Fitting a Gas Fridge

[Breals]

Regarding fitting a gas fridge, has anyone had any experience of doing this or having it done by a boatyard? Presumably you need vents fitting in the side of the boat - is this something possible to DIY, and if so, how? ('~')

 

There's also the problem of gas supply - is this easily solved e.g. can you put a splitter on the supply for the oven?

Edited July 30, 2005 by Breals

[DHutch]

Regarding fitting a gas fridge, has anyone had any experience of doing this or having it done by a boatyard? Presumably you need vents fitting in the side of the boat - is this something possible to DIY, and if so, how? ('~')

 

There's also the problem of gas supply - is this easily solved e.g. can you put a splitter on the supply for the oven?

26704[/snapback]

All gas fridges fitted to narrowboat now have to be balanced flu (room sealed)

- And yes you would need to cut holes for the flu pipe.

 

Gas-wise, you could probably just 'T' off the supply to your oven, depending on the gauge of the pipe.

 

You also don't have to be Corgi registered to work on the gas, just competent to do the job. (Weather that's you, or a gas man)

 

 

 

Daniel

Edited July 31, 2005 by dhutch

[Breals]

Thanks. So can you drill the vent holes or get a boatyard to cut one for you? And presumably you need to fix a water-resistant cover to the outside - welded on?

Edited July 30, 2005 by Breals

[DHutch]

Most people (as far as i've seen) seam to use std caravan vent covers, but then weld some sort of cover over that to protect it from knocks in locks etc.

- You'd have to look at the instalation details to see where you needed the vent to be mounted, and make sure that was a sensable place to drill a hole first. (ie, well above the waterline!)

- Also, having never actually fitted a gas fridge, im only going of what ive seen done, so i'd see what other people have to say before you start.

 

 

Daniel

[John Orentas]

Hi Breals.

 

As Daniel says fridges and all other gas appliances must be installed by a 'competent person'. There are many aspects to this kind of installation, gas supply, local ventilation, flue arrangements and not least consideration must be given to the general ventilation of the boat, in an extreme case an installation of this kind could put the entire ventilation system of your boat out of compliance.

 

The bottom line is that if you are not that 'competent person' and as someone recently said if you need to ask, you almost certainly are not you must find someone who will carry out the installation for you.

 

The members of the forum will be more than happy to answer specific questions regarding an installation but a very general question along the lines of "Fitting a gas fridge" is beyond the scope of this or any other forum it would carry us into areas were none of us would want to go.

 

Don't let this put you off but please keep your contributions focused and specific.

[bottle]

Fitting a gas fridge:

 

Gas supply required: (pipe sizing relevant)

 

Ventilation required : (air supply for combustion)

 

Exhaust required : ( exhaust outlet to out side boat)

 

The last two are now covered by the requirement of a "balanced flue"

 

A fridge has to be room sealed, so would not compromisse boat ventilation,

 

Instructions and dimensions of fitting will come with fridge.

[dor]

If you haven't checked yet, you might like to look at the price of balanced-flue gas fridges. It may well make you reconsider!

[Breals]

@ John - I feel suitably chastised - but you know I'm a newbie, as the second line of the forum topic says, an idea of "Feasability" is what i was after - I was trying to sound out the implications of having to fit a gas fridge as opposed to purchasing a boat with one pre-installed, and felt that the forum was a good place to do so. The other members have indicated to me that fitting a gas fridge is no simple matter and likely to be costly, which is really the bottom line information I was after.

Edited July 31, 2005 by Breals

[Breals]

My conclusion is, a preinstalled gas fridge is a big bonus and worth taking into consideration regarding the boats price! Reading my original post, I perhaps should have worded it differntly john, sorry.

Edited July 31, 2005 by Breals

[DHutch]

If you haven't checked yet, you might like to look at the price of balanced-flue gas fridges.  It may well make you reconsider!

Yeah, thats true too!

 

Also, i have been told by john that i should have mentioned that a gas isolation tap should be fitted, and the question of adequate ventilation should be addressed, along with plenty of notes to consult with the manufacturers instructions.

- But anyway!

[Gary Peacock]

Although we do fit gas fridges, The current Dometic range are very exspensive and from memmory most of the range are top flued Chimney style this doesn't make them the easiest things to accomodate in a narrowboat galley.

They are good but along with low voltage fridges in some applications there are other ways.

[Breals]

Well I've actually made an offer on a boat now (see avatar), and the survey looks like its going to be good so I'm pushing ahead with the purchase! Luckily it has all the fixtures for a 3-way fridge, including a vent (the original fridge has unfortunately been removed though) so it should be simple to get someone to fit an old style gas fridge in its place.

 

The surveyor commented off the record that as the boat is 16 years old, predating the new regulations, this should be ok. Interestingly he said that the fridge would probably be better off vented into the cabin space as the ventilation flues can sometimes suffer from condensation which drips back onto the flame, resulting in partial combustion and CO gas. Either way, CO alarms are going to be a must.

 

That's one less solar panel to buy, anyway.

Edited September 6, 2005 by Breals

[awatsonbcp]

lots of people have horror stories about gas frides especially if they vent into the living space.not a good idea.why create a problem you then have to fit a co detector to protect you from?

 

our fridge was like this when i bought the boat and its the first thing i took out.

[bottle]

Well I've actually made an offer on a boat now (see avatar), and the survey looks like its going to be good so I'm pushing ahead with the purchase! Luckily it has all the fixtures for a 3-way fridge, including a vent (the original fridge has unfortunately been removed though) so it should be simple to get someone to fit an old style gas fridge in its place.

 

The surveyor commented off the record that as the boat is 16 years old, predating the new regulations, this should be ok. Interestingly he said that the fridge would probably be better off vented into the cabin space as the ventilation flues can sometimes suffer from condensation which drips back onto the flame, resulting in partial combustion and CO gas. Either way, CO alarms are going to be a must.

 

That's one less solar panel to buy, anyway.

29914[/snapback]

 

The CO gas would not enter the cabin that is the whole point of it being vented to the outside.

Breals you must like living dangerously, if you must have a gas fridge get a balanced flue model.

If you have one that vents into the cabin the combustion air also comes from the cabin and the required air vents to the outside are large.

[Speedwell]

I have just queried the BSS people about gas fridges although we have now gone electric. In the latest version of the regs, room sealed fridges are no longer absolutely mandatory but strongly recommended. If you are still interested in a gas fridge I suggest you email them yourself for a definitive answer. This is the reply email address BSS.Enquiries@boatsafetyscheme.com

Arthur

[Breals]

Thankyou Arthur. If it really is going to cause a problem with the BSS, then it'll have to be disconnected during inspections. With the proper set up, though, surely it should be ok? I've seen lots of boats with gas fridges - or perhaps they are for sale because the owners are deceased? I don't have the luxury of mains electricity and even little 12v electric fridges eat up about 45W electricity which is a lot run continuously.

 

I don't relish the thought of turning blue, either from cold or CO poisoning, so as the vent fittings are all in place, it can be connected to the outside. It was a BSS examiner who suggested (off the record) that venting into the cabin space was a good idea, not me, I must admit it sounded alarming but I could see the logic given the CO-causing condensation problem. Flueless heaters are available, I wonder how these get around the CO problem, and what about gas hobs - they all have a much bigger flame than the tiny one in a gas fridge.

 

 

Regarding a CO alarm, I think this is a pretty important piece of kit anyway, with the gas hob, the water heater and the stove.

Edited September 7, 2005 by Breals

[awatsonbcp]

yes definitely get a co detector anyway but not just because of the fridge.........like a smoke detector at home it could just save your life

[DHutch]

Thankyou Arthur. If it really is going to cause a problem with the BSS, then it'll have to be disconnected during inspections.

Ouch!

- If it doesnt pass the BSS, dont use it, if not for your sake for the sake of the others around.

 

Normally i'd go along with all that, but not with gas, if gas goes wrong, it can go wrong bigtime.

 

 

Daniel

[Breals]

OK. Luckily we're coming up to Autumn and Winter, so I can store my provisions in a bag lowered into the cut while I think it through! I've lived without a fridge before, and I can do it again! As suggested, a chat with the BSS would be useful to find out if the regs cover existing gas fridges or just new installations. Maybe a chat to the gas people, and the fridge people too.

Edited September 8, 2005 by Breals

[Speedwell]

Thankyou Arthur. If it really is going to cause a problem with the BSS, then it'll have to be disconnected during inspections. With the proper set up, though, surely it should be ok?

Breals

I wasn't trying to say there would be a problem with BSS, rather the reverse, but I don't want to quote the BSS man as I may not give the wholly correct interpretation. Being only "highly recommended" is quite a big relaxation in the BSS rules, which, until very recently, made room sealed fridges "mandatory"

We have had gas fridges for many years, 12 years with one venting into the cabin and then 4 years with one venting overboard. The main reason for going electric was we wanted a bigger fridge and electric ones were very nice and much cheaper.

The most serious problem we had was nearly melting through the rubber feed pipe where it was in contact with the heat exchanger. Since then I have been very careful to avoid this and have wrapped the rubber in thick aluminium foil to dissipate the heat. The foils came from old chinese food dishes - very handy things !!

Arthur