Gas Locker

[smitch6]

Hi

in the process of fitting a new stainless gas locker on my boat.

the bottom of the locker though is lower by about 6" than the drain hole in the boat or it would be under the water line.

i have been told that you can use Mikalite or something 

you put the bottles in then pack this stuff around the bottom of the bottles, then the drain pipe can be higher than the bottom of the tank

can anyone recommend anything ?

i have google mikalite but i presume i'm spelling it wrong as i can't find anything 

unless there is something else i could use

thanks

[Smoggy]

How about a squirt of expanding foam into a bin bag in the bottom of the locker then put the bottles in as it expands, I think it is only to minimise the amount of gas that can sit in the bottom, I would spray wd40 or similar first just in case the bag split or you would have a hell of a job getting it out again.

[DaveRolaves]

have google mikalite but i presume i'm spelling it wrong as i can't find anything.  I think you are looking for VERMICULITE

 

[Vaughan]

EC regulations state that the bottom drain hole has to be a certain distance down from the valve on the bottle but does not have to be actually on the bottom of the gas locker. This is for the very reason, that the bottom of the bin may be below the waterline.

I seem to remember that it can be a third of the way up the side of the gas bottle height, but can't be sure on that.

It is contained in EN ISO 10239 part 2 of 2002, if you want to look it up.

Edited October 10, 2019 by Vaughan
valve on the bottle : not bottom!

[TheQ]

21 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

EC regulations state that the bottom drain hole has to be a certain distance down from the valve on the bottle but does not have to be actually on the bottom of the gas locker. This is for the very reason, that the bottom of the bin may be below the waterline.

I seem to remember that it can be a third of the way up the side of the gas bottle height, but can't be sure on that.

It is contained in EN ISO 10239 part 2 of 2002, if you want to look it up.

or chapter 7 of the boat safety regulation checks, near the start. .

You need a closed cell foam, so the foam doesn't absorb gas.

Vermiculite is used to insulate steel chimney liners from the walls and is probably a safe substitute but would be a pain every time you lift the tank out it would collapse into the bottom and you'd be upside down, scooping it all ou,t to get the next tank in..

[VetChugger]

A goodly while ago my Norman failed on this very item. The examiner said the drain was too high from the base of the gas locker and needed to be no more than ??? Well, I can't recall the measurement he said but I ended up fire claying some heavy glazed floor tiles into the base. I also had to put some restraining straps on the bottles themselves.

[JanetAnne]

This is how I got round a similar problem. BSS 'best practice' suggests all through hull fittings should be 10in (200mm) above the water line. I also wanted to lower my gas locker to under the cockpit floor to free up space. Rather than use vermiculite to fill the void below the drain off I did away with the space completely. My drain off is 6in higher than it would have been, nicely above the waterline with a decent fall on it and the BSS man is happy. In fact I asked them to confirm all was compliant before I fitted it.

Sadly it won't help with your stainless locker but the shape at the bottom is where you are heading. I do wonder whether a fibreglass 'insert' may get you where you want to be?

 

[JanetAnne]

Oops piccys...

[smitch6]

i think the drain plug will be about 6" off the bottom 

i'd rather not have to put anything in there if i can get away with it though esp if it's heavy as there's quite a bit of weight there already with the tank and the 2 bottles

[smitch6]

12 hours ago, DaveRolaves said:

have google mikalite but i presume i'm spelling it wrong as i can't find anything.  I think you are looking for VERMICULITE

 

the stuff i'm on about sets hard

[smitch6]

12 hours ago, DaveRolaves said:

have google mikalite but i presume i'm spelling it wrong as i can't find anything.  I think you are looking for VERMICULITE

 

the stuff i'm on about sets hard

[smitch6]

according to bss it's 25mm from the bottom

NOTE – drain openings on the side of cylinder lockers not greater than 25mm above the bottom of the locker may be considered as at the lowest point of the side.

NOTE – with the consent of the owner, a bucket of water can be used to aid verification of Check Items 7.3.4 to 7.3.6.