How often do you renew gas lines ?

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alec

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Copper pipe, regulator , joints, braided hose etc.

What are the weakest points.

Would be most grateful to know what the team thinks.

Thanks in advance.
 
Just replace my cooker. The Corgi guy said that he needed to replace all copper and braided pipes (only fitted 6 years before) He said I had a leak somewhere in the line based on his pressure test. Absolutely no sign or friction points. Cost me 400 just to replace the line and get my cert !! I dont believe it all. I have not lost any pressure at the cooker and my gas has lasted me the same as it always has. Another license to to obtain money through imposed legislation?
 
I'm not an LPG gas engineer, but I am a domestic natural gas engineer. Weak points have got to be braided or rubber hose and their associated jointings where you get fatiguing. Copper pipe is your least risk provided there is no corrosion, but check anywhere there might be movement/abrasion as copper is soft and can wear through quite quickly.

If joints are soundly made they usually stay sound, but even so compression joints can work their way loose.

As you might expect, I'd recommend you get an LPG qualified Corgi engineer with marine experience to look it over. I have an Origo Spirit stove on my Dehler..........

Tim
 
"He said I had a leak somewhere in the line based on his pressure test. "

Were you present for this. If I find a leak I make a point of showing the leak to the customer as you inevitably get the "it wasn't like that last week" comments which are impossible to deal with in some respects.

I agree its difficult to know who to trust..same with lawyers, dentists, bankers. As my dad (dentist) said to me "once you find a good one..stick to them" and I reckon the same applies to us gas engineers. As to price, well its difficult to comment without knowing the exact work done, but if you paid £400 for a copper gas line...I'm gettin my LPG cert tomorrow, and I'l be down by next week..it certainly sounds a lot on the face of it.

Tim
 
Thanks for the replies.

The reason I ask, is that I reckoned I could smell gas somewhere near the bottle.

I have replaced the regulator ( about 10 years old ), and everything now seems ok. I think it may have been a worn gasket in the regulator not making a nice fit. A visual check seems ok on the rest, but again, probably ten years old now. The copper pipe is green in places.
 
There is nothing to stop you from buying some leak detector spray (not supposed to suggest Fairy Liquid any more..but its best by far for leak detection..but it is a little corrosive..so they tell us)

Spray all joints and braided/rubber pipes and observe for any bubbles. Its simple and its reliable. Leave pressure testing to the professionals though. We know what we are looking for.

Tim
 
The Boat Safety scheme tells you how often the hoses, and regulators should be replaced. 10 years for regulators and 5 years for hoses.

BSS

I dont think you will find any suggestion that you need to replace copper pipe, or other fittings, on a regular basis but it must be properly clipped up to prevent fatigue and protected where it passes through bulkheads that could cause damage (ie metal ones)

I reckon Ashanta has been ripped off but is not to say that an installation will not fail an inspection or leakage test. I would want to see that demonstrated before parting with shed loads of cash.
 
Given the difficulty of access to try to identify a leak then fix it .It could have been more economical to replace the pipe completely.

After working on your system the registered gas fitter is responsible for its safety in the future,after finding one leak perhaps he couldnt put his hand on his heart and say the rest of the system was not more leaks waiting to happen.

Or maybe he just ripped you off.
 
Copper pipe:

Never realy unless other work dictates or the original installation is poor leading to chafe or work hardening.

Regulator:

Usually when it fails or corrodes badly. Mine seem to last about 5-6 years.

Joints:

As 'copper pipe'.

Braided hose:

When it goes out of date, it should be marked.
 
Fit a bubble tester in your gas locker. Then you can test it yourself every time to change a bottle. ASAP Supplies sell them.

You don't NEED a corgi reg plumber unless you are a liveaboard.

I've redone the gas piping on two boats now, and my own work has been an improvement on what was there before. It isn't hard, you just have to be methodical and use fittings compatible with your piping throughout. The only problem I had was with some european 10mm pipe that was 0.5mm OD larger than the uk stuff - it wouldn't go in UK compression fittings until very carefully sanded down. Oh, and use decent hose clips of the right size, not diy jubilee clips.

Fit a bubble tester, and always check the regulator and bottle connection for leaks when you change a bottle. A nearly empty shampoo bottle with some water added makes a good tester - keep it in the locker for squirting over the joints.
 
The sniffer type sensors are much more sensitive than a bubble tester and with the latter, you can pass the BSS whereas a sniffer test would fail. No bubble for 10 seconds, pass.
 
Don t forget that every time you get a refilled calor gas bottle the cap on the connection is fitted with a fresh gasket...It is intended that you use this gasket on the bottle to regulator joint replacing the old one. If you leave the old joint on the connection to the regulator or regulator hose then this will eventully start leaking...This is the most frequent source of gas leaks according to some BSS surveyors !!!!!!!!!
 
If a Seagoing / coastal / estuary boat - there still as far as I am aware no requirement to have Corgi fitter or Certificate for your Gas Installation on board. Some Insurance Co's have picked up and ask for it - based IMHO on some surveyors misguided attempts at being "over-efficious" and reporting on it.

Anyway back to when to replace ... I can hand on heart say that my installation is the same as when I bought the boat back in 1999. Also that the installation was already in place when the boat was surveyed for previous owner 2 years before I bought. So that puts it at a minimum 10 yrs old.

I check it myself regularly - I do not leave gas bottle open - turn off when not in use.

As to pipes ....... Copper pipe has a particular property, I know this from having used it a number of times on various caravans and boats before caravans were restricted on DIY ... and also confirmed by fitters ... The pipe is designed to work harden when bent .. it is soft and bendable when bought. So you bend and fit to suit ... it then having been worked literally hardens and sets up. The worst thing apart from not support / protecting the pipe - as I was told by gas fitters - is to try and bend set pipe - it will often fracture ...
As far as I know - as long as the pipe is in good condition - it has no specified or required change time.

The flexible connectors - well IMHO this is a different matter as they are subject to flex and working especially if you have a gimballed item at end of it ... so regular change is not a bad idea.

Joints - as long a not disturbed should last ages .. years and years ... but one thing I would never attempt is to re-use an old joint no matter how good it looks.

Regulators - never changed on in all the years I've had caravans / boats .. other than when I changed for Propane from Butane.

The above is MY personal view ... I am not a gas Engineer, but I value my life - have always regarded safety as paramount. I have had Gas Engineers near blow my house up with shoddy work - luckily identified by the plumbers who fitted the rest of the Central Heating system - called the sob back to do the job properly ... before they would switch on to test.
There are posts after posts that advocate Corgi Engineers citing legislation .. it is only applicable on Inland Waterways .... and maybe when Ins. co requires - most not.

Sorry - got carried away there !!
 
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