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Safe Propane Installations
Once you experience the ease of
cooking with a propane stove,
you’ll never go back to kerosene or alcohol. The concern with propane is the fact
that the gas is heavier than air and will collect in bilge areas if a leak exists. The
diagrams below show two typical recommended installations.
 Propane Lockers
All connections between the propane tank, regulator and solenoid valve need to be made
in a vapor-tight compartment separated from the interior of the boat. If your boat does
not have a built-in propane locker, which vents directly overboard, we offer ready-made propane lockers. A vent line (not shown) from the lowest point of the
locker must drain overboard above the waterline.
 Tanks
We sell propane tanks that hold from 6 to 20 lb. of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). A 10-lb. tank lasts for 8 days with
eight hungry crew using a three-burner stove for all meals. It would probably sustain a
cruising couple for one-and-a-half months. All propane tanks have a female Prest-O-Lite
(POL) fitting with reverse threads.
Regulators
& Pressure Gauges
A pressure gauge, whether a separate unit or built into the regulator, is installed
immediately after the main tank valve and is used to detect leaks in the propane system,
not as a fuel gauge. It cannot give you a precise measurement of the remaining fuel
because the pressure remains relatively constant in a propane system until the fuel runs
out. You have to weigh the tank to get an accurate measurement of remaining fuel.
There are two methods of connecting
a regulator to the tank. The Single Stage Regulator with gauge (Model
320903) screws directly onto the tank at the POL fitting. To mount the regulator
remotely from the tank, use a single or two-stage Wall Mount regulator. These
have 1/4" inlets to accept a pigtail with a 1/4" male flare on one end and a POL
fitting on the other.
Solenoid
Control Valves
A solenoid is an electrically controlled valve that allows you to shut off the gas supply
from a remote location – ideally from a switch panel located near the
appliance. When the switch is on, the valve opens and gas flows. Flip the switch off and
the valve closes to shut off the gas. For safety, the solenoid closes in the event of a
power failure. We offer solenoid valves with either 1/4" or 3/8" NPT ports. For
multiple appliances, the extra flow of gas allowed by the Full Flow
3/8" Solenoid Valve helps prevent “fuel starvation” downstream. To
connect it directly to the regulator, use a 3/8"
brass pipe nipple. If you use one of the many 1/4" NPT solenoid
valves, use a Model 553784 adapter on the regulator-solenoid
connection, and a Model 553776 adapter between the solenoid and LP
supply hose. All pipe thread connections must be sealed with a proper thread sealing
compound or Teflon® tape.
Supply
Hoses
To carry the gas from the regulator to the stove or heater, use LPG supply hose of the correct length. A Vapor-Tight Straight-Thru fitting should be used where the hose exits
your propane locker. Supply hoses connect to the propane appliance using a 3/8"
female flare swivel and connect to the solenoid with a 3/8" male NPT adapter.
 
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