HOW TO EXTEND YOUR GAS HOSE

Have you been looking to add or extend your barbecue hose by 5 or even 10 feet, but you're not quite sure how?

Maybe you're looking to shift your barbecue across your deck, or just want to add a few extra feet so you can move it closer come winter time? (We wouldn't blame you.) 

Regardless of the reasoning, we're here to help you successfully and, most importantly, safely, install a hose extension to your barbecue.

Please Note: We do not recommend having a hose above 20 feet in length as it might cause a decrease in pressure. Causing your unit to under fire (and nobody wants that!)

Now before we get started, you should shut off your gas at the source before beginning this process.

Firstly, before you look to add an extension hose onto your barbecue, you must first take off the original hose. 

Why, do you ask? This is because the hose on your barbecue is what needs to plug into your gas line, so the extension is placed between the unit and the original hose.  This is done using appropriately sized wrenches, or adjustable wrenches.

Secondly, we need to prepare the extension hose so that it properly adapts to the existing unit and hose. 

This is done by applying pipe sealant to the male end of the hose and attaching a flared brass connector fitting. The size of this fitting will depend on if your hose is 3/8" or 1/2" in diameter.

Side Note: Do NOT use Plumbers tape / Teflon tape in place of pipe sealant.  This tape degrades over time which can lead to gas vapors escaping from the fitting (Safety First!)

Now that we have our extension hose prepped, we can attach it to the barbecue where the original hose was removed.

Depending on which model you are working with, this could be directly on the manifold, or after a flex-hose - as seen with this unit.

This is done using the same wrenches you used to remove the original hose.

Be sure the hose is securely wench tightened!  We will perform a soap test later on to ensure there are no potential leaks.

With the extension hose now properly installed onto the barbecue, we can look to finish the process by attaching the original hose onto the extension!

Place the female end of the original hose onto the flared brass connector fitting.  Once again, tighten fully to ensure there are no leaks.

Now that you have successfully installed an hose extension on to your barbecue, there's only a few more steps to go! 

Attach your barbecue to your gas line and open the shutoff to allow gas into the hose. 

Next is perhaps the most important step. SOAP TEST! Lather up every connection that was worked on with leak detector. 

This includes the brass connector fitting and where you attached the hose onto the barbecue.

Watch carefully in all the places you have applied the soap to see if any bubbles arise. If there is no bubble movement, then you have successfully extended your barbecue line!

However, if there are bubbles, we recommend turning off the gas immediately, loosening whatever connection that may be leaking and then re-attaching it to see if there was any cross threading or improper installation.

Once the fitting is tight, reapply the leak detector and perform another leak test to check and see if the leak has been solved. 

Congratulations, you have successfully extended your barbecue hose! Now you (or your partner) can get back to grilling your favourite foods with your barbecue properly placed where you want it. How long til' the meatloaf?

More questions about extending your gas hose? Find your local Barbecues Galore store and get in touch with us today!