LPG Manifold System: Types, Sizing & Manufacturer Selection
An LPG manifold system is the heart of any multi-cylinder commercial or small-industrial gas installation. It regulates pressure, switches supply automatically when a cylinder bank empties, and provides the safety shut-offs that make the installation code-compliant. Understanding how manifolds work — and how to specify one correctly — saves commercial buyers from two common traps: over-spec'd (expensive) and under-spec'd (daily cylinder-change chaos) systems.
This guide covers manifold types, sizing, components, and how to select a manufacturer. As one of India's LPG manifold system manufacturers, we fabricate our own banks in-house and also supply imported regulators where specified.
How a manifold system works
A manifold bank is essentially two (or more) groups of cylinders connected together via pigtail hoses, joined through an auto-changeover regulator. One group is active (supplying gas), the other is standby (full, ready). When the active group drops below a pressure threshold, the regulator mechanically switches supply to the standby group without any gas interruption.
The empty bank is then replaced with full cylinders while the now-active bank continues supply. This keeps the kitchen running 24/7 without cylinder-change downtime.
Manifold configurations
- 2 × 2 (4 cylinders total): cafés, small QSR outlets, demand up to 3 kg/hr.
- 4 × 4 (8 cylinders): standard restaurant setup, demand 3-8 kg/hr.
- 6 × 6 (12 cylinders): large restaurants, banquet kitchens, demand 8-15 kg/hr.
- 8 × 8 (16 cylinders): hotels, cloud kitchens, demand 15-25 kg/hr.
- 16 × 16 and above: small industrial units, bakeries with bulk ovens. Typically paired with a vaporiser for demand above 30 kg/hr.
Sizing your manifold
Two inputs drive sizing:
- Peak simultaneous load (kg/hr): determines minimum active bank size. Each domestic cylinder can vaporise about 0.3 kg/hr at 25°C ambient — so a 4-cylinder bank can sustainably supply 1.2 kg/hr.
- Cylinder-change frequency: total cylinder count determines how often your staff handles cylinder changes. Weekly changes are tolerable; daily changes are operationally painful.
A restaurant with 6 kg/hr peak and 150 kg/day consumption would need at least a 4×4 bank (active side sustainably supplies 4.8 kg/hr at 40°C, enough with buffer). Total 8 cylinders × 14.2 kg = 113 kg working, so you're changing every ~20 hours — borderline. Upgrading to 6×6 gives you 40+ hours between changes, far more manageable.
Components of a quality manifold
- High-pressure pigtail hoses (IS 9573): flexible connectors between cylinders and the manifold header. Typically 900 mm long, braided stainless steel or rubber with SS overbraid.
- Non-return valves: prevent gas from flowing backwards into an empty cylinder.
- High-pressure header: the rigid pipe that connects the pigtails. Usually copper or seamless MS.
- Auto-changeover regulator (first stage): drops high cylinder pressure (up to 15 bar) to medium pressure (1.5-2 bar).
- Pressure indicator: shows which bank is active (red/green lever).
- Safety relief valve: opens if pressure spikes abnormally.
- Downstream regulator (second stage): drops medium pressure to working pressure (30-50 mbar for kitchens).
Regulator brand selection
- Rego (American): industry standard, robust, widely available spares. Preferred for premium installations.
- Cavagna (Italian): European engineering, excellent pressure stability. Common in 5-star hotels.
- Indian manufacturers (various): PESO-approved options at lower cost, suitable for budget-conscious installations.
Avoid grey-market imports — they lack PESO approval and will fail compliance audits.
Choosing a manufacturer
Key questions when evaluating an LPG manifold manufacturer:
- Are you PESO-approved / do you use PESO-approved components?
- Do you fabricate in-house or resell?
- What is the standard warranty on the manifold assembly?
- Can you supply spares (hoses, regulator diaphragms) 5+ years from now?
- Do you offer on-site installation and commissioning?
- Do you offer AMC for regulator servicing?
Frequently asked questions
Can I retrofit an auto-changeover into an existing manual setup?
Yes — a retrofit is about 3-5 days of work and typically costs ₹40,000-₹90,000 including new regulators, pigtails, and pressure gauges.
Do you ship manifold systems to other cities?
Yes — we ship across India and provide video-supported commissioning support where we cannot visit on-site. On-site installation is performed by our teams across Delhi NCR, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, UP and Uttarakhand; for sites outside this belt, we hand off to a local PESO-approved contractor working off our drawings.
How often should a manifold be serviced?
Annual AMC: inspect pigtails, test regulator pressure stability, replace diaphragms every 5 years, replace pigtails every 3 years.