Is it possible or even wise to convert a compressed natural gas stove and oven to propane? Of course things like dedicated propane locker, regulator and sniffer would be considered. Would the burners need to be swapped out? Anything else?
CNG Stove
- Thread starter sandpiper10471
- Start date
Long ago there were conversion kits available. For the stove itself it was a matter of changing the orifices on the burners. Those days are long gone and the kits are no longer available. Best bet is to replace the stove along with all of the hoses, regulators, solenoid, etc, etc.
The orifices may or may not be available, I really doubt they are. The other major issue with the conversation is tank storage. The locker must have a drain at the bottom of the locker that goes directly overboard to allow any escaped propane to leave the boat. Most CNG lockers were not built with drain because CNG is lighter than air. If the boat you are looking at is not LPG complaint then you are in for some major work or the LPG tanks can be hung on the pushpit.
The rest of the system, regulator, hoses, solenoid, sensors and such are readily available and relatively easy to install.
Assuming the rest of the boat is acceptable and what you want and the tank locker is ABYC compliant for LPG, then the CNG stove should not be a deal breaker. A new LPG stove will run around $1500 or so and might be a negotiating point. If the locker isn't compliant, the boat would have to be very competitively priced and I would have to love the boat before I would putting in an offer.
I just made the conversion on a Legend 35.5. New propane stove and oven, with the 20# propane tank hanging on the stern rail. I made a Sunbrella cover for the tank and regulator, it doesn't look bad IMHO. The problem with converting the CNG stove is you don't have a thermocouple to cut the gas flow if the flame goes out. That is just unsafe. I looked at several other 35.5's this year, all of them that had been converted hung the bottle off the stern. Building in a propane locker is do-able, but only with a small propane bottle....
If it is an Origo, they are no longer in business. I had the 2-burner model on my last boat….they are ok...but I much prefer propane.
Greg
While it's true they are no longer in business they are not difficult to find on the used market.
FWIW, I ripped out the propane installation on my E26 and replaced it with a 2-burner non-pressurized alcohol. I don't miss the propane a bit.
I still have my CNG stove on my Legend 37.5. I bought one of the adapters from Ebay to fill my own tanks. It is very easy. Much easier than replacing everything to propane. Also, I put a single 350 W solar panel on my boat, with a 3000 W inverter and use a single burner induction hob for all cooking for the past 2 years. I lit the stove once in 2 years. The oven is a storage cabinet, now.
Ben, what exactly are the adapters referred to? Where do you get the CNG supply? Can this be as simple as installing an outside gas BBQ and using the houses gas source for filling the tank. BTW, like a scuba tank I'm sure the CNG tank needs to be periodically certified to hold the pressure.
I can’t answer for Ben, but i suspect he is using what I’ve been using for the past 10 years (link attached). I refill my own CNG bottles (I have 5) at a local station used by garbage truck and other trucking fleets. The stations have dwindled over the years and I’m afraid someday they will be gone. Till then, I have no problem spending a couple of dollars to fill my bottles every other year or so. As far as bottle certification, there are services locally available that do this although I have not done that with my bottles yet. Probably will look into that at the next refill.
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CNG Tank Refill Adapter This is great to refill cng tanks for boats. Pressure in your tank this makes it very easy to fill your tank at any.
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My previous boat had a CNG stove/oven and at one point I considered getting one of those adapters. But given the pressures involved it gave me the willies. I'm sure they work just fine--until they don't.
Thank you very much for providing this information.I can’t answer for Ben, but i suspect he is using what I’ve been using for the past 10 years (link attached). I refill my own CNG bottles (I have 5) at a local station used by garbage truck and other trucking fleets. The stations have dwindled over the years and I’m afraid someday they will be gone. Till then, I have no problem spending a couple of dollars to fill my bottles every other year or so. As far as bottle certification, there are services locally available that do this although I have not done that with my bottles yet. Probably will look into that at the next refill.
Boat CNG Tank Refill Adapter | eBay
CNG Tank Refill Adapter This is great to refill cng tanks for boats. Pressure in your tank this makes it very easy to fill your tank at any.www.ebay.com
Norm Searle
Norm,
Here is the adapter:
You connect the CNG supply hose to one side of the gauge, and the tank to the other. Open the side to the supply first, then open the tank valve. Fill to 1500, then close the tank valve, then the one to the supply. You can go to any Natural gas station.
Ben
Here is the adapter:
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You connect the CNG supply hose to one side of the gauge, and the tank to the other. Open the side to the supply first, then open the tank valve. Fill to 1500, then close the tank valve, then the one to the supply. You can go to any Natural gas station.
Ben
Dave is right, I doubt you'll find the kits that were offered when most of the CNG stoves were set up. That being said, I easily found the parts to convert my Tasco 3 burner and oven that was set up for CNG, new, in the 90's.
Most of the stoves used generic burners and other parts so your needed orifices will fit many marine/RV stoves. What I needed was available online from a marine stove outfit; 3 top burner orifices, 1 oven burner orifice and one pilot orifice.
It was a cheap conversion for my situation. I had a deck box mounted (above decks) and found 5 pound LPG tanks fit easily inside.
We spend about 40 days and nights onboard in season. The first tank lasts nearly until the end of the season for us and we use the stove 2-3 times a day, even bake quite a bit.
Now I fill the 5pounders at home from 20lb tanks (correctly and with the right equipment). It's a breeze (compared to chasing CNG -supply-tank inspections-etc), and the savings for us being in Maine (150 and need to truck from Mass), paid for the conversion in the first season.