propane frig...

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:51 am

has anyone installed one of these? im not looking for pros and cons...i am installing one..also installing a propane stove...havent decided on the water heater yet ...... just wondering if anyone has installed one in their trojan.....thanks

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:54 pm

How will you vent the exhausts? Propane vapors are heavier than air and can acumulate in the bilge. Be carefull. Be sure to have a CO detector.

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:10 pm

I don't mess with propane either, other than on my back taft railing on my Catalina Grill.

Bad enough our older Trojans had fuel tank leakage issues...having NOT to worry about any other type of flammable gas in an enclosed space is a relief!

If you do go there, be sure to install some detectors, low.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:00 pm

kevin babineau wrote:has anyone installed one of these? im not looking for pros and cons...i am installing one..also installing a propane stove...havent decided on the water heater yet ...... just wondering if anyone has installed one in their trojan.....thanks

I don't have one... but my buddy has a propane stove and oven on his 10M Prowler. The Tank is on the bridge and he has propane sniffers in the bilge. The installation should be done by a licensed gas fitter to ensure no chance of pinching the hose and leaks for obvious reasons. If you are having the fridge and stove makes sense to have the water heater as well. Are you going tankless for the water heater... I have always liked that advantage of gas heaters... no wasted heat to keep the water hot between use.

I do feel envious when they cook up a home made pizza while we are at anchor.... though not enough for me to put one in my boat! No need to as long as they keep sharing. I'm just too chicken.

Anyway I prefer BBQ cooking on the boat and that is propane on the aft deck... with the scuppers I'm not worried about leaks.

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:25 pm

I thought you werent looking for pros and cons,,,? lol,, seems you got some,

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:30 pm

guglielmo6160 wrote:I thought you werent looking for pros and cons,,,? lol,, seems you got some,

Hmmm... I don't see any cons.

In fact I don't see any pros other than being envious of the pizza the oven cooks. I did suggest why not go 3 items rather than stop at 2... again not a pro or con from where I sit.

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:55 pm

well i havent figured out the layout...my houseboat has the propane set up and i wouldnt live with out it...i spend alot of time on a mooring...i just pick up a free camper (roof and walls rotted out but the aplliances work) that has all those goodies in it...valves...co detector...gas stove...ac/dc light fixtures, sinks, cabinet locks...etc etc....i have a buddy who is a lic. plumber ill look at how they vented the houseboat and go from there most likely the frig and stove need to be next to eachother...i have bigger problems with my boat right now than tearing apart the kitchen but the camper was free on craigslist so i got it...ill take pics when the time comes...and im not worried so much about it burning the o2 out of the cabin as much as the propane sitting in the bilge and kaplowie

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:07 pm

I know propane stoves/ovens are routinely used on sailboats without issue. They donâ€™t require any venting. Iâ€™ve never heard of a propane refrigerator being used on a boat. I know they are used on RVâ€™s, but I think they are vented to the outside. Water heaters, either tank or tankless defiantly require venting.

Propane tank should be kept in an ABYC approved, vented LPG cylinder locker with hold down clamps for the cylinder.

Just remember propane seeks the lowest level because it is heavier then air, and can be dangerous. Be very careful with it.

jon_e_quest · Post by **jon_e_quest** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:59 pm

Onboard LPG tanks must be kept in a separate enclosure (locker). Access is gained through a gasket equipped lid, as no leaking LPG can be allowed into the boat. Also, the locker's overboard venting must be located at the locker's lowest point, and when mounted below deck, exits the hull via a thru-hull type fitting. As Stripermann 2 has alread said, install bilge sniffers... low.

Purpose-built (ABYC approved) enclosures are expensive. WM is one supplier that sells them... pg545 in the 2009 catalog.

AndyF32 · Post by **AndyF32** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:13 pm

The propane leaking and sitting in the bilge is an issue. The correct way to install a propane stove is by installing the tank in an approved enclosure with an overboard vent. The tank itself has a dc operated solenoid valve on the tank to make it easy to turn on and off from a remote switch. The idea being that you switch on the propane only while using the stove. When the solenoid valve is off the only connection that can leak is inside the enclosure and would then safely dump overboard. The use of a pressure gage between the tank and the stove will tell you if you have a leak in the line by leaving the line pressurized when the valve is closed, if you go to switch on the propane and see the gage has lost pressure you have a leak.

With all that being said the problem with a fridge is that the propane needs to be on all the time and therefor does not lend itself to being able to take advantage of any of the safety devices.

I know you are not looking for any pros and cons, I am just concerned about your safety.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:24 am

nordic tugs uses a propane setup for the stove/oven but not the water heater or fridge. on the nordic tug 37 i was on at the annapolis boat show, the tank locker was located on the aft deck near the salon exterior bulkhead. the locker was fiberglass, water proof and vented. the tanks were placed inside the locker and attached with and assembly that held them (two tanks) in place. when i questioned the rep about using propane onboard, he said that the tanks must be housed outside the vessels bilge, properly mounted and vented with detectors in the helm stations which he showed me. also, what you have to remember, nordic tugs are diesel, not gas. i would be a little skittish about using propane on a gas powered vessel, but uniflite (they used fireproof fiberglass resin) and earlier carvers used propane as an option for the range/oven, but not the fridge or water heater. just my two skekels worth.
aaron

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:06 am

thanks..i dont think ill use the water heater...i do have marine propane tanks...they r aluminum or something....ill be mounting them on the flybridge..until i get the flybridge enclosed...(which someday i hope to)....the frig is going to go where the stove is now and the stove next to it where the sink is...ill build a rectangular vent and cut a vent on the portside wall under the window for the frig...i dont have that shut off but they do sell it at west marine for a couple hundred....she wont have a locker as of yet unless i can find one cheaper....the frig on my houseboat which came as a factory issue with run for about 3 weeks on 20lbs...that is also with cooking lobsters and ipswich steamers on the stove....i appreciate the input

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:59 pm

I have a propane cook stove and a propane Dickenson fireplace which is vented through the center of its own stove pipe. Also a solenoid switch at the regulator and tank which is on the flybridge, the off/on switch w/ indicator light is at the helm. I always turn the switch off after use. I have a gas sniffer in the bilge and propane sniffer in the cabin. I am not real comfortable using propane on a boat but with the proper safety measures it is acceptable. My water heater is engine heated or electric(120v) mounted under the helm next to the steps. The water stays hot for days while on the hook and when I need more hot water I run the stbd engine for a few minutes. Refridge is 12v or 120v, very safe. Personally, I would not use a propane fridge or water heater on a boat due to open flame in an enclosed area, add undetected gas fumes and BOOM

. Several years ago a boat blew up three hundred yards from our yacht club killing the captain and burned the boat to the waterline, very ugly and depressing. I continually think of that when I'm on the boat with my family. There are alternatives to propane for most applications if you look however, having a fireplace lit at night while on the hook definately is an enhancement.

Mrsluggo · Post by **Mrsluggo** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:30 pm

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:17 am

butta boom

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