Copper tube has been used for LPG (Liquid Propane Gas) systems, since their inception many decades ago. Originally most common in 100-lb propane "bottles" located against the outside walls of homes, propane is now just as common in 25-lb bottles for outdoor barbecues, and in 250-gallon and 500-gallon tanks, or for even larger systems, with one or more 1000 gallon tanks.

Propane, which has a higher BTU/Calorific rating than natural gas, is supplied in liquid form by a propane company, and in the storage tank, is under natural pressure to change into a gas. At the top of each tank is a valve and a regulator. In the case of large systems, the regulator at the tank controls the gas pressure to 15 psig as it exits from the tank, and another regulator at the building reduces this to 7 oz./in². The same basic considerations apply when installing copper for any gas system, and the local propane supply company should be consulted for exact details.

Copper tube has been well known for decades for its ease of handling, adaptability to installation circumstances, reliability and trouble-free performance. As mentioned previously, part of the early Canadian experience with copper tube for natural gas systems, was when existing propane systems were converted to natural gas, without retubing. These were systems where the original tube dimensions were adequate to meet the demands of the appliances, taking into consideration the lower calorific value of natural gas, and resizing was not necessary. These systems continue to give excellent performance.


General Purpose copper tube has been used for decades for the distribution lines in propane gas installations.