GrandpaSteve
Sustaining Member
I have to find those wires.
CNG to Propane Conversion [Master Thread]
- Thread starter unidiver
- Start date
peaman
Sustaining Member
Between the propane tank locker and the galley area, the wires ran right alongside the original CNG hose, which was secured to the underside of the cockpit coaming.
GrandpaSteve
Sustaining Member
Thanks!
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Hi Bryan,
We're heading into this project. How did this arrangement work for you? Is it documented elsewhere here? Is there anything you'd do differently?
Thanks, Jeff
Ahoy, Jeff! I took a lot of photos but didn't document much... yet. If it would be helpful I could write a quick blog article detailing my process and the results?
I changed a few things with my setup from the photos previously in this thread.
The toughest thing I remember was pulling the LPG hose and sniffer sensor cable through the hose-conduit between the galley and the starboard lazarette.
The one thing I would change is buying a slightly longer LPG hose. Per ABYC guidelines they are pre-measured and pre-terminated with NPT connectors. Having one a little longer would have allowed for better "dressing in" high in the laz...
- Bryan
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Thanks, Bryan. That info is helpful and I'd appreciate any more you could put on the site for what you did. @peaman has already been a great help. I'm an almost pathological gatherer of perspectives before I commit to a plan.
I found a new Force 10 on Craigslist, along with much of the needed gear. So, we've got that going for us. It's the bigger Trident control unit, but it does both sniffer control and on/off.
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Hi Bryan,
I measured the boat today and it's about 11' from the stove to the propane well. A 15' hose would leave a couple feet on each end to neaten the install. If it were you, would you bump up to a 20 footer? Anyone else is welcome to chime in, too. Is there a disadvantage to having a big loop in there?
Thanks,
Jeff
peaman
Sustaining Member
You want to have adequate extra at the gimbaled stove end for an easy and full swing, and you want enough to make the distance to the propane locker, without needing to stretch or kink in any way, along a convenient path. Anything more than that will offer no advantages. It's not like line or wiring, or common tubing that you might want to cut off a bit and re-terminate later on. The factory-made end fittings are there to stay, and I doubt you would want to replace either end without replacing the entire length.
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
I think 15' would accomplish all that once installed. Per Bryan's comments, I was wondering if a little extra would make installation easier. And, that accomplished, is there any downside to having extra that is looped up and stored out of way? A loop should fit nicely between the propane tank well and the starboard quarter. And nothing else can be conveniently stored there. If I were to order custom hose, I'd get 17.5'. I think I'll wait until I pull the old hose out and measure it. Your idea of using a drilled fitting is pure gold.
I ordered a 15' hose for my install and it reached, but with no slack. This is probably due to the path not being a very straight line between the galley and the propane locker. There's not enough leftover hose to zip-tie high in the starboard lazarette, so it lays on the shelf where the CNG tank used to mount.
A 20' hose would be perfect -- and I don't think there's anything wrong with having a bit of a service loop as long as it's lashed/zip-tied down well.
FYI: Pulling the hose through the flex conduit was not an easy task. Once I got the hose in place, I didn't want to change it out
A 20' hose would be perfect -- and I don't think there's anything wrong with having a bit of a service loop as long as it's lashed/zip-tied down well.
FYI: Pulling the hose through the flex conduit was not an easy task. Once I got the hose in place, I didn't want to change it out
lightbulbjb
Junior Member
How in the world did you manage this?! Crazy luck? I saw one on fb marketplace pop up this morning and it was gone within an hour or two. Owner never even responded to me before marking it sold.
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
No special skill or merit on my part. Pure dumb luck. Maybe God felt sorry for all the other things we paid retail for.
lightbulbjb
Junior Member
Honest question, possibly ignorant: is there a functional/practical difference between the LPG tanks peaman mentioned and a normal BBQ grill tank? Is there a specific reason to avoid the latter (assuming they fit in the propane locker)? I know I can get replacement BBQ cylinders at the gas station - where does one fill the fancier kind?
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
I've been doing some research on this. I don't think the standard grill size will fit in our Ericson locker. I didn't find anything about marine grade propane tanks, though it might be something I missed. The main thing seems to be assuring they are DOT certified. We got a small one with the stove purchase, maybe 6-7#. I'm looking for a second one, tho as big as will fit in the locker. They're available on Amazon and there were some competitively priced in the Defender spring sale. Some folks prioritize weight and/or rust resistance in their decisions. Steel, aluminum, and fiberglass seem to be the predominant materials. And that's all I know about that.
peaman
Sustaining Member
Prairie Schooner is right. A "normal BBQ grill tank" holds 20# of propane. Many of us have a factory-built propane locker which does not have the diameter capacity for a 20# tank. My own boat, 1987 32-3, can hold either of the two tanks I mentioned, one of which is steel and the other is aluminum. Trade-off considerations are tank weight, propane capacity, purchase cost, and corrosion issues. I expect any tank marketed or refillable for propane will be DOT approved, and expected to have been pressure tested within the allowed period.
Worthington Enterprises manufactures many different size tanks in both steel and aluminum.
If your propane locker can hold a 20# tank, go for it. Any place that can refill a tank, versus swap full for empty, should be able to refill any refillable tank. One-pound tanks are not refillable. I generally take mine to a local agriculture and garden supply store for refill.
Be aware that a propane locker on a boat should be sealed when closed, and should have a gravity drain to atmosphere above the boat's waterline, among other requirements. Cutting corners in installation and maintenance of propane systems on boats has resulted in some spectacular explosions.
Worthington Enterprises manufactures many different size tanks in both steel and aluminum.
If your propane locker can hold a 20# tank, go for it. Any place that can refill a tank, versus swap full for empty, should be able to refill any refillable tank. One-pound tanks are not refillable. I generally take mine to a local agriculture and garden supply store for refill.
Be aware that a propane locker on a boat should be sealed when closed, and should have a gravity drain to atmosphere above the boat's waterline, among other requirements. Cutting corners in installation and maintenance of propane systems on boats has resulted in some spectacular explosions.
lightbulbjb
Junior Member
That makes a lot of sense - thank you! I also have the manufacturer-built propane locker, but hadn't thought to check if a BBQ tank would fit.
Regarding the "gravity drain to atmosphere" etc - is the manufacturer-built locker typically set up that way by default, or is this something I would need to take on myself? I will double check and verify, regardless.
What did you use to pass solenoid wires out of the locker? I can't seem to find any vapor tight straight-thrus for wires, just hoses and not sure what the right answer is.
I used one of these: https://www.westmarine.com/ancor-se...3-8inch-npt-gauges-18-16-14-12-10-175492.html in the "18-10AWG, 3/8" NPT" variety
I don't have a good photo of the underside of the propane locker, but you should have a fitted hole in the bottom-center of the locker. If you open the other aft lazerette, hopefully you have a hose connecting that hole to a thru-hull close by. If you have no thru-hull, you'll have to put one in (which is slightly beyond my current capabilities). Maybe there's one there and all you need to do is put a hose with double hose clamps on each side.
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