Dinghy Gas Storage Idea

[Muaddib1116]

I have a watertight lazarette that I keep my gas cans in, but it's not the safest setup, since gas or gas fumes could still pool under the floorboards of the lazarette, and this is also where my diesel hydronic furnace is. On one side of the lazarette is the propane storage locker (accessed from a separate deck hatch). The locker drains to a hose that T's into a scupper hose, which leads to an above-waterline thru-hull.

I'm thinking of taking a rubbermaid bin, and plumbing a drain hose from that bin to the same place the propane plumbs to. I'll size the bin to fit my gas cans. The bin will sit on a storage area a couple inches below the propane locker.

Do I need to arrange for the bin to have a sealed lid? or will it be fine because gas fumes should just sink down the drain line?

Also, I was thinking of using a spring coiled garden hose that I have laying around to plumb to the scupper hose. This way, the hose flexibility will allow me to slide the rubbermaid bin around pretty easily to access other storage bins. I suppose the coiled hose may not empty out fully all the time, fumes maybe getting trapped at the low spots of the coil, but that should be a pretty minimal amount.

What do you guys think?

[Allied39]

You have multiple bad things happening. First up LPG locker drain should not tee into anything. Storing fuel in a locker with an ignition source is a really bad idea...and this coming from a definitely not "what if " guy.

I will let the hordes tell you all the details, but you need to rectify the arrangement you have, beginning with the two I noted.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Allied39

You have multiple bad things happening. First up LPG locker drain should not tee into anything. Storing fuel in a locker with an ignition source is a really bad idea...and this coming from a definitely not "what if " guy.

I will let the hordes tell you all the details, but you need to rectify the arrangement you have, beginning with the two I noted.

Seconded. I'd want to either expand the LPG locker and keep the gas in there, or build a second similar locker inside the lazarette with direct overboard drainage and a sealed top.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Allied39

First up LPG locker drain should not tee into anything.

Why?

Originally Posted by Allied39

Storing fuel in a locker with an ignition source is a really bad idea...and this coming from a definitely not "what if " guy.

Yeah, that's why I want to improve things. It's basically the first thing I said in my post.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Why?

Because if the outside of the drain gets blocked, you don't want to risk fumes backing up through the drain into another area. I'm pretty sure ABYC stipulates dedicated drains for that reason.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Seconded. I'd want to either expand the LPG locker and keep the gas in there

Expanding the LPG locker isn't an option. I had considered that if I changed to a diesel stove that I could use that locker for gasoline, but diesel stoves are expensive, and I've read that they are finicky and not great.

Originally Posted by rslifkin

, or build a second similar locker inside the lazarette with direct overboard drainage and a sealed top.

That's basically what I'm trying to do with my rubbermaid bin. I can probably find a bin large enough for a lid to fit over the top of the gas cans. And as I mentioned, it would be plumbed overboard, sharing a hose with the propane drain hose. I'm not sure why sharing a thru-hull is problematic.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Because if the outside of the drain gets blocked, you don't want to risk fumes backing up through the drain into another area. I'm pretty sure ABYC stipulates dedicated drains for that reason.

Ok, that makes some sense. I'll give that some thought and think about adding another thru-hull.