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Old 26-04-2010, 04:47   #1
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Turning Off Your Stove

I was taught to turn off the propane soleniod first when turning off the stove and let it burn the propane in the line, then shut the stove knob off. But this kind of seems crazy as that amount of gas in the lines between the tank and valve is so small. Even if it did leak out of the stove burners, which shouldn't be leaking to start with, it isn't going to blow us up or anything. Just means you have the vent the lines each time to start it. I have had houses with propane stoves and you never turn off the gas to it unless working on it.

So turning off the soleniod first seems a waste of time to me. If you are going to be that paraniod you should shut the tank valve each time.

How is everyone else turning off their stoves?
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Old 26-04-2010, 05:08   #2
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But this kind of seems crazy as that amount of gas in the lines between the tank and valve is so small. Even if it did leak out of the stove burners, which shouldn't be leaking to start with, it isn't going to blow us up or anything.
I get where you are coming from, but what if your solenoid failed in the open position? The only way to know that it's working would be to use it first...
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Old 26-04-2010, 05:16   #3
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I just replaced a bad valve on one of my tanks this weekend. It made me think about what you are saying. I always turn off the gas at the bottles valve, then the solenoid, then the stove. Too anal?
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Old 26-04-2010, 05:31   #4
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I'm with you except that I shut the solenoid first ( only way to tell if it's working. I know that the odds are overwhelmingly against the tank valve failing or the solenoid failing or the burner valve failing. But the fact that there are odds means that it could happen. The consequences could be so dire that taking a few extra minutes to shut overything off and then turn it on seem really a really minor price to pay
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Old 26-04-2010, 07:05   #5
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I turn off the solenoid after turning off the stove most of the time. Since I came across the Don Casey article a couple of years ago, I sometimes try to remember to turn off the solenoid first. Up until a few years ago I never heard of anyone turning off the solenoid first. Don Casey's reason of not allowing the propane left in the hose leak into the cabin is ridiculous IMO. Testing that a normally closed solenoid closes each time you use it is pretty paranoid, but remembering to turn off the solenoid first to do that test doesn't really cost you anything, so I guess why not.

For the guys that turn off the tank valve each time you're done with the stove, adding a solenoid just adds more connections in the pipes to fail, you'd be better off with no solenoid valve at all.

I must run with a bad crowd. Friend's boat I sailed on for 20 years has a side opening locker, no pressure gage. I know a live-aboard who never turns off his solenoid. One boat I looked at to buy had a family of four living on it and had just gotten back from Mexico, the side door on the propane locker was off, owner said it was too much trouble to put on, tanks were rusty, partly because the drain had a scoop facing forward that pulled water into the locker when the boat was moving. I looked at another boat that had come up from the Caribbean, top of the propane locker was long gone, no solenoid valve had ever been installed.

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Old 26-04-2010, 07:36   #6
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I also think the amount of gas in the line is not enough to worry about but Christian has a really good point. I usually turn the gas off at the burner to keep the lines charged but doing it with the solenoid does show the safety is functioning properly.

Sure the chance of the solenoid failing open is small but it could happen so why not. The hassle of waiting for the gas to reach the burner is pretty minor. I think I will change my ways.
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Old 26-04-2010, 07:48   #7
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I get where you are coming from, but what if your solenoid failed in the open position? The only way to know that it's working would be to use it first...
Good question - it's good to know why we are doing the things we do.

On Estrellita we do it for the same reason - to test the solenoid not to avoid gas from the lines bypassing a potentially failed stove. If we forget and do it via the stove, no worries.
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Old 26-04-2010, 08:54   #8
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Would you be worried that as the propane leaves the line, it is being replaced by salty sea air that could corrode the seal of the solenoid valve?
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Old 26-04-2010, 09:05   #9
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Stark,
I'd rather replace the solenoid from time to time than risk blowing up the boat -- albeit not a very great risk but there nonetheless
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Old 26-04-2010, 09:13   #10
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This would have been a good question to deal with in the "Are Sailors Too Paranoid" thread.

When turn on the solenoid switch, I hear the relay click open. When I turn it off, I hear the relay close. What more evidence do I need?
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Old 26-04-2010, 09:59   #11
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This would have been a good question to deal with in the "Are Sailors Too Paranoid" thread.

When turn on the solenoid switch, I hear the relay click open. When I turn it off, I hear the relay close. What more evidence do I need?

Just for the paranoid like myself. What you hear is a mecahnical opening and closing, does this assure a proper gas seal inside the solenoid just because you hear it click?
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Old 26-04-2010, 10:11   #12
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I want the lines empty because even a small amout of propane in the confines of the cabin stinks. Solenoid off first, then stove, then bottles. Smell greatly reduced. The smell of propane permiates cushions, pillows ect. It also collects in cabinets. Too small a saturation for a snifer alarm but enough to detect with the nose.

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Old 26-04-2010, 12:02   #13
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"Would you be worried that as the propane leaves the line, it is being replaced by salty sea air that could corrode the seal of the solenoid valve? "
Very unlikely. You will never burn off all the propane in the line, you will simply burn it off until it reaches pressure equillibrium with the atmosphere, and then it will stop flowing to the burner. IF you left the burner open, as it cooled some moist air would be drawn back into the line, but not much, not far. And if there was a leak, only thermal cycling like that would suck any outside air in, or let propane out. Not much would migrate by itself.

But still...there are homes and business blown up every year by gas leaks. Even with a backyard bbq, I may trust propane but I shut the tank valve when I'm done, regardless of everything else. And after some fun with electrical devices...I'm thinking I'd rather have a "main breaker" next to the front door at HOME as well as on the boat. Stick around long enough and you learn you just can't trust anything designed as a "fuel". Somehow, it always finds a way to do what it is supposed to do. "Boom".
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Old 26-04-2010, 12:32   #14
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I guess I see it a little different from others. I do not leave the burner on and then shut off the switch to drain the line. I do not see the purpose in doing that. But after the boat sits for a two or three weeks and I try and start the stove it takes a few seconds to ignite. The pressure in the line has leaked out somehow but after checking all fittings there are no leaks. It is so small I am unable to detect it. So I do not worry about it.
What I do worry about is leaving the switch on that activates the solenoid. That little sucker get real hot after awhile so after using the stove or oven the gas switch get shut off.
Heat is hard on all things mechanical so it cannot be good for the solenoid to just sit there and heat up. And that solenoid sitting on top of the propane tank getting real hot makes me nervous!
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Old 26-04-2010, 12:53   #15
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I decided to just skip the solenoid altogether on my installation. I shut the gas off at the tank after using it. Sometimes I burn off the gas in the line, sometimes I don't. I think that we've been programmed to be WAY too paranoid about propane (along with a whole bunch of other stuff). It'd be interested to find out just how much propane is needed to create an explosive atmosphere inside a boat.

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