Gas locker corrosion nightmare

[Murflynn]

3 hours ago, Dr Bob said:

...but my gas bottle doesnt keep my beer cold.

needs obedience training.

[noone]

If you are getting a welder in,get him to weld 2 pcs angle  to the sides about 1/2 inch from base-plate and lay a well painted ply/steel floor across them,allowing water to ebb and flow underneath.Assuming you have enough height for your gas bottles to do this in there.

[Machpoint005]

Hmm. I foresee trouble painting the underside of the RSA, not to mention painting the deck underneath the RSA. But perhaps that wasn't quite what you meant.

 

 

[blackrose]

On 30/09/2020 at 17:11, Murflynn said:

any rubber mats in storage areas on a boat should be the perforated variety with drain space under the mat (achieved by little studs protruding down).

 

Yes, they're the ones I use. You have to put something down to protect the paint being scraped off by the bottles, otherwise what was the point of painting it?

 

[noone]

Dont weld the floor onto the angle,weld nuts under holes in the angle and bolt to them through holes made in floor piece...use it as a removable false floor.

[blackrose]

On 01/10/2020 at 08:47, Bee said:

In 50 odd years of boats and gas I have only known 3 gas leaks at the bottle, one leaking bottle at a suppliers, one leaking bottle in a boat gas locker and one that is in my car right now, that one has a faulty valve that leaks when the bottle is turned on. 

 

But sometimes a leak at the bottle can occur simply due to the brass pigtail fitting not being tightened adequately. I spray mine with leak detector every time I change a bottle these days - because I once lost a whole 13kg bottle of gas within a few days due to inadequate tightening of the pigtail fitting into an old female bottle valve thread.

[Machpoint005]

7 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Yes, they're the ones I use. You have to put something down to protect the paint being scraped off by the bottles, otherwise what was the point of painting it?

 

 

That's what wooden slats are for. You can move them around when you change a bottle, so they're not in contact with the same bit of floor all the time.

[blackrose]

6 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

That's what wooden slats are for. You can move them around when you change a bottle, so they're not in contact with the same bit of floor all the time.

Either or I guess, as long as the paint is protected.

 

To be honest, in an area subject to constant water exposure like the floor of a gas locker most single pack paints won't fare that well over time. Once I scurfed out the rust in my gas locker I put down three coats of two-pack epoxy as it's designed for immersion in water. I certainly don't want to be getting back in there with an angle grinder anytime soon!

Edited October 2, 2020 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

Dont weld the floor onto the angle,weld nuts under holes in the angle and bolt to them through holes made in floor piece...use it as a removable false floor.

Surely when the bottom of the gas locker is in front of the water tank (as in this case) a removable 'false floor' means there is a gap in which gas can collect in the bilge - it would be a BSS failure as it was not gas-tight with the only 'drain' point going overboard.

On 30/09/2020 at 13:54, Hartlebury lad said:

Well, after not inspecting the gas locker properly for about 4-5 years, i am now paying the price for my neglect.

 

A complete clear out, and removal of rubber mats reveals this nightmare. The white spot is the "drain" hole, and the floor is pretty poor. Most worrying is the gaping hole - which didn't need much prodding with a screwdriver to make itself known. Its on a bulkhead, with the water tank a couple of inches behind it. It isn't great in the other corner either. 

 

Edited October 2, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[noone]

I assumed the welder was being called in to make the locker gas tight.

[Alan de Enfield]

46 minutes ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

I assumed the welder was being called in to make the locker gas tight.

 

You do know that assume makes an ASS out of U and ME

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

57 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Surely when the bottom of the gas locker is in front of the water tank (as in this case) a removable 'false floor' means there is a gap in which gas can collect in the bilge - it would be a BSS failure as it was not gas-tight with the only 'drain' point going overboard.

 

I am not sure about it being a BSS failure as long as the actual steel locker was gas tight and the false floor was vented and removable to allow inspection of the whole tank. Not much different to pieces of wood sitting on the steel

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

I am not sure about it being a BSS failure as long as the actual steel locker was gas tight and the false floor was vented and removable to allow inspection of the whole tank. Not much different to pieces of wood sitting on the steel

Maybe I'm reading more into it than was intended.

 

The original proposal was to weld a new plate / replace the old 'holey' floor.

 

Then a suggestion to weld angle iron on and weld a new steel floor to that

 

Then a suggestion to attach a new 'wooden' removeable floor but no mention of continuing with a new steel 'floor'.

 

If a new steel floor (either direct replacement for the existing, or onto the angle iron brackets) is fitted then nothing is achieved by adding a wooden floor, rather than a holey' rubber mat.

[Machpoint005]

It all seems a bit over-thought to me, with my two offcuts of timber and a properly maintained gas locker.

[noone]

16 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Maybe I'm reading more into it than was intended.

 

The original proposal was to weld a new plate / replace the old 'holey' floor.

 

Then a suggestion to weld angle iron on and weld a new steel floor to that

 

Then a suggestion to attach a new 'wooden' removeable floor but no mention of continuing with a new steel 'floor'.

 

If a new steel floor (either direct replacement for the existing, or onto the angle iron brackets) is fitted then nothing is achieved by adding a wooden floor, rather than a holey' rubber mat.

You are!..My point was to make a false floor above the waterline after repairing locker.

[blackrose]

13 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

It all seems a bit over-thought to me, with my two offcuts of timber and a properly maintained gas locker.

Wooden slats wouldn't work for me. I have four x 13kg bottles in my locker and use one about every 6 months, or more frequently if I'm away from shore power and using the gas fridge. Anyway, it would mean the slats weren't getting moved for a long time - possibly long enough for trapped water under the slats to adversely affect the paint. Also doesn't damp wood rot in the bottom of the locker? I'll stick with the rubber scraper mats with the holes in them/dimples on the undersides. They don't need to be moved around constantly.

Edited October 2, 2020 by blackrose

[noone]

11 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

It all seems a bit over-thought to me, with my two offcuts of timber and a properly maintained gas locker.

I have the same,its just a suggestion if there is welding involved anyway...As I have no gas on my boat,I dont have this problem anyway!?

[system 4-50]

Stand the bottles in suitable sized plastic bowls to catch a reasonable amount of condensation. Empty as necessary. Or plumb a drain for the bowls to the external universe.

[Machpoint005]

 

Until:

 

(a) you forget to empty the bowls after heavy rain, or

(b) you forget to empty the bowls after cold weather, or

(c) the water in the bowls gets slarted everywhere anyway when you go for a cruise?

[noone]

OR...Buy and install a meths burning cooker and hob and wave bye bye to gas..(If you dont use it for anything else other than cooking!).

[system 4-50]

34 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

Until:

 

(a) you forget to empty the bowls after heavy rain, or

(b) you forget to empty the bowls after cold weather, or

(c) the water in the bowls gets slarted everywhere anyway when you go for a cruise?

damn! I was all set to make a fortune selling washing up bowls that were exactly the right size...

[blackrose]

35 minutes ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

OR...Buy and install a meths burning cooker and hob and wave bye bye to gas..(If you dont use it for anything else other than cooking!).

So where do you store the meths?

35 minutes ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

OR...Buy and install a meths burning cooker and hob and wave bye bye to gas..(If you dont use it for anything else other than cooking!).

OR... Just paint the bottom of the gas locker with a proper paint that can withstand being wet/constant immersion for extended periods.

[noone]

In my gas locker (on a raised and slatted wooden false floor!)?

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

  I'll stick with the rubber scraper mats with the holes in them/dimples on the undersides. They don't need to be moved around constantly.

I had them on my front deck for several years, you should have seen the state of it when I pulled them up for a repaint. Unless you move them you still get wet in the same spot where they make contact

[Phoenix_V]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

Just paint the bottom of the gas locker with a proper paint that can withstand being wet/constant immersion for extended periods.

I've been looking for such a paint for a long time