Gas regulator

[skyflyer]

The instruction leaflet with the propane regulator I bought in the chandlery states “not for use in boats or caravans”!

so what do I use

I had a perfectly good regulator provided with the boat when new and hence 20 years old when a gas expert said it must be replaced with one with over pressure relief

four years later it has corroded and leaks (low pressure). Despite being labelled “marine” it was also a bloody nuisance as it was much larger than the old one and a tight fit in gas


do I really need OPRV?

if so, what/where do I buy?

NB I want to choose and source my parts. I won’t be fitting them myself.

 

[Aeolus]

Personally, I'd return it to the chandlery as it is, apparently, not fit for purpose. Seems daft that a chandlery would stock something that is not supposed to be used in a mobile context.

I'd then buy a (probably identical) regulator from someone else and use that. I 'get' that it might not be a fully marinised regulator (whatever that is) but I've been using a standard, non-marine regulator for many years now with no problems at all.

Only my untrained, non-specialist opinion, of course.

 

[pvb]

The instruction leaflet with the propane regulator I bought in the chandlery states “not for use in boats or caravans”!

As Aeolus has said, just take it back and get a refund. Buy a "marine" regulator from somewhere else.

 

[VicS]

The instruction leaflet with the propane regulator I bought in the chandlery states “not for use in boats or caravans”!
so what do I use
I had a perfectly good regulator provided with the boat when new and hence 20 years old when a gas expert said it must be replaced with one with over pressure relief
four years later it has corroded and leaks (low pressure). Despite being labelled “marine” it was also a bloody nuisance as it was much larger than the old one and a tight fit in gas
do I really need OPRV?
if so, what/where do I buy?
NB I want to choose and source my parts. I won’t be fitting them myself.

What it means is that you should be buying a marine regulator.
It will be a 30mb dual fuel regulator i.e. suitable for both propane and butane.
It will have certain additional features which include the use of corrosion resistant materials and an over pressure relief valve.

It does of course rely on your appliances being suitable.
There is no such thing as a marine propane only regulator AFAIK..

It is recommended that regulators are replaced after 10 years and hoses after 5 years. Both should be marked with the year of manufacture.

 

[LadyInBed]

I think the only thing that makes the reg 'for marine use' is the quality of the finish on the housing, I don't think a different metal is used, but I could be wrong.

 

[VicS]

I think the only thing that makes the reg 'for marine use' is the quality of the finish on the housing, I don't think a different metal is used, but I could be wrong.

yes I think you are right. On reflection I think the spec is that it must be corrosion resistant rather than made of corrosion resistant material, but it includes all parts , internal as well as external, in contact with the air.

The Gasboat regulators use marine grade materials, whatever that may mean.

 

[skyflyer]

Been doing some googling since original post!


Regarding the OPV (over pressure vent). I’m not sure if this is in case the regulator fails, allowing HP gas into boats internal pipe work (ie will cooker valve and pipe work withstand 150psi) or to vent gas if cylinder gets hot and pressure exceeds input limit to reg (16 bar)..

The one the tech fitted is labelled marine but It has now corroded (zinc cast body corroding in salty atmosphere) and is leaking from low pressure side. Probably about 1cc a minute, not much.

The one the chandlery sold me didn’t have instructions but I looked them up online.
It does have an HP vent which triggers at 75mb. vs delivery pressure of 37mb. So (it seems?) that that reg is designed to protect LP side from a reg failure. However I suspect that the vent (about 8mm dia) isn’t going to vent fast enough to protect against a reg failure that allows full cylinder pressure into boat

i guess the ones soldby chandlery (small, red, about £10) are for “outdoor” appliances only where a reg failure wouldn’t cause a build up
Of gas.

 

[bitbaltic]

Had a similar experience when a gas safe guy serviced the system and fitted a marine regulator some years ago. The regulator did nothing but leak. I replaced it with a camping one which has been fine for years.

having a regulator which prevents overpressure is a good idea when your appliance is in a confined space. But there seem to be an awful lot of reports of marine regulators leaking.

 

[bitbaltic]

i guess the ones soldby chandlery (small, red, about £10) are for “outdoor” appliances only where a reg failure wouldn’t cause a build up
Of gas.

I think the issue would be more a sudden jet of flame rather than a buildup of gas (if your internal stop valve is open and the gas gets to the cooker there’s a fair chance that’s because you’re using it)

 

[Easticks28]

I have a regulator purchased from a caravan and camping shop. It has just been passed in a Boat Safety Scheme inspection without comment.

 

[skyflyer]

I have a regulator purchased from a caravan and camping shop. It has just been passed in a Boat Safety Scheme inspection without comment.

This type?
Propane Low Pressure Regulator - 1.5 kg/hr
Photo

 

[Easticks28]

This type?
Propane Low Pressure Regulator - 1.5 kg/hr
Photo

Similar, although I use butane and the standard now is 30mb.

 

[Ammonite]

Ive had two marine ones in the last 10 years. One to replace a regular one that was working perfectly because that was the "right" thing to do. The first developed a leak and its replacement did the same after a year or two so Ive given up and gone back to a regular one. Reading this it seems I'm not alone. The marine version also seemed to corrode (paint flaking off etc) a lot faster.

 

[skyflyer]

Excellent info folks. thanks. For the cost of a dedicated marine one that lasted 5 years, I can replace a 'standard' one every year and still be quids in.

Given what has been said I'll also probably give the new reg a few extra coats of paint or lacquer to try and better protect it from the elements before I fit it

 

[C08]

I think ones with the overpressure vents are a must on boats. My valve only 4 years old failed and I could have had a fatal accident. I switched on the solenoid valve and thought I could hear flow which was unusual, turned a gas jet on for about 1 second and it made a noise so I turned it off again. I could smell the gas so turned off the gasvalve and flicked the lighter over the jet to burn off the gas released and the whole of the area above the cooker about 3ftx4ft x 3ft burned very briefly and I only suffered burned eyelashes, hair on my arms and head. If I had lit the burner with the tap open I would have been dead! A valve with an overpressure vent is not a complete answer but in conjunction with a solenoid valve at the cylinder at least could give some notice of the problem via smell etc, before you get blown up.

 

[Ammonite]

I think ones with the overpressure vents are a must on boats. My valve only 4 years old failed and I could have had a fatal accident. I switched on the solenoid valve and thought I could hear flow which was unusual, turned a gas jet on for about 1 second and it made a noise so I turned it off again. I could smell the gas so turned off the gasvalve and flicked the lighter over the jet to burn off the gas released and the whole of the area above the cooker about 3ftx4ft x 3ft burned very briefly and I only suffered burned eyelashes, hair on my arms and head. If I had lit the burner with the tap open I would have been dead! A valve with an overpressure vent is not a complete answer but in conjunction with a solenoid valve at the cylinder at least could give some notice of the problem via smell etc, before you get blown up.

Im glad you were OK but what made you go ahead and light the gas as it must have been reeking of gas to catch like that (unless you had a problem with your sense of smell) I had a gas engineer show me how much gas you needed to catch in the past and what I thought was a lot of gas judging by the smell wouldn't ignite. My mantra though is if you can smell gas don't light it!

 

[skyflyer]

I think ones with the overpressure vents are a must on boats. My valve only 4 years old failed and I could have had a fatal accident. I switched on the solenoid valve and thought I could hear flow which was unusual, turned a gas jet on for about 1 second and it made a noise so I turned it off again. I could smell the gas so turned off the gasvalve and flicked the lighter over the jet to burn off the gas released and the whole of the area above the cooker about 3ftx4ft x 3ft burned very briefly and I only suffered burned eyelashes, hair on my arms and head. If I had lit the burner with the tap open I would have been dead! A valve with an overpressure vent is not a complete answer but in conjunction with a solenoid valve at the cylinder at least could give some notice of the problem via smell etc, before you get blown up.

I'm not sur an overpressure vent will help though? Even the small cheap ones have a 75mb overpressure vent, but its a tiny hole. I think they are designed to cope with gas trapped within the piping, expanding (eg in the sun) and thus it releases the slight excess.
If the regulator fails then you will get approx 150psi propane into the system and I have a suspicion that the 6 mm internal bore of the discharge spigot will not be able to vent it fast enough to prevent a significant build up of gas pressure within the remainder of the system.
Most 12v solenoid valves and cooker valves s are not designed to withstand that sort of pressure, the hoses downstream of the regulator are not high pressure ones and who is to say how much you have to pressurise them before they blow off from underneath the circles at each end :-(

HP shut off valves (HPSOV) are a different kettle of fish and are fitted to domestic consumer LPG systems, as well as excessive flow restrictors. In the same circumstances in a domestic system the gas is shut off, not vented.

AFIK the "caravan and boat" regulators have HP overboard discharge not HP shut off