Armoured gas hose. Is it safer.

[Graham376]

Had the armoured hose argument with insurer on previous boat. They were of the opinion that any gas appliance installation should comply with the manufacturer's specification which, in the case of my cooker was to connect with armoured hose as it can touch the oven back panel when swinging in gimbals. Was warned that failure to follow instructions could invalidate a claim related to gas installation.

 

[Yngmar]

I've installed a normal gas hose, but covered it in an appropriate length of galvanized steel spiral for protection against crushing or getting jammed anywhere. This way you can still read the label and inspect the rubber.

Example (you'll probably have to find it elsewhere unless you want 10m of it): Galvanised Steel Spring Hose Protection

 

[penberth3]

I've installed a normal gas hose, but covered it in an appropriate length of galvanized steel spiral for protection against crushing or getting jammed anywhere. This way you can still read the label and inspect the rubber.

Example (you'll probably have to find it elsewhere unless you want 10m of it): Galvanised Steel Spring Hose Protection

So now you've got a steel spiral to rub through your hose. Brilliant.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I had this on a previous boat's survey. The sort of survey that makes you never want to place any more business with that surveyor.

Where a standard, in good condition and in-date rubber hose is used and doesn't abrade against any edges I do wonder why a surveyor would recommend the use of an armoured hose. Indeed, the surveyor who did that last survey for me certainly wasn't Gas Safe certified and made the same recommendation.

A survey for a buyer of a previous boat of mine called the authenticity of the boat's Gas Safe certificate into question as the surveyor didn't personally know the Gas Safe engineer who signed the certificate. (but the surveyor would have found the engineer's registration on the Gas Safe website, the list created to verify such persons)

Are we paying for survey that are created by surveyors that have run out of things to find on the boat, and are now making recommendations that affect items outside of their areas of competence and qualification just to increase the page count of their reports?

The last time I bought new hoses on my motor home, the next gas safe check I did 6 months later picked up the new hoses as being out of date! - These were from Calor in Southampton, so do check the date. I know am a bit anal and check the dates of anything such as sealants as well - just bought on line some Arbortech that was already 2 years old! No fun arriving in Greece and starting the job and finding it wont squeeze out!

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

My surveyor recommend replacing standard gas hose with armoured. I just recieved the armoured hose but several issues. There is no date on the hose, it's not possible to check the condition of the rubber due to the armoured covering. It will still perish where the hose clips compress it. It's much stiffer so more difficult to ensure it's sufficiently clamped. Being heavier and stiffer there is more load placed on the cooker connection and rigid gas pipe supports on the hull. Is it really going to be safer. I'm inclined to keep the existing recently renewed un armoured hose as there has been no sign of chafe on the existing installation. Has anyone challenged this type of reccomendation.

This has been much discussed on previous threads, and the consensus was, as you have observed, that as it's impossible to see the condition of the hose, armoured hose is fundamentally unsafe for this application.

 

[Yngmar]

So now you've got a steel spiral to rub through your hose. Brilliant.

Nope, no wear from the (lose fitting) spiral at all in the years since I installed it. Obviously one must make sure the ends of the spiral sit on the crimped fittings and not on the hose.