Gas Levels

[Athy]

While we were having our boat surveyed prior to purchase, I learnt from the surveyor that the BSS stipulates that nothing but gas bottles are stored in the gas locker, I am guessing this is to reduce the risk of sparks? Or is there another reason? Is it a rule largely ignored in practice? Does anyone know of any incident caused by storing 'things' in the gas locker?

 

Joshua

That's right, take 'em all out for the BSC then load 'em all back in again. I am sure that not every boater stores items in the gas locker, but i would think that the majority of them do (or does).

[Joshua]

I have heard this quoted often. But I cannot see anything in my BSS book to confirm it. It does talk about not store things that cause sparks in rhere like electronic igniters.

 

That's good news, I have been wondering where to store the very tripoverable anchor!

 

Joshua

 

 

Edited February 26, 2012 by Joshua

[daveanj]

get one of these they are not cheap but you get the best of both world cheap to fill (do it yourself) and know how full they are or empty as the case may be

 

safefill.co.uk

[Keeping Up]

We were once given a "fail" on a BSS because there were "items other than gas bottles" in the locker. In fact the only additional item was a wooden bracket which had been fitted to act as a restraint to prevent the bottle from moving, fitted at the insistence of the very same examiner the previous inspection!

[bizzard]

My mini size Oxy-acetylene bottles would go in there but for safeties sake i keep them in the oven when not baking.

[J R ALSOP]

The aluminium tag on the top of the neck gives the empty weight of the bottle, weigh the bottle and subtract.

[alan_fincher]

I bought a couple of those magnetic "stick on" gauges, and quickly gave up on them as totally useless.

 

(..........and that coming from a man who is still convinced his EcoFan is useful!....................).

[bizzard]

Gaslow regulator with gauge reads tapering green scale running into red and tapering again until empty.

[lewisericeric]

The reviews of those magnetic ones on Amazon are overall quite positive.... although a lot of people do say that if you have a "large" bottle (define large?!) then you might need two?!

 

I might give one a go. Maybe they've improved them since?

[Richard10002]

get one of these they are not cheap but you get the best of both world cheap to fill (do it yourself) and know how full they are or empty as the case may be

 

safefill.co.uk

 

Looks like £0.75 per litre to fill a safefill as against about £1.15 per litre when swapping a rented Calor 13kg. A saving of about £9 per 13kg or £0.70 per kg. looks like payback after 16 x 13kg fills. Assuming my maths is correct. I'm guessing I'll use 3 or 4 13kg cylinder as year so 4 years before any savings, or 8 years, given that I would probably need at least two - then they need a test after 10 years.

 

Not sure if it would be that convenient, but that would be the only reason to buy IMHO

[alan_fincher]

get one of these they are not cheap but you get the best of both world cheap to fill (do it yourself) and know how full they are or empty as the case may be

 

safefill.co.uk

 

Looks like £0.75 per litre to fill a safefill as against about £1.15 per litre when swapping a rented Calor 13kg. A saving of about £9 per 13kg or £0.70 per kg. looks like payback after 16 x 13kg fills. Assuming my maths is correct. I'm guessing I'll use 3 or 4 13kg cylinder as year so 4 years before any savings, or 8 years, given that I would probably need at least two - then they need a test after 10 years.

 

Not sure if it would be that convenient, but that would be the only reason to buy IMHO

 

I absolutely refuse to get into the debate again, because it has been done to death on the forum already.

 

At the very least anybody considering introducing a re-fillable LPG cylinder onto their boat should be aware of this......

 

BSS Statement - User Re-fillable LPG Bottles

[Ron T]

Just pour boiling water on the bottle.There will be an obvious line at the gas level,or run your hand down the bottle and you can feel the gas level[it's a lot colder]Might not work over there in your freezing environment!