26-01-2017, 10:22 AM
The newer Propane and butane cylinders have a fire plug that melts to vent the gas, they don't go bang anymore but the flame through the vent must be horrendous.
Living on a narrowboat, I ensure that the bilge can never be full of gas by having the bilge scavenged by the engine box cooling fan and the combustion air for the engine (diesel) is also drawn from the bilge.
The only flexible gas hose is on the bottle after the regulator and gets changed every 4 years for the boat safety inspection.
But I change the hose, the bottle and the regulator (occasionally ) myself as does every liveaboard owner I know. None are registered to work on any gas let alone bottled gas. I was Corgi registered years ago but it no longer counts as "competent " in the legal interpretation.
The boat inspector uses a manometer to leak test, on the test nipple fitted in the gas pipe, which he removes, and refits afterwards. But he is not registered as Gas Safe.
He cannot use a test nipple that is part of an appliance, as otherwise he would have to recommission the appliance which he is not qualified to do.
Very few liveaboard owners do NOT do their own gas fitting I have found, the fittings, appliances and spare parts are readily available from any decent chandlery without question.
Considering this, very few boats do go bang. Most are fired by accident involving petrol, candles or vandalism.
Living on a narrowboat, I ensure that the bilge can never be full of gas by having the bilge scavenged by the engine box cooling fan and the combustion air for the engine (diesel) is also drawn from the bilge.
The only flexible gas hose is on the bottle after the regulator and gets changed every 4 years for the boat safety inspection.
But I change the hose, the bottle and the regulator (occasionally ) myself as does every liveaboard owner I know. None are registered to work on any gas let alone bottled gas. I was Corgi registered years ago but it no longer counts as "competent " in the legal interpretation.
The boat inspector uses a manometer to leak test, on the test nipple fitted in the gas pipe, which he removes, and refits afterwards. But he is not registered as Gas Safe.
He cannot use a test nipple that is part of an appliance, as otherwise he would have to recommission the appliance which he is not qualified to do.
Very few liveaboard owners do NOT do their own gas fitting I have found, the fittings, appliances and spare parts are readily available from any decent chandlery without question.
Considering this, very few boats do go bang. Most are fired by accident involving petrol, candles or vandalism.
Boater Sam.
