Gas Alarm Worth Trying?

[Guest]

I wondered if anybody had used one of these on a boat, and whether they would recommend one? Many thanks.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131830296139?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

[ditchcrawler]

I wondered if anybody had used one of these on a boat, and whether they would recommend one? Many thanks.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131830296139?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

I wouldn't even consider it. In industry you wouldn't even be allowed to take it into a "hazardous area" let alone switch it on.

[Guest]

I wouldn't even consider it. In industry you wouldn't even be allowed to take it into a "hazardous area" let alone switch it on.

Any particular one you would recommend? Cheers.

[MtB]

The £14.23 price should tell you everything you want to know!

[Guest]

The £14.23 price should tell you everything you want to know!

How much do I need to pay for a reasonable one? Cheers.

 

Meters for measuring leccy are more my thing, where the cheap ones can perform very well!

Edited November 15, 2016 by Guest

[blackrose]

If you want to install it permanently you need something with a remote sensor that can go into the bilges. If it's just a handheld tester you want then I'm not sure how useful it would be on a boat? There's a pinned PBO review of gas testers somewhere on the forum but it's getting a bit old now. Personally I find the smell of LPG strong enough to detect even small leaks so I don't have a LPG alarm.

[MtB]

How much do I need to pay for a reasonable one? Cheers.

 

 

How reasonable do you want? Would 'not many' false alarms and 'not many' real gas escapes missed suit you?

 

Truth is I have no idea. These devices are not used in my sector of the business.

[Guest]

Thanks. Will have a look at the pinned post.

[WotEver]

If you want to install it permanently you need something with a remote sensor that can go into the bilges. If it's just a handheld tester you want then I'm not sure how useful it would be on a boat? There's a pinned PBO review of gas testers somewhere on the forum but it's getting a bit old now. Personally I find the smell of LPG strong enough to detect even small leaks so I don't have a LPG alarm.

That's an interesting point. I opened the gas meter locker at home to read the meter and there was a strong smell of gas so I called them out. Man used expensive sniffer and couldn't find a leak with it so he changed the regulator and take off flexi pipe. A month later I went to read the meter and again smelled gas. Different man came out with a different sniffer and he couldn't find the leak either, so he changed the meter. Smell now gone.

 

So, strong smell of gas which two professionals with expensive sniffers couldn't find. Just goes to show how important the stench agent is.

[Guest]

Unfortunately my sniffer isn't that good, hence the idea of an electronic one! Perhaps I shall just train the dogs to be gas sniffers

[blackrose]

Unfortunately my sniffer isn't that good, hence the idea of an electronic one! Perhaps I shall just train the dogs to be gas sniffers

The main downside is the expense. I think you're looking at around 70 quid as a starting price for a decent one and then although it's only a small drain on your batteries it's constant. Although if you're mainly on shore power with a charger on it's not an issue.

[Guest]

The main downside is the expense. I think you're looking at around 70 quid as a starting price for a decent one and then although it's only a small drain on your batteries it's constant. Although if you're mainly on shore power with a charger on it's not an issue.

Cheers Mike, will have a good look around.

[ditchcrawler]

Any particular one you would recommend? Cheers.

Do you want to spend 1 or 2 thousand pounds. I wouldn't consider anything that is on the leisure market if you want your life to rely on it. Also it would need maintaining every 6 months as well by a specialist, It would not only need to alarm but to isolate the gas supply and electrics to do any good, whats the point in telling you that there is an explosive mixture in the boat in the middle of the night if you are going to switch a light on to see whats happening.

[blackrose]

Here's the link to the review. It's well out of date but it gives you an idea about what to look for in an alarm.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://jeanneau.tripod.com/hintsandtips/HTMLobj-3268/gas-alarms-on-test-0306.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiXmojY5avQAhVoK8AKHfTZCVwQFggeMAE&usg=AFQjCNHiQQmtVvPYLWPEB4-L1A8OLxpj4g

[Guest]

Do you want to spend 1 or 2 thousand pounds. I wouldn't consider anything that is on the leisure market if you want your life to rely on it. Also it would need maintaining every 6 months as well by a specialist, It would not only need to alarm but to isolate the gas supply and electrics to do any good, whats the point in telling you that there is an explosive mixture in the boat in the middle of the night if you are going to switch a light on to see whats happening.

Well, I see what you mean. I suppose the only sure way is to have no gas aboard (not really an option for us.) We have fitted a bubble tester ready for full time living aboard, so to my mind that is a step in the right direction. I just wondered if some kind of basic gas warning device might be better than none at all. Would they (a decent one) not indicate a leak before it got to the point of being explosive, a bit like a CO alarm will (hopefully) alarm before the CO is deadly? Just a thought.

Here's the link to the review. It's well out of date but it gives you an idea about what to look for in an alarm.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://jeanneau.tripod.com/hintsandtips/HTMLobj-3268/gas-alarms-on-test-0306.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiXmojY5avQAhVoK8AKHfTZCVwQFggeMAE&usg=AFQjCNHiQQmtVvPYLWPEB4-L1A8OLxpj4g

Very intersting. One of the dearest got the lowest rating! Seems a fair article though and gives me a few ideas. The cheaper ones seem to perform well, but use the most power.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Guest

[ditchcrawler]

Well, I see what you mean. I suppose the only sure way is to have no gas aboard (not really an option for us.) We have fitted a bubble tester ready for full time living aboard, so to my mind that is a step in the right direction. I just wondered if some kind of basic gas warning device might be better than none at all. Would they (a decent one) not indicate a leak before it got to the point of being explosive, a bit like a CO alarm will (hopefully) alarm before the CO is deadly? Just a thought.

I suppose that depends if you know where the leak is going to occur so you can put the sensor next to it . Its just my opinion, I think you would do much better to ensure that your gas system is installed to the highest standard and the appliances correctly maintained and checked. You will probably only have 2 gas appliances, an oven and a hob so there will be very few joints in the boat to leak.

[blackrose]

Do you want to spend 1 or 2 thousand pounds. I wouldn't consider anything that is on the leisure market if you want your life to rely on it. Also it would need maintaining every 6 months as well by a specialist, It would not only need to alarm but to isolate the gas supply and electrics to do any good, whats the point in telling you that there is an explosive mixture in the boat in the middle of the night if you are going to switch a light on to see whats happening.

It might be better than nothing and still save your life if you can get out of the boat quickly and isolate the gas from the locker.

[Guest]

I suppose that depends if you know where the leak is going to occur so you can put the sensor next to it . Its just my opinion, I think you would do much better to ensure that your gas system is installed to the highest standard and the appliances correctly maintained and checked. You will probably only have 2 gas appliances, an oven and a hob so there will be very few joints in the boat to leak.

Cheers. Gas system is all good, and only a cooker. Very few joints in the boat and all accessible etc. I do spary a bit of stuff on them now and again to test for leaks, but now have a bubble tester too. Our cooker is quite close to the bottles so placing a sensor wouldn't be too hard I wouldn't think.

It might be better than nothing and still save your life if you can get out of the boat quickly and isolate the gas from the locker.

Those are my thoughts on the subject. Life is a gamble and all that, but we can make the odds work a bit better for us, sometimes. I think I can justify 70 quid, and it is cheaper than 7k each for a funeral. Worth a punt I think.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Guest

[blackrose]

Do you want to spend 1 or 2 thousand pounds. I wouldn't consider anything that is on the leisure market if you want your life to rely on it. Also it would need maintaining every 6 months as well by a specialist, It would not only need to alarm but to isolate the gas supply and electrics to do any good, whats the point in telling you that there is an explosive mixture in the boat in the middle of the night if you are going to switch a light on to see whats happening.

This reminds me of when I moored in Brentford marina about 10 years ago and this hippy girl who was one of my neighbors came home to find her boat smelled of gas. She called somebody from another boat who was quite handy and as he stepped inside he saw that she had lit several scented candles to mask the smell of gas! He told me what a shock he got. Some people just shouldn't be on boats.

[johnmck]

We have one of these on the boat.

 

http://www.nereusalarms.co.uk/html/gas_detector_alarms_for_boats_1.html

 

Expensive, but persuaded SWMBO to allow gas on the boat. Bought direct from the manufacturer, got a hefty discount from advertised prices.

 

It has worked a treat for five years now.

[Guest]

This reminds me of when I moored in Brentford marina about 10 years ago and this hippy girl who was one of my neighbors came home to find her boat smelled of gas. She called somebody from another boat who was quite handy and as he stepped inside he saw that she had lit several scented candles to mask the smell of gas! He told me what a shock he got. Some people just shouldn't be on boats.

Amazing.

[blackrose]

We have one of these on the boat.

 

http://www.nereusalarms.co.uk/html/gas_detector_alarms_for_boats_1.html

 

Expensive, but persuaded SWMBO to allow gas on the boat. Bought direct from the manufacturer, got a hefty discount from advertised prices.

 

It has worked a treat for five years now.

Waterproof sensors. That's what you want If you're getting one.

[Guest]

We have one of these on the boat.

 

http://www.nereusalarms.co.uk/html/gas_detector_alarms_for_boats_1.html

 

Expensive, but persuaded SWMBO to allow gas on the boat. Bought direct from the manufacturer, got a hefty discount from advertised prices.

 

It has worked a treat for five years now.

Cheers will try them.

[ditchcrawler]

We have one of these on the boat.

 

http://www.nereusalarms.co.uk/html/gas_detector_alarms_for_boats_1.html

 

Expensive, but persuaded SWMBO to allow gas on the boat. Bought direct from the manufacturer, got a hefty discount from advertised prices.

 

It has worked a treat for five years now.

So how many times has it detected gas in that time and disconnected all sources of ignition ?

[Jak]

Candles to hide the gas smell? Scared. I've wired up a 12v gas sensor alarm in the galley. Why? Boat surveyor recommended it in addition to CO and smoke. I'd rather be safe TBH. What's 70 quid?