Can a gas solenoid cause an explosion?

[freedom44]

I was rooting around my well ventilated and properly vented overboard gas locker and burnt my hand on the gas solenoid valve! My smug complacency evaporated as I often pile petrol cans and odd tins of thinners in the locker which could easily have lodged themselves against the valve and melted with unmentionable results.
I asked a corgi installer and he did confirm that they get hot; he did not seem that fussed.
I suppose the point is that I should turn the solenoid off every time which would stop the current flowing, but on occasions, one gets lazy, but no longer.
As a previous message put it, Discipline is the first defense.

 

[Talbot]

never much liked the close relationship between something that can short or burn out and LPG.
I use a manual valve on the gas for each gas system (cooker, water heater, fridge).
I have a further isolation valve at the cooker, and flame failure devices on every burner, and a very well ventilated bilge.

 

[Stemar]

I'm no expert, but IMHO, no properly designed solenoid valve should get more than a bit warm. If it's hot enough to burn you on the outside, the middle of the coil must be getting close the temperature at which the insulation will begin to break down or the wire melt.

Also, what's the current draw? To get that hot it must be at least a couple of amps!

 

[old_salt]

The problem is most if not all solenoids are energised when on (ie temp rise in the solenoid coil with gas in the system) would it not be to difficult for a gas component manufacture to produce one that is pulsed to switch on / off with a failsafe for pressure increase above say 32-35mbs and a drop to 28-25mbs assuming it is being used on a 30mb system. This would give good protection and I for one would be happy to install one in my boat but as it is no way do I want the risk of an over heating coil near gas on a small boat. I've replaced plenty of burnt out coils in all sorts of situations on land and at sea (big boats), and believe me they get very hot.

 

[mithril]

Yes they get hot but how hot? Much above 50 deg C means its too hot to touch and I can rest my hand on mine with ease. So my temp is fine. Yours?
Leaving it on kind of negates its usefullness surely.