How do you light a stove?

[model 10]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Shipmate has not made a propane stove for many years and while they were quite solidly built I have never seen one with thermocouple shut-offs .... no thermocouple, get rid of it.

I really appreciate the encouragement on how to light our oven but I think Boatpoker is right, with no thermocouple, I'll keep it as a Faraday Cage.

[kas_1611]

You light a propane oven exactly the same way you light a natural gas oven;

Strike match or ignite lighter
start the flow of gas
light the gas

Simples

For the uninitiated propane is C3H8 whereas natural gas is methane which is CH4. Propane has a Lower Explosion Limit (LEL) of 2.1% in air, Methane has an LEL of 5% and Hydrogen 4%. Therefore in 1000 litres (61,000cubic inches) of air you have to have 21 litres (1281cu in) of propane gas before an explosion is physically possible. It is difficult to obtain that concentration from your gas oven unless you leave it unlit for quite a time.

This risk of explosion comes from an uncontrolled leak in the gas system and not from you turning a knob on the cooker. Like any combustible fluid/gas it is completely safe if you abide by the rules.

Personally I think the idea of using jet fuel to cook with somewhat scary but that's me

Keiron

[skipgundlach]

We have an exhausted (no more fuel) cheapie BBQ lighter which we use, as our piezo stuff died many years ago.

If I can see a spark, I can light a burner, so that suffices. For the BBQ out back, due to the access hole placement, I use one which still flames - and which we also use to light our mossie candles and our deterrent lantern (Off lantern-look housing, and a chip atop which is heated with the candle below; candle isn't repellent, too, I don't think, but it wouldn't be a bad idea - sorry, I digress!).

I turn off the solenoid when I'm finished using the burner, rather than turning off the burner, so it burns itself out, lessening the chance of some contamination. That also means that there is usually a slight delay before the gas gets to the burner; it's not unusual for me to do 2-3 trigger-pulls. We do, however, have to push in the knob to get gas flowing; it has a thermocouple safety...

[donradcliffe]

Better to light one of the stovetop burners first, because the oven can take a long time to clear any air in the lines. Once the burner is going nicely, turn it off and light the oven.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

Better to light one of the stovetop burners first, because the oven can take a long time to clear any air in the lines. Once the burner is going nicely, turn it off and light the oven.

Usually the one on the right.

Geez, scardy-cats ranting about propane on a boat and then trying to sail across an ocean on a boat with complicated strings and sticks.

Who woulda thunk? Beware flyin' fryin' pans.

[jreiter190]

Family Van, because you can't go to the Chandlers' and plunk down money for a new Optimist or Primus two burner any more. If anyone knows where I can get one, I'll get one tomorrow. I was always comfortable with them and lighting them was kind of a ritual, not a hassle. I had a fold-up oven that worked just fine for the rare times I needed to bake a chicken. I even had a welder repair a half-melted burner once in the Bamahas. Usually, we carried extra parts. The Atom guy in Brunswick, Ga. Used to convert Chinese singles to sea swings, but, no more.

[Lepke]

wiekeith has it right. Diesel is much safer.

Some propane boats and 1 barbecue:

[sailorboy1]

Millions and millions of houses have gas stoves and very few blow up! And they don't even have solenoid valve shutoffs, just the knobs.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Usually the one on the right.

Geez, scardy-cats ranting about propane on a boat and then trying to sail across an ocean on a boat with complicated strings and sticks.

Who woulda thunk? Beware flyin' fryin' pans.

I guess folks are different. I don't find sticks and string very complicated. After one explosion I don't want to experience another. I knew a guy who couldn't use an electric tool because he was electrocuted once.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Guy

I guess folks are different. I don't find sticks and string very complicated. After one explosion I don't want to experience another. I knew a guy who couldn't use an electric tool because he was electrocuted once.

Yes, I suppose each person has their limits.

At least, that's what my first wife told me.

There are undoubtedly folks and chickens who refuse to cross the road, too.

Let's see: won't use electric tool and doesn't like gas - how the heck does he cook? No to electric stoves, no to gas stoves. Oh, wait, I get it, CAMPFIRES. Tough in winter and on the boat, though.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Guy

I have never had the courage to light our oven. I am afraid of propane explosions because a little explosion blew me off my feet once and it has left me a chicken. I have no reason to think our Shipmate oven does not work, the broiler seems to work fine. I cannot seem to summon up the courage to turn the oven on , then wait for enough gas to accumulate for it to light. Are there any logical ways to light an oven? Faith will not work for me.

Guy,

I'm paranoid about gas also. I doubt it is like a grill. I thought it was call a Claxton valve. But couldn't find that. Never the less it probably has a valve that needs to be heated to open and turns the gas on, if the flame goes out it shuts it off.

I'd use a grill lighter to get it open. Matches get short.

I hope you have an above deck turn off.

[zengirl]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

This whole conversation scares me. Why 90% of cruising boats are equipped with propane cookers boggles my mind.

Sent from my XP7700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

What do you have?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by kas_1611

You light a propane oven exactly the same way you light a natural gas oven;

Strike match or ignite lighter
start the flow of gas
light the gas

Simples

For the uninitiated propane is C3H8 whereas natural gas is methane which is CH4. Propane has a Lower Explosion Limit (LEL) of 2.1% in air, Methane has an LEL of 5% and Hydrogen 4%. Therefore in 1000 litres (61,000cubic inches) of air you have to have 21 litres (1281cu in) of propane gas before an explosion is physically possible. It is difficult to obtain that concentration from your gas oven unless you leave it unlit for quite a time.

This risk of explosion comes from an uncontrolled leak in the gas system and not from you turning a knob on the cooker. Like any combustible fluid/gas it is completely safe if you abide by the rules.

Personally I think the idea of using jet fuel to cook with somewhat scary but that's me

Keiron

And yet jet fuel have none of the dangers that you describe above. It remains a liguid at room temperatures, is not volatile, it is quite difficult to ignite at room temperature and pressure and has a very distinctive smell.

Most boats carry hundreds of litres of similar stuff and never give it a second thought.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Millions and millions of houses have gas stoves and very few blow up! And they don't even have solenoid valve shutoffs, just the knobs.

You clearly don't get it. Propane is heavier than air, and quite easily builds up in the hull of a boat. In RVs and homes it will flow out of the doors, and in any event should have the tank outdoors where a leak will quickly dissipate. Completely different application...

The procedure for lighting given here should serve to eliminate any small explosion from a gas build-up during the lighting process. The real threat to life/boat is a leak in the propane hoses and devices inside the boat. To counter this very real threat you should 1) shut off the propane at the tank (manually or via solenoid) when not in use, 2) install sniffer alarms, 3) install and use regularly a bubble-type leak detector, and 4) ensure that all propane is stored such that any leak results in the propane flowing (down and) out of the boat.

Personally I have used a Taylors Paraffin (kerosene) stove (Taylors heaters and cookers) for the last 23 years and am quite comfortable with it. If I had to replace it I would cobble together the money for a Wallas diesel stove (Wallas | Boat stoves and ovens | Boat cooking | Diesel boat stoves and ovens | Paraffin boat stoves) - expensive but a great simplification as far as fuel goes. In another boat I could imagine using propane (carefully) but I did not design this boat with the requisite locker and I don't want to hang the tanks outside. YMMV

Greg

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

You clearly don't get it.

I get it, you're a disaster looking for a cause.

Besides the millions and millions (probably billions) of houses with gas (include propane) not blowing up every day, there are millions of boats not blowing up.

I'm sad if the those facts are too hard to handle for you.