New propane instal

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Billyo

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I'm looking at installing a propane system on the boat, I've read all the regs and understand most of it but am wondering about the propane line itself.

I'm looking at using an 8mm copper pipe with plastic sleve that comes in a coil. My question is how easy is it to bend round corners? Planning the simplest route from the galley to the stern I still have 4 90 degree corners to get round.

Can it be slowly bent by hand like the copper pipes for fridges or do I need specialist tool/a professional?
 
The sharpness of the required bend will dictate whether a solder elbow would be better or not. What radius can you get away with for the bends? 8mm plastic pipe is generally sold for central heating systems and is easy to work with.
 
If I remember from previous experiences 8mm copper tube will bend to a radius around 70mm but any more and it may kink when bent by hand.
 
Yellow Ballad said:
You can bend by hand but for a tenner get yourself a set.

Mini Pipe Bender 3 in1 6mm 8mm and 10mm Copper Tube Bending Tool Brake Fuel Pipe | eBay
Click to expand...
I have a set of these pliers from Frost, which I have used for brake, petrol and gas pipes.

m259_1-600x600.jpg


They work quite well, but you need to do a few practice runs on bits of each type of pipe. If you don't keep them absolutely square to the "standing end" of the pipe they can crease it badly, even when the curve works. If making successive bens you have to work away from teh curved side of the pliers to avoid this.
 
ctva said:
The sharpness of the required bend will dictate whether a solder elbow would be better or not. What radius can you get away with for the bends? 8mm plastic pipe is generally sold for central heating systems and is easy to work with.
Click to expand...

I didn't use soldered fittings on my install, to reduce the admittedly small risk of them melting in a fire.

Some general observations to the OP about my DIY installation:
Nobody like to to see pipes flattened by bending, so practice your bends on offcuts of pipe first.

Your insurance company may ask for a random 'safety certificate', which doesn't legally exist for private seagoing vessels.
The inland waterways Boat Safety Cert is often unachievable on yachts, and not needed anyway.

You can get a local caravan/boat gasperson to check your installation and make up a cert, saying it's safe, in their opinion.
I say 'opinion', because I had my DIY instal looked over by two local calor gas companies.

The first shook my hand and said it was one of the best he'd seen.
The second, from a rival firm, condemned it immediately (using scary words like floating bomb etc) and, obviously and unethically, offered to quote for re-doing it! Absolutely despicable.


Gas Safe, (previously CORGI) is not applicable to yachts.

I used 10mm copper pipe, it's a bit more robust.
Make sure the whole run of pipe is accessible to inspect.
 
Thanks all, I'll look at getting one of the hand tools, and buy some extra pipe to practice with. A 70mm radius will have to do as I'm not going to start trying to solder joints, its asking for trouble!

As I dont have a gas locker, or anywhere that i can convert into a gas locker I'm going to have to hang the tank on the rail. The only solution I can see for getting the pipe through the deck is a cable gland, which I'm not thrilled by, or am I missing something?
 
Billyo said:
Thanks all, I'll look at getting one of the hand tools, and buy some extra pipe to practice with. A 70mm radius will have to do as I'm not going to start trying to solder joints, its asking for trouble!

As I dont have a gas locker, or anywhere that i can convert into a gas locker I'm going to have to hang the tank on the rail. The only solution I can see for getting the pipe through the deck is a cable gland, which I'm not thrilled by, or am I missing something?
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Just buy a bulkhead fitting. It goes through the bulkhead/deck etc and has compression fittings each side. You can get them with 90 degree bends as well. Neat and easy. Running gas pipes through grommets in holes is, in my opinion, a bodge, and is always awkward.
 
Billyo said:
Thanks all, I'll look at getting one of the hand tools, and buy some extra pipe to practice with. A 70mm radius will have to do as I'm not going to start trying to solder joints, its asking for trouble!

As I dont have a gas locker, or anywhere that i can convert into a gas locker I'm going to have to hang the tank on the rail. The only solution I can see for getting the pipe through the deck is a cable gland, which I'm not thrilled by, or am I missing something?
Click to expand...
The anchor locker if big enough would be a better solution than the rail. Self draining of course.
 
If I use one of those compression joint for the through deck fitting wouldn't that mean there would be a joint in the pipe below decks? Which I thought was a big no no.

Unfortunately my chain locker is both too small and doesnt drain externally.
 
Billyo said:
If I use one of those compression joint for the through deck fitting wouldn't that mean there would be a joint in the pipe below decks? Which I thought was a big no no.

Unfortunately my chain locker is both too small and doesnt drain externally.
Click to expand...
A joint below decks isn't a big no-no, I have five: B/h fitting, cock, change from rigid to flexible pipe, cooker connection.
You will have inevitable joints below decks anyway, where the pipe changes from rigid to flexi, and another where the flexi enters the cooker.
Just make it accessible for inspection, protected from random trauma like flying crockery or hands grabbing for hand-holds, and make sure the pipe is securely clipped, close to the fitting, on each side.
 
Bear in mind that cheap caravan regulators won't like being doused in seawater. Marine regulators are available, although I don't know how much of the inflated price is corrosion-resistance, and how much is yacht tax.
 
That's a very good point about the copper to flexible connection!
I'm in NZ so have painful experience of the marine market mark up, most stuff is imported from the states so you get that mark up first then the nz premium is added...

I'm intending to sew up a waterproof cover to go over the tank and connection, will hopefully delay the corrosion and uv damage for a while.
 
Billyo said:
If I use one of those compression joint for the through deck fitting wouldn't that mean there would be a joint in the pipe below decks? Which I thought was a big no no.

Unfortunately my chain locker is both too small and doesnt drain externally.
Click to expand...
You can drill out the shoulder inside the bulkhead fitting so the pipe can pass uncut through. Fasten one of the compression nuts and olives just for mechanical fixing.
 
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