Converting a propane dryer to natural gas?

[Paul Sandhu]

This is for a furnished rental house. It sleeps 8 guys at a time. More than likely there will be 16 guys in there, day shift and night shift. I have a regular washer and natural gas dryer in there, and there is a stacked washer/dryer combo too. The electric dryer in the stacked unit crapped out. I can buy a used stacked unit that runs on propane for $150.

How difficult and expensive is it to convert a propane stacked dryer to natural gas? Or would you leave it as a propane dryer and just run a propane line through the exterior wall and leave a conventional gas grill propane tank outside to provide gas for the dryer? My tenants are refinery contractors (welders, pipefitters, boilermakers, etc.) and are going to be here to work 12 hour shifts, eat, shower, do laundry, sleep, repeat for about 3 months.

[Account Closed]

You only need to change the gas orifice on the pipe just before the gas goes to the flame.

You will have to remove the gas valve. The difficult part may be finding the proper orifice. Most cities have stores that sell parts for only appliances.

Your title says you want to convert from propane to gas. Your post states you can buy a used propane dryer???

Personally, I would not use propane in any residence that sleeps 8 to 16 people. I never liked propane because when there is a propane leak the gas is odorless, heavier than air and you find out you have a leak when it is too late. At least, natural gas has a super powerful odor.

[Paul Sandhu]

I can buy the used stacked propane washer/dryer from a relative.  Where they live, everyone has a 1000 lb propane tank in their back yard to provide gas for cooking and heating.  This is the available space in the house.

[John Teachout]

As mentioned, you need to change the orifice. Sometimes when an appliance is sold, there are extra orifices included as they don't know what the ultimate usage will be. I've seen these wired to the gas valve on some appliances, or your seller may have them in the paperwork packet. The conversion is simple if you have the orifices so having access to that is critical. I wouldn't rig a propane tank, used dryers are cheap. Just get a different one if you can't convert this one.

And propane is not odorless, it has the same additive for smell that natural gas does. (they both are odorless in their natural state but you wouldn't encounter that unless you work in a refinery or on a drilling rig.)

[Account Closed]

@Jack Orthman

Propane has Mercaptain added to it. Stinks to beat all hell. You’ll smell it.

[Account Closed]

It’ll take you longer to gain access to the burner to change the orifice than actually changing it out will. Easy stuff, it’ll be brass so don’t over tighten it.

[John Teachout]

And sometimes some work on the valve is necessary too but not complicated.

[Account Closed]

You are correct that propane has an odor. Strange, because I am a plumbing contractor. I work with propane, occasionally, and I even have a vacation home near Las Vegas that has a propane stove, furnace and water heater. I have a motor home with a propane tank and never remember ever smelling propane, but you are correct. The reason I was thinking propane did not have an odor is because the salesman who sold me my motor home told me the motor home has a propane leak detector near the floor because propane was heavier than air and odorless. I was always afraid of my motor home blowing up when I opened the door. Little did he know!

[Parker Eberhard]

@Paul Sandhu how much is a natural gas dryer compared to buying the propane one, finding the conversion kit, installing the new burner, etc?

[Paul Sandhu]

Originally posted by @Parker Eberhard:

@Paul Sandhu how much is a natural gas dryer compared to buying the propane one, finding the conversion kit, installing the new burner, etc?

A new stacked unit that runs on electric is $1200 from Lowes.  What you see in the picture is a stacked electric unit.  I haven't found any used gas/elec/LP stacked units in a 1 hour radius of where I live.  

If I did buy the LP stacked unit, I'm guessing the conversion kit is about $25.  

I just had an epiphany.  The guys that will be renting the house can fix about anything mechanical.  Seriously.  They can dismantle a refinery, repair broken components, and put the refinery back together.  That's the reason why they are coming here for 3 months.  I'll ask them to do it, and I'll buy them a keg of beer for the work.

[Parker Eberhard]

@Paul Sandhu beer is the other form of payment that is mutually accepted around the world...that and sex

[Parker Eberhard]

@Paul Sandhu just make sure you give them the beer AFTER they do the gas conversion

[Paul Sandhu]

@Parker Eberhard  I have another house across the alley about 75 yards away.  3 story house with 4 bathrooms.  Here's a pic of the 3 dryers and a kegorator.

[Bryon DeGraw]

@Jack Orthman I think there just may be a misunderstanding in terminology in your situation. Carbon monoxide is the odorless killer that can result from a malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances, not the LP or NG itself. LP has the additive to make it pretty obvious to the nose, but a low-placed carbon monoxide detector is your protection against the byproduct of burned fuel that can cause asphyxiation due to displacement of oxygen from the floor up. Also a good reason to make sure any home has a CO detector installed at the lowest point possible; a ceiling-mounted CO detector won't alarm until it's too late.

[Paul Sandhu]

Originally posted by @Bryon DeGraw:

@Jack Orthman I think there just may be a misunderstanding in terminology in your situation. Carbon monoxide is the odorless killer that can result from a malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances, not the LP or NG itself. LP has the additive to make it pretty obvious to the nose, but a low-placed carbon monoxide detector is your protection against the byproduct of burned fuel that can cause asphyxiation due to displacement of oxygen from the floor up. Also a good reason to make sure any home has a CO detector installed at the lowest point possible; a ceiling-mounted CO detector won't alarm until it's too late. 

Good informative post.  I hunt ducks and know a lot of other hunters that hunt ducks out of a boat.  Propane can accumulate at the bottom of a boat.