Propane

[santana30RI]

trying to get a propane system set up on my boat and there all ready is a stove on it just need the hoses and regulator when looking i found the different regulators i.e 350,000 btu/hr 100,000 btu/hr. How do i know what the right one to pick is? Thank for the help

[Lake Superior Sailor]

A regulator could be scavanged from a gas grill. BUT; before you go any farther you really need to check into the laws on propane. There are threads on sailnet you really should check first. I think it's more hassel than it worth to do it right...Dale

[santana30RI]

i got the stove there i had it hook up to gassgrill reg but it keep blowing back ( stove was out of the bot for testing)

[INMA]

You need to get a qualified person to check the stove then install the system.

In addition you will need a gas detector system that needs to be serviced annually.

Or go the less expensive way and put a spirit stove in the place of the gas stove. Origo sell good quality stoves in various shapes.

[Lake Superior Sailor]

A grill reg will run a stove & more no problem , The problems are the rules you have to follow to be legal / safe in a boat! Like special cabinet sealed for propane, electric shutoff,bottle gauge,& seperate lines for each appliance. Inside switches for safety at each appliance, Just for starters,& more...Dale

[Faster]

It is important to do things right.. not that 'perfect' is necessary for function, but it would suck to have an insurance claim denied upon discovery that none of your system was up to par - and the odds of having something go awry definitely goes up with shortcuts.

The manual for the stove should say what gas pressure it's meant to run on (likely 11"wc) and any sufficiently sized, approved reg should do. It's a very good idea to have a remote operated solenoid valve, convenient and safer overall. A sniffer is another good thing to have for obvious reasons.

Edit.. I see Dale already nailed most of these points!

[deniseO30]

Propane Systems by Don Casey

[PorFin]

Santana,

Just to expand a little bit on what others have mentioned:

Propane's a great fuel -- it is very clean, efficient, and (usually) readily available.

What makes folks (like insurance companies) nervous is when folks install propane systems on boats. There's a reason they get nervous.

Using propane on your deck at home is pretty safe -- if there's any gas leakage, the air will likely carry it away and dissipate it easily.

On a boat, all that leaking gas -- which is heavier than air -- will settle into the very bottom of your bilges and continue to fill your boat until either your tank runs dry or the gas starts flowing out of another opening. This as you might guess is a bomb waiting to go off.

Installing a propane system is quite doable, but make sure you are adhering to the relevant safety standards.

[INMA]

Yachting Monthly's Crash Test Boat - Explosion! - YouTube

Forget insurance, LPG will kill if not done properly.

[mitiempo]

Propane if properly installed is a safe and convenient fuel.

The tank must be in an airtight locker that is vented overboard, not into the boat. This is the hardest part on a boat that did not come with a propane option.

Each appliance (stove or heater) must have its own feed line, run continuously from inside the locker with the only connections inside the locker and at the stove or heater.

There must be a way to shut the propane off from near the stove. This is a solenoid valve in the locker with a switch near the stove.

There must be a sniffer that warns of a propane leak. These don't have to be serviced regularly - they are electronic. They can be tested in a few seconds each week or so by using a cigarette lighter (without flame) to be sure the alarm works. Often they are combined with the solenoid control. With combined units the sniffer will close the solenoid valve automatically if there is a leak.

I live aboard and have used propane for many years. It is a safe fuel if installed and used properly. Having used alcohol and kerosene in years past I would not have any fuel but propane for its convenience and clean burning.

Here's the link Denise pulled the diagram from. Propane Systems by Don Casey