Gas Compliance Plate

[Zaria]

I bought a 2006 Elan 384 Impression, back in 2015. At the time i did not get a survey done, as i knew the boat owner, and boat, quite well and didn't think it was worth the expense. (Surveys done on past boats were a complete waste of time and money !)

My insurance is up for renewal and they have asked for a survey to be completed. A requirement every 5 years for a boat of this age, apparently.

Anyway, so i had one completed, but we could not find a Gas Compliance plate anywhere.

My question is, surely there HAS to be one somewhere on the boat, as it was manufactured with a gas stove fitted. So it must have one?...somewhere?

Obviously if i cant find one i will have to find a gas person to come and test the system and supply a new plate.

[TassieBloke]

Hi Zaria,

Not sure which country you are in, but here in Aus, it must be placed in a visible location next to the cylinder/regulator connection. This all must be in an external bottom vented locker etc etc.

[Zaria]

Hi Tassie,

I am also in Australia. But no the plate is not in locker near the cylinder. Which i find very strange. Elan boats are made in Europe so they may have different rules over there....looks like i'll just bite the bullet and get it tested, and a new plate made.

Cheers for your quick reply mate.

Mick

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Zaria

Hi Tassie,

I am also in Australia. But no the plate is not in locker near the cylinder. Which i find very strange. Elan boats are made in Europe so they may have different rules over there....looks like i'll just bite the bullet and get it tested, and a new plate made.

Cheers for your quick reply mate.

Mick

Hi Mick,
When you get the gas plate can you inform me what was involved,
My boat was made in the USA and has no gas plate or any thing else for the stove and oven installation,

Thanks, Brian,

[Zaria]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Hi Mick,
When you get the gas plate can you inform me what was involved,
My boat was made in the USA and has no gas plate or any thing else for the stove and oven installation,

Thanks, Brian,

Hi Brian, It was quite easy in the end. I simply googled for a marine gas inspector in my area, and he came and leak tested all fittings, changed the flexible hose from the regulator to the bottle and then supplied a new compliance plate, which i took a photo of to send to the insurance company.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Zaria

Hi Brian, It was quite easy in the end. I simply googled for a marine gas inspector in my area, and he came and leak tested all fittings, changed the flexible hose from the regulator to the bottle and then supplied a new compliance plate, which i took a photo of to send to the insurance company.

You were lucky to have found an honest tradesman.

A friend of mine moved an eighteen month pld boat from WA to Qld and made the mistake of enquiring whether or not his WA certificate was valid. Of course the answer was no and that he would have to get a gas man to check the system and provide a Qld certificate. This character stated that the installation did not comply with Qld requirements (probably a lie since there is an Australian Standard which the states tend to comply with) and about $800 later he got the certificate.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

You were lucky to have found an honest tradesman.

A friend of mine moved an eighteen month pld boat from WA to Qld and made the mistake of enquiring whether or not his WA certificate was valid. Of course the answer was no and that he would have to get a gas man to check the system and provide a Qld certificate. This character stated that the installation did not comply with Qld requirements (probably a lie since there is an Australian Standard which the states tend to comply with) and about $800 later he got the certificate.

Thats what I thought too, Big rippoff,
I changed the fridge to electric, 110 volts thru a 240 volt transformer from the 12 volt invertor, $50-00 for the transformer,

Got a BBQ and cooker type thing on a gas bottle for cooking, I dont need a gas certificate for that,
I have cooked a roast on it, $80-00 from a camping store,
I still put a couple of gas detectors in the hulls and one in my gas locker just in case,
12 volt, They work great too, $12-00 delivered from china,
I dont need a gas certificate now,

[RaymondR]

One of the stickers Victoria requires is one near the locker requires that no electrical equipment be placed in the locker. This requirement devolves from the Australian Standard. I prefer to have an electric solenoid valve immediately after the bottle valve because the diaphragm in the regulator is the weakest point in the gas circuit. Therefor in Victoria I would be non compliant.

[Fore and Aft]

You guys are so negative, these regulations are put in to protect us. One yacht I surveyed this year had the gas bottle in the engine room and the another yacht had his gas bottle under the aft bunk. Neither system was compliant or safe and should never have been like that in the first place.
As for what gas fitters charge, I know what my insurance costs are and I would hate to imagine their insurance costs.
Cheers

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

You guys are so negative, these regulations are put in to protect us. One yacht I surveyed this year had the gas bottle in the engine room and the another yacht had his gas bottle under the aft bunk. Neither system was compliant or safe and should never have been like that in the first place.
As for what gas fitters charge, I know what my insurance costs are and I would hate to imagine their insurance costs.
Cheers

Hence why in Qld at least, a gas fitter working on or installing gas systems on boats needs an extra insurance component to do so, it's not cheap and most gas fitters can't justify the extra expense for the few systems they do a year. There was only one in the Bundaberg region at the time when i had a new system installed, non of the garden variety gas fitters could or would do the job....

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

You were lucky to have found an honest tradesman.

A friend of mine moved an eighteen month pld boat from WA to Qld and made the mistake of enquiring whether or not his WA certificate was valid. Of course the answer was no and that he would have to get a gas man to check the system and provide a Qld certificate. This character stated that the installation did not comply with Qld requirements (probably a lie since there is an Australian Standard which the states tend to comply with) and about $800 later he got the certificate.

There is nothing here that shows this Gasfitter was dishonest (as hinted). Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't but there is nothing posted to indicate he was shonky.

Gas certification is by state and AFAIK, there are still differences in the requirements between some states. Even if minor, a reputable Gasfitter is not going to gloss over a non-compliance just because the owner thinks it should be OK (or that it OK in another jurisdiction).

A gasfitter mate is no longer willing to do repairs on boats, he will only new installations.

He cites an unwillingness of owners to have the repairs done in accordance with the regulations to a major reason for refusing to do repairs.

Two areas caused him the most frustration:

1. Modifications and previous repairs done incorrectly over the years meant the boat didn't even come close to compliance but the owner is unwilling to bring it into compliance.
2. Changes in the requirements over the years mean that when a repair is carried out, the entire installation has to comply with the current regulations. Again owners not willing to pay to have the boat compliant.

AFAIK, a gasfitter is only allowed to work on installations that carry a compliance plate from the state he is licensed in i.e. say a Victorian licensed gas fitter can't legally work on a visiting say a boat with a Qld compliance plate unless the installation also meets the Victorian requirements. I have not been able to verify this statement so maybe this has changed - ?????

[Fore and Aft]

You just have to read articles like this one below to realise that gas is not to to be messed with.
I never understand why people want to short cut a basic safety issue. It cost $400 Oz to get my new gas sysytem installed three years ago, thats hardly going to break the bank.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sto...agic-accident/
Cheers

[Mr B]

My gas system was very Shonky, Thats why I removed it,
The gas detectors didnt work, They Had been disconnected,
The main unit was faulty, It just kept buzzing, No wonder the detectors were disconnected,
This unit is about $400-00 new,
The solenoid on the gas lines from the bottle in the rear locker was set up so it was bypassed,
So it didnt work either,
The locker does have a hole in the bottom so gas can escape if it does leak, Its vented to the open air under the transom,
It has 12 volt electrical wires in there for the gas detectors
The copper lines need to be covered in plastic, No way you can cover them as they run thru the hulls, Unaccessible,

My gas locker now is only storage for the gas bottles,

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

You just have to read articles like this one below to realise that gas is not to to be messed with.
I never understand why people want to short cut a basic safety issue. It cost $400 Oz to get my new gas sysytem installed three years ago, thats hardly going to break the bank.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sto...agic-accident/
Cheers

That is cheap, mine was $2600.00 but including removing the old system......supply and fit a complete new system including piping, regs, solenoid, gas alarm/detectors, flexible SS sheathed Hoses for bottles, electrical work and testing, labeling and compliance plate......running the one piece solid piping was the big expense, that took most of a day to complete......

Oh.....and the above cost did not include the new 3 burner Force 10 stove/oven and the 3 x 6L SS Gas Bottles.....

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

You just have to read articles like this one below to realise that gas is not to to be messed with.
I never understand why people want to short cut a basic safety issue. It cost $400 Oz to get my new gas sysytem installed three years ago, thats hardly going to break the bank.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sto...agic-accident/
Cheers

Its illegal to carry a gas bottle in an enclosed vehicle,
He had his Acetylene bottle in an enclosed vehicle,
They changed the law after a gas bottle exploded, and all that was left was the floor and four wheels of a panel van,
Petrol is the same, The fumes will blow what ever you have it in to smitherens,