Note that while these hoses are only carrying 0. Each supply hose should run continuously from inside the propane tank enclosure to the appliance: this is not a case where you can chain a bunch of fittings together because you ended up a little short on hose.
Use a Vapor-Tight Straight-Thru fitting where the hose exits your propane locker. Boat U. Check your boat for these unsafe situations:. Plugged vent in propane locker: Without a way for leaking gas to escape, propane can accumulate to dangerous concentrations in the locker.
Periodically remove the tank, pour water in the locker and verify that it drains directly downward, with no low pockets to collect water. Check lid gaskets for proper fit and sealing. Wiring attached to gas line: Having an electrical wire tied to a propane line is a bad idea. If there is a short, the wire can become hot enough to melt through the hose. Storing junk in propane lockers: The propane tank is the only thing that should be in the propane locker.
One surveyor noted an anchor in the locker that had scratched the paint off the tank and caused it to rust. Heavy objects can damage the regulator or gauge during a rough outing, and sharp objects can cut the hose. Make sure that the propane tank is properly secured in the locker so it cannot rattle around. One gas line supplying multiple appliances: Gas lines for each appliance should originate at the tank, preventing a junction inside the boat.
No junctions mean fewer opportunities for leaks. No working propane detector: While not required by ABYC specs, these inexpensive, easy-to-install detectors can save your life. The solenoid should always be off except when the system is in use. This order can be reversed, with the solenoid plumbed after the regulator, but low-pressure solenoids tend to be of lesser quality.
A high-pressure solenoid is preferable because it shuts off the gas upstream of the regulator and the rest of the system. In application, either configuration shuts off the gas inside the locker. If you install your solenoid on the high-pressure side, be sure it is rated for high pressure. The fuel line from the regulator or solenoid valve to the stove must be continuous—no connections inside the boat except at the stove. Solid copper fuel lines are commonly used, but flexible, high-pressure hose is probably safer for boat use, and it is easier to install.
A threaded adapter can be required to connect the hose to the regulator or solenoid. Use thread sealant on the regulator end of the adapter but not on the end that the hose attaches to. Pipe fittings require gas tape or sealant, but flare and compression fittings do not.
The hose should exit the propane locker near the top, and it should pass through a vapor-tight fitting to prevent gas from leaking out of the locker into the interior of the boat. Use a similar fitting to protect the hose from abrasion everywhere it passes through a bulkhead. Common straight-through fittings are too short to pass through a plywood bulkhead. You can thin the bulkhead by counter boring one side with a spade bit. Alternatively, cut an oversize hole through the bulkhead with a hole saw, screw a metal or fiberglass cover plate over the hole, and install the fitting through the cover plate.
LPG hose should run through the top of lockers rather than through their bottoms. Remove or shut off the power and the solenoid closes sealing off the gas — a handy safety feature. Compressed natural gas CNG was popular with boatbuilders for a time, especially in the s and '80s, and there are still some boats that have these systems aboard.
CNG has one distinct advantage over propane: It is lighter than air and will therefore not collect in the bilge in the way propane can. CNG is stored at very high pressures — 3, psi or more — and requires special tanks, not unlike those used for scuba diving. Appliances, hoses, and tank fittings designed for CNG are not compatible with propane, and the two systems are not interchangeable.
Any system should be periodically checked for leaks. This procedure is outlined in the ABYC guidelines and is accomplished easily, though you'll need a pressure gauge installed. With all the appliance valves off, open the cylinder supply valve to pressurize the system. Make sure the electronic solenoid is switched on, too, if fitted.
Close the cylinder supply valve and note the pressure gauge reading. The pressure indicated should remain constant for not less than three minutes. If a drop in pressure indicates any leakage, check the entire system with a leak-detection fluid or soapy detergent solution to locate the leak.
Test solutions should be noncorrosive and nontoxic. If a leak is found, make sure this is corrected before operating the system. One more safety feature is your nose. Propane is odorless by itself, but it has a smelly chemical called ethyl mercaptan added to help with leak detection.
The distinctive rotten-egg smell denotes a leak. If you smell it, shut off the system at the tank and get it repaired immediately. Although not legally required, vapor detectors are a great idea and will warn those aboard of a potentially dangerous situation. A small sensor is mounted low down in the accommodation space often near the propane appliance and is connected to an alarm panel, usually incorporating a loud buzzer or bell. Even better is a system that will also turn off the propane solenoid at the tank in case of a leak.
The vapor sensor should be mounted low down in the accommodation space, often near the propane appliance.
The alarm panel is mounted at the helm station where it can be easily heard. Some systems can turn off the solenoid when vapor is detected, a plus. In addition to the fume detector, a carbon-monoxide detector should be installed in each cabin or enclosed accommodation space.
Carbon monoxide CO is an odorless and colorless gas that is a byproduct of incomplete combustion of gasoline, propane, and other hydrocarbon fuels. And unfortunately, our claims files show that CO poisoning can result in fatalities. Carbon monoxide detectors may be wired into the boat's volt supply or can be stand-alone battery-operated units.
Join Today! To Magazine Home Page. Cylinder Storage Whether in use or spares, cylinders should be contained in an approved storage locker. Cylinders manufactured by Composite Scandinavia [M] and marked with this number are not subject to the recall Any cylinder requalified under requalification approval H Any cylinder manufactured under M PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Information Center can be reached at CNG Compressed natural gas CNG was popular with boatbuilders for a time, especially in the s and '80s, and there are still some boats that have these systems aboard.
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