LPG Locker "Filler"

[furnessvale]

I am considering fitting a gas locker in my tug. Because of the low deck height there is no way I can fit a bottle completely above water level.

 

BSS talks about a solid filler in the gas locker occupying the space between the bottom of the locker and the drain which, of necessity, will be part way up the side of the locker. Anyone had any experience of what is an approved filler and how does this square with the need to lift bottles in and out of this "filler".

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[RLWP]

I am considering fitting a gas locker in my tug. Because of the low deck height there is no way I can fit a bottle completely above water level.

 

BSS talks about a solid filler in the gas locker occupying the space between the bottom of the locker and the drain which, of necessity, will be part way up the side of the locker. Anyone had any experience of what is an approved filler and how does this square with the need to lift bottles in and out of this "filler".

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

It means filling the bottom of the locker up to the drain point. I wouldn't use it, but an example would be concrete. You fill the bottom of the locker with concrete until there is no sump for the gas to collect in. The bottle stands on top of that.

 

Does that help?

 

Richard

[furnessvale]

It means filling the bottom of the locker up to the drain point. I wouldn't use it, but an example would be concrete. You fill the bottom of the locker with concrete until there is no sump for the gas to collect in. The bottle stands on top of that.

 

Does that help?

 

Richard

 

Not really. I may as well build a locker that shallow in the first place which then will not be deep enough to hold a bottle. The BSS handbook shows an example with two bottles standing IN the filler. For that to work with concrete you would need to cast it around the bottle(s) but you would never make that gas tight to bottles being constantly put in and out. Unfortunately BSS do not elaborate as to what a suitable filler may be.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[DHutch]

The point is, as you say can cast it around the shape of the bottle. Doesnt need to be gas tight, just a good fit to displace the gas.

- Another option is a flooded gas locker, as also detailed in the red book.

 

 

Daniel

[RLWP]

Not really. I may as well build a locker that shallow in the first place which then will not be deep enough to hold a bottle. The BSS handbook shows an example with two bottles standing IN the filler. For that to work with concrete you would need to cast it around the bottle(s) but you would never make that gas tight to bottles being constantly put in and out. Unfortunately BSS do not elaborate as to what a suitable filler may be.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

I see. So they are eliminating the space in the locker that isn't occupied by the bottle. I'm going to hand over to the next expert 'cos that's something I haven't seen.

 

Richard

[furnessvale]

The point is, as you say can cast it around the shape of the bottle. Doesnt need to be gas tight, just a good fit to displace the gas.

- Another option is a flooded gas locker, as also detailed in the red book.

 

 

Daniel

 

Thanks for that. Water seems the easiest option. I have downloaded the latest BSS part 7 from the website but can see no mention of water. Any chance of pointing me in the right direction?

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Phil Ambrose]

The point is, as you say can cast it around the shape of the bottle. Doesnt need to be gas tight, just a good fit to displace the gas.

- Another option is a flooded gas locker, as also detailed in the red book.

 

 

Daniel

 

My gas locker is flooded upto the drain hole but as my boat is GRP there are no issues with corrosion.

 

Phil

[furnessvale]

My gas locker is flooded upto the drain hole but as my boat is GRP there are no issues with corrosion.

 

Phil

 

Yes, I would have to consider rusting. I was thinking of well over specifying the steel for the locker. One advantage of water is that it completely fills the void, displacing any gas, and it is infinitely variable in shape altering to whatever bottles are used.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[DHutch]

Page 12, section 7. Fifth image, point D.

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/downloads/...Guide_chap7.pdf

 

 

Daniel

[furnessvale]

Page 12, section 7. Fifth image, point D.

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/downloads/...Guide_chap7.pdf

 

 

Daniel

 

Thanks

 

Yes I see it. The wavy line is water level. The slit opening can be a series of holes. It looks like to fully comply with that I will have to have at least two holes. One at the bottom of the locker to fill it with water and one just above the waterline to allow gas to escape. It would be easier if BSS allowed me to keep the locker topped up with water to drainhole level. I will sound them out.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Chris Williams]

Hi - assuming it is a complete steel locker that is going to be made make sure the locker is no larger than the bottle(s). This way you will not need to add any other substance as you have made the free volume below the drain as small as possible. If you do have space you can fill it with blue solid engineering bricks or a product called vermiculite.

 

www.vermiculite.net

 

Hope this helps

 

Regards Chris Williams

[fretman]

Hi - assuming it is a complete steel locker that is going to be made make sure the locker is no larger than the bottle(s). This way you will not need to add any other substance as you have made the free volume below the drain as small as possible. If you do have space you can fill it with blue solid engineering bricks or a product called vermiculite.

 

www.vermiculite.net

 

Hope this helps

 

Regards Chris Williams

hi, I had the same problem when having our boat built, tug deck on a R.W.davis boat,, easy, just use smaller bottles, X 4 6kg bottles, so a smaller locker above water level...

Oh , and the gas bottle people don't like there bottles in water, check them out.....

[W+T]

This has made my day , i was wanting to fit LPG cylinders in my center cockpit cruiser but the 13KG cylinders are to high, but now i have seen the regs then i can sink them down lower and have a bottom drain and make a GRP base to sit them in, dont fancy concrete.

 

thanks for that, dont like the idea of hanging them of the transom.

 

wayne

[Speedwheel]

Hi - assuming it is a complete steel locker that is going to be made make sure the locker is no larger than the bottle(s). This way you will not need to add any other substance as you have made the free volume below the drain as small as possible. If you do have space you can fill it with blue solid engineering bricks or a product called vermiculite.

 

www.vermiculite.net

 

Hope this helps

 

Regards Chris Williams

 

Chris - so does this mean that if you made a gas locker that was just big enough for a bottle (assume one in this case) then you could have the drain holes higher up the locker?

 

Thanks

 

Mark

 

hi, I had the same problem when having our boat built, tug deck on a R.W.davis boat,, easy, just use smaller bottles, X 4 6kg bottles, so a smaller locker above water level...

Oh , and the gas bottle people don't like there bottles in water, check them out.....

 

Knowing the boat this is going on, even 6kg bottles probably would be to tall.

 

It would be easier if BSS allowed me to keep the locker topped up with water to drainhole level.

 

Which of course you would always do! Not just on inspection day

[WotEver]

... so does this mean that if you made a gas locker that was just big enough for a bottle (assume one in this case) then you could have the drain holes higher up the locker?

I find the BSS's wording a little ambiguous on this point (and many other points for that matter)...

 

They state: "Cylinder locker drain-openings must be located at the bottom of the locker or at the lowest point of the side."

 

They add a note to that: "Note – Drain openings on the side of cylinder lockers not greater than 25mm (1 in) above the bottom of the locker may be considered as at the lowest point of the side."

 

But in between those two points they state: "Any area in the cylinder locker below the drain that could retain leaked LPG must be filled with LPG-resistant material."

 

So if the first point is valid, that the drain must be at the bottom of the locker, how can the last quote about any space below the drain have any relevance?

 

What am I missing?

 

Tony

[Teadaemon]

I find the BSS's wording a little ambiguous on this point (and many other points for that matter)...

 

They state: "Cylinder locker drain-openings must be located at the bottom of the locker or at the lowest point of the side."

 

They add a note to that: "Note – Drain openings on the side of cylinder lockers not greater than 25mm (1 in) above the bottom of the locker may be considered as at the lowest point of the side."

 

But in between those two points they state: "Any area in the cylinder locker below the drain that could retain leaked LPG must be filled with LPG-resistant material."

 

So if the first point is valid, that the drain must be at the bottom of the locker, how can the last quote about any space below the drain have any relevance?

 

What am I missing?

 

Tony

 

It appears to me (from the quotations posted above) that a compliant drain could be up to an inch above the lowest point on the side, and there is no requirement for the bottom of the gas locker to be flat, so potentially there could be a significant volume of the gas locker that is below drain level. If there is, any space between the gas bottles and the locker must be filled with an LPG-resistant material (my preferred solution would be closed-cell foam covered with a layer of glass cloth and epoxy for wear resistance and held in place to prevent it floating on top of any water that enters the gas locker).

[W+T]

I have not seen anywere about a GRP filler, i have a cruiser which i want to fit the GRP locker in the cockpit ( its a center cockpit cruiser), now i hope to use 2 13kg cylinders but if i was to fit them in the cockpit under the floor the filler would come up to near 3/4 the way up the cylinder, i was thinking of making the filler out of ply covered with 6mm of GRP, 6mm to be ok with the BSS regs.

Most have been using concrete and water, neither i fancy using myself.

Do you think this will be ok as in the BSS regs the LPG locker can be of minimum 5mm GRP, just not sure how deep the filler can be.

 

Any advice would be greatfull folks.

 

Thanks wayne

[Albin Vega]

If your only cooking on gas and not using it for Alde and water heaters. You could use 6kg or 3.9kg bottles. They are getting more popular and while they cost a little more, the extra hassel of cutting big drains and corrosion might be better.

[W+T]

If your only cooking on gas and not using it for Alde and water heaters. You could use 6kg or 3.9kg bottles. They are getting more popular and while they cost a little more, the extra hassel of cutting big drains and corrosion might be better.

 

 

I work for a calor gas agent and we get a lot of part filled returns back ( no charge to me for them ), mainly being 13kg cylinders, 6 kg now and then but they get snapped up, if need be i can use 6 kg.

The main question is about the locker filler though not the cylinder size.

 

Thanks wayne