Switching to Euro Gas Regulators

[Talulah]

Most boats with Gas (Propane or Butane) have a matched regulator.
These regulators are typically 37mBar for Propane (Red Bottle) or 28mB for Butane (Blue Bottle).
However, more and more boats are now being fitted with Euro regulators operating at 30mBar.

I mention this because people usually talk about it's ok to switch from Propane to Butane by changing the regulators at the same time. Little discussion has been made about switching from a Propane regulator to a Euro regulator.

Such is the case with our boat. We switched from the 37mBar Propane regulator to a Euro 30mBar regulator.
Since doing so the burners on the cooker (Force 10) have become noticeably underpowered.

The Force 10 manual has a table of jet sizes.
The chances are that if you bought a Force 10 cooker in the UK the jet sizes were 0.52(small burner) 0.82 (large burner).
You'll need to change these to 0.56(small burner), 0.85 (large burner).
I contacted Southampton Calor Gas Centre to get the larger jets. They don't do them.
Force 10 in Canada do adapter kits.

So if you're switching from Propane regulators to Euro regulators you'll either have to live with a weaker flame on your cooker, get a conversion kit, or take out the Dremel and modify your jets. (This latter method I have not tried yet.)

 

[Sandyman]

Most jets seem to of a standard fitting. Is it not possible to get the jets you requires
for your Force 10 from another manufacturer ? Just a thought

 

[KellysEye]

>We switched from the 37mBar Propane regulator to a Euro 30mBar regulator.
Since doing so the burners on the cooker (Force 10) have become noticeably underpowered.

Why not switch back the the correct regulator?

 

[Talulah]

>We switched from the 37mBar Propane regulator to a Euro 30mBar regulator.
Since doing so the burners on the cooker (Force 10) have become noticeably underpowered.

Why not switch back the the correct regulator?

Perfectly reasonable suggestion. The thread really though is to highlight an unforeseen issue when making the switch.

 

[Talulah]

Most jets seem to of a standard fitting. Is it not possible to get the jets you requires
for your Force 10 from another manufacturer ? Just a thought

You can get LPG conversion kits. The hassle is they tend to list the cookers they are for instead of the details of the jets inside.
A lot of motorhomes have the same problem. They are fitted with a 30mBar Euro regulator with a cooker sized for 37mBar.

http://www.cooker-parts.co.uk/10228/info.php?p=12&cat=75017

 

[maxi77]

Navimo are the UK agents

http://www.xm-yachting.co.uk/da/97000

 

[Talulah]

Navimo are the UK agents

http://www.xm-yachting.co.uk/da/97000

Many thanks.
I have sent them an email. Whilst Force 10 do adapter kits I will be surprised if they are available here.

 

[KellysEye]

>The thread really though is to highlight an unforeseen issue when making the switch.

I wouldn't have thought it it would be unseen, obviously a lower pressure regulator isn't going to work properly.

 

[Talulah]

>The thread really though is to highlight an unforeseen issue when making the switch.

I wouldn't have thought it it would be unseen, obviously a lower pressure regulator isn't going to work properly.

Well maybe with hindsight but we are not all perfect and practical posts like these means others can be wiser before the event.

 

[Dipper]

I use butane and a few years ago I fitted a Euro bulkhead regulator (butane or propane) and I haven't noticed that the flame on my cooker is low. The cooker was new at the time so I didn't have anything to compare it with.

One problem reported with the bulkhead Euro regulators was premature failure a few months after introduction. Examination revealed them to be contaminated with an oily substance. It was eventually decided that this substance was plasticiser that had been leeched out of the high pressure hoses by the effects of the gas. Since most regulators at the time were below the off-take of the cylinders, this substance drained down the hose and into the regulator. The solution was to mount the regulators as high as possible on the bulkhead so that the oily substance would drain back towards the cylinder. (Details copied from here).

 

[Talulah]

I use butane and a few years ago I fitted a Euro bulkhead regulator (butane or propane) and I haven't noticed that the flame on my cooker is low. The cooker was new at the time so I didn't have anything to compare it with.

With Butane you shouldn't notice the difference as you are going from 28mBar to 30mBar.
With Propane you drop from 37mBar to 30mBar hence more noticeable.

 

[VicS]

The appliance should have a plate on it which states which gas(es) it it suitable for and at what pressure(s).
My cooker can be used on butane at 28mb or propane at 37mb.

Presumably an appliance suitable for either gas at 30mb will be so marked.

I'd not expect mine to work properly on propane at 30mb but I dont suppose there will be problem with butane at that pressure.

There may be a reluctance on the part of the manufacturers to supply jets to all and sundry to convert an appliance from one pressure to another as it would then not be correctly labelled.
Changing from propane at 37 mb to propane/butane at 30mb would I guess involve slightly larger jets. If that appliance was at some later date connected to a propane supply at 37 mb, which according to the plate on it it should use, the results might be interesting if not actually dangerous.

There may of course be differences to the burner design other than just jet size.

I must confess I don't quite see how the performance of dual fuel appliances operating at 30mb is not a compromise anyway but I have not yet come face to face with one.

 

[Dipper]

With Butane you shouldn't notice the difference as you are going from 28mBar to 30mBar.
With Propane you drop from 37mBar to 30mBar hence more noticeable.

Post in haste. Repent at leisure. I didn't read your post properly. I'll remove myself to the naughty step.