Liquid in Gas Regulator

[plainsman]

I recently disconnected my regulator and as I did a quantity of smelly oily liquid came out. I checked and cleaned out the first section of pipe from the 'out' end of the regulator and replaced the regulator. Maybe a coincidence but I now have the occasional orange flicker on the oven burner as if a dust particle is burning and the very occasional orange spark on the hob. I should say the oven is quite old (Vannette)

 

What and why the oily stuff and any connection with the orange flicker? How do I cure it?

 

Any help/advice appreciated

 

Alex

[John Orentas]

Many years ago I partly designed and commissioned an automated LPG gas bottle filling plant at Grangemouth.. I won't bore everyone with the detail but the task was quite tricky, among several other odd variables the bottles all contained a certain amount of water and other liquids that over the years had condensed out of the gas, one of the reasons that they must be kept upright.. I suspect Plainsman's bottle had been rolled around at some time.

[RobinJ]

I recently disconnected my regulator and as I did a quantity of smelly oily liquid came out. I checked and cleaned out the first section of pipe from the 'out' end of the regulator and replaced the regulator. Maybe a coincidence but I now have the occasional orange flicker on the oven burner as if a dust particle is burning and the very occasional orange spark on the hob. I should say the oven is quite old (Vannette)

 

What and why the oily stuff and any connection with the orange flicker? How do I cure it?

Where was the regulator? In gas locker, outboard?

 

Two sources:-

1 Gas bottle (oil or grease)

2 Air hole (probably water/rust)

 

Regulators are normally made of alloy and can furr up over time due mostly to damp, although some parts may be steel based and subject to rusting.

Sometimes grease and oil present in the gas bottle taps etc. can bleed through, especially if the bottle is higher than the regulator or pipe.

Any water or contaminants will eventually be blown through or burnt, danger is any particles may get trapped in the jets!

[PeterF]

There have been reports of liquids in regulators on caravans / motorhomes, but I believe this is linked to remote gas regulators with HP hoses between the bottles and resultors rather than the bottle regualtors.

 

See clicky and read the pdf document for details

 

Edited to correct the clicky

Edited June 18, 2008 by PeterF

[plainsman]

Thanks for replies. Just to clarify a couple of points. The regulator is after the manual switch over so high pressure will be in pipes. I don't recall a loose bottle but as the reg was already in place when I bought the boat, I have no idea if this has happened.

 

Any clues/connection with the orange spark in the flame?

 

Peter, the pdf article very interesting but i fear not conclusive.

 

Thanks everyone

Alex

[RobinJ]

There have been reports of liquids in regulators on caravans / motorhomes, but I believe this is linked to remote gas regulators with HP hoses between the bottles and resultors rather than the bottle regualtors.

 

See clicky and read the pdf document for details

Interesting read.

I have not had any problems, but, my regulator is bulkhead mounted and flows from top to bottom (to accomodate the changeover) and under the BSS I have just been instructed to change my pigtails. The old ones were orange and the new ones are black rubber!

[alan_fincher]

Interesting read.

I have not had any problems, but, my regulator is bulkhead mounted and flows from top to bottom (to accommodate the changeover) and under the BSS I have just been instructed to change my pigtails. The old ones were orange and the new ones are black rubber!

Yes, it is interesting.

 

I've seen this phenomenon in the past, but not so far on the current boat.

 

But worryingly I've just changed my setup from a bottle mounted regulator, (where it appears this doesn't happen), to one with pigtails, changeover valve, and remotely mounted regulator, (where it appears it can).

 

Noting the following....

 

The good industry practice here is that the hose should always lie such that gravity will allow any condensate to flow back into the cylinder. It is of particular interest that the Standard for domestic LPG installations, BS 5482 part 1, includes a specific requirement to ensure that hoses rise continuously to any regulator installation for this very reason.

 

How many narrowboat gas installations, with 13 KG cylinders, allow enough depth in the gas locker that the pigtails can run uphill from cylinder to changeover valve or regulator ?

 

Ours certainly doesn't, so it appears what I have just gone to some trouble to fit could, (like many other people's, I imagine), suffer this reported problem at a future date.

 

Oh good!

[paulcatchpole]

Yes, it is interesting.

 

I've seen this phenomenon in the past, but not so far on the current boat.

 

On vehicle LPG systems, it's usual to have to drain out the black gunge from the vaporiser quite regularly - I've converted two cars, of which I still have one.

 

Quote from first google reference I could find...

 

It is also important to mount the vaporiser with the gas outlet at the 12 o'clock position. This allows the 'heavy ends' to collect at the bottom of the vaporiser, which can be conveniently removed from time to time by loosening the drain plug, which is located at the 6 o'clock position.

 

Perhaps your regulator liquid is a similar thing?

 

HTH, PC

[Speedwell]

In the early days, with my previous boat, sufficient smelly liquid had collected at the lowest point of the feed tail that it made a gurgling noise when the gas was in use. I emptied it out and all was well, nothing needed changing. I thought it was the residue of the stenching agent, added to the gas, which had condensed there due to much service in its earlier life as a hire boat.

As for your yellow sparks, it could well be that the gas is flowing more freely now the liquid has gone. The sparks themselves will be burning specks of carbon and could be off your burner.

Arthur

[plainsman]

In the early days, with my previous boat, sufficient smelly liquid had collected at the lowest point of the feed tail that it made a gurgling noise when the gas was in use. I emptied it out and all was well, nothing needed changing. I thought it was the residue of the stenching agent, added to the gas, which had condensed there due to much service in its earlier life as a hire boat.

As for your yellow sparks, it could well be that the gas is flowing more freely now the liquid has gone. The sparks themselves will be burning specks of carbon and could be off your burner.

Arthur

 

Thanks for your reply & info.

 

Alex