Marine gas engineers in Solent area

[dulcibella]

I keep my boat in Port Solent. It has a 20- year-old cooker gas installation; a surveyor recently recommended an armoured hose connecting copper tube to cooker. I'd like some sensible professional advice and realistically priced work to ensure that it is at a safe standard. The market appears to be dominated by Apollo Gas; are they good and is there anyone better?

Thanks for experiences and advice.

 

[sailorman]

I keep my boat in Port Solent. It has a 20- year-old cooker gas installation; a surveyor recently recommended an armoured hose connecting copper tube to cooker. I'd like some sensible professional advice and realistically priced work to ensure that it is at a safe standard. The market appears to be dominated by Apollo Gas; are they good and is there anyone better?

Thanks for experiences and advice.

There is no requirement for armoured, you cant see whats going on inside the covering, mine is orange high pressure, self installed & checked by my marina neighbour a Gas Safe LPG fitter

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

+1 ordinary orange gas hose is better, someone on here was posting they had a leak from armoured hose, as the metal was ok but the internal rubber had perished. Just check the date.
I've just spent £200 :disgust: in So Cal, the Calor place in Southampton, on a proper marine regulator, bubble tester etc but mine has to pass a BSS type check for the insurers. They are very helpful with free advice if that's any help..

 

[maby]

I keep my boat in Port Solent. It has a 20- year-old cooker gas installation; a surveyor recently recommended an armoured hose connecting copper tube to cooker. I'd like some sensible professional advice and realistically priced work to ensure that it is at a safe standard. The market appears to be dominated by Apollo Gas; are they good and is there anyone better?

Thanks for experiences and advice.

Our (admittedly limited) experience of Apollo Gas has been positive - turn up when promised, polite and knowledgeable, do the job (provided they can get the spare parts). The work they have done for us has been warranty jobs, so we have not seen any bills - can't comment on their prices.

Socal were friendly and helpful, but ultimately sold me the wrong parts.

 

[SimonP85]

I’d not recommend Apollo. Had a poor experience with them last year, suggesting doing work “due to regulations” but then unable to back up with the mysterious regulations.

 

[Topcat47]

I have a short length of Orange Gas pipe from my regulator to the gas bottle in the gas locker and a longer armoured hose inboard from my fixed gas line to the gimballed cooker in the saloon. Hoses are changed (by me) every five years as a matter of routine. When I installed the system (to the then current regulations, a copy of which I have kept) it was something mandated for safety reasons. Despite passing though a plywood partition, the armoured hose has never looked frayed (although one was rather rusty when changed) and the orange hose always looks as good as new but I still change them on a time cycle. I've never had a gas leak on board but, you never know.......

 

[thegasmannick]

get a armoured hose marine type and you are in compliant with gas safe reg`s and bss reg`s people will say say bss is for inland waterway`s but its what everyone refer`s to for reg`s including any problem`s

 

[sailorman]

get a armoured hose marine type and you are in compliant with gas safe reg`s and bss reg`s people will say say bss is for inland waterway`s but its what everyone refer`s to for reg`s including any problem`s

Do inland (bss ) have gimbaled cookers

 

[Tomaret]

Our (admittedly limited) experience of Apollo Gas has been positive - turn up when promised, polite and knowledgeable, do the job (provided they can get the spare parts). The work they have done for us has been warranty jobs, so we have not seen any bills - can't comment on their prices.

Socal were friendly and helpful, but ultimately sold me the wrong parts.

I used Apollo to do a gas check on my boat (surveyor recommended it and insurer want to know that all the surveyor’s recommendations had been adopted). It was booked on he basis that the check would cost £85 (probably excluding VAT). Between booking and the check I bought and installed a new cooker. Apollo replaced the regulator and flexible hose at the bottle and the armoured hose to the cooker (1997 vintage) and checked the very simple system. Total bill for less than an hour’s work and parts £3 shy of £300, so I’d say that there weren’t cheap. The longevity of the gas in the bottle and the silence of the alarms told me that the system wasn’t leaking but at least I’m compliant with the insurer’s requirement.

I’d get a firm quote for the work next time, replace bits myself and have a gas check periodically for insurance purposes (not annually as Apollo suggests).

 

[sailorman]

Another Solent gas question, this one from a beginner with gas.. I have cooked on paraffin for half a century but the boat has got a nearly new, GN Espace G1005, so I will be converted at last. There is a proper gas locker but...

A sister ship blew up ... https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c717be5274a429000013b/lord_trenchard.pdf

The gas certificate has expired.

The bulkhead fitting in the locker looks knackered to me. I’m sure it needs replacing

Should I replace the copper tube? It passes through a watertight compartment en route to the cooker. I’m terrified of a gas build up there. There is a detector head there as there is in the galley bilge but better safe..

And of course the flexible bit that goes to the cooker..

Very much hoping for a recommendation of someone in the Lymington area...

Contact micheal_w he is Gas Safe Ipswich, he will give you all you need to know

 

[Kukri]

Contact micheal_w he is Gas Safe Ipswich, he will give you all you need to know

Thanks!

 

[sailorman]

Thanks!

sent pm

 

[Kukri]

sent pm

Spoke to Mike. Sorted.

 

[sailorman]

:encouragement:

 

[Coastgal]

Apollo replaced the regulator and flexible hose at the bottle and the armoured hose to the cooker (1997 vintage) and checked the very simple system. Total bill for less than an hour’s work and parts £3 shy of £300, so I’d say that there weren’t cheap.

I’d get a firm quote for the work next time, replace bits myself and have a gas check periodically for insurance purposes (not annually as Apollo suggests).

Like Tomaret says "get a firm quote" from any supplier before you agree to the works.
Apollo Gas visited my boat and charged me £102 for identifying the requirements and providing me with an "estimate" for replacing the gas pipes. After a number of months, I agreed to the work and he promptly had someone replace the pipework. He then sent me an invoice that was 70% higher than the original estimate!!! Fortunately, after much negotiating, his final invoice was only 30% over estimate. I've learned a lesson, but it's left a nasty taste in my mouth

 

[Elessar]

I keep my boat in Port Solent. It has a 20- year-old cooker gas installation; a surveyor recently recommended an armoured hose connecting copper tube to cooker. I'd like some sensible professional advice and realistically priced work to ensure that it is at a safe standard. The market appears to be dominated by Apollo Gas; are they good and is there anyone better?

Thanks for experiences and advice.

http://www.msel.co.uk/index.html

one man band, reliable and honest.

 

[Martin_J]

Elessar - Do you know if MSEL still in business?

I got through once about three weeks ago and they said they'd get somebody called Owen Williams to contact me. I never heard from an Owen and MSEL are not answering my calls (either mobile or landline).

 

[jaminb]

Owen is your man.

No connection other than he signed off my boat earlier this year after I had replaced my hoses and installed a pressure test point. Socal sold me the bits including; an armoured pipe for the stove; a £22 test point and an armored pipe for the gas bottle locker (which apparantly was not necessary). Socal also sold me a regulator and the necessary bits so I can swap between camping gaz and 3.9/4.5kg calor bottles which will be really useful in these times of gas shortages!

O.W Marine & Domestic gas services

07484273764

 

[HughClayton]

I’d also suggest caution with Apollo Gas. They did some work for me last year, questionable workmanship, damaged the boat and bodged the repair. I elected to pay their bill and do a proper repair myself.

 

[FMundle]

I keep my boat in Port Solent. It has a 20- year-old cooker gas installation; a surveyor recently recommended an armoured hose connecting copper tube to cooker. I'd like some sensible professional advice and realistically priced work to ensure that it is at a safe standard. The market appears to be dominated by Apollo Gas; are they good and is there anyone better?

Thanks for experiences and advice.

I have used Apollo for gas checks for about 5 years and they are easily the worst communicators that I have come across in my sailing and professional life.