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Solenoid operated gas regulators


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Just been away for three weeks and had the gas sensor go off a couple of times.  Checked everything with the soapy water method and every connection was fine.  (not many connections because we only run the stove off the cylinder).  Almost accidentally dripped some of the soap solution on the actual solenoid casing and saw bubbles coming from both the top and bottom of the casing.  Took the regulator off and replaced it with our spare non solenoid operated regulator, carefully tested and everything fine.

I'm bit perturbed by this.  The solenoid operated regulator is only about six months old and the bracket that holds the solenoid is already showing corrosion.  The whole installation is in a weatherproof box.  This is a particular concern because the gas must have been leaking through the solenoid throughout the whole trip.  We turn the gas bottle on at the beginning of the trip and religiously turn the valve off at the stove after use but leave the sensor on at all times while we're away.  In this case, the gas must have been leaking out irrespective of us turning off the solenoid. 

Two questions.  Has anyone else had a similar problem?  And secondly, where can you buy a truly marine grade solenoid operated regulator?  I've googled, but not come up with anything in NZ.

 

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I had this issue as well. Eventually just ditched the idea, and use a valve at the stove. Manually turn off at the bottle if needed.

Simple, never had a leak since, gas detector on 24 7.

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How do those idea fit with todays Cat 1 gas rules. Years ago, the rule was that you had to be able to shut the tank off at the tank from the Galley position in the event of a fire. When tanks were kicked out of the inside of the boat, that meant you could only achieve that by an electric valve. Has this been revised in the rules?

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How do those idea fit with todays Cat 1 gas rules. Years ago, the rule was that you had to be able to shut the tank off at the tank from the Galley position in the event of a fire. When tanks were kicked out of the inside of the boat, that meant you could only achieve that by an electric valve. Has this been revised in the rules?

IIRC you must have a sign in the galley that says "remember, turn of gas at bottle" I never saw anything that said you must have an electronic solenoid?? And I never had an issue with it for Cat 1...

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Sounds like it's back to climbing out into the cockpit every time we've finished with the gas.  Wonder how many others are slowly leaking gas and also wondering how they can be sold as "fit for purpose".

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A club member who is very mechanically competent and is currently preparing for some extended offshore sailing has taken the LPG off his boat completely and replaced with kerosene. He spent a lot of money getting a top shelf kero stove, imported from the UK.

 

Hi logic was that the residual risk with LPG is always present, and the consequence of an undetected leak is, well, fatal, generally.

 

It's also a hell of a lot easier getting kero in remote places than LPG, with the right bottles, fittings, certifications etc

 

Reading this thread, I'm starting to see his point. We've been planning on installing a solenoid islolator but haven't gotten aroundtoit...

Not sure if I will now.

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Just been away for three weeks and had the gas sensor go off a couple of times.  Checked everything with the soapy water method and every connection was fine.  (not many connections because we only run the stove off the cylinder).  Almost accidentally dripped some of the soap solution on the actual solenoid casing and saw bubbles coming from both the top and bottom of the casing.  Took the regulator off and replaced it with our spare non solenoid operated regulator, carefully tested and everything fine.

I'm bit perturbed by this.  The solenoid operated regulator is only about six months old and the bracket that holds the solenoid is already showing corrosion.  The whole installation is in a weatherproof box.  This is a particular concern because the gas must have been leaking through the solenoid throughout the whole trip.  We turn the gas bottle on at the beginning of the trip and religiously turn the valve off at the stove after use but leave the sensor on at all times while we're away.  In this case, the gas must have been leaking out irrespective of us turning off the solenoid. 

Two questions.  Has anyone else had a similar problem?  And secondly, where can you buy a truly marine grade solenoid operated regulator?  I've googled, but not come up with anything in NZ.

If I understand this correctly , there's 2 issues going on . One is your sensor is activating the alarm. The other is that outside and in the venting locker , you have a gas leak which you discovered because of the first. But that leak is not why your sensor triggers the alarm. So you have some more looking to do. I have been on boats where the sensor/ sniffer has died , so I carry a spare one of those. We have had ours go off after cleaning inside the boat , something in the simple green / spray and wipe or whatever sets it off. thats good feedback as far as i'm concerned.

If the sniffer gets wet its compromised too.

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Ours was a BEP John, and like Clipper says, a shitty electrogalv bracket which is never going to have a hope in a marine environment.  The one I replaced was also BEP and was about eight years old too.  I thought I was doing the right thing by fitting a new one when the hose was replaced.  

Now wondering if I should contact BEP because I don't think it's a minor issue if more people are having problems with them.  You'd never realise there's a leak unless you can smell it or test with the soap solution.  Well there's the big bang method I suppose.

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Where do you guys get your alarms from and what type are they? 

Burnsco only offer a hard wired one, and it wasn't cheap.

I was after one like a smoke alarm that takes 9v batteries or the like. I don't want to shag around hard-wiring a CO alarm.

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Ours was a BEP John, and like Clipper says, a shitty electrogalv bracket which is never going to have a hope in a marine environment.  The one I replaced was also BEP and was about eight years old too.  I thought I was doing the right thing by fitting a new one when the hose was replaced.  

Now wondering if I should contact BEP because I don't think it's a minor issue if more people are having problems with them.  You'd never realise there's a leak unless you can smell it or test with the soap solution.  Well there's the big bang method I suppose.

I have had 2 BEP LPG solenoids in the 30 years since I splashed my 88. The first lasted 15 years until the wiring to the coil corroded out. The second one has been on the boat for 10 years. I was down the boat yesterday and decided to test it out for leakage. None and there was no corrosion/rust on the bracket. The gas bottle and valve is in the port aft locker which spent quite few years with no locker door on and now only has a piece of Sunbrella fabric velcroed across it so hardly watertight.

 

As I said earlier take it back to where you bought it from and if possible show them video or pic of the solenoid bubbling/frothing.

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Trying to attach a photo of the guilty party but it won't let me.  It'll be me for sure but what am I doing wrong?

Just looked at the the one Clipper posted and ours looks slightly different.   BEP with "campmaster" on the regulator, blue solenoid casing and black tightening wheel.

On the solenoid, "VR2 12v DC,  Compatible with 600-GDL Gas Detector"

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I have a BEP solenoid with alarm detector /sensor for inside - quite handy as you have the sensor below the stove and hence should know if there is a gas leak or gas left on with no flame. Did have it go off continually a few years ago for no reason and had to replace the unit which was disappointing  but been  behaving ok since then 

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