Gas Safety!!
Regular checks of your boat's gas system, storage and a correct installation are vital for safety, this is one area that I don't recommend DIY.
Considering gas is the most dangerous substance likely to be on board your boat, you’d be surprised how far down the priority list most people place their gas system.
Many boats have dangerously old and outdated installations, but it seems owners are loath to replace and update them.
It’s seen as a minor job compared with tasks with more visible results, like painting the hull or servicing the engine.
But a safe set-up and regular checks of your gas system are jobs that could do more than anything else to protect you and your boat.
Many boats have dangerously old and outdated installations, but it seems owners are loath to replace and update them.
It’s seen as a minor job compared with tasks with more visible results, like painting the hull or servicing the engine.
But a safe set-up and regular checks of your gas system are jobs that could do more than anything else to protect you and your boat.
Saying that to minimise the costs you can carry out the basic DIY CHECKS yourself,
then call a Gas Safe engineer in to test it for you.
then call a Gas Safe engineer in to test it for you.
Gas checks
The basis for the standard adhered to is the Boat Safety Scheme, designed for inland waterways, in fact many insurance companies won’t cover you if your system is outdated or dangerous. Or in some cases they’ll issue an exclusion to gas-related claims.
For a Gas Safety Certificate your system needs to be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. that can be pricey, if you’re having a whole system installed, but you can save money by doing much of the work yourself before employing an engineer to check and test the system for its certificate.
The basis for the standard adhered to is the Boat Safety Scheme, designed for inland waterways, in fact many insurance companies won’t cover you if your system is outdated or dangerous. Or in some cases they’ll issue an exclusion to gas-related claims.
For a Gas Safety Certificate your system needs to be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. that can be pricey, if you’re having a whole system installed, but you can save money by doing much of the work yourself before employing an engineer to check and test the system for its certificate.
A gas safety check costs in the region of £60, so if you attempt the work yourself, it’s worth making sure you do it right first time, otherwise it’ll cost you more time and money in remedial work. If you have any doubts, get an engineer to do the installation for you: it’s not worth messing around with gas, and you’ll have peace of mind that it’s correctly installed
‘You are required, though, to ensure that the work conforms to PD 5482-3:2005, the Code of practice for domestic butane and propane gas-burning installations. Installations in boats, yachts and other vessels of lengths up to 24m.
Furthermore, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, you must take account of the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions.
‘You are required, though, to ensure that the work conforms to PD 5482-3:2005, the Code of practice for domestic butane and propane gas-burning installations. Installations in boats, yachts and other vessels of lengths up to 24m.
Furthermore, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, you must take account of the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions.
So what are the gas checks you need to comply with?
Flexible hose length
Flexible hoses should be no more than 1m long, and should be stamped with the British Standard BS 3212/2.
Hose integrity
Check any flexible hoses for cracks or degraded parts. even if undamaged they should be replaced five years after date of manufacture (this is printed on rubber hoses and stamped on armoured ones). This should be checked annually.
Flame failure device
Modern cookers are equipped with a thermocouple device that shuts the gas supply off if the flame is extinguished. Light the gas, then turn the gas knob off. You should be able to hear a definite ‘clunk’ as the supply is shut off after no more than 60 seconds. If it takes longer, you’ll probably need to replace the thermoelectric valve.
Olives
The short compressible packing pieces inside a pipe joint, should be copper, not brass, when used for gas fittings.
Many shut-off valves are sold with brass olives, which don’t form as good a seal with the copper pipe. they should also have square edges, not long tapers, to form the best seal.
Flexible hoses should be no more than 1m long, and should be stamped with the British Standard BS 3212/2.
Hose integrity
Check any flexible hoses for cracks or degraded parts. even if undamaged they should be replaced five years after date of manufacture (this is printed on rubber hoses and stamped on armoured ones). This should be checked annually.
Flame failure device
Modern cookers are equipped with a thermocouple device that shuts the gas supply off if the flame is extinguished. Light the gas, then turn the gas knob off. You should be able to hear a definite ‘clunk’ as the supply is shut off after no more than 60 seconds. If it takes longer, you’ll probably need to replace the thermoelectric valve.
Olives
The short compressible packing pieces inside a pipe joint, should be copper, not brass, when used for gas fittings.
Many shut-off valves are sold with brass olives, which don’t form as good a seal with the copper pipe. they should also have square edges, not long tapers, to form the best seal.
Sealant
You don’t need to use sealant on gas joints, as It can dry out, and once that happens it’s no longer flexible and can compromise the seal, causing a leak – this is a poor joint.
Regulator
Buy a good quality regulator, ideally with a good ‘overpressure’ vent. The best type are marine regulators with stainless steel innards to cope with corrosive marine conditions, Regulators should be checked often and replaced at least every 10 years.
Locker
A gas locker should drain to the outside, never into a bilge. Check the drain hole for blockages. The locker should have a lid to keep gas in and water out, and no extraneous openings. If completely airtight, you need a second breather intake to keep the locker pressure at atmosphere.
Drain hose
The hose should be good quality, and preferably fuel hose, which is fire retardant. It should have a minimum internal diameter of 19mm.
Hose clips
Any hose clips should be stainless steel and must be ‘worm drive’ Jubilee-types, not the ‘crimp’ type.
You don’t need to use sealant on gas joints, as It can dry out, and once that happens it’s no longer flexible and can compromise the seal, causing a leak – this is a poor joint.
Regulator
Buy a good quality regulator, ideally with a good ‘overpressure’ vent. The best type are marine regulators with stainless steel innards to cope with corrosive marine conditions, Regulators should be checked often and replaced at least every 10 years.
Locker
A gas locker should drain to the outside, never into a bilge. Check the drain hole for blockages. The locker should have a lid to keep gas in and water out, and no extraneous openings. If completely airtight, you need a second breather intake to keep the locker pressure at atmosphere.
Drain hose
The hose should be good quality, and preferably fuel hose, which is fire retardant. It should have a minimum internal diameter of 19mm.
Hose clips
Any hose clips should be stainless steel and must be ‘worm drive’ Jubilee-types, not the ‘crimp’ type.
Pipe installation
Copper pipe should be run as high as possible above the bilge level, and above locker drain level.
Run of pipework
Where the pipe runs through a bulkhead, it should be protected, either in a plastic tube to prevent chafe, or by using a bulkhead terminal fitting. It should be supported every 500mm by a P-clip, and every 150mm either side of a join.
Cookers,
Many modern cookers which have ovens, grills and multiple burners, can use a lot of gas, therefore, it’s important the pipe has sufficient capacity. Ideally, it should be 10mm (3⁄8in), not the 6mm (¼in) often used in the past.
The bigger pipe also has a thicker wall, making it stronger and safer.
Shut-off valve
The shut-off valve, which should ideally be turned off whenever you don’t use the cooker, should be positioned so you can turn it off without having to reach over or around the cooker.
Overhanging items
Make sure no curtains or other soft furnishings overhang the cooker. There should be heat-proof material, like the aluminium shown lining this galley area, behind and around the cooker.
Copper pipe should be run as high as possible above the bilge level, and above locker drain level.
Run of pipework
Where the pipe runs through a bulkhead, it should be protected, either in a plastic tube to prevent chafe, or by using a bulkhead terminal fitting. It should be supported every 500mm by a P-clip, and every 150mm either side of a join.
Cookers,
Many modern cookers which have ovens, grills and multiple burners, can use a lot of gas, therefore, it’s important the pipe has sufficient capacity. Ideally, it should be 10mm (3⁄8in), not the 6mm (¼in) often used in the past.
The bigger pipe also has a thicker wall, making it stronger and safer.
Shut-off valve
The shut-off valve, which should ideally be turned off whenever you don’t use the cooker, should be positioned so you can turn it off without having to reach over or around the cooker.
Overhanging items
Make sure no curtains or other soft furnishings overhang the cooker. There should be heat-proof material, like the aluminium shown lining this galley area, behind and around the cooker.
Test point
Your gas system needs a test point where an engineer can attach a manometer to check the system over, modern cookers should have these, but on older systems, you’ll need to install one near the cooker.
Proximity to electrics
A copper gas pipe should not be run within 30mm of electrical cables and within 100mm of open-ended electrical terminals. It should be sheathed in plastic pipe or conduit to protect it from corrosion and damage.
Your gas system needs a test point where an engineer can attach a manometer to check the system over, modern cookers should have these, but on older systems, you’ll need to install one near the cooker.
Proximity to electrics
A copper gas pipe should not be run within 30mm of electrical cables and within 100mm of open-ended electrical terminals. It should be sheathed in plastic pipe or conduit to protect it from corrosion and damage.
So now you know the regulations and have decided to upgrade your system, it’s time to call in an expert to make sure your installation isn’t a ticking time bomb. First off make sure your tester is Gas Safe approved. They will check the items detailed in our DIY checks section, before testing the system for leaks.
Don’t try to do this yourself: you must get a professional in!!!!
1 The engineer will remove the blanking screw from the test point before connecting his manometer. this pressurises the system and gives a pressure reading on the scale.
2 The system should be pressurised to 30mb, normal pressure. New systems are then tested at 31⁄2 times the normal pressure, pressurising the system like this tests everything between the valve and the regulator for leaks.
3 If there’s a leak, the engineer will sprays all likely culprits – for instance, joints and connections with gas leak detector liquid Code of practice for domestic butane and propane gas-burning installations. Installations in boats, yachts and other vessels then tightens the fitting until the leak is gone.
4 The test is left for five minutes to stabilise, then pressurised again and left for five minutes to test it, before the regulator is shut off and the system is tested for a further two minutes to check it doesn’t ‘let by’ when closed.
5Finally the engineer will then purges the air in the system using the cooker’s burner, but holds a naked flame next to the burner in case there is any gas present.
6 Finally, the engineer will light all gas appliance burners, checking the pressure reading as he does so. There should be no more than a 2.5mb drop between the readings taken when only one burner is lit and when all burners are lit at once.
On a successful test, on completion the engineer will provide you with a certificate of compliance.
So now you know the regulations and have decided to upgrade your system, it’s time to call in an expert to make sure your installation isn’t a ticking time bomb. First off make sure your tester is Gas Safe approved. They will check the items detailed in our DIY checks section, before testing the system for leaks.
Don’t try to do this yourself: you must get a professional in!!!!
1 The engineer will remove the blanking screw from the test point before connecting his manometer. this pressurises the system and gives a pressure reading on the scale.
2 The system should be pressurised to 30mb, normal pressure. New systems are then tested at 31⁄2 times the normal pressure, pressurising the system like this tests everything between the valve and the regulator for leaks.
3 If there’s a leak, the engineer will sprays all likely culprits – for instance, joints and connections with gas leak detector liquid Code of practice for domestic butane and propane gas-burning installations. Installations in boats, yachts and other vessels then tightens the fitting until the leak is gone.
4 The test is left for five minutes to stabilise, then pressurised again and left for five minutes to test it, before the regulator is shut off and the system is tested for a further two minutes to check it doesn’t ‘let by’ when closed.
5Finally the engineer will then purges the air in the system using the cooker’s burner, but holds a naked flame next to the burner in case there is any gas present.
6 Finally, the engineer will light all gas appliance burners, checking the pressure reading as he does so. There should be no more than a 2.5mb drop between the readings taken when only one burner is lit and when all burners are lit at once.
On a successful test, on completion the engineer will provide you with a certificate of compliance.
