electric gas shut/off valve

reijmerink

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hi, i am planning to install an electric gas shut/off valve in my gaslocker,which is in front of my deck.I looked, here in the netherlands, for a Truma valve.My dealer says is not worthwhile in an seagoiing vessel, will erode within 6 months, is only for caravanning..
Has someone any experience with this kind of valves, make, model, which will last longer then six months?
grtns reijmerink
 
I have 0ne of these which is plumbed in in my drained gas locker with the rubber pipe from the cylinder connected to it. When cooker is not in use we always turn the gas off with the switch on the switch panel which I consider to be a very safe and convenient way to do it, I turn the gas off at the cylinder when I leave the boat when left to come home.
Mike
 
I fitted a Haztec gas alarm and valve in 2008. The valve is located in the anchor locker and therefore gets it's fair share of sea water exposure. We have been liveaboard/cruising constantly for the last two years and it's still working fine, not signs of corrosion.

They have a latching solenoid so use minimal power.

http://www.seath-haztec.com/gas control etc.htm

Great piece of kit.

C.
 
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I have one, which I am pretty sure is a Truma one. The switch for it is on the left in this photo above the 12 volt socket. It was on the boat when I bought it in 2005, and probably dates from the yacht being commissioned in 1998. It works reliably. The switch is a double one, the left hand switch turns on the power and the right hand one, which is spring loaded is used to operate the solenoid to open the valve. Switching off closes the valve. The valve itself is directly fitted to the gas regulator in a locker under the port side helm seat.
ChartTable-1.jpg
 
I installed a Truma 12v valve in 1992 that performed perfectly for all of the 12 years that I owned that yacht. It was installed in a gas locker in the foredeck so it got its fair share of seawater. There was some surface corrosion but it always worked. I wish that they were still available - does anyone know if they are ?
 
My old boat had one - never had to touch it, so don't know which make. It was wired into the main switch panel in a very integrated way, which makes me suspect it was as venerable as the panel - i.e 20 years plus. Worked fine for the 10 years I owned her. Seems a very sensible idea. Placement was just outside the gas locker, so any upstream leak would have remained in and drained from the locker.
 
This one " specially designed for boats " it says http://www.socal.co.uk/Toolbox/Taps...e_Gas_Switch_And_Solenoid_Gas_Valve_/28/18148

You must realise it is not intended as a substitute for closing the high pressure cylinder valve, only as a convenient way of shutting of the low pressure supply.
As such its value is debatable.

Other similar valves http://www.socal.co.uk/Toolbox/Taps_and_Valves/28

Also worth looking at http://www.bes.co.uk/

An excellent idea if you have a mushroom cutout swich next to the cooker and a solenoid valve in the locker. In case of fire hit button to cut off gas.

try this one for a whole £23 http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/shop/gas-solenoid-valve.htm
 
That's were a previous owner put it!

Not sure I'd be entirely happy with anything electrical inside a gas locker, in case of a spark.
I used to wonder about that but in the gas locker is the recommended place so they must be designed to be safe to fit in that location! Properly installed there should be no sparking ... and hopefully there's no free gas in your locker :eek: anyway.
 
We got ours from the Southampton calor gas center, 5 years on it all seems fine. All ss and sealed wires into the unit so I could route the cables out of the gas locker before jointing them, illuminated 12v switch from ebay at the stove and the gas is isolated every time when not in use, fit a proper marine gas regulator and they have over pressure relief so no need to switch the bottle off. regulator also from Southampton calor gas center.
 
It's a very old thread ..... but here's an interesting conundrum that might amuse our most technically astute forumites. :)

I have my gas solenoid valve and all my boat gas system here at home whilst I replace some of the flexible gas pipe. Having fitted the new pipe, I decided to test the assembly using my compressor. I put 100 psi into the end which connects to the butane cylinder on the boat with the solenoid valve disconnected from a battery and left it for a few days. After a few days the pressure was still 100 psi. Result.

I then connected the compressor to the end of the pipe with connects to the cooker in the galley so that's through 10m of 10mm hose and hence a large volume of gas. As soon as the pressure rose above a couple of psi, the solenoid valve opened (still no electric connected) and the entire contents of the hose were released into the "boat" through a vent in the bottom of the gas regulator which is connected directly to the cylinder-side of the solenoid valve.

Jeez, I thought, no wonder we can smell gas on the boat! So I decided to dismantle the solenoid valve to find out why it was failing so miserably.

It took me a few minutes but then the penny dropped. ;)

What do you think?

Richard
 
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