Converting a Continental LPG regulator to Calor,can it be done?

[lpdsn]

Clearly you people are neurotic & need 'experts' to run your life.Not a problem I have :encouragement:

Maybe if you had a properly dedicated locker to house your gas bottle like what I've got + a gauge on your regulator to see if you have a leak you all might not be quite so poor pathetic timorous beasties

C'mon, I expected a better response than that. That's just a re-hash of the stuff your were saying much earlier in the thread.

You're advocating an engineering based policy of keeping your regulator well past the standard figure for preventative maintenance of ten years despite the cost of that preventative maintenance being less than the typical value of the gas in the bottle. Given your claimed expertise I expected a decent engineering justification of your position. I haven't seen it yet. Not even five bob's worth of engineering.

 

[nigelmercier]

... every thing you have said in this thread about doing so is nothing but claptrap and dangerous bad advice.

Surely not!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

A long time ago my employer used to send various regulators away for inspection and testing, thy no longer do this for lots of reasons: legislation changes, manufacturing costs, low replacement costs. I recall that the regulators were bench tested using calibrated equipment that measured pressure and flow at certain conditions. I know this because at the time I handled the paperwork for the returned devices which consisted of calibration certificates for the test equipment, technician's ID and competency record, as well as the actual regulator test certificate.

The regulators themselves are pretty simple and operate with small movements within very close tolerances. Components such as diaphragms, springs and needles all wear out and it is easy for these to become too worn for the regulator to function properly. Unless one had access to the manufacturing dimensions it would be difficult to tell what constitutes a worn spring, for example.

If you want to keep your regulator beyond the service life, then you would have to have access to a facility that can replace gas wetted elastomer parts (because they are affected by hydrocarbons that change their properties over time, this is a characteristic of elastomers, none are fit and forget), replace moving items that will wear and then reassemble and test with a certified test gas using certified calibrated pressure and flow equipment traceable to a calibration laboratory. If you are using in the EU or any country with gas safety regulations all the parts will have to be typed approved and the technician deemed competent.

That's my recollection from a commercial operation.

 

[VicS]

Clearly you people are neurotic

Maybe if you had a .......... a gauge on your regulator to see if you have a leak .............

Al the gauges I see are high pressure gauges such as the Gaslow gauge or the GasBOAT gauge

..........

which only measure the gas pressure at the regulator inlet to provide an indication of low gas level in the cylinder and a means of testing the system for leaks which is inferior to, for example, an Alde bubble leak detector.

If you are claiming to have a pressure gauge that indicates correct operation of the regulator perhaps you would care to tell us what it is.

 

[Nicholas123]

That's a shame. I was looking forward to the detail explanation of how a regulator could be tested to extend it's safe working life. I'd've thought that would be right up the street of a five-bob engineer.

The ten year figure is obviously a bit finger-in-the-air as it's far too round a number to be based on detailed MTBF calculations or a rigorous treatment of empirical data. I'd hoped you were going to enlighten us.

This "five bob engineer" is perfectly happy with his system & I bet I have better Engineering qualifications than you so you can take your fears & insults & shove them into the same place from which you quite evidently do most of your thinking :encouragement:

 

[Nicholas123]

You are the one suggesting we should make our own assessments of the condition of such equipment as a gas regulator and appear to be claiming that you are able to do this yourself. Presumably you therefore know of procedures for testing and inspecting such a piece of equipment. All I am asking is that you explain this so that I, and anyone else who feels so inclined, can do the same. You, after all, are the one claiming to be a qualified engineer.

Come on share the secrets. At least give us some pointers, some links perhaps, or am I to deduce that you cannot, that you are, in fact, unable to test or make a proper inspection and assessment of the condition of a gas regulator, and that every thing you have said in this thread about doing so is nothing but claptrap and dangerous bad advice.

I hav'nt given any advice,all I have done is defend myself against your fears & your insults.What you do yourself is entirely up to you,I really could'nt care less.

 

[nigelmercier]

Could this thread take over from the Last Word Freaks thread?

 

[Nicholas123]

Al the gauges I see are high pressure gauges such as the Gaslow gauge or the GasBOAT gauge

..........

which only measure the gas pressure at the regulator inlet to provide an indication of low gas level in the cylinder and a means of testing the system for leaks which is inferior to, for example, an Alde bubble leak detector.

If you are claiming to have a pressure gauge that indicates correct operation of the regulator perhaps you would care to tell us what it is.

I did'nt say anything about testing the regulator so don't try putting words into my mouth.Ebay is full of regulators (not those strange ones you have dredged up) that you can use to test the soundness of your system. For your problem I suggest tranquillizers

PS: I suggest you share some with Nigel,he seems to be getting increasingly neurotic.
I think I see a major tantrum coming on though I think he will be hard pressed to improve on some of his past efforts

 

[VicS]

I hav'nt given any advice,.............................

You appear to have been advising us to make our own judgements rather than rely on recommendations from others who are more experienced and better qualified.

I did'nt say anything about testing the regulator ........................

The only ways in which you can assess the condition of a regulator are to test that it is working correctly and inspect the condition of the internal components. If you are assessing the condition of your regulator you must surely be doing both of these things on a regular basis

Ebay is full of regulators (not those strange ones you have dredged up) that you can use to test the soundness of your system.

I am well aware that ebay is full of allsorts up garbage thank you very much but it so happens that the gauges I have chosen, not "dredged up" as you put it, to illustrate my post are from two of the well known LPG equipment suppliers and can both be obtained from Southampton Calor Gas Centre. Nothing strange about them at all.

As for testing the "soundness" of the system ( carried out before connecting the regulator and gas cylinder ), that is something totally different. I know how to do that and also how to leak test the complete system when the cylinder and regulator are connected.

Here is an example of the equipment that is needed to carry out a "soundness test"

 

[nigelmercier]

PS: I suggest you share some [tranquillizers] with Nigel,he seems to be getting increasingly neurotic.

Really? In what way? Do you even know the meaning?

 

[Nicholas123]

You appear to have been advising us to make our own judgements rather than rely on recommendations from others who are more experienced and better qualified.



The only ways in which you can assess the condition of a regulator are to test that it is working correctly and inspect the condition of the internal components. If you are assessing the condition of your regulator you must surely be doing both of these things on a regular basis



I am well aware that ebay is full of allsorts up garbage thank you very much but it so happens that the gauges I have chosen, not "dredged up" as you put it, to illustrate my post are from two of the well known LPG equipment suppliers and can both be obtained from Southampton Calor Gas Centre. Nothing strange about them at all.

As for testing the "soundness" of the system ( carried out before connecting the regulator and gas cylinder ), that is something totally different. I know how to do that and also how to leak test the complete system when the cylinder and regulator are connected.

Here is an example of the equipment that is needed to carry out a "soundness test"

As someone who has had qualifications & experience working in the gas Industry I don't need a lecture from you mate,someone who has probably had neither.
The method I mentioned previously is perfectly adequate to use to keep an eye on your system,you don't need all that fancy gubbins just a regulator for about nine quid & a bit of practical common sense,you really should try it!
It really is quite disgraceful the way you & others are deliberately trying to frighten people it seems to me.

 

[lpdsn]

This "five bob engineer" is perfectly happy with his system & I bet I have better Engineering qualifications than you so you can take your fears & insults & shove them into the same place from which you quite evidently do most of your thinking :encouragement:

What, you're trying to say some University gave you a degree in Engineering? It wasn't one where you write off for it with a cheque was it?

I'm not one for just blindly following manufacturer's recommendations, but if I differ from them I want to know the science behind it. Whenever you've been asked for calculations or testing procedures you've clearly been unable to provide anything but a few repetitive insults, which clearly throws a lot of doubt on your claims to understand the engineering.

BlowingOldBoots demonstrated more knowledge and experience of testing and extending the life of regulators in one post than you have in all your posts put together.

You are about to become the first person I've ever put on ignore. All the others who get a bit uppity from time to time at least demonstrate some useful knowledge betweentimes.

 

[VicS]

As someone who has had qualifications & experience working in the gas Industry I don't need a lecture from you

There is little or nothing it what you have said in this thread that supports that claim. Leastways not to suggest that you were qualified to work on lpg systems.
You clearly need more than just "a lecture" rather more a complete course of lectures.

The method I mentioned previously is perfectly adequate to use to keep an eye on your system,

Very marginally better than nothing maybe. Suppose you had a small leak plus a cylinder valve that lets by sufficiently to maintain the gauge reading. How would you then know about the leak?. A bubble leak detector is a far more positive means of testing the system, foolproof as far as I can see and very quick and easy to use.

 

[Nicholas123]

What, you're trying to say some University gave you a degree in Engineering? It wasn't one where you write off for it with a cheque was it?

I'm not one for just blindly following manufacturer's recommendations, but if I differ from them I want to know the science behind it. Whenever you've been asked for calculations or testing procedures you've clearly been unable to provide anything but a few repetitive insults, which clearly throws a lot of doubt on your claims to understand the engineering.

BlowingOldBoots demonstrated more knowledge and experience of testing and extending the life of regulators in one post than you have in all your posts put together.

You are about to become the first person I've ever put on ignore. All the others who get a bit uppity from time to time at least demonstrate some useful knowledge betweentimes.

I'm quite sure my qualifications & experience far surpass anything you have got to offer.......that's why I don't just rely on 'experts' to do my thinking for me.

If you have put me on ignore then great.I won't have to suffer your small minded insults anymore :encouragement:

 

[Nicholas123]

There is little or nothing it what you have said in this thread that supports that claim. Leastways not to suggest that you were qualified to work on lpg systems.
You clearly need more than just "a lecture" rather more a complete course of lectures.

Very marginally better than nothing maybe. Suppose you had a small leak plus a cylinder valve that lets by sufficiently to maintain the gauge reading. How would you then know about the leak?. A bubble leak detector is a far more positive means of testing the system, foolproof as far as I can see and very quick and easy to use.

& your qualifications & experience for backing up anything you say is what exactly? Clearly you are one of these 'experts' who has read many books & thinks that is a substitute for real practical experience.It is not.

I stated previously that I have a good quality gas locker on board that drains overboard so the points you have raised are irrelevant.The method I mentioned previously is perfectly adequate for maintaining a gas system & ensuring that you don't have dangerous leaks so all your 'expertise' is just nonsense.

I have a friend like you Vic,he is not much of a precision engineer or even practically minded but he has a tool kit that would put most small Engineering Companies to shame.He keeps it well locked away as if in a museum & he dos'nt have the confidence to change the break shoes on his own car.I am not saying that is you exactly because I don't know you but you show all the signs of being a paper expert.......running a boat like a museum....... or a scientific research Institute

 

[ghostlymoron]

Is this thread still going? Nothing useful has been said since page 2.
a) if you're so knowledgeable, why did you ask for (and ignore) advice
b) I hope you're not planning to ask for any more help

 

[DownWest]

Is this thread still going? Nothing useful has been said since page 2.
a) if you're so knowledgeable, why did you ask for (and ignore) advice
b) I hope you're not planning to ask for any more help

Quite
And slagging off VIc, who has given a huge amount of good advice on this forum, with a lot of HANDS ON experience, sorts of put you into the clown catagory.
I am still puzzled why you came on here... just to wind up people?

And to clarify. Your tag line has been miss quoted. It referes to an engineer seeing an elegant solution that cost less than the 'bloody fool's solution and is much better.

 

[VicS]

Is this thread still going? Nothing useful has been said since page 2.
a) if you're so knowledgeable, why did you ask for (and ignore) advice
b) I hope you're not planning to ask for any more help

Still trying to force the horse to drink but now time to leave him to die of thirst.........

I still would have liked to know how to test and inspect my nearly 10 y o regulator to assess its condition and likely future serviceability so I reckon I am going to use my own judgement and simply replace it.

Nicholas seems very unwilling to share his knowledge and expertise ......... but I suppose its difficult to share what you don't have.

 

[nigelmercier]

...I have a friend like you Vic...

I find that very hard to believe.

 

[lpdsn]

I'm quite sure my qualifications & experience far surpass anything you have got to offer....

Nicholas de Bodger BSc, MSc, PhD (Bullscheet, More Scheet, Piled high & deep).