Securing gas pipe

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mick

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My copper gas pipe runs along the inside top of my cockpit locker. The surveyor tells me it has to be secured. (Apparently it flops around at the moment.) What is the best way to do this? I've experimented with expanding foam but I don't think that will do.
 
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£1 for 10 here. - I have no connection!

or use 15mm plumbing clips with a plastic bush made from hosepipe!
 
The LPG section of the Boat Safety scheme says lpg pipe "should not move under light manual pressure" It is recommended that it is clipped in position at intervals not more than 500mm (20") Attention is drawn to avoiding abrasion of the pipe where it passes through bulkheads.

<span style="color:white"> ................................. </span> Boat Safety Scheme Part 7
 
I glassed small wooden blocks along the inside of the hull and clipped the pipe in place with copper pipe clips.

pipe_clip_small.jpg


I fitted a block/clip close to each side of bulkheads through which the pipe passed so as to keep the pipe in the centre of the hole without touching the bulkheads.
 
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I glassed small wooden blocks along the inside of the hull and clipped the pipe in place with copper pipe clips.

pipe_clip_small.jpg


I fitted a block/clip close to each side of bulkheads through which the pipe passed so as to keep the pipe in the centre of the hole without touching the bulkheads.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like a good idea. I'd be grateful for any detailed advice on how to proceed.
 
Please note that I am a complete amateur and have no other gas fitting experience! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I didn't read your original post properly. I was referring to fixing the long copper pipe that runs from my bulkhead fitting on the cabin side of the gas locker to the cooker but the principal may be the same.

I used blocks of wood about 1” by 2” by whatever thickness I needed. I rough sanded the fibreglass where they were going to be stuck to provide a key as well as the base of the blocks. I know I should have cleaned the hull using acetone but I didn’t have any!

I then used a dollop of Plastic Padding Glass Fibre Filler (the greeny blue stuff in a tube) on the back of each block and placed the block on the sanded area of the hull, twisting and applying pressure until the block was in the right position and at the right height. I repeated this every 15” or so along the proposed line of the pipe with additional blocks immediately either side of the bulkhead holes.

Once the fibreglass had set, the pipe was fed through from the gas locker bulkhead fitting to the tap near the cooker and secured with the copper clips shown in my previous post.

You can get the clips and excellent advice from the Calor Marine Shop. Their web site also has links to the Boat Safety Scheme which I followed as closely as possible during the installation. The only problem with the clips will be ensuring they are the exact size for your pipe. My pipe was new so I knew that the clips would match.

The picture below shows the arrangement in my gas locker. I still need to remove the VHF speaker, seal the small inspection hatch and secure the bottle. I fitted all the bits to a ply board at home so I could match up all the different heights and end up with a straight pipe.

8-picture1.jpg
 
my copper gas pipe was "Anealed" & is threaded through reinforced clear hose from the gas locker to the cooker isolation tap with a hose clip @ each end, clipped with the plastic "P" clips as required to hold it firm.
the chafe is minimal due to the clear hose sheathing
 
My locker is similar (not as clean), except that I have a preference to having the regulator on the bottle rather than the high pressure hose as you have.

This way I only have a piece of the orange lower pressure rubber pipe joining to my copper run. I have an opinion that this is safer, the gaslow regulator is supposed to cut off if there is catastrophic failure in the system, though this can cause it to be sticky and needs a knock if you turn the gas bottle on too quickly. It presumes that there is a gas leak, a gentle turn to bring the pressure up slowly tends to get around this... She might learn one day /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What does that lighter cable do, the one that joins where the high pressure hose goes into the regulator?

EDIT>> On second look it is not joining there but a lead from one of your detectors I presume, it is actually joined to the stop valve, yes?
 
My old system had the regulator on the bottle and I can see the advantage of this. I changed to the bulkhead mounted one as this seemed to be the preferred modern system.

You are right. The black wire is the electrical power to the Pilot gas solenoid switch.

I had a little difficulty matching up the regulator, solenoid and bubbler as they mounted at different depths so I had to build up the ply panel behind these with thin ply blocks to try to keep the pipe run straight. Also, I had to change the outlet on the regulator as it was 10mm and my solenoid inlet was 8mm. The Calor Marine Shop kindly supplied the 8mm outlet for free.

Despite having all these safety items, I still only turn the gas on immediately before it is needed and turn it off immediately after I have finished cooking. Unfortunately my alarm played up at the end of last season and kept turning the gas off! It is currently back at the manufacturer for repair.
 
Do you know if there is a problem having the regulator on it's side?

I don't know, but don't they have springs and weights inside?
 
The Euro regulator is designed for bulkhead fitting. It came with comprehensive instructions (which I read because I am a man /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) and as far as I remember it said it could be mounted vertically in any orientation. There is a fuzzy picture on the Calor Marine Shop web site showing this:

pete.jpg


As regards mounting the regulator on the boat rather than the bottle, I have found the advice which persuaded me to do it here. The main hazard with a bottle mounted regulator is that the bottle could fall over and release liquid gas into the system which is dangerous. This can't happen with a bulkhead mounted regulator although mine would have been better mounted higher up but I don't have the room.
 
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Do you know if there is a problem having the regulator on it's side?
I don't know, but don't they have springs and weights inside?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wondered about this, too. Yes they have springs in (not weights AKAIF), and there is also a diaphragm (pretty much as big as the regulator) sandwiched between the two halves of the body. One side of this is open to the air (through a breather / drain hole).

If the regulator is installed with this breather at the bottom - such that any condensation, etc. can drain out,then I don't see a problem (IMHO). If not... the space behind the diaphragm will fill up with water over time, and affect the operation of the regulator and/or the spring inside will rust through.

Andy
 
I've found the instructions that came with the regulator.

They aren't quite as comprehensive as I remembered but they say that the regulator must be fitted to a 'wall' in a ventilated compartment. There are no other warnings about orientation other than pointing out that the arrow shows the direction of gas flow.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've found the instructions that came with the regulator.

They aren't quite as comprehensive as I remembered but they say that the regulator must be fitted to a 'wall' in a ventilated compartment. There are no other warnings about orientation other than pointing out that the arrow shows the direction of gas flow.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fairy Nuff - I'd go with that, then.

Andy
 
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