Brazing Copper Gas Line

[HarrisHeating]

Hello,   

      Maybe someone could help me here with the code in regards to Brazing copper gas line. My company was asked to move a gas line inside a building and one of our techs told me he had called tssa to see if he needed a brazing ticket to touch it. Tssa told us we needed to get a Brazing Certificate which is needed to braze for refrigeration and also gas.  So if this was true, can someone tell me the pressure that this is a requirement for? Because I see brazed gaslines in houses all the time. So would that be legal??

Thanks

[Admin]

It's unlikely the gas line was brazed because of a certain gas pressure.  More likely it was brazed to avoid buying fittings.  In the case of welding I believe it's required for piping over 2-1/2" in diameter.  Table 6.3, of the Gas Code, doesn't mention brazing but states that welded joints be tested at the greater of 50 psig or 1.5 times the maximum operating pressure.

Here are the codes pertaining to brazing,

Clause 6.9.9 - A joint in seamless copper, brass, or steel tubing shall be made by
(a) a flared joint;
(b) an approved fitting, other than a metallic ball sleeve compression-type fitting;
(c) brazing with a material that has a melting point exceeding 10000F (5250C); or
(d) press-connect fitting.

Clause 6.15.3 - Underground tubing systems shall be joined or connected by brazing, approved mechanical compression or press-connect fittings.

The TSSA has a Welding / Brazing section here,

https://www.tssa.org/regulated/boilers/weldingandbrazing.aspx

Read their Welding / Brazing FAQ here,

https://www.tssa.org/regulated/boilers/wedlingBrazingQuestions.aspx

It would probably be cheaper to use a flare, compression or press-connect fitting on your copper gas line instead of getting a certificate to braze.

There are some exemptions regarding brazing.

Download the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Director's Order BPV-07-01 - Here

Notwithstanding subsection 2.(2)(i) of Ontario Regulation 220/01 (Boilers and Pressure Vessels), the regulation does not apply to refrigeration piping that has a capacity of three tons (11 kW) or less of refrigeration or a capacity of five tons (18 kW) or less of refrigeration in an air conditioning system.

Download the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Additional Exemptions Director's Order  - Here

2. Effective immediately the following exemptions to Ontario Regulation 220/01 are added to subsection 2(2) of that regulation.

c) Piping, pressure vessels and fittings regulated under any one of the following:

(1) Ontario Regulation No. 210/01 being the Ontario Regulation made under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 for Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems,

(2) Ontario Regulation No. 212/01 being the Ontario Regulation made under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 for Gaseous Fuels,

(3) Ontario Regulation No. 211/01 being the Ontario Regulation made under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 for Propane Storage and Handling,

It mentions piping but not tubing.  Ontario Regulation 220/01 defines piping,

"piping" means a system of pipes that is used to contain a gas, vapour or liquid under pressure and includes any boiler, pressure vessel or fitting connected to such system;

Perhaps piping includes cooper tubing in regards to the BPV regulations.

Download the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Director's Order BPV-13-01-R2 - Here

There are more exemptions listed in there.

You can download Ontario Regulation 220/01 - Boilers and Pressure Vessels and key changes - Here.

Does your co-worker know what Code or Regulation the TSSA was using to enforce BPV regulations on a gas line?  I do not believe you need a brazing certificate to touch the gas line.  If you move the gas line just remove any brazed joints and replace them with a flared coupling fitting.

[Porcupinepuffer]

If my memory serves me from when we did brazing during the G3 course less than a year ago, they never mentioned we would need any certificate to do the brazing. It was definitely mentioned that you needed the proper welding certificates to do black iron over 2 inches...
I've seen tons of copper lines and ran endless copper lines and I can count on one hand how many times I've seen them with brazed joints... I never plan to braze a copper gas line as long as I'm installing them. Taking out the odd ball tools, a swage, torches, setting off the customers smoke alarms is just a waste of time for how long it takes me to do a proper looking joint with a flared coupling and two nuts.... and if something happens where the joint somehow cracks and develops a leak, it's 100% your fault, whereas you can still TRY and put partial blame of a leak on a flare from manufacturer defects 

You also need to make sure an existing gas lines were ran after the code changes no longer allowed refrigeration copper to be used with gas lines. If they're refrigeration copper lines, the entire line has to be changed, or left alone.