Gas fridge

[bizzard]

Veryyyyy interesting. I've never heard of 'gas condensate'. Did he say if this is a same 'honey-like' gloop that accumulates in gas service pipes over long periods? Or something else?

 

I'm a bit puzzled about calcification building up on the electrode. Where does the calcium come from?

Probably spilt some milk down the flu tube.

[cereal tiller]

Probably spilt some milk down the flu tube.

Likely,easy fix though,just cry over it?

 

CT

[bizzard]

Likely,easy fix though,just cry over it?

 

CT

Could even have been someone pee'd up or a dog cocked its leg up the boat and it went into the flue outlet.

[nicknorman]

Veryyyyy interesting. I've never heard of 'gas condensate'. Did he say if this is a same 'honey-like' gloop that accumulates in gas service pipes over long periods? Or something else?

 

I'm a bit puzzled about calcification building up on the electrode. Where does the calcium come from?

 

Yes apparently the gas condensate is some sort of heavier hydrocarbon that is present in small quantities in the refined gas. Yes the way he described it is "honey-like" gloop. You can drain it out of the pipe by hanging it up, but you won't get it all out. There is a sticker next to the regulator in my van which talks about not allowing there to be a dip in the flexi hose to the cylinder to avoid the condensate collecting, so my bod didn't make it up! Of course provided there is a slope back to the cylinder, the gloop will always run back into the cylinder (presuming it ever gets out).

 

I think the calcification of the electrode arises because the back of the fridge, where the burner is, is right next to two large external grill vents. There is no external flue as such, just a "sealed" area behind the fridge that is vented by these upper and lower grills. I think rain water can get in with wind in the right direction etc. But yes I am perhaps a bit sceptical about "calcification", maybe it is just corrosion. I have yet to have the opportunity to pull the fridge out and have a proper look. It keeps snowing!

 

I took a photo of the regulator and it includes the sticker. OK it talks about condensation rather than condensate but I think it is the same thing.

Edited April 26, 2016 by nicknorman

[ditchcrawler]

Natural gas also has condensate, a very valuable item. We use to go to a lot of trouble removing it by chilling the gas way below anything it is likely to experience in service.

[WotEver]

Natural gas also has condensate, a very valuable item. We use to go to a lot of trouble removing it by chilling the gas way below anything it is likely to experience in service.

Why is it valuable Mr Crawler?

[Theo]

Veryyyyy interesting. I've never heard of 'gas condensate'. Did he say if this is a same 'honey-like' gloop that accumulates in gas service pipes over long periods? Or something else?

 

I'm a bit puzzled about calcification building up on the electrode. Where does the calcium come from?

 

Calcification doesn't necessarily imply the presence of calcium. It comes form the word calx.

 

Wikipaedia says it all:

 

Calx (From Arabic "کلس") is a residual substance, sometimes in the form of a fine powder, that is left when a metal or mineral combusts or is calcinated due to heat.

Calx, especially of a metal, is now known as an oxide. According to the obsolete phlogiston theory, the calx was the true elemental substance, having lost its phlogiston in the process of combustion.

"Calx" is also sometimes used in older texts on artist's techniques to mean calcium oxide.

 

Yes apparently the gas condensate is some sort of heavier hydrocarbon that is present in small quantities in the refined gas. Yes the way he described it is "honey-like" gloop. You can drain it out of the pipe by hanging it up, but you won't get it all out. There is a sticker next to the regulator in my van which talks about not allowing there to be a dip in the flexi hose to the cylinder to avoid the condensate collecting, so my bod didn't make it up! Of course provided there is a slope back to the cylinder, the gloop will always run back into the cylinder (presuming it ever gets out).

 

I think the calcification of the electrode arises because the back of the fridge, where the burner is, is right next to two large external grill vents. There is no external flue as such, just a "sealed" area behind the fridge that is vented by these upper and lower grills. I think rain water can get in with wind in the right direction etc. But yes I am perhaps a bit sceptical about "calcification", maybe it is just corrosion. I have yet to have the opportunity to pull the fridge out and have a proper look. It keeps snowing!

 

I took a photo of the regulator and it includes the sticker. OK it talks about condensation rather than condensate but I think it is the same thing.

IMG_2599.JPG

Presumable the hose that you are talking about here is the HP hose before the regulator.

 

N

[Theo]

Why is it valuable Mr Crawler?

From Wikipaedia: Main article

 

Because condensate is typically liquid in ambient conditions and also has very low viscosity, condensate is often used to dilute highly viscous heavier oils that cannot otherwise be efficiently transported via pipelines. In particular, condensate is frequently mixed with bitumen from oil sands to create dilbit. The increased use of condensate as diluent has significantly increased its price in certain regions.^[

[ditchcrawler]

Why is it valuable Mr Crawler?

Because they make things from it, its not gloopy like the stuff in flexi pipes but like parafin

[nicknorman]

Presumable the hose that you are talking about here is the HP hose before the regulator.

 

N

Yes

[WotEver]

Nick & Ditchcrawler

[nicknorman]

Just an update on my "thread hijack" caravan fridge / gas supply. I removed the extension HP hose as the standard one was long enough. Been in the van since Thursday (sub zero or near zero overnight) and no gas supply issues so I think it was down to having a big low point in the overly long HP hose.

 

The fridge is a Thetford 3 way with fancy electronic control. TBH probably not likely to be found on a boat since the flue just exits into a cavity behind the fridge which is then vented to outside by large upper and lower grills. However the fault issue might be interesting to some. It was mostly working, occasionally locking out due to not detecting a flame (flame rectification system). It was clicking for a while after the flame lit but would mostly, eventually, detect the flame in time.

 

There is also a gas water heater - not an instant one but a 10l tank that can be heated via a gas burner or electric. You don't seem to get these in boats, not sure why but probably a flue/venting issue again - although it is "balanced"-ish, plastic fittings for the exhaust and air inlet wouldn't last long on the side of a boat.

 

Suddenly the fridge was completely dead (LCD panel blank) and the water heater would try to light but go to lockout. It uses flame rectification too. So suddenly a double failure, must be linked. Tried poking lots of wiring, measuring voltages at connectors etc, nothing seems to be wrong. Hours of tinkering later I found that if I disconnected the fridge 12v plug the water heater was suddenly fine. With the water heater gas burning, if I plugged the fridge connector back in the water heater went straight to clicking for a relight and then locked out a few seconds later. Something to do with the fridge was taking out the water heater's flame detection. Weird.

 

Anyway I finally discovered that when I plugged the fridge in, the voltage on the gas pipe suddenly went to about 7v despite the ground at the fridge connector remaining at zero. Presumably this voltage on the gas pipe / burner was effecting the flame rectification circuit of the water heater. Although you would think the gas system would be connected to 0v somewhere. So finally, I connected a short wire from the fridge 0v supply to the pipe work. Suddenly everything fine and even the fridge is not giving the same difficulty recognising a flame. Sorted.

 

In the mean time I've found out that Thetford fridges suffer from having a chrome plated burner that corrodes, and flakes of chrome and rust affect the flame pattern and hence the flame detection (and CO levels). Mine is corroded so I'll be getting a new one which are now stainless steel. £30 - odd from eBay.