Gas Locker

[bigal.nz 61]

Hi All,

 

Getting the boat ready for summer - last of the winter jobs (until something breaks) is sorting out the gas locker. 

 

The gas/oil/fender locker is for'd and a drain is going to be installed, but I also want to install a lpg/co2 detector. I was looking at one of the ones with dual sensors, so one for the locker, one for the saloon.

 

Presumably mounted down low in the bilges.

 

Anyone have any experience installing these?

 

Cheers

 

AG

 

[mattm 106]

Yeah, they don’t like water, being wet or dampness. So consider that when mounting. It’s a bit of a catch 22 as LPG will sit in the bottom of the bilge just like water. You want the sensor low so it senses the gas early, but not low enough that it gets wet or it will fail and fault.

 

Install is fairly straight forward. Presumably your looking at the BEP unit, if you get a solenoid too, it will shut the gas off if it detects a leak which is smart. There is an override function to turn the gas back on, in case it’s a fault that sets it off, be very sure it isn’t a gas leak before using the over ride.

[Farrari 4]

You could also consider a gas regulator that automatically shuts off the gas flow if the flow rate is too high.

[Island Time 1,293]

I don't bother with one in the locker - a full bottle may vent a bit on a hot day. The gas locker is required to vent overboard, so if it vents or leaks, it shouldn't be a problem.

Really, all boats should have one low down in the living space though...

[bigal.nz 61]

I think I might make a locker within a locker, and put the detector in that - it will sit well up off the floor of the compartment.

[Island Time 1,293]

Yep, but they don't detect LPG. Some boats have Co2 detection as well as LPG....

[Island Time 1,293]

Normally gas detectors are catalytic or infra red. Catalytic works by oxidation of a wire coil, infra red by interruption of a light beam in the infra red spectrum.