Lubbock City Council May 12, 2016
CSST Lightning Issue u The threat of lightning damage to CSST has been solved u CSST industry offers CSST products with conductive jackets to disperse arcing electrical energy u Tested to national standard ANSI LC-1 u Proven in the field
OmegaFlex Commitment to Safety 2011 Today 2007 OmegaFlex voluntarily Over 125 million feet of Second generation of transitions CSST business CounterStrike installed – the CounterStrike introduced – exclusively to CounterStrike leading CSST brand in the increases arc resistance 50x CSST United States 1999 more than yellow CSST Gains wide market acceptance OmegaFlex requires bonding of all TracPipe CSST to avoid electrical arcing from lightning 2014 2007 - 2010 ANSI LC-1 – the only national Growing acceptance of standard for CSST – adopts CounterStrike CSST in the testing for arc resistant CSST 2002-2004 market – despite higher price based on original CounterStrike Contractors value durable tests OmegaFlex develops rugged construction and added Titeflex voted in favor of this CounterStrike – the first arc safety change resistant CSST
Flawed Testing u Tests relied on by city staff are flawed and unreliable u Tests conducted by persons having conflict of interest u Tests were not conducted per PMG LC1027 test criteria u No required pretreating of samples u Did not use the correct lightning waveform u Did not replicate results over several samples
Flawed Testing
Flawed Testing
Flawed Testing
Flawed Testing
Flawed Testing; No Pretreating
Flawed Testing; Only 1 Sample
Flawed Testing; Improper Waveform
Patent Monopoly u Titeflex has received three patents for the FlashShield design and fittings u US Patent No. 9,249,904, u US Patent No. 8,905,083 u US Patent No. 8,399,767 u Patents cover CSST multi- layered jacket and fitting
Patent Monopoly
Patent Monopoly
“ ICC has a branch known as the Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), where manufacturers may submit their systems for engineering review ” and certification. Model Codes Advisory Board Report of the Special Fuel Gas Subcommittee Addressing Lightning-Induced Failures of Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing; Tab K
Patent Monopoly
Patent Monopoly u Goodson patent infringement lawsuit u Goodson patents for multi-layered CSST u US Patent 7,562,448 u US Patent 7,821,763 u Goodson advises the model code committee
Flawed Testing; Conflict of Interest
Flawed Testing; Conflict of Interest
Flawed Testing; Conflict of Interest
Patent Monopoly u Prior attempts for PMG LC1027 to become the standard u Proposals rejected by national and state code organizations u National Fire Protection Assoc. u OK Uniform Building Code Comm
LC1027 Independent Testing u Independent testing by Texas Tech faculty shows: u FlashShield does not meet heightened performance standard proposed in Lubbock, TX u FlashShield does not meet LC-1027 performance criteria u FlashShield performance is degraded when exposed to real-world conditions:
Lab Test Results
FlashShield Doesn’t Deliver u Independent testing shows FlashShield cannot meet the levels in proposed ordinance (85C) u Lab tests are not the real world u Tested in strict accordance w/ LC-1027 u Galvanic corrosion at fittings affects performance u Dissimilar metals between fitting and mesh causes corrosion u Failure is just a matter of time
Independent Testing; Lightning
Lab Test
Lab Test
Lab Test
FlashShield Field Failure Arkansas
FlashShield & 120v
FlashShield & 120v
Old Technology Less Safe u Old technology using black iron or steel pipe is less safe than CSST u Black iron or steel pipe more likely to leak or break – possibly causing fire or explosion
Examples of BIP Deaths u Dobbin TX u 2 women killed, one child hurt from corroded BIP
Example BIP Deaths u Atlantic IA u Husband and wife killed in gas explosion u Leak in BIP caused leaking natural gas
Examples BIP Deaths u Hatboro PA u Gas fired dryer in basement dislodged by flooding u Dryer pulled on BIP causing crack at elbow u Accumulated gas caused explosion killing 6 people
Example – BIP Lightning Failure u Report by FL Bureau LP Gas Insp u Lightning fire St. Johns FL u “Bottom side of the gas line in the attic through a mirror. This hole is about ¼ inch dia. in a schedule 40 black iron pipe. u “There was an electrical wire that was running underneath this pipe as shown in the [insert].”
CounterStrike Development u Counterstrike was developed beginning in 2002-2003 u Testing at lightning lab confirmed mode of damage to CSST tubing u Two different approaches tested u Conductive u Insulative u CounterStrike commercially introduced in 2004
CounterStrike – Tested in the Lab u Further improvements resulted in improved CounterStrike in 2007 u Electrical current from arc is dispersed along the length of the conductive jacket u No damage to inner CSST piping
CounterStrike - Proven in the Field u Florida u Direct lightning strike to home; extensive fire in attic. u Pressure test of CounterStrike – no leaks, no holes u Texas u Direct lighting strike to home; electrical appliances and TVs damaged u No damage to CounterStrike CSST
CounterStrike’s Capabilities u Computer simulations based on work with NFPA, Gas Technology Institute, and Texas Tech u Tested CounterStrike CSST at lightning lab for data on lightning performance u Simulated direct lightning strikes to home with CounterStrike CSST based on lab results u No electrical arcing damage to CounterStrike CSST
ANSI LC-1 u Testing for arc-resistant CSST was u LC-1027 is a solution in search of a recognized in ANSI LC-1 in 2014 problem u This culminated in seven year u Lightning problem solved with ANSI effort by OmegaFlex for LC-1 recognition of this technology in u LC-1027 allegedly higher the CSST product standard performance levels are surplus u Over 10 years – 125 million feet has u Reasons to change the standard are proven success record non-existent u Lightning problem has been solved by ANSI LC-1
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