Propex Heater Location

[oGaryo]

Hi all.. I'm after opinion on my chosen location for siting a propex heater and its gas cylinder.. it'll be under the wet bar where the previous owner got shot of the large cooler box and has used the space to fit a replacement calorifier already.

my intention is to install the heater (1600 compact) and the 7KG gas cylinder in the same space with the exhaust and air intake exiting the boat high up on the starboard side giving a very short run for the pipework with exhaust gases exiting toward the aft of the boat (just rear of the wet bar) and the air intake forward of the exhaust..

Gas pipes will be copper all the way through apart from the last few inches at the bottle and I'll be installing an inline isolation tap. Gas cylinder and piping will be secured with straps / brackets and I'll fit an LPG gas alarm to be sure there's no gases in the compartment before firing up the propex. The length of ducting to the heater outlets are reduced by choosing this location so it's ideal from that perspective.

I will have it all checked out and certified by an LPG blokey once installed but thought I'd check out the installation location with you good folk first.. any glaringly obvious risks I'm not already considering?

One that I gave some thought to was whether heater and gas bottle should be in seperate compartments. I personally have no problem installing the gas bottle in the same vented compartment as the heater. thinking is based on there being as much chance of a leak at the heater as at the bottle and the bottle has no chance of being subject to excessive heat from the heater where it'll be positioned + closer = less pipe / joins = less risk. Finally, same location = need for just the one alarm.

this is an example of the wet bar in question but as said, the useless cooler's been ripped out and there's a door on the front instead with plenty of space for the heater and bottle.

I intend to have 2 outlets, one in to the cockpit and one in to the cabin, both will be closable.

cheers Gary

 

[oGaryo]

Heater exhaust outlet and intake positions are shown by the red blobs in this picture... juts purchased an Alde bubble tester too to fit immediately after the regulator.

 

[pvb]

I'd be very very cautious about installing the heater in the same space as the gas bottle.

The gas bottle must be in a gas-tight locker with an overboard drain. This isn't the easiest thing to achieve with a front-opening locker, but it's possible. It would be effectively impossible if the heater were in the same locker.

The design of your cockpit means that any escaping gas would flow into the cabin of the boat, so you'd need a gas sensor in there too.

As you have a petrol engine, the heater must not be installed in a space open to the engine area. I'd imagine this would mean that you'll have to have a separate enclosed locker for the heater, as it's likely the space under the wet bar will not be separated from the engine area.

If it's not done properly, you risk not only your own safety but could also invalidate your insurance.

 

[sarabande]

exhaust and intake ports should be much more separated, preferably on opposite sides of the boat.

If there is a gas leak while you are away, are you 100% certain that the heavier-then-air explosive gas will not find its way down to the engine ? Do you have an engine room exhaust fan, and a SOP (standard operating procedure) that the fan is run for a couple of minutes before starting the engine ?

It sounds a pain, but you do need to locate the gas bottle away from the centre of the cockpit and the heater, out towards the stern in its own locker with an overboard drain.

 

[oGaryo]

thanks guys.. has prompted a little more reading and found what seems to be a useful article http://www.hurleyownersassociation.co.uk/pages/gas.htm

 

[daveyw]

Would suggest you read http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/downloads/BSS_Guide_chap7.pdf

Also, I don't have an air inlet as such, it just draws from the locker around the heater. Also, I would recommend you recirc the warm air so you are not constantly heating cold air.

 

[oGaryo]

Thanks Davey

 

[Thepipdoc]

I had a Propex heater fitted to my previous boat earlier this year which was petrol engined but had also been converted to run on LPG.
The 200ltr LPG tank was located inside the engine bay and the heater unit was fitted underneath the seat in the cockpit. The one thing I would be sure to check on before you start making holes in the side of the boat is the location of the exhaust outlet. You need to be sure that it meets the spec laid down by the manufacturers and also GasSafe ( or whatever the CORGI people are called these days).I had to move the outlet on my boat about 3 inches lower than where I wanted it because it was deemed too close to the flaps of the canopy, and if the canopy was open there was a possibility that dangerous gasses would find their way into the cockpit.
Just a thought!


I have to say that the unit I fitted was excellent and it transformed the boat and the way we could comfortably use it. i.e we spent a cosy new year eve tucked up aboard when the weather was minus 4 outside.
Money well spent.

 

[MANXPEDRO]

There are a many good points regarding fitting the Propex here (I've just installed one myself). But as for the comment above: "exhaust and intake ports should be much more separated, preferably on opposite sides of the boat",

Propex make their own exhaust outlet/induction inlet skin fitting on their website:

http://www.propexleisure.co.uk/marine_through_hull_fitting/p-76.html
so having the inlet and exhaust so far apart, would not really be advantagous.

Also, I installed my own Propex heater (I'm a qualified engineer, but not a Gas fitter), but remember to use copper olives on any unions, as they are softer and make a better joint. Also remember to use gas safe ptfe tape too. These are a couple of pointers for you to bear in mind.

Theyy're great little heaters, and I'd have another in the future. Good luck with your installation!

 

[oGaryo]

There are a many good points regarding fitting the Propex here (I've just installed one myself). But as for the comment above: "exhaust and intake ports should be much more separated, preferably on opposite sides of the boat",

Propex make their own exhaust outlet/induction inlet skin fitting on their website:

http://www.propexleisure.co.uk/marine_through_hull_fitting/p-76.html
so having the inlet and exhaust so far apart, would not really be advantagous.

Also, I installed my own Propex heater (I'm a qualified engineer, but not a Gas fitter), but remember to use copper olives on any unions, as they are softer and make a better joint. Also remember to use gas safe ptfe tape too. These are a couple of pointers for you to bear in mind.

Theyy're great little heaters, and I'd have another in the future. Good luck with your installation!

nice one, will follow those tips when completing the install and regards fitting the exhaust the opposite side of the boat to the inlet, I understand the reasoning but as stated, Propex dictate a max combined length of 1.5m so it's physically not possible.. any longer and the propex starts to backfire on startup (tried it in the garage with that result)

 

[oGaryo]

The one thing I would be sure to check on before you start making holes in the side of the boat is the location of the exhaust outlet. .

bugger, bugger and thrice bugger have a guess what muggins has already done

the combustion inlet has yet to be drilled so will swap the exhaust outlet in the postion shown in the picture and turn it in to an inlet moving the exhaust further aft and lower if there's issues... mind you, with the height principle in mind, the engine room blower exit port is at the same height and only a little further back to the position of the exhaust and propex state that the exhaust outlet should be as high as possible in their installation instructions.

Regarding the cyliner locker.. I've found a couple of solutions that will fit under the wet bar and there's a clear run to install an upper and lower drain so I'm pretty comfortable with that aspect.

Why do simple jobs always become more involved than first thought