Community Forums

Flyboy757 · 01-08-2013, 04:26 PM

It`s called SAFETY...............................DUH!!!!

BFlinn181 · 01-08-2013, 05:23 PM

It's not a safety nannie, it's common sense. Would you make sure to have the furnace, fridge, water heater, stove and oven pilot lights all extinguished when boarding a ferry or going through certain tunnels? The quick way to be sure all pilots and gas is off is to turn off the main valve at the tank. This mechanical twist of the valve is even more reliable than turning off the electric valve controlled by your LP gas detector which usually only can be turned off by the detector.

George Schweikle · 01-08-2013, 05:33 PM

However, automatic re-lighters like propane refrigerators will continue to "spark"; trying to reignite the flame. Correct? (or maybe will stop trying after a time). I grant that that a refer spark is relatively elevated, but I always turn off the individual appliance when fueling propane in addition to the main tank valve.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

... The quick way to be sure all pilots and gas is off is to turn off the main valve at the tank. This mechanical twist of the valve is even more reliable than turning off the electric valve controlled by your LP gas detector which usually only can be turned off by the detector.

baraff · 01-08-2013, 05:39 PM

Propane being heavier than air, as Rusty pointed out, is the main reason. It will seek the lowest level which on a ferry could mean the engine compartment or the bilges. One errant spark and KaBOOM!
Yes, it seems silly in this day and age to have these rules, but all it takes is one leaking tank and then the rules don't seem so silly. It is a PITA, I will admit, but I personally have no problem with it.
Some tunnels (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel?) will not allow any vehicles with propane at all. At least that's the way it used to be, maybe things have changed.

KIX · 01-08-2013, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Possum

Can someone explain to me the reason you have to turn off the propane in your RV when you go aboard ferries in North America? At one time I had a propane fueled truck and would have to argue that I couldn't move with the propane off and they would begrudgingly allow me to proceed with the tank turned on.

With all the safeguards that are built into the propane systems why do we have to turn the tanks off and tag them?

Actually the reason is because it's a boat. Propane is heavier than air and if a leak occurred it would settle into the bilge. By having a passenger turn off the tank they are limiting the potential for leakage to the container itself. No comment on the wisdom of having the tank turned off as tanks can leak too.
On edit:
Sorry for the duplicate answer. I guess I should have read the entire thread first.

TXiceman · 01-08-2013, 05:52 PM

And gasoline leaks can have the vapors fill the bilge as well. Gasoline powered boats have a bilge blower to purge the bilge before you fire off the engines.

They need to make the folks driving the gasoline vehicles shut off the fuel line to them as well......Ya' thinks so?

Ken

CoastieSCPO · 01-08-2013, 05:57 PM

For safety and because the U. S. Coast Guard says so!

Caveman CBB · 01-08-2013, 07:04 PM

You can see a liquid gasoline leak. You can't see a gaseous propane leak. Is maybe part of the deal?

VanDiemen23 · 01-08-2013, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caveman CBB

You can see a liquid gasoline leak. You can't see a gaseous propane leak. Is maybe part of the deal?

And, gasoline tanks are barely, if at all, above atmospheric pressure. The leak is just driven by gravity. Propane on the other hand, is driven out by it's own internal pressurization......

sdennislee · 01-08-2013, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredaevans

Honestly can't understand why you'd ask this question.

Sheesh.

Not a few pounds of PP, but a 'hundred gallon' of same. A leak and someone walks by with a lit smoke (YES, you're not supposed to do that either) and

KABLOOOOIE!

Even with a MH they tell you (just like at the gas pump) to turn it off.

I "can't understand why you" thought chastising a fellow member was the appropriate way to answer his question. He obviously asked the question because he wanted to know the answer.

I Thought we were better than this on this forum.

whem2fish · 01-09-2013, 05:19 AM

The ferry in Galveston Texas will make you turn it off I have no problem with it

fredaevans · 01-09-2013, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Schweikle

However, automatic re-lighters like propane refrigerators will continue to "spark"; trying to reignite the flame. Correct? (or maybe will stop trying after a time). I grant that that a refer spark is relatively elevated, but I always turn off the individual appliance when fueling propane in addition to the main tank valve.

There are usually two 'auto starters' in a MH: furnace and hot water. As noted above these have to be manually turned off.

Tugboat · 01-09-2013, 06:22 AM

All good points and right. The rules for all vessels are in 33CFR chapter T . As stated about propane will settle to the lowest point. Diesel vessels are not required to have bilge blowers and most don't. The bilge blower in most pleasure craft will not have the power to remove propane as it is much hever then gas fumes. Also the diesel vessels dose not have the ignition protection that would prevent a spark. If gas is used on a boat it should be CNG as it is lighter then air.

wa8yxm · 01-09-2013, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyJC

Propane is 1.55 times heavier than air, so it will pool at ground (deck) level and flash to a vapor at atmospheric pressure. If the concentration with air is within explosive limits, it's just waiting for any ignition source (like, for instance, a hot catalytic converter on another vehicle).

Rusty

One thing I am fairly sure of on a ferry is nothing is going to pool at "Ground level" Water level perhaps.

But on a ferry "engine room level" is more likely and that's where the heat and sparks live.

Old joke if you read the right book. Ham radio operator talking to other hams from his car on the deck of the auto-ferry.

"I don't know weather to sign Mobile at rest, since I'm not driving, or mobile in motion, since the ferry is moving, or maritime mobile since we are on the water"

The wit on the other end says "Just hope that tub don't blow a boiler and make it Aeronautical mobile as well"

Fact is: if the propane leaks and pools in the engine room.... You just might have that problem.