New gas installation

[tilmansailing]

I am about to embark on installing a gas cooker on my Colvic Sailer 26.
There has never been any gas on her before.
I have a Plastimo Neptune 2500 cooker, 2 x 4.5k Calor gas cylinders (butane) and enough copper pipe (donated by a fellow club member). I intend to buy a regulator, a bubble tester, a stopcock, an armoured flexible hose (to connect to the cooker) and a means of connecting the regulator to pipework.
I am aware of the need to make gas tight (vented) stowages for the cylinders (I even know where in the boat) and have read BS5482 Pt 3.
One of our club members is qualified to inspect the installation and has been helpful to a certain amount but I suspect is getting fed up answering all my questions.
I am now preparing to buy the parts needed and am looking at the BES catalogue. The choice of parts available is enormous. Is there a guide anywhere advising specific, appropriate parts?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Found Calor in Southampton useful for both products and advice about 6 years back. Worth a try.

http://www.socal.co.uk/Marine/9

 

[pvb]

You might find the BSS booklet on LPG installations useful. It contains a lot of practical advice on the requirements, with a number of useful diagrams. You can download it here.

 

[FullCircle]

Found Calor in Southampton useful for both products and advice about 6 years back. Worth a try.

http://www.socal.co.uk/Marine/9

Ditto, very helpful.

BES great prices, always use them.
Consider a Gaslow.

 

[VicS]

The BSS booklet in PVB's post tells you just about all you need to know.

Sadly almost all the useful advice for the DIYer now seems to have been removed from the Socal website
Except for instructions on making compression joints http://www.calormarinegas.co.uk/Compression

You will find details of how to test a new installation HERE

Compare BES prices with others. Usually the cheapest but not always.

 

[pvb]

Compare BES prices with others. Usually the cheapest but not always.

I've found that Acorn Engineering usually have very attractive prices.

 

[Hardley]

I think you will find that armoured flexible pipe is a NO No now days.

 

[vyv_cox]

I think you will find that armoured flexible pipe is a NO No now days.

There has been a recent thread on this subject. Both armoured and rubber hoses are to the same specification, BS 3212 Part 2 and are thus perfectly acceptable.

The best guide available seems to be the Boat Safety Scheme, mandatory for inland waterways but not otherwise. There is no mention in the document of armoured hose, at least not that I can see.

 

[Stork_III]

There has been a recent thread on this subject. Both armoured and rubber hoses are to the same specification, BS 3212 Part 2 and are thus perfectly acceptable.

The best guide available seems to be the Boat Safety Scheme, mandatory for inland waterways but not otherwise. There is no mention in the document of armoured hose, at least not that I can see.

The BSS does say in 7.9.1R "Are all LPG hoses on the low-pressure side accessible for
inspection, of the correct material and in good condition?
Check the accessibility of all LPG hoses.
Check the markings of all LPG hoses.
Check the condition of hoses.
All LPG hoses must be accessible for inspection along their entire length.
All LPG hoses must be marked to BS 3212 type 2 or equivalent.
Hoses must be free of leaks, flaws, brittleness, cracking, abrasion,
kinking, ‘soft’ spots or joins."

As the casing of Amoured Hose prevents tyhe rubber being inspected, so would seem to be against the BSS. I would not use it.

 

[vyv_cox]

Seems to be a matter of interpretation. It doesn't say visual inspection, so leak detection is a perfectly acceptable inspection method. Strange that this approach is taken whereas in motorhomes and caravans rubber HP hose is known to cause problems and all-stainless braided hose is regarded as a better choice.

 

[Stork_III]

Ah! but the notes with that clause say:- "At the time of inspection, hoses that are not accessible along their entire
length are ‘not verifiable’, and will be considered as non-compliant until
their general condition has been verified as meeting the requirement.". If that doesn't means VISIBLE I don't know what it means.

 

[vyv_cox]

Ah! but the notes with that clause say:- "At the time of inspection, hoses that are not accessible along their entire
length are ‘not verifiable’, and will be considered as non-compliant until
their general condition has been verified as meeting the requirement.". If that doesn't means VISIBLE I don't know what it means.

It doesn't bother me at all, as I have had armoured hose for the past 15 years with no problems. However, nowhere does it say visible in the document. Two alternatives would be a gas sniffer and leak detection, there are probably more.

 

[Stork_III]

It doesn't bother me at all, as I have had armoured hose for the past 15 years with no problems. However, nowhere does it say visible in the document. Two alternatives would be a gas sniffer and leak detection, there are probably more.

You may be right. I don't sail on inland so BSS compliance is not a worry to me. I prefer to be able to visually inspect hose for deterioration, though perhaps armoured hose is less likely to damage.

 

[isandell]

I am in the process of renewing the installation in our 28 foot yacht so have been following this thread with interest. I have a couple of questions that I would be grateful for opinions about.

1. The regulator is at least 12 years old and probably a lot older so I will definitely replace it. I have considered fitting an Annex M regulator but they are not readily available (ie in local chandlers) and are quite expensive. As the vasy majority of regulators, in use and currently being sold, are cheap, caravan type, is there any good reason not to fit one?

2. The existing installation has amoured hoses from regulator to pipework and from pipework to cooker. Both hoses are stamped 2000 but appear outwardly to be in perfect condition. Is there a recommended life for hoses? I believe that surveyors tend to condemn hoses after 5 years.

Thanks

Ian

 

[Dipper]

Isandell

I renewed my gas system a few years ago using the Boat Safety Scheme as guidance. Most items came from the Southampton Calor Gas Centre except for the copper pipe (with the appropriate BS certification) which came from a plumbers merchant.

The Annex M regulator seems to be a new specification but the Calor Gas Centre has some at £29 or a more expensive version at £60 in stainless steel. When I made my system, I used a bulkhead mounted Euro regulator suitable for both butane and propane. The gasBoat 4006 multifuel regulator Annex M is also bulkhead mounted.

 

[VicS]

I think you will find that the annex M regulator

Has parts exposed to the atmosphere, including internal parts above the diaphragm made of corrosion resistant materials.

Has the vent postioned to drain any water that may collect on the diaphragm

Incorporates over pressure relief.​

Standard butane regulator from BES about £3

Multifuel (30mb) GasBoat Annex M regulator from Socal £29