Can anybody tell me what I should know about CNG. I am getting my 81 33' Hunter (new to me) ready and it has CNG for the stove and what looks like air/heat.
CNG?
- Thread starter Tom Marini
- Start date
use it just like propane, except the gas is lighter than air so it will rise, rather than settle to a low spot like propane.
take the same precautions and you should have no problems.
no matter where you go, it WILL be harder to find a filling station for CNG, whereas propane filling stations are everywhere here in the states..
if you ever decide to convert to the easier to acquire propane, it is only a matter of changing the orifice size in the appliance...
take the same precautions and you should have no problems.
no matter where you go, it WILL be harder to find a filling station for CNG, whereas propane filling stations are everywhere here in the states..
if you ever decide to convert to the easier to acquire propane, it is only a matter of changing the orifice size in the appliance...
I think most people would say that the fact that CNG rises is a big safety advantage over propane. Harder to find, but definately safer.
1. If you have a CNG replacement store/chandlery near you, like I do, it's not an issue.
2. If you're going to another country, change to propane, CNG is NOT available outside the USA.
3. If you're ahndy, do this like lots of skippers have done, and refill at a gas station, since many US cars and trucks and busses run on CNG
http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=CNG_Refill_Adapter
2. If you're going to another country, change to propane, CNG is NOT available outside the USA.
3. If you're ahndy, do this like lots of skippers have done, and refill at a gas station, since many US cars and trucks and busses run on CNG
http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=CNG_Refill_Adapter
Portable tank filling stations are quickly disappearing and so are tank replacements. CNG is delivered to homes, industry and converted automobile filling stations but is very hard to find any that will fill or allow the filling of portable tanks. A conversion to propane may cost you around $1,500. A non -pressurized alcohol stove can be found for around $400. If the air/heat operates on CNG it may pose a costly problem.
Having owned a Hunter with CNG for 16 years I have to say it was always difficult and expensive to refill the tank. I know there are solutions to the expense (at least one poster to this site provided info on an adapter to dyi at cng station), so that's solvable. however, on one occassion here in annapolis, the vendor temporarily 'went out of this business'. This was a problem for us b/c there's nothing like a nice cup of coffee on the hook in the morning.
We're about to buy a new boat with propane so the problem's solved for us.
We're about to buy a new boat with propane so the problem's solved for us.
Lets say the use of adapters is not encouraged by CNG filling stations and you may be prohibited at some from utilizing it. This is at best another temporary fix as the manufacture of new portable tanks is drying up and there will come a time when the old portable tanks will become unsafe to use. The problem with CNG is the high pressure at which the gas must be pumped into the tanks. The boating industry has shifted to the use of propane and CNG will no longer be supported by the mainstream manufacturers of cooking and heating units.