Butane build-up: detection and clean-up. Anyone know how?
 

I understand there are sniffers to detect propane build-up but if such a
pocket of collected gas is found how do you clean it out and make the boat
safe again?


Thanks,

Mick

Mick,

How about a bilge vent fan with a explosive-gas rated motor, and explosion-proof switches
controlling it? Most power boats are sold with the above installed as standard equipment.
In an older sailboat with no bilge vent--my 79 Catalina doesn't have one--you're pretty much out of
luck until you install a proper bilge vent system.

I suppose in a bind you could use a garden hose, and compressed air from a bottled source such as a
scuba tank. Stick one end of the garden hose into the lowest point of the boat, and the other over
the side. Close up all the hatches and put towels or plastic sheeting over any cracks around the
boards, etc. Now crack open that scuba bottle, and the pressure inside the boat should drive the
heavier gas out through the garden hose.

Basically any electric motor with a commutator--such as a normal electric fan--is asking for an
explosion.

Comments??

Don W.

Mick Davies wrote:
I understand there are sniffers to detect propane build-up but if such a
pocket of collected gas is found how do you clean it out and make the boat
safe again?


Thanks,

Mick

Don W wrote:

[...bilge ventilator...]

I suppose in a bind you could use a garden hose, and compressed air from a
bottled source such as a
scuba tank. Stick one end of the garden hose into the lowest point of the
boat, and the other over
the side. Close up all the hatches and put towels or plastic sheeting
over any cracks around the
boards, etc. Now crack open that scuba bottle, and the pressure inside
the boat should drive the heavier gas out through the garden hose.

Use the priciple of an water jet pump, but in this case change the waterjet
into an airjet. Not sure how one would improvise this, but it probably will
work better than trying to pressurize a whole boat. The simplest solution
would be to just open the locker or blige and vetilate it a bit. Diffusion
will do it's wonders.
--
vriendelijke groeten/kind regards,

Jelle

begin msblaster.pif

"Mick Davies" wrote in message
om...
I understand there are sniffers to detect propane build-up but if such a
pocket of collected gas is found how do you clean it out and make the boat
safe again?

Open the hatches and circulate air.

Propane isn't any worse than gasoline. Both are heavier than air and will
settle to the lowest spot. In most cases there will be a path to the lowest
part of the boat, which is generally the engine compartment where there
should be a bilge blower. Run the blower to get the fumes out.

IF yo have a propane locker it should have a drain leading directly
overboard so that any leaks there will take care of themselves.

Rod

Combustible gasses have two limits, the lower limit of combustion and the
upper limit of combustion, too much air and not enough fuel - it will not
burn, too much fuel and not enough air and it will not burn. These limits
are expressed in percentages.
A proper blower located up high with an intake in the lowest areas should
safely remove the vapors.
If there is any question ventilate, as long as the source of the fumes is
shut off ventilation should remove the hazard (just make sure the method of
venting does not introduce an ignition source).

Eric

"rmcinnis" wrote in message
...

"Mick Davies" wrote in message
om...
I understand there are sniffers to detect propane build-up but if such a
pocket of collected gas is found how do you clean it out and make the
boat
safe again?

Open the hatches and circulate air.

Propane isn't any worse than gasoline. Both are heavier than air and will
settle to the lowest spot. In most cases there will be a path to the
lowest
part of the boat, which is generally the engine compartment where there
should be a bilge blower. Run the blower to get the fumes out.

IF yo have a propane locker it should have a drain leading directly
overboard so that any leaks there will take care of themselves.

Rod

A proper blower located up high with an intake in the lowest areas should
safely remove the vapors.

why does the blower have to be up high? blowers are in fact are usually down
low, and usually have been since the CG started requiring them in 1940 (1942?).

On 15 Oct 2004 12:15:23 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:

why does the blower have to be up high?

====================================

Keeps them out of the bilge.

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...

why does the blower have to be up high? blowers are in fact are usually
down
low, and usually have been since the CG started requiring them in 1940
(1942?).

Unless the blower is sumbergable (none that I have ever seen are) you would
want to take care to mount the blower higher than any expected accumulation
of bilge water. Even unexpected amounts!

Many of the cheap blowers are "flange mount" and by design need to mount to
the underside of the deck where the exhaust fitting is located. The hose
connected to the intake of the blower should have its lower end mounted so
that it is as low in the boat as possible but above the normal accumulation
of bilge water, per Coast Guard regulations.

Rod

WTF are you talking about weenye?

a blower is required to be mounted "up high" with its inlet down low, because
if the blower itself were mounted down low it work?

how come the USCG doesn't know this?

Wayne.B
Date: 10/15/2004 10:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

On 15 Oct 2004 12:15:23 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:

why does the blower have to be up high?

====================================

Keeps them out of the bilge.

Unless the blower is sumbergable (none that I have ever seen are) you would
want to take care to mount the blower higher than any
----------------------------- expected ----------------------------------
accumulation
of bilge water. Even unexpected amounts!

expected??? unexpected? who the hell is worried about butane in the bilge
when expected (WTF is that???) water or unexpected water is in the bilge?

if you intend to have water in you bilge, there is still NO need to mount the
blower "up high". just mount it above "expected" or likely "unexpected" high
water level mark.

duh.