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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 886
H
Member
I had gas run into my house a few years ago. The gas company excavated the main out on the street and I happen to notice one guy sitting on the back of the truck whittling the end of a stick to a point. Curiosity got the best of me and I walk over and ask him what the stick for. "You'll see" he says.

The other guy gets up out of the hole and gets a pneumatic drill from the truck (there is a compressor on the truck). He looks around for a twist drill in a drawer, couldn't find a sharp one and asks me if I have one, 3/8 would be good. I go to my truck and find a 5/16, "good enough" he says. He then chucks the drill bit in the drill, jumps down in the hole and proceeds to drill a hole in the 4" medium pressure gas main.

So, right about then I'm wondering whether to run but I notice the other guys don't seem concerned at all. I watch as this guy drills and just as the drill bit is about to break through the guy with the stick finishes whittling and tosses it down to the guy with the drill. Now as gas is hissing out of the hole the guy takes the stick and jams the pointed end into the hole plugging it. He then puts a saddle and valve body down over the stick, tightens the U bolts, pulls out the stick and screws in the valve.

Needless to say nobody was smoking...

-Hal

Arc Flash PPE Clothing, LOTO & Insulated Tools
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Cool story Hal!, [Linked Image]
However, I have to agree that professionalism within your own trade is a bonus.
I've done things that would make a usual Electrician cringe, but I'm used to doing it, even on 230V-66kV lines.
I think to a certain extent, it's when it all goes wrong, that we we tend to hear it more often.
Just my take on things. [Linked Image]

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,143
D
Member
Hey, E57, forewarn me if you'll be working in my jurisdiction, huh? [Linked Image]

Reminds me of the story of the excavating company that was digging out an old water line when the accidentally nailed the gas feed.

The painter came out of the house complaining of "smell of gas", and said he was going to his van for a minute.

A second later the thermostat called for heat...

The house blew. The operator was protected by the cage on the machine, and the debris blew over the two guys in the hole.

Oops.

(And yes, we did manage to put out what was left after the resulting fire)

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 30
H
Member
When I was young punk and building a deck on the back side of mom's trailer, I managed to cleanly remove (with a post hole digger) a 6" chunk of 1/2" plastic gas line from the incoming feed, before our meter. (Prior to One-Call, of course.)

Saturday evening, mid-summer and I've got LOTS of gas blowing from a hole in the ground. Ran to gramma's place and called (I don't know...911?) for help. Service guy shows up 20 minutes later and proceeds to lean down in that little hole and install a 2 piece splice and then test with soap solution...all while smoking a cigarette. Said the gas was too high a concentration to blow up!

Now I'm not a rocket scientist, but I do gas concentration calc's a lot...and even then I knew what LEL's and UEL's were. At least enough to understand that SOMEWHERE in the area he had to walk through to get to that "leak".

I watched excitedly from around the corner of the house, about 100 feet away...luck bastidge.

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
Gas fitter, going up fast. At 13000 feet, he sees another guy on his way down.

"Hey buddy! Know anything about gas explosions?!"

"Nope!- Know anything about parachutes?!"

Alan


Wood work but can't!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
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Hazmat,
My interpretation of Gas ignition, is that it requires either a Spark or a Flame to ignite it.
A cigarette alone would not ignite gas.
However I could be wrong and will not be held responsible for any idiots that want to experiment with this concept!.

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
I wish I had a quid for each time I've seen people smoking while refuelling mowers and motorbikes, changing gas bottles or cleaning brushes in solvent- none of whom have gone whooosh! I bet the difference between the temperature of a cigarette-tip and the ignition temperatures would be a close call though. And, of course, Mike, they have to light the cigarette with a.... flame!

Alan


Wood work but can't!
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