LPG help, morning coffee depends on it!

[djousset]

The galley stove is non-responsive. Naturally this was discovered while at anchor in ideal setting REALLY looking forward to coffee. I checked the power to the solenoid, all good. I took the solenoid apart, it appears fine but can’t be certain (it’s old). Ran ashore and refilled the propane tank just in case it was low and not providing enough pressure (?). One hint perhaps is that I tried the oven pilot for kicks and it lit, although this was short lived, perhaps leftover gas in the line? I imagine it's best to replace both the solenoid and the regulator? Anything I am missing? It's not ideal to heat water for coffee on the grill....

[wholybee]

If you have good hearing, you should be able to hear the gas coming from the hob before lighting it. That is an easy test. I have had multiple solenoid failures, and have had to simply bypass it until I could replace. I have had one regulator failure, and it was an obvious and huge leak from the vent hole. It still functioned.

Do you have a pressure test gauge? You should be able to pressurize the system, turn off the tank, and then if you open a hob on the stove the pressure should quickly drop to zero. If it doesn't, your solenoid or regulator are stuck.

[boatpoker]

If the solenoid is working you will hear it's loud click as it opens - thats 1/3 of the story

To be ABYC (& insurance) compliant you must have a pressure gauge. That'll show the next 1/3.

If the solenoid clicks and your pressure gauge shows pressure, that leaves the regulator, the last 1/3 of the story.

In 30 years of full time propane cooking I've had one solenoid failure and three regulator failures.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

In 30 years of full time propane cooking I've had one solenoid failure and three regulator failures.

My figures are the same, but over ten years, not thirty

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by GILow

My figures are the same, but over ten years, not thirty

I went through 2 solenoids and one regulator in 2 years. The trident "marine" stuff is junk.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by wholybee

I went through 2 solenoids and one regulator in 2 years. The trident "marine" stuff is junk.

I've installed a number on marine propane systems but never bought supplies from a marine outlet. I buy mine from a local outfit that supplies contractors in the gas industry. https://www.fairviewfittings.com/

[sailingharry]

Boatpoker and GILow make comments worth listening to. While I have never had a failure of either, I carry a fix for both.

I carry the necessary fittings to remove the solenoid valve and bypass it. I forget the fittings, and in fact I may not need any, but I have looked at the fittings to be sure that I can execute a bypass. My impetus for this was a story of a boat doing the Marblehead to Halifax race where somehow they wiped the batteries flat (and so could not turn on the stove). Cold cans of food for the entire race!

I also carry a propane regulator salvaged from a barbecue grill. Again, I am certain the fittings can be connected.

And on a related note, I carry a 1 lb propane bottle and the adapter to tie that into the propane lines.

All of the above is probably not ABYC compliant. And hopefully I will never have to use any of it. But super cheap to gather (and store it right in the propane locker) and if I ever need it I will be very glad to have it!

[GILow]

As above, I carry a spare solenoid plus a male-male brass elbow I can use to quickly bypass the solenoid if needed.

I came up with the bypass idea after reading a story here on CF about a boat lost after crew had to abandon her thanks to freezing conditions and a flat battery preventing the solenoid from opening.

Also, I think my first solenoid failed after a few years because it was never turning off. I discovered that one of the relay circuits on the alarm was always on even though I was (I thought) switching the gas off via the alarm when not in use.

[GordMay]

Many [most?] gas stoves have an integral safety thermocouple, that ensures that the propane will stop flowing, if there is no flame in the burner, to heat it.
It measures temperature, and creates electricity [“Seebeck effect”], which keeps a solenoid open, and allows gas to flow. When the flame goes out [and therefore, the heat], the valve will shut off automatically.

[Sailorlady2022]

Though a little off topic here, we are extending our house LP system to our grill and looking for a housing to go through the hull that will hold the LP quick connect. I have seen one on a Lagoon 450, but cannot find it any where. Any ideas?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Sailorlady2022

Though a little off topic here, we are extending our house LP system to our grill and looking for a housing to go through the hull that will hold the LP quick connect. I have seen one on a Lagoon 450, but cannot find it any where. Any ideas?

There are a few rules concerning such a connection. If you are not aware of them, PM me an email address and I'll send you a copy of the ABYC propane standards.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

In 30 years of full time propane cooking I've had one solenoid failure and three regulator failures.

I've never had a regulator fail, but I have also had the safety thermocouples on the stove fail.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

If the solenoid is working you will hear it's loud click as it opens - thats 1/3 of the story

To be ABYC (& insurance) compliant you must have a pressure gauge. That'll show the next 1/3.

If the solenoid clicks and your pressure gauge shows pressure, that leaves the regulator, the last 1/3 of the story.

In 30 years of full time propane cooking I've had one solenoid failure and three regulator failures.

Good stuff.

We had a tank dual regulator failure but it failed OPEN and vented 18 # of propane through the valve body. Fortunately, no boom. Replaced the regulator. I keep a spare solenoid valve as well. The hoses should be replaced about on a three year cycle.

[midnightlace]

I do have trident equipment and a problem I had that stopped the flow of gas was the failure of the micro switch that turned the solenoid on. I solved it by hot wiring it to a lead for one of the gas detectors. The only disadvantage is that the solenoid is virtually always open since the unit is on the galley circuit breaker.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Sailorlady2022

Though a little off topic here, we are extending our house LP system to our grill and looking for a housing to go through the hull that will hold the LP quick connect. I have seen one on a Lagoon 450, but cannot find it any where. Any ideas?

We have one of these on board for connecting the spare single gas hob in if necessary. Haven't ever used it, but its there if we need to.


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