Propane Safety Lesson

[RVNeophytes2]

Ripped from the headlines:

Burned man returns to Idaho, and fire officials talk about propane safety - www.kivitv.com

[Dick Noble]

Once upon a time, I built a house in the mountains above Denver. I installed a 300,000 btu propane fired hot water boiler. First time I tried to fire it up it would not light. I found out that the control board was not properly wired. I repaired that and went to light it up - forgetting that I tried once. There was enought propane accumulated that, as I applied the flame to the pilot light, it wooshed out in a 2 ft. high wave of fire that took all the hair off the bottom of my legs. It could have been much worse! Another learning experience.

[RoyM]

I would be interested knowing what led up to the explosion. Dick you were very fortunate. I used to service diesel fired heaters, there was always a delay from the time the fan started to the igniter lighting off. That was the reason for it.

[Dick Noble]

RoyM - you are so right! I was very fortunate. It really was not an explosion, more like a rolling wave of flame. This did not have a delay or a fan. It was a hot water boiler and I'd left the control on "pilot" and it had leaked just enought while I was trying to get it to light the first time. I did smell the gas but thought I'd left enought time for it to dissipate. Very wrong.

[Ray,IN]

The article reads like both he and his mother lived at the RV park full-time. Many people become lax about using/handling fuels because we do it almost daily. There are good reasons the people who do so for a living, are required to attend annual safety classes. For this thread, LP safety is worth reading.

[mhs4771]

Accidents do happen all the time. Had a co-worked that lived in a Mobile Home fueled by Propane with his parents. He was out for the evening an his folks put a teakettle on the stove so he could have a cup of coffee before bed. Well he didn't come home that night, water boiled out of the pot, pot started to melt and put out the flame, but gas was still flowing. Furnace ignites and Boom, luckily his parents bedroom was on the opposite end and they got out. Trailer a total loss. So yes accidents happen.

[chief02]

If we should have known better or if we didnt have knowlegde training or information are they really accidents?

[mhs4771]

But have they actually determined the cause?? Yes propane added to it, but what cause the original problem? Propane leak, changing propane tanks while smoking, burner turned-on on stove but not lite? I expected to see the usual rant about traveling with Propane on. Things like this happen all the time, be it an RV or a Stick house.

[bucks2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chief02 If we should have known better or if we didnt have knowlegde training or information are they really accidents?

Since it's not illegal to be stupid, we just call it an accident. If stupid was illegal then there'd have to be a lot more investigation.

[ralper]

Gas is very safe if you follow all the safety rules.
Nat gas is lighter than air.
LP gas is heavier than air and will puddle in a low spot.
Ventilate, ventilate, and ventilate some more.
If you are not trained in the proper ways and methods of working and repairing gas piping and appliances hire a trained person to do it. This is not something a do-it-yourselfer should be doing.

Retired after 50 years of plumbing and heating.

[ROLLNSMOKE]

And some people give me the gears for using a woodstove... Hmmm never heard of a woodstove blowing up.....

[K-Star]

Along with LPG being heavier than air, another point to remember is that LPG also has a much, much broader ignition range than natural gas.

[EricGT]

The first time we took our RV tailgating someone bumped against one of the stove knobs turning the gas on while going in or out of the bathroom.
The detector alerted us to this.

With everyone smoking outside the open side door....yeah, it could have been ugly!

[ROLLNSMOKE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhs4771 Accidents do happen all the time. Had a co-worked that lived in a Mobile Home fueled by Propane with his parents. He was out for the evening an his folks put a teakettle on the stove so he could have a cup of coffee before bed. Well he didn't come home that night, water boiled out of the pot, pot started to melt and put out the flame, but gas was still flowing. Furnace ignites and Boom, luckily his parents bedroom was on the opposite end and they got out. Trailer a total loss. So yes accidents happen.

Sorry dude..that's not an accident,that is stupidity!