I couldn't find an exact answer to this question, so apologies if something similar has been asked (long time lurker... and I tried my best to use search).
I'm a little stumped when it comes to propane and, frankly, I'm smart enough to know it could be dangerous, particularly if I don't account for the pressure (I've plumbed stuff before plenty, but never anything under that much pressure).
My basic question is, what is a safe, cheap, and preferably flexible/alterable way to get from a 20# propane tank, split it into 3, and hook it into 3 of the regulators (10 psi) that come with the Bayou Classic SQ14's (have female acme fittings)?
Would it make sense to get a 20 or 30 psi regulator that attaches directly to the bottle (dropping the pressure through the rest of the system) so that it isn't super high pressure when it goes through a manifold and into the 10 psi regulators? That seems like it would be the safest unless that will prevent the downstream regulators from operating properly? What would be best to use for the manifold? Is there a cheap way to adapt from standard pipe threads to a male acme adapter for the existing bayou regs to attach to (they do seem to be ridiculously priced for an adapter so maybe they do something I don't know about? Or maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing?).
Since the SQ14's come with a regulator that works pretty well and they would allow me to adjust the flames individually, I have been thinking I want to retain them (plus that would make it easy to take apart... see below). That said, if the male Acme fittings are going to be > $20 a piece, it seems like it would be cheaper to just buy one regulator (used to control all gas flow), build a manifold, include ball valves in the manifold for turning off individual burners, and dispense with the stock regulators. The biggest downside I can see with that is losing individual control of the burners. I could include a needle valve to control that, but that adds to the cost and is a hard pill to swallow since I've already got regulators that work pretty well for that.
Looking at the bayou regs, it is pretty clear that the female acme adapters thread into the regulator, but there's nowhere to get a wrench onto it, so I'm not sure I could just get rid of those so I can use standard pipe fittings instead. Anyone ever try to take those off?
Thoughts?
BTW, I recently graduated from a long stint in grad school... so go ahead and assume throwing money at the situation would get me in trouble.
I'm a little stumped when it comes to propane and, frankly, I'm smart enough to know it could be dangerous, particularly if I don't account for the pressure (I've plumbed stuff before plenty, but never anything under that much pressure).
My basic question is, what is a safe, cheap, and preferably flexible/alterable way to get from a 20# propane tank, split it into 3, and hook it into 3 of the regulators (10 psi) that come with the Bayou Classic SQ14's (have female acme fittings)?
Would it make sense to get a 20 or 30 psi regulator that attaches directly to the bottle (dropping the pressure through the rest of the system) so that it isn't super high pressure when it goes through a manifold and into the 10 psi regulators? That seems like it would be the safest unless that will prevent the downstream regulators from operating properly? What would be best to use for the manifold? Is there a cheap way to adapt from standard pipe threads to a male acme adapter for the existing bayou regs to attach to (they do seem to be ridiculously priced for an adapter so maybe they do something I don't know about? Or maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing?).
Since the SQ14's come with a regulator that works pretty well and they would allow me to adjust the flames individually, I have been thinking I want to retain them (plus that would make it easy to take apart... see below). That said, if the male Acme fittings are going to be > $20 a piece, it seems like it would be cheaper to just buy one regulator (used to control all gas flow), build a manifold, include ball valves in the manifold for turning off individual burners, and dispense with the stock regulators. The biggest downside I can see with that is losing individual control of the burners. I could include a needle valve to control that, but that adds to the cost and is a hard pill to swallow since I've already got regulators that work pretty well for that.
Looking at the bayou regs, it is pretty clear that the female acme adapters thread into the regulator, but there's nowhere to get a wrench onto it, so I'm not sure I could just get rid of those so I can use standard pipe fittings instead. Anyone ever try to take those off?
Thoughts?
BTW, I recently graduated from a long stint in grad school... so go ahead and assume throwing money at the situation would get me in trouble.
