Definitely add a gas shut off. They are cheap.

[Great-Kazoo]

With natural gas, do you have to turn off the supply pipe every time you're done grilling, or are the grill controls enough?
I often didn't remember/didn't care to bother to turn off the propane tank when I used that type of grill. Pretty sure I'm not alone.

Always turned off the tank.


Definitely add a gas shut off. They are cheap.

Thanks, knew i forgot something.

[StagLefty]

I even turn off my propane tank every time I'm through grilling after watching tanks exploding years ago at an apartment fire on 88th.
They said due to the tanks being on and the hoses melting it caused the propane danger.

[kawiracer14]

Do you buy pipe dope at a dispensary?

[newracer]

With natural gas, do you have to turn off the supply pipe every time you're done grilling, or are the grill controls enough?
I often didn't remember/didn't care to bother to turn off the propane tank when I used that type of grill. Pretty sure I'm not alone.

I always shut mine off. I trust the shut off valve a lot more than the grill controls.


Definitely add a gas shut off. They are cheap.


Always turned off the tank.

Thanks, knew i forgot something.

The first post states there is already a shut off valve.


Do you buy pipe dope at a dispensary?

Since January 1 you can get it at retail locations.

[Brian]

Since January 1 you can get it at retail locations.

LOL

[james_bond_007]

May want a quick disconnect after the shutoff valve so you can easily unplug the grill if you need to (kind of like the QD on an air compressor).

Every conversion I have done has required new jets (with larger holes), in order to get the flame temp/color "correctly blue" and avoid the yellow/orange black-carbon emitting flames.
I tried to circumvent this once by using the propane jets, and tried drilling the jets another time, but in the end, it was easiest to just buy some proper jets.

This was partly due to the fact that I no longer had a regulator on the natural gas system like I did on the propane system. The new jets act as a sort of "regulator" and allow more NG to the system.
To get the same amount of BTUs from a NG system as your propane system delivered, you will need to supply about 2x more NG than propane. Thus the reason they are a bit bigger.

I can't say that you MUST do this (The KAZOO might know better and perhaps can explain why)...I can only say "I" had to do this...every time, to get the flame the way I wanted it and get rid of the yellow flame/black carbon deposits.

Either way, you will need to adjust the air shutter (area where fuel and air are mixed). Part of my problem with having to replace the jets is that I did not have "enough" adjustment on my devices for the proper air/fuel mix when using the smaller propane jets.

You should not need anyone to "install" it for you, and as long as it doesn't leak, or you don't forget to shut it off with the shutoff valve when done, you should be safe.

Note: The reason the shutoff valve is being recommended is that the grill valves should not be trusted. One can "get away" with using them on a propane tank because there is a limited supply of gas. In other words, if they leak, the propane tank will eventually run empty, and the leak will stop. With the NG system, you have essentially an Unlimited supply of gas. If the valves leak, they will never stop leaking unless you forget to pay your gas bill. [ROFL2]

Best of luck.

[rockhound]

He difference in why you had to change jets is you were converting, I believe the op said he bought a nagural gas grill, should be plug and play

[MarkCO]

Sure you can DIY.

Yes on the yellow PTFE pipe tape.

Yes on a wrench on BOTH sides of the connection when you loosen the cap and when you tighten the joints.

Yes on a shut-off valve at end of hard pipe.

Yes, shut that valve off every time.

Yes on a method to secure the grill so you don't stress the flex connector.

Yes on a method to keep kids and dogs and such away from the flex connector.

If you have a decent gas supply that was sized properly, you should be plug and play with the factory installed NG orifice (provided they sized it right).

[Irving]

If I wasn't planning my house to be a rental, I'd be all over a natural gas grill. Go for it.