Gas fired Pompeii Oven?

[UtahBeehiver]

Mexman,

Your point taken, but as you noted, you friend installed a $35 gas burner, created a bomb and this is the issue that is at hand. I come from the natural gas industry, well over 40 years and I fully understand what happens when the well intentioned, but uninformed or novice, attempt gas installations without proper training, certifications, engineering, and safety processes when dealing with natural gas, propane or any hydrocarbon fuels. I have no problem using natural gas (paid the mortgage), but as David said, safety shutoff valves and more importantly proper installation by a certified process or installer is critical. Yes, FB now sells natural gas conversions, with certain caveats and they have also procured all the safety certifications necessary for a UL listing and installation. I am sure some builders are fully capable of installing natural gas burners but there are certainly those who should leave this to the professionals. The penalty for screwing up is someone getting hurt.

[deejayoh]

Good points Russell

One doesn't have to search too far in the google machine to find tragedies caused by this (though it's unclear if this was a brick oven or just an oven)

"An investigation found that the gas leading to a pizza oven had been left on overnight and was ignited by a spark from a refrigerator inside the restaurant"

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/deadl...l#.V8x7ppgrKUk

I do think our hosts should make their position on this clear.

[Toomulla]

This discussion has a touch of the voodoo, if you want a gas installation get it done by a licensed professional and it will be as safe as any other gas installation, Gas is used for millions of heating installations and anyone can find examples of explosion etc resulting from poor installation. Personally I have a WFO because I enjoy the process, but can acknowledge that others may want or need otherwise,Perhaps some guidance on how to get it done safely would not go astray.

[DaveHI]

voodoo. yup.
Having a leak in a gas line/hookup INDOORS such that it fills a restaurant and gets set off by a refridge some distance away is a large volume of gas. Whether said leak came from a pizza oven or a regular stove or a space heater or whatever is rather a pointless distinction. The problem is a gas leak with a large enough space to build up enough gas to have a powerful explosion.
Unless someone can point to a calculation that says a 40 inch domed oven is truly a risk or to a case where someone actually did some damage outdoors, I don't think I'll sweat my installation much. No different than a grill.
Install/use a shutoff valve, leave the door out, use your nose (brain).........pretty safe.

Wonder what the volume of expansion of a gallon of water getting dumped in a WFO from a failure of a pot would do ;>) ................... I seem to recall 1000:1 ratio of steam to water.
like this dimwit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCCDxneNG3A