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Lpg water heater in en engine room.


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Hi everyone, 

 

Just a quick one, I have had a search on the forum and not found an answer so thought I'd post this. 

 

Is there any BSS reason not to fit an lpg water heater in an engine room on a traditional narrowboat? 

 

I have a vague memory that it's not allowed but that might be the bathroom 'rule' (which, oddly, I have seen on loads of narrowboats). 

 

Any advice much appreciated. 

 

S

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12 minutes ago, sparrowcycles said:

I have a vague memory that it's not allowed

 

If the piping is running thu the engine room of a petrol engined boat OR thru where there are electrics (batteries ?) then it must be in a single run, with no joints, and it must be in a gas tight conduit.

Probably not a good idea to have an exposed flame where explosive gases could be.

If it us a room sealed heater ................................  who knows, but :

 

 

BSS 
7.8.6 Are all LPG pipes running through petrol engine spaces or electrical equipment spaces jointless and in a gas‐proof conduit?

LPG pipes run through petrol engine spaces or electrical equipment spaces:

• must be jointless and in gas‐proof conduit; which also,

• must be jointless with its ends outside the affected space; and,

• the conduit must be complete and free of signs of damage or deterioration.

 

I doubt you could intsall an LPG heater without cutting the pipe and making a connection to the heater.

 

Why not ask the BSS themselves - if you ask 3 BSS examiners you will get 4 different answers as they all interpret the rules rather than applying them as written.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Well presumably it is not a petrol engine (traditional narrowboat engine room) and by “electrical equipment spaces” I don’t think it means any space in which there is electrical equipment, for if it did every cabin in a narrowboat would count as such (lighting, TV, radios etc). Rather, I think it refers to a space whose purpose is to contain electrical equipment, eg an electrical equipment cupboard. I don’t think a trad narrowboat engine room fits that description - its primary purpose is to house a Diesel engine, not electrical equipment.

 

So i would have thought it was OK, but no harm in asking BSS office.

Edited by nicknorman
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1 minute ago, nicknorman said:

Well presumably it is not a petrol engine (traditional narrowboat engine room) and by “electrical equipment spaces” I don’t think it means any space in which there is electrical equipment, for if it did every cabin in a narrowboat would count as such (lighting, TV, radios etc). Rather, I think it refers to a space whose purpose is to contain electrical equipment, eg an electrical equipment cupboard. I don’t think a trad narrowboat engine room fits that description - its primary purpose is to house a Diesel engine, not electrical equipment.

 

So i would have thought it was OK, but no harm in asking BSS a office.

 

 

I sort of agree, but you will note that I suggested batteries could be 'electrical equipment' giving off potentially explosive Hydrogen gas during charging. An exposed flame in an LPG heater, in that environment ...................  I would suggest is not an ideal match.

 

If the batteries are stored in another 'room' then it may be OK.

I would hope the BSS would confirm what they will accept.

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5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

That may be questionable

 

 

Should be OK for AGM batteries, where the oxygen and hydrogen evolved during charging are recombined to maintain the elecrolyte. Hydrogen is only released to atmosphere when these batteries are overcharged.

 

Not such a good idea for wet cells which freely evolve hydrogen to atmosphere when charged.

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8 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I sit corrected, the fixed high level ventilation is acceptable in accommodation. I also came on this image.png.6347b54233a964d7c29f92d08b09036c.png

 

 

And that is for LPG COMPONENTS, I'd still suggest that an open flame LPG APPLIANCE in the same area as the batteries is unlikely to be acceptable, but we shall see what the BSS say If the OP asks them.

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I would imagine that many centre cockpit/ mid engined cruisers have batteries in living areas. Mine are in a box under the seat in the living area. I have fitted a vent in the top of the box. It is connected to trunking from cooker hood stuff (Screwfix) and thence to the outside. I think it is also OK to drill holes in the bottom of the battery box for ventilation but that might be RCD stuff and not boat safety (Or I might have just imagined it) Happy to be corrected.

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