Diesel vs Propane Cook Stoves

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Propane with a sniffer. Open the hatch a crack when cooking.
Eees Seemple!

Totally agree on the sniffer and opening a hatch to let the moisture out.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Of course there was soot everywhere. That was not a vented stove. I certainly, and it was pretty clear earlier in the thread that others, were talking about VENTED diesel stoves.

The OP did not mention his stove was vented but I guess I should have expected that it would be. Way back when I was going through stove fuels, the stove was a Force 10, a two burner surface stove. And yes, they did at that time sell kerosene two burner stoves that were not vented..... I don't know what they offer today. Kerosene fuel burned hot with a nice blue flame after proper preheating with alcohol.....and that was the main problem.

For large boats that have large diesel fuel capacities, I can understand the benefits of a diesel stove but I would guess they must still overcome heating the fuel to combustion temperatures. And any soot they generate is going to go someplace, maybe on the boat's deck.

I continue to believe propane is a better choice fuel for stoves of any type other than for furnaces on board or in homes.

Foggy

[hellosailor]

Diesel Pro: Uses your main fuel supply. Cheap.
Diesel Con: Diesel stinks and makes soot. Maybe you never notice the smell.

Propane Pro: Clean fuel. No odor.
Propane Con: Cost of propane. Extra time and space for lockers, lugging bottles.
And if you get sloppy, the world explodes and you die. or worse, wake up in a burn ward.

Personally? I like cooking with gas (propane, etc.) and given a choice between cold food and the smell of diesel anything, I'll eat cold food.

[foggysail]

HelloSailor--

About 3 years or so ago, an elderly (I should talk) person at our marina was servicing his propane stove setup. He had a nice 36' trawler. Well..... THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM from his boat!!! The explosion ripped the top from his boat into the air about 2-3 feet and then it bounced back onto the deck.

He survived but he gave up boating!

[nelbem]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Propane with a sniffer. Open the hatch a crack when cooking.
Eees Seemple!

If you do discover a propane leak, what is the proper procedure to clear the bilge etc of the leaked propane?

Thanks

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by meblen

If you do discover a propane leak, what is the proper procedure to clear the bilge etc of the leaked propane?

Thanks

1. DO NOT turn anything electric on or off, unless it is your bilge blower.

2. Open hatches, and lift a floorboard.

3. Open refrigerator, remove a beer.

4. Don't do anything else until beer is consumed.

[James S]

Originally Posted by meblen

If you do discover a propane leak, what is the proper procedure to clear the bilge etc of the leaked propane?

Thanks

Now that's an excellent question.
Just a wild ass guess...but my first thought would be to try and displace it with a heavier inert gas....not sure what that would be...nitrogen, argon..???

[hellosailor]

"but my first thought would be to try and displace it with a heavier inert gas...."
Both of which you conveniently keep on the boat?

Better to gently open all hatches and then take a big sheet of cardboard (etc) and fan the bilge, mixing the propane with the air and encouraging it to move out of the boat.

But that leaves a question: How did one find out that the bilge is full or propane to start with? And what is one doing to stop the leak, which presumably is still filling the bilge while you're emptying it?

All of which has to be done gently gently, hoping there is no spark from the bilge pump turning on, or anything else.

Might be simpler to slip out of the cabin, turn off the valve on the bottle, and just get out of range for a few hours while it vents itself.

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by foggysail

HelloSailor--

About 3 years or so ago, an elderly (I should talk) person at our marina was servicing his propane stove setup. He had a nice 36' trawler. Well..... THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM from his boat!!! The explosion ripped the top from his boat into the air about 2-3 feet and then it bounced back onto the deck.

He survived but he gave up boating!

There was someone at my club who died in a similar manner.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by meblen

Searched archive but didn't find an answer. Buying an old boat and on several we have looked at we will need to replace the stove/oven. Have used propane but never diesel. What are the pros and cons of diesel? Is odor a problem?

Thanks

for some it might ber an odor problem. in the northern climes diesel will keep the cabin toasty if just left running. in the south it will be impossible to deal with the heat everytime you cook, as well as the slow start up time..

[nelbem]

I find it interesting that so many have propane but aren't sure how to get rid of the gas if there is a leak. Just turning off the gas would seem like step one but how do you clear a bilge of a gas that is heavier than air. Guess I need to do some research now. Problems never occur for which you are prepared.

[hellosailor]

"how do you clear a bilge of a gas that is heavier than air."
Easy. Ventilate.
With bilge blower, or flapping your hands or opening dorade vents, however you ventilate your boat.

[Cheechako]

Yeah, it's easily smelled.

[ShaunJ]

This summer while in St Michaels, MD My copper propane line broke in two where it left the propane locker, just inside the starboard berth. Luckily I had two fans running at the time. I shut off the tank, had no time for a beer. I used the fans to blow out the bilge, lifting the floor boards as I went. It took about 1.5 hour to get rid of the smell.