Checking for a gas leak

[Water Rat.]

We had a gas safety chap out looking at the fridge( he said turn it upside down and leave it for 12 hours) we also detected a gas leak. He gave us a thorough check and said all is ok.

I am now relighting the fridge and think I can smell gas again. How can I check if a joint it leaking gas? It it just the washing up liquid thing?

[lydfordcastle]

We had a gas safety chap out looking at the fridge( he said turn it upside down and leave it for 12 hours) we also detected a gas leak. He gave us a thorough check and said all is ok.

I am now relighting the fridge and think I can smell gas again. How can I check if a joint it leaking gas? It it just the washing up liquid thing?

 

His recommendation to turn your fridge upside down for 12 hours is nothing to do with gas or safety. Clearly your fridge is of the absorbtion type and turning them upside down for 12 hours is reputed to restore performance although some believe that this is an 'old wive's tale'.

Your post doesn't make it clear whether the 'thorough check' was before or after the aspect of the fridge was righted. If it was after the 12 hour period recommended then clearly you probably reconnected the gas line to the fridge yourself, so it may need further attention.

If I were you and convinced that I could smell gas, I'd be shutting off at the bottles and calling the gas engineer back again.

[jake_crew]

A leak can be very small such that no bubbles can be seen with the WU liquid, and yet still fail a BSS test.

 

Your nose is very sensitive, and the "smell" put in the gas (mercaptan) is one of the smelliest substances known, so its important to check this properly with a manometer.

[BEngo]

Washing up liquid is full of salt and other nasty-to-brass products so should not really be used as a leak detector. If you do use it wash it off really well. Places like BES sell a proper leak detector product and I should buy some of that. It's handy for checking gas bottle connections when you put a new one on.

 

However, how close to being empty is your gas bottle? The stenching agent and by-products of the refinery sometimes collect at the bottom of a gas bottle in a condition known as "heavy bottoms" and when these are burnt they make a smell like a gas leak. Try running the system on a new full gas bottle. If the leak smell goes away 'heavy bottoms' are what is causing the small.

 

N

[nb Innisfree]

However, how close to being empty is your gas bottle? The stenching agent and by-products of the refinery sometimes collect at the bottom of a gas bottle in a condition known as "heavy bottoms" and when these are burnt they make a smell like a gas leak. Try running the system on a new full gas bottle. If the leak smell goes away 'heavy bottoms' are what is causing the small.

 

N

That smell always tells us if our gas is close to running out, very handy.

[alan_fincher]

 

His recommendation to turn your fridge upside down for 12 hours is nothing to do with gas or safety. Clearly your fridge is of the absorbtion type and turning them upside down for 12 hours is reputed to restore performance although some believe that this is an 'old wive's tale'.

 

It isn't, and being a potentially "free" cure, is always worth a try with a gas fridge.

 

It will not solve all of them, but I can attest to it solving at least some of them.

EDITED TO ADD:

 

Do you have a bubble tester fitted, Julie?

 

It's well worth getting one added to your system if you don't currently have one.

[BEngo]

An absorption (Electrolux RM212 type) fridge works by ammonia gas alternately dissolving in and being released from water. if all the ammonia is in gas form and none dissolved the fridge is hard to start. Shaking it dissolves some ammonia and the cycle can start.

 

After shaking it the water needs to flow (drip) back to the bottom of the fridge ( or the bits of the cooling cycle canhappen in the wrong places) so that's why it needs to stand for 24 hours.

 

N

[bizzard]

By squirting and manipulating a little detector fluid around the suspect joint with a small paint brush and watching closely you should see the tiniest of gas leaks, not by squirting a load on and just watching, its a waste.

[Daiboy]

Slightly off topic (but only just).

 

I was informed by a marine chandlery that if I now buy another 3 way fridge to replace my defunct one, I will have to have a sealed flue to external air fitted. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Thanks.

[MtB]

Slightly off topic (but only just).

 

I was informed by a marine chandlery that if I now buy another 3 way fridge to replace my defunct one, I will have to have a sealed flue to external air fitted. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, I know. 'Tis b*ll*cks...

 

 

MtB

[alan_fincher]

Slightly off topic (but only just).

 

I was informed by a marine chandlery that if I now buy another 3 way fridge to replace my defunct one, I will have to have a sealed flue to external air fitted. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Thanks.

Not only is it nonsense, I don't think anyone can actually supply a new room sealed one suitable for boat use any more. They stopped making them I think, so if anybody offers you one, I think t would be seriously old stock.

[lydfordcastle]

 

Yes, I know. 'Tis b*ll*cks...

 

 

MtB

 

Slightly off topic (but only just).

 

I was informed by a marine chandlery that if I now buy another 3 way fridge to replace my defunct one, I will have to have a sealed flue to external air fitted. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Thanks.

 

According to two Boat Safety Inspectors that have inspected my boat, it's true if the boat is petrol driven.

[MtB]

 

 

According to two Boat Safety Inspectors that have inspected my boat, it's true if the boat is petrol driven.

 

Only appears to apply to 'non-private' boats.

 

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/non-private-boats/part-8-appliances,-flueing-ventilation/lpg-or-paraffin-refrigerators-on-boats-with-petrol-engines/

 

MtB

[lydfordcastle]

 

Only appears to apply to 'non-private' boats.

 

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/non-private-boats/part-8-appliances,-flueing-ventilation/lpg-or-paraffin-refrigerators-on-boats-with-petrol-engines/

 

MtB

 

According to the latest BSS Examination Checking Procedures for Privately Owned and Managed Vessels (2013) all fridge burners must

be room sealed. However, it would appear that non-compliance only attracts a warning notice, not a failure

[MtB]

 

According to the latest BSS Examination Checking Procedures for Privately Owned and Managed Vessels (2013) all fridge burners must

be room sealed. However, it would appear that non-compliance only attracts a warning notice, not a failure

 

Shame this is not reflected in their website then!

 

Secret rules for us to comply with... poor show IMHO.

 

 

MtB

[ditchcrawler]

 

According to the latest BSS Examination Checking Procedures for Privately Owned and Managed Vessels (2013) all fridge burners must

be room sealed. However, it would appear that non-compliance only attracts a warning notice, not a failure

Ian Graham of Wilderness boats use to do an approved modification to fit fridges in Wilderness boats with petrol outboard engines

[Radiomariner]

Slightly off topic (but only just).

 

I was informed by a marine chandlery that if I now buy another 3 way fridge to replace my defunct one, I will have to have a sealed flue to external air fitted. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Thanks.

Not Correct.

 

Not only is it nonsense, I don't think anyone can actually supply a new room sealed one suitable for boat use any more. They stopped making them I think, so if anybody offers you one, I think t would be seriously old stock.

Probably true

 

 

According to the latest BSS Examination Checking Procedures for Privately Owned and Managed Vessels (2013) all fridge burners must

be room sealed. However, it would appear that non-compliance only attracts a warning notice, not a failure

Read it more carefully. That applies to Petrol driven boats

 

 

Shame this is not reflected in their website then!

 

Secret rules for us to comply with... poor show IMHO.

 

No secret. The full Exam procedures are available on the BSS web site.

[lydfordcastle]

Not Correct.

 

Probably true

 

Read it more carefully. That applies to Petrol driven boats

 

No secret. The full Exam procedures are available on the BSS web site.

 

Read the previous posts more carefully. Both I and Mike were talking about petrol boats.

[MtB]

Not Correct.

 

Probably true

 

Read it more carefully. That applies to Petrol driven boats

 

No secret. The full Exam procedures are available on the BSS web site.

 

Can you post a link to the page that discusses gas fridges in petrol powered private boats then please, coz I can't find it! Hence my comment about secret rules.

 

Thanks...

 

MtB

 

 

(Edit to add the word 'private')

Edited June 5, 2014 by Mike the Boilerman

[Radiomariner]

 

Can you post a link to the page that discusses gas fridges in petrol powered private boats then please, coz I can't find it! Hence my comment about secret rules.

 

Thanks...

 

MtB

 

 

(Edit to add the word 'private')

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private%20_boats_ed3_public_final.pdf

section 8.2.1

[lydfordcastle]

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private%20_boats_ed3_public_final.pdf

section 8.2.1

 

Quite a comprehensive section covering LPG refrigerators and I can see the logic as petrol vapours being heavier than air would tend to fall to the cabin floor level, which is where the gas burner would normally be located. Can someone explain to me then why the same document doesn't appear to prohibit the use of solid fuel stoves or catalytic LPG heaters, both of which are pefectly capable of setting off the same sort of explosion described at the beginning of the section.

[Daiboy]

Many thanks for this discussion it has made my mind up on the purchase of another 3 way jobbie.

 

Dai

[Radiomariner]

 

Quite a comprehensive section covering LPG refrigerators and I can see the logic as petrol vapours being heavier than air would tend to fall to the cabin floor level, which is where the gas burner would normally be located. Can someone explain to me then why the same document doesn't appear to prohibit the use of solid fuel stoves or catalytic LPG heaters, both of which are pefectly capable of setting off the same sort of explosion described at the beginning of the section.

Perhaps it is because the fridge is likely to be on 24/7 and possibly not switched off when vessel taking on fuel. Personally, I would be alarmed if I found such appliances (solid fuel and catalytic) on boats with petrol engines. I can not vouch for other examiners, but finding such would prompt me to contact the BSS office for advice. If the advice is that it's ok I would put comment in the examination report. It's called C.Y.A.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Radiomariner