Gas Explosion

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

They make a special pipe dope just for propane fittings. I don't know about down south, but here we can get it at the local hardware store. All I've heard about teflon tape, is it is a bad idea with propane.

Regular white PTFE is typically a first choice for water system applications and is more porous than an industrial grade PTFE. Specialized gas pipe PTFE offers better shred resistance and superior ability to fill voids in thread imperfections. This improved pipe thread sealing capability offers better assurance that volatile gases are not released from a poorly sealed pipe joint. If a piping system is conveying something gaseous then there is a greater chance that a threaded pipe joint will leak. Gas is less dense than water for example, so gas will leak from a pipe thread on more occasions than water ever will.

Application and dimensional details on at least seven different PTFE thread tapes.

While it is common practice to use regular White Teflon tape as the
"Fit-All-Applications-Sealant for pipe threads,
the true reality is that White Teflon tape is best suited for limited applications.

•Water (Regular White)
•Steam (Premium Pink)
•Air, compressed (Premium Grade)
•Alcohols (Premium Grade)
•Fatty Acids (Premium Grade)
•Kerosene (UL Yellow Gas)
•Natural Gas (UL Yellow Gas)
•Nitrogen (UL Yellow Gas)
•Acids, dilute (Premium Grade)
•Ammonia, liquid (Premium Grade)
•Cutting Oils (Premium Grade)
•Soap, Liquid (Premium Grade)
•Ethylene glycol (Premium Grade)
•Gasohol (UL Yellow Gas)
•LPG (Premium Oxygen)

[Cuttyhunk]

I ripped out my origo and replaced it with propane. You can't really see the alcohol flame and because the darned thing takes forever to boil a kettle of water, you inevitably think the thing has gone out on you. A good propane stove is the one thing on the boat that works as well as a home system. There are many redundancies in a quality installation and a modern stove. If you research it and understand how the system works, you should be able to be comfortable with it. It's a great way to cook and one item that is less of a compromise in your quality of life. (My husband NEEDS a hot cup of coffee in the morning!)

I guess I should have put the origo on craigslist instead of in the dumpster, huh. I can hardly believe there is still a market for them.

[Nicholson58]

http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources...0trenchard.pdf

Found it.

Royal Navy Inquiry & photos. You don't usually get such a thorough evaluation of an OOPS.

[shorebird]

Originally Posted by bethflkys

I ripped out my origo and replaced it with propane. You can't really see the alcohol flame and because the darned thing takes forever to boil a kettle of water, you inevitably think the thing has gone out on you. A good propane stove is the one thing on the boat that works as well as a home system. There are many redundancies in a quality installation and a modern stove. If you research it and understand how the system works, you should be able to be comfortable with it. It's a great way to cook and one item that is less of a compromise in your quality of life. (My husband NEEDS a hot cup of coffee in the morning!)

I guess I should have put the origo on craigslist instead of in the dumpster, huh. I can hardly believe there is still a market for them.

I put ours on CL as a freebee, and got three replies within 15 minutes. I took the ad down and gave it to the first responder.

[laika]

On the first passage with my newly bought boat a fireball flared up above the stove when trying to light a burner. The rigid hose connecting the tank/tubing to the oven had snapped due to excessive gimballing.

The presence of the solenoid likely saved my boat from going up in flames.

To my discredit, the rigid hose was pointed out on the survey but I guess I figured since the PO had already sailed halfway across the world without incident..

On the positive side, quick learning curve for me regarding the propane system on this boat :P

[magentawave]

I had an alcohol stove years ago and the top started on fire one day and I didn't even know it at first because the flame in the day light was almost invisible.

Originally Posted by bethflkys

I ripped out my origo and replaced it with propane. You can't really see the alcohol flame and because the darned thing takes forever to boil a kettle of water, you inevitably think the thing has gone out on you. A good propane stove is the one thing on the boat that works as well as a home system. There are many redundancies in a quality installation and a modern stove. If you research it and understand how the system works, you should be able to be comfortable with it. It's a great way to cook and one item that is less of a compromise in your quality of life. (My husband NEEDS a hot cup of coffee in the morning!)

I guess I should have put the origo on craigslist instead of in the dumpster, huh. I can hardly believe there is still a market for them.

[magentawave]

All things being equal, how would you rate the safety/volatility of using regular unleaded gas in a stove verses kerosene?

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by magentawave

All things being equal, how would you rate the safety/volatility of using regular unleaded gas in a stove verses kerosene?

It's the fumes that'll get ya. Plus, the flash point of gasoline is extremely dangerous. Only out side would I use gasoline for cooking.

[magentawave]

So kerosene is a lot safer to use inside?

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by magentawave

So kerosene is a lot safer to use inside?

Kerosene is more like diesel fuel. That's what use to be use in old time lamps after they quit killing whales.

[Blue Crab]

This must be one of those YMMV kinda deals. I fired up my new Origo 1500 for the last two meals, and it seemed just fine. The flame is bluish. Water for coffee this morning seemed to take the appropriate time, and as a plus, I thought the low setting to be much easier to control than my old propane burners. I may be able to cook something after all, rather than just burn everything as in the past.

As CF readers, I am fairly certain that most of us are talking about the newer, non-pressurized Origos, so I don't get the complaints. The older pump-up alcohol stoves were all garbage in my view. Still, they were all so well-made, I don't see how one could get tossed in the dumpster without a backward glance. Jes sayin.

[Cuttyhunk]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

This must be one of those YMMV kinda deals. I fired up my new Origo 1500 for the last two meals, and it seemed just fine. The flame is bluish. Water for coffee this morning seemed to take the appropriate time, and as a plus, I thought the low setting to be much easier to control than my old propane burners. I may be able to cook something after all, rather than just burn everything as in the past.

As CF readers, I am fairly certain that most of us are talking about the newer, non-pressurized Origos, so I don't get the complaints. The older pump-up alcohol stoves were all garbage in my view. Still, they were all so well-made, I don't see how one could get tossed in the dumpster without a backward glance. Jes sayin.

I did keep the cutting board that went on top! And, being a sailor, of course I sold it to the scrap metal yard (along with a zillion little pieces of copper my man had saved from years of HVAC work) rather than take it to the dump. It was a "newer" one, only 25 years old. But I like to cook, and the Origo just doesn't work for me. Not enough Btus. As you said, YMMV. I'm sure I'd hate a bad propane stove that didn't have adequate flame adjustment, too.

[bletso]

Originally Posted by sabray

One thing I noticed before having my tanks serviced reinspected. If the valve was cracked open gas came out of the valve stem. If cranked full open and seated no leak.
That's a little scary even for those of us that shut the valve every time. It was very obvious so not such a big deal I guess.

We re-qualify cylinders and leaking valve stems on propane cylinders are a very normal occurrence. You should check for a valve stem leak often. (A little soapy water in a spray bottle.)

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Regular white PTFE is typically a first choice for water system applications and is more porous than an industrial grade PTFE. Specialized gas pipe PTFE offers better shred resistance and superior ability to fill voids in thread imperfections. This improved pipe thread sealing capability offers better assurance that volatile gases are not released from a poorly sealed pipe joint. If a piping system is conveying something gaseous then there is a greater chance that a threaded pipe joint will leak. Gas is less dense than water for example, so gas will leak from a pipe thread on more occasions than water ever will.

Application and dimensional details on at least seven different PTFE thread tapes.

While it is common practice to use regular White Teflon tape as the
"Fit-All-Applications-Sealant for pipe threads,
the true reality is that White Teflon tape is best suited for limited applications.

•Water (Regular White)
•Steam (Premium Pink)
•Air, compressed (Premium Grade)
•Alcohols (Premium Grade)
•Fatty Acids (Premium Grade)
•Kerosene (UL Yellow Gas)
•Natural Gas (UL Yellow Gas)
•Nitrogen (UL Yellow Gas)
•Acids, dilute (Premium Grade)
•Ammonia, liquid (Premium Grade)
•Cutting Oils (Premium Grade)
•Soap, Liquid (Premium Grade)
•Ethylene glycol (Premium Grade)
•Gasohol (UL Yellow Gas)
•LPG (Premium Oxygen)

I might add that stainless steel fittings take their own tape. Commonly called 'Stainless Steel Pipe Thread Sealing Tape' Usually Hi-pressure fittings like CNG or chemicals.

Composition: 90% PTFE/10% nickel
Color: Silver

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by bethflkys

I did keep the cutting board that went on top! And, being a sailor, of course I sold it to the scrap metal yard (along with a zillion little pieces of copper my man had saved from years of HVAC work) rather than take it to the dump. It was a "newer" one, only 25 years old. But I like to cook, and the Origo just doesn't work for me. Not enough Btus. As you said, YMMV. I'm sure I'd hate a bad propane stove that didn't have adequate flame adjustment, too.

Thanks for the update Beth. I may be mistaken but I think you are speaking of the old crappy pressurized alcohol stoves. Also, now you say you scrapped it but here's a quote from your post:

"I guess I should have put the origo on craigslist instead of in the dumpster, huh. I can hardly believe there is still a market for them."

Ya can't have it both ways gal. I'm calling BS.