Propane Solenoids and Safety

[waterdog]

We are quite rigorous about turning off the propane solenoid every time we are finished using the stove.   Perhaps too rigorous.   

The other day Tracey was cooking some lunch with a burner going on the stovetop.    She opened the oven.   There was a loud "whoosh" but with a bit more of a shockwave that somehow doesn't translate to text.   

Her bangs are shorter.   There is less hair on her arms.   

Seems the propane solenoid was turned off after breakfast, but the oven valve was not.   Too much enthusiasm to get the solenoid turned off.  Not enough attention to the oven valve.   

Sequence is everything. 

It happened once before and I smelled gas and shut everything down and warned of the danger, but there is nothing like a "big bang" to drive the point home.   

I now have more confidence that it won't happen again.   

Worth a chat with your crew to review the potential hazard.

[Hawk]

Great point Steve.

I had the very similar experience twice last month up the coast. Two teenagers diligently turning off the solenoid first but forgeting about the burner on/off dial. Several hours later when one burner was turned on, a few seconds went by and whoosh - the other flashes up. The dial valve still being on.
Resutled in a few chats about checking all the on/offs before flame on.

Hawk

[mainesail]

The rule on our boat is that only my wife or myself touch the oven & propane systems. We make no exceptions to this rule. If my wife finds something amiss, such as a burner not lighting immediately,  the solenoid goes OFF instantly then she calls me to help. She knows proper procedure and I trust her but not anyone else.

No matter how experienced the guests they do not operate the stove/oven/LPG system other than looking at items already baking or cooking..NO ONE TOUCHES THE KNOBS OR EVEN ADJUSTS A FLAME EXCEPT MY WIFE OR I....

We also have two LPG switches per ABYC standards and both have bright red LED's... No mistaking those circuits for any other as all the rest are amber colored. You see a red LED and the stove / oven better damn well be running.....

One other protocol we use is the two handed turn off. One hand on the knob turning it off and the other on the solenoid, which is flipped off a split second after the knob.. Using the two handed method makes it very tough to forget the solenoid.

Our LPG leak detector also breaks the solenoid if there is a leak and we use a high pressure solenoid that goes BEFORE the regulator not after the regulator.  I do this because I have seen failed regs and don't like the solenoid on the low pressure side.

I only use & install solenoids made by Advanced Fuel Components (AFC), specifically the model 151, and have never had or seen one fail. In my experience they are far more reliable than the Trident low pressure versions.

Having been in Boothbay Harbor, ME when a Bristol exploded, due to a propane leak, we take it pretty seriously.

Develop your own protocol for oven/stove/LPG operation and follow it..