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Recommendations for getting gas checked


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1 hour ago, K4309 said:

Yes, it goes bottle, solenoid, regulator.

BUT, technically (legally) you aren't able to replace the solenoid yourself. You need to get a certified gas fitter to do it, and pay the $1,000 to re-issue the gas certificate.

It is questionable if you require a solenoid for safety purposes. Some gas fitters say you don't, some say you do. That is with respect to having two gas sniffers interlinked with a solenoid. Of course if you want want so you don't have to physically go to the gas locker to turn the gas off, then knock yourself out.

Oh, and if any other part of your system isn't complaint with the current regs, a gas fitter will make you change the whole lot so that he can re-install your solenoid. That includes replacing your stove if it doesn't have auto-flame out on all elements. And replacing any flexible hose that are older than 7 years.

Have a solenoid and don’t trust it , you can only blow up once . We always turn it off at the bottle 

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2 hours ago, K4309 said:

Yes, it goes bottle, solenoid, regulator.

BUT, technically (legally) you aren't able to replace the solenoid yourself. You need to get a certified gas fitter to do it, and pay the $1,000 to re-issue the gas certificate.

It is questionable if you require a solenoid for safety purposes. Some gas fitters say you don't, some say you do. That is with respect to having two gas sniffers interlinked with a solenoid. Of course if you want want so you don't have to physically go to the gas locker to turn the gas off, then knock yourself out.

Oh, and if any other part of your system isn't complaint with the current regs, a gas fitter will make you change the whole lot so that he can re-install your solenoid. That includes replacing your stove if it doesn't have auto-flame out on all elements. And replacing any flexible hose that are older than 7 years.

How did we ever survive fitting our own regulator,running gas pipe,when was the last vessel to explode via gas?   Oh well back to carrying cans of kero or meths. Do I need a sniffer in the engine bay incase theres a diesel leak? never mind the mountain of wires running off the batteries. All over top imo

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3 minutes ago, harrytom said:

How did we ever survive fitting our own regulator,running gas pipe,when was the last vessel to explode via gas?   Oh well back to carrying cans of kero or meths. Do I need a sniffer in the engine bay incase theres a diesel leak? never mind the mountain of wires running off the batteries. All over top imo

our gas locker (now redundant) also houses the liquid fuels.  Constantly smells of tw-stroke fuel fumes... 😏

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44 minutes ago, aardvarkash10 said:

our gas locker (now redundant) also houses the liquid fuels.  Constantly smells of tw-stroke fuel fumes... 😏

4 stroke fumes are no better... I keep a little petrol in the gas locker also... and butane soldering iron and fuel.

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Most people just ignore the gas issue until they need to deal with it for insurance etc. Gas is a lot safer than people suggest, how many houses have gas appliances that rely on an install way back in the dark ages?  On boats its all about confined spaces and leaks, the typical explosion is waking up and putting the kettle on and boom.  For small Kiwi yachts a sensible DIY job that follows good practice is safe, most (all!) of us  haven't blown ourselves up and there is no way most of the installations would pass current regulations. The portable camping gas stoves are probably more dangerous but still we have to abide by the rules and the marine gasfitting business seems to be very guilty of boat owner = lets charge whatever we like since they have no alternative. 

Larger complex boats with furniture that cannot be removed or provide access to inspect  gas lines and joints are another story, 

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16 minutes ago, Psyche said:

Most people just ignore the gas issue until they need to deal with it for insurance etc. Gas is a lot safer than people suggest, how many houses have gas appliances that rely on an install way back in the dark ages?  On boats its all about confined spaces and leaks, the typical explosion is waking up and putting the kettle on and boom.  For small Kiwi yachts a sensible DIY job that follows good practice is safe, most (all!) of us  haven't blown ourselves up and there is no way most of the installations would pass current regulations. The portable camping gas stoves are probably more dangerous but still we have to abide by the rules and the marine gasfitting business seems to be very guilty of boat owner = lets charge whatever we like since they have no alternative. 

Larger complex boats with furniture that cannot be removed or provide access to inspect  gas lines and joints are another story, 

We have a fixed solid line that disappears behind linings and fixtures over about 8 meters and that’s the bit I don’t trust . Until that’s replaced the gas gets turned off at the bottle .

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45 minutes ago, Psyche said:

Most people just ignore the gas issue until they need to deal with it for insurance etc. Gas is a lot safer than people suggest, how many houses have gas appliances that rely on an install way back in the dark ages?  On boats its all about confined spaces and leaks, the typical explosion is waking up and putting the kettle on and boom.  For small Kiwi yachts a sensible DIY job that follows good practice is safe, most (all!) of us  haven't blown ourselves up and there is no way most of the installations would pass current regulations. The portable camping gas stoves are probably more dangerous but still we have to abide by the rules and the marine gasfitting business seems to be very guilty of boat owner = lets charge whatever we like since they have no alternative. 

Larger complex boats with furniture that cannot be removed or provide access to inspect  gas lines and joints are another story, 

This.

All the explosions, fires and deaths I've heard of have been from portable gas appliances. Either those old portable LPG heaters, or butane stoves used in confined spaces, like tents.

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22 minutes ago, Psyche said:

and every bulkhead it passes through requires a fitting with two joints (one either side) if I understand the regs correctly?

It gets a bit murky.

If you have a single appliance you can use the flexible gas hose, available from Burnsco at $12/m or from the gas fitter at $4/m. (AS/NZS1561 class C by memory) You have to protect it from chafe at all points, so anywhere it does anything, like go through a bulkhead, you put it in some cable duct (the black plastic flexibly one, not rigid PVC).

If you have a 'complex' system as defined by the regs, then you need copper pipe. That is a system with more than one appliance. The copper pipe needs a different style of protection at bulkheads. As my system is 'simple' I didn't go down the rabbit hole to find out what that is. That, and I don't have any bulkheads on my 2.5m pipe run, just the exist hole out of the gas locker (which is still considered a bulkhead I believe, that one needs to be leak proof.

The only issue I had with the 'simple' system and flexible pipe is that 3 out of 4 gas fitters told me I still needed copper pipe and stainless flexible sections at each end. Even when I queried the regs and quoted the clause to them.

The great irony is that, when discussing gas certificates with my insurer, all they said was "as long as it's not copper, cause that corrodes and leaks and we don't like copper"... I understand to get the copper pipe up to the same performance standard as the $4/m flexible pipe, they now anneal it in a rubber sheath, so it looks, err, like the flexible pipe.

The only issue with the $4/m flexible pipe is it needs to be replaced every 7 years. Which is the validity of the gas certificate anyway. I don't really have a problem with that requirement.

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2 hours ago, K4309 said:

It gets a bit murky.

If you have a single appliance you can use the flexible gas hose, available from Burnsco at $12/m or from the gas fitter at $4/m. (AS/NZS1561 class C by memory) You have to protect it from chafe at all points, so anywhere it does anything, like go through a bulkhead, you put it in some cable duct (the black plastic flexibly one, not rigid PVC).

If you have a 'complex' system as defined by the regs, then you need copper pipe. That is a system with more than one appliance. The copper pipe needs a different style of protection at bulkheads. As my system is 'simple' I didn't go down the rabbit hole to find out what that is. That, and I don't have any bulkheads on my 2.5m pipe run, just the exist hole out of the gas locker (which is still considered a bulkhead I believe, that one needs to be leak proof.

The only issue I had with the 'simple' system and flexible pipe is that 3 out of 4 gas fitters told me I still needed copper pipe and stainless flexible sections at each end. Even when I queried the regs and quoted the clause to them.

The great irony is that, when discussing gas certificates with my insurer, all they said was "as long as it's not copper, cause that corrodes and leaks and we don't like copper"... I understand to get the copper pipe up to the same performance standard as the $4/m flexible pipe, they now anneal it in a rubber sheath, so it looks, err, like the flexible pipe.

The only issue with the $4/m flexible pipe is it needs to be replaced every 7 years. Which is the validity of the gas certificate anyway. I don't really have a problem with that requirement.

What did you use and get signed off/certified for the leak proof bulkhead fitting where the flexible hose exits the locker?

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20 minutes ago, CarpeDiem said:

What did you use and get signed off/certified for the leak proof bulkhead fitting where the flexible hose exits the locker?

I haven't actually done that yet, as have a few jobs ahead of it, but the two options my gasfitter gave me was A), a proper grommet, or B.) any kind of sealant I want, as in Silicon, Dowsil etc.

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