OPSO Calor Regulator

[Mike Adams]

I was just reading through the latest update of the Boat safety Scheme and they mention an Over pressure switch off gas regulator and I was wondering if I should fit one. I only have one gas bottle with the regulator screwed to the bottle, the one I have is just a cheap one. Not sure if it is or is not going to be a requirement? Then are a lot more expensive.

[blackrose]

What makes you think it might become a BSS (or RCD?) requirement? The BSS requirements for gas regulators haven't changed in many years as far as I'm aware. The BS EN certification number might have been updated but that's about it.

 

I hope OPSO regulators don't become a requirement as I've just installed a couple of basic replacement manual changeover regulators on my boat which I hoped were good for another 10 years.

 

How often is overpressure an issue on 37mb propane regulators? How many boats, caravans and homes using calor gas have blown up because of regulator overpressure?

Edited December 28, 2021 by blackrose

[PD1964]

I’ve just looked at the BSS web site:

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/

 

  Then looked at their link to the inspection requirements and can’t find a reference to OPSO regulators:

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/268789/ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf

 

Have you a link to the OPSO info you’ve seen? As I know things change and my BSS is due.

Edited December 28, 2021 by PD1964

[PD1964]

This was discussed here a few years ago:

 

[Mike Adams]

11 minutes ago, PD1964 said:

Have you a link to the OPSO info you’ve seen? As I know things change and my BSS is due.

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/299273/bss-examination-checking-procedures-core-private-boat-public-interim-complete-compress.pdf

[Mike Adams]

If you don't want to read through 160 pages it is 7.12.2

Guidance for owners - where, during a tightness test undertaken using a suitable pressure gauge
(Appendix C), a regulator is found not to lock-up within industry recommended tolerances owners are
guided to have the regulator tested by a Gas Safe registered LPG in boats installer. Replacement
regulators should incorporate a means of protecting the downstream pipework and appliances from
overpressure in the event of regulator malfunction. It is recommended that regulators over 10 years old
should be replaced

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, Mike Adams said:

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/299273/bss-examination-checking-procedures-core-private-boat-public-interim-complete-compress.pdf

 

 

I see that they have now combined the requirements of 'leisure' boats and 'commercial' boats into the one BSS with each section marked A or R or A/R (so ifor example it is Advisory for lesiure boats, but Required - mandatory - for commercial boats) that makes sense rather than having two different BSS documents.

12 minutes ago, Mike Adams said:

If you don't want to read through 160 pages it is 7.12.2

Guidance for owners - where, during a tightness test undertaken using a suitable pressure gauge
(Appendix C), a regulator is found not to lock-up within industry recommended tolerances owners are
guided to have the regulator tested by a Gas Safe registered LPG in boats installer. Replacement
regulators should incorporate a means of protecting the downstream pipework and appliances from
overpressure in the event of regulator malfunction. It is recommended that regulators over 10 years old
should be replaced

 

 

But it is just 'guidance' and not a Requirement".

[PD1964]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

I see that they have now combined the requirements of 'leisure' boats and 'commercial' boats into the one BSS with each section marked A or R or A/R (so ifor example it is Advisory for lesiure boats, but Required - mandatory - for commercial boats) that makes sense rather than having two different BSS documents.

 

 

But it is just 'guidance' and not a Requirement".

👍
  Which Version is the requirement now, the 2015 edition still linked to on their website OR the 2021 Non-Controlled Review Version? Which the OP has linked too that becomes a controlled Doc Apr 2022, does that mean that it will be the new legal version in April and is not now?

 You can see how confusing it can be😊

Edited December 28, 2021 by PD1964

[magnetman]

Had a propane regulator fail open a couple of years ago. It was winter so I think it was related to freezing but it was not very good to get liquid coming out of the cooker ring in the morning and I was glad that it was not an auto ignition cooker. 

 

Could have been quite nasty if it had been.

Although I am not convinced one can ignite a liquid it would be best not to have that option given the phase change thing.

 

Also bottle mounted regulators need to be the right way up so the drain hole works properly. 

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, PD1964 said:

I’ve just looked at the BSS web site:

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/

 

  Then looked at their link to the inspection requirements and can’t find a reference to OPSO regulators:

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/268789/ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf

 

Have you a link to the OPSO info you’ve seen? As I know things change and my BSS is due.

Have you seen this?

 

 

[Momac]

5 hours ago, Mike Adams said:

If you don't want to read through 160 pages it is 7.12.2

Guidance for owners - where, during a tightness test undertaken using a suitable pressure gauge
(Appendix C), a regulator is found not to lock-up within industry recommended tolerances owners are
guided to have the regulator tested by a Gas Safe registered LPG in boats installer. Replacement
regulators should incorporate a means of protecting the downstream pipework and appliances from
overpressure in the event of regulator malfunction. It is recommended that regulators over 10 years old
should be replaced

That is just guidance and recommendations. Not a requirement.

[PD1964]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Have you seen this?

 

 

Yes I seen that one once the OP put the link on. The one I seen is on the BSS site too, it is dated 2015 as my link. This one looks like the new BSS as it is the non-controlled review version as the next page reads.

“This review version of the core Examination Checking Procedures (ECP) is to be used as a non-controlled document interim version for review and checking by BSS Examiners from 28 September 2021 to 31 March 2022.
The document may be subject to possible change before it is published as a controlled document in April 2022”

  So looks like it will become valid from April 2022 once all if any changes to it are made.

[PD1964]

4 minutes ago, MartynG said:

That is just guidance and recommendations. Not a requirement.

And if I read the first two pages right it is the review version so isn’t valid till any changes are made and looks like it will not come into effect  till April 2022.

[Keeping Up]

They are a bit of a nuisance too, they have a habit of cutting off the supply at times when they shouldn't, such as if you turn on the tap on the gas bottle too quickly instead of just a little bit at a time.

[Chewbacka]

18 hours ago, PD1964 said:

And if I read the first two pages right it is the review version so isn’t valid till any changes are made and looks like it will not come into effect  till April 2022.

It’s a draft version containing the proposed changes which has been made available for interested parties to comment upon.  They have also more clearly defined what constitutes an lpg leak that needs urgent fixing and the leak level that is considered as  immediately dangerous, requiring system isolation.  I shall have a read through and see what else is different in the next few weeks.