New propane stove for later Ericson 38

[JPT]

I am interested in identifying a propane stove that I can install effectively in my 1991 Ericson 38. It was the third E38 built by Pacific Seacraft, and I believe is dimensionally identical to the Ericson 380s that PS built later. It is also virtually identical to some of the later E38s built by Ericson. It has a starboard nav station and head aft of that, so the galley is on the port side, ahead of an aft cabin. I plan to replace the existing CNG cylinder and stove that came with the boat. It has an unused propane tank locker that’s at the stern. There are a few photos that show the galley, current stove, old CNG tank and unused propane locker.

The existing CNG stove is 20 3/4 in. W x 20 3/8 H x 15 3/4 D. This includes a 2 in. D oven handle. It has 1 in. D knobs that are 1 in. away from the outer edge of the oven handle. Available width in the space is 22.00 in., and this is taken up by the gimbals at the moment.

I realize adding a propane tank, stove and all related hardware and safety equipment is expensive, but I have been looking at other options for a long time, and really want to go with propane. One problem I experienced when I looked extensively last year was that virtually all the propane stove suppliers did not provide accurate installation drawings that accounted for the space needed when the stove swivels.

I can provide more information about the specific dimensions of my existing space and stove installation, if someone thinks that would be useful. But I am hoping to find someone that has successfully installed an available propane stove, and provide me with the model number.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Hi Jon,
We're replacing the old CNG stove by CSI Systems in our 1986 E35-3. The Force 10 three burner is an almost exact size replacement. We'll have to move the mounting blocks for the swivel brackets, but we're able to use the same thickness of old blocks. The following image is from the Force 10 website with reference numbers from our boat & old stove.


If you haven't seen this thread, it might be useful. The other folks' information was a great help to me.

CNG to Propane Conversion [Master Thread]

Have '86 E35-3 with CNG system and want to convert to propane. I've heard the stove can be modified (re-jetted?). If so, where can parts be obtained? Then, put adapter on existing CNG hose and run extension to stern propane tank wells? Is solenoid shut-off required at tank?

ericsonyachts.org

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[JPT]

Hi Jon,
We're replacing the old CNG stove by CSI Systems in our 1986 E35-3. The Force 10 three burner is an almost exact size replacement. We'll have to move the mounting blocks for the swivel brackets, but we're able to use the same thickness of old blocks. The following image is from the Force 10 website with reference numbers from our boat & old stove.
View attachment 50007

If you haven't seen this thread, it might be useful. The other folks' information was a great help to me.

CNG to Propane Conversion [Master Thread]

Have '86 E35-3 with CNG system and want to convert to propane. I've heard the stove can be modified (re-jetted?). If so, where can parts be obtained? Then, put adapter on existing CNG hose and run extension to stern propane tank wells? Is solenoid shut-off required at tank?

ericsonyachts.org

Cheers,
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Your three-burner info and the attached link sound really great, and I will look into them more. I have seen a number of other CNG to propane links on the website, but not the one that started in June 2021. That looks really outstanding!

Thanks!

Jon

 

[Christian Williams]

Jon,

If you post your ongoing results to that thread, it will keep the information together.

A new post there will revive it and make it current. And that thread might be candidate as Master Thread on the topic.

 

[peaman]

Force 10 offers several different sizes of stoves, and their web site has detailed dimensions of each, as shown in @Prairie Schooner's post above. When I was figuring the right stove for my boat, I used those detailed drawings to create a full size profile of a stove, using a piece of corrugated cardboard. With that, I was able to "swing" the profile within the actual stove compartment in order to verify clearances.

 

[JPT]

Jon,

If you post your ongoing results to that thread, it will keep the information together.

A new post there will revive it and make it current. And that thread might be candidate as Master Thread on the topic.

Christian,

I will try to do that when I get started. However, I should tell you I expect to retire in about 12 months, and so won't have a lot of time for it this year.

Jon

 

[JPT]

Force 10 offers several different sizes of stoves, and their web site has detailed dimensions of each, as shown in @Prairie Schooner's post above. When I was figuring the right stove for my boat, I used those detailed drawings to create a full size profile of a stove, using a piece of corrugated cardboard. With that, I was able to "swing" the profile within the actual stove compartment in order to verify clearances.

Peaman, thank you! This gives me a lot of confidence that I can rely on the detailed dimensions from Force 10 to make some physical mock-ups, and then try them out.

 

[JPT]

Over the past few months, I made a full-size cross-section of the available space on my boat, and then made two cardboard-cross-section mockups – one for the Force 10 2 Burner NA Compact and one for the 3 Burner NA Compact. I tried them out last weekend in the space on one side of my CNG stove.

I knew there would be lots of space for the 2 Burner, and my on-site visit confirmed that.

I expected the 3 Burner would have to stand a bit proud of the space, due to a 13.1" arc at the upper rear that interferes with a sliding cover (in the open position) that was part of my original CNG stove setup. Apart from that one arc interference, the stove has a couple of inches that it can be moved vertically before, on one hand, an arc at the bottom hits the available space, or on the other hand, the pot holder on top hits the bottom of the cover when it's in a horizontal (closed) position.

At that lowest position, the stove would have to protrude about 0.3 in. into cabin. Lifting it 1 in., to the mid-point in the vertical travel, would change the protrusion (into the cabin) to about 0.8 in.

Does anyone have any thoughts about whether I should be thinking about installing the 3 Burner NA Compact stove this way?

Since it would be protruding, I think it’s likely I would also have to provide a short extension to allow each the pivot locks to mount. The pivot lock on my old stove is just on one side. The drawing shows a lock on both the left and right sides. Does anyone know if it needs to use both?

Jon

 

[Marlin Prowell]

The drawing shows a lock on both the left and right sides. Does anyone know if it needs to use both?

The Force 10 pivot lock is a single rod that slides either left or right to lock the stove. It also locks on only one side.

 

[JPT]

Thank you - that's great to know! In one place it will be close to a corner. I think avoiding the corner may be best. But, on the hand, being close to the corner may make it less likely that people interfere with it. Having the choice sounds like the best option.