Cost of CNG refill

[Bill Roosa]

I'd like to know what other folks are paying for CNG refills. I paid $75 for two bottles delivered to the boat once. Tacked on a $10 "high gas price" tax to boot!!!.
I made an adapter that connects to the bottle and the quick connect at the gas station and filled up (3200 psi BTW) for $1.67.

Clearly I'm in the wrong business.

I have always liked the safety of CNG but the price was a reall bummer. Now there is nothing to not like.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Pictures of the adapter

nm

 

[Guest]

CNG

Hi Bill, I carry two tanks, one connected and one as a spare. Normally, one 2,500 pound tank will last a season. Around here a full tank costs about $28. I have yet to find a local fill station such as what you have even though we have natural gas in many of our homes including ours. I'll keep looking.

Terry Cox

 

[Steve Dion]

CNG in the SF Bay/Delta area is about $23/bottle.

 

[KD3PC]

only found CNG at solomon's and it is a swap cylinders deal...was $55 last fall, haven't tried this year...

dave

 

[richk]

around $70 at Jabins in Annap.

Billl

The price has been going up slowly at Jabins. I know of no other supplier near Annapolis.

Where do you get your cng filled with your adapter?

Rich

 

[Rick D]

List of Parts?

Did you by chance keep a list of the component parts? Very clever, Bill!

 

[RonRelyea]

Bill ... I like your solution of the adapter ... would you be able to provide a parts list and possibly supplier for the parts??

I paid about $45 for an exchange cylinder at the beginning of the season in Westchester County, NY.

 

[timvg]

Around $28 here.

 

[Steve Dion]

Bill:

Did you have a parts list for your adapter?

 

[Benny]

The safety does not rest in the fuels themselves but in the boat systems that manage those fuels. Propane safety standarts and system components have continued to evolve and currently an up to date propane system is just as safe as a CNG system. There is not much development going on in CNG portable tank applications. The purist may say there is no need for improvements but that is a misconception. CNG is a flamable fuel, it disspates in air and in large conecntrations can be explosive. It should also be noted it is stored in its compressed form at very high pressure which pose its own set of concerns on hoses and storage. I think we have actually reached a point where an upgrade to a propane system may actually be an upgrade in safety too. Times change.

 

[Alan]

Not exactly. CNG does not use any form of hose in its high pressure state. CNG tanks are fitted with a two stage regulator that reduces tank pressure down from 2500 psi to a very manageable 6 or 7 psi. This effectively duplicates the line pressure that millions of homes use for cooking and heating with the same gas. True, CNG can be explosive in large quantities and confined spaces. However, as a lighter than air gas its chances of escape in a boat are far greater than a heavier than air gas which will tend to collect in the bilge with no outlet.
As for the detectors that are needed for use with propane, location is key ingredient for effectiveness. The detectors should be located near the floor and bilge area rather than high in the cabin where many are located.

 

[woodal]

I am able to get refills of my CNG cylinders at Whittaker creek yacht charters in Oriental, NC. for about $65.00 a bottle. Wish I could find a less inexpensive place in the area.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Safety gas

I'm with Alan Benny. CNG is safer than propane. Had a friends kid hit the stove burner control and turn it on. The bottle was turned off and I did not catch it. A week or so later I had to go to the boat to secure it for a storm. Decided to stay the night and made some coffee on a different burner than the one that was still on. Went to bed about 2 hours later after smoking several cigarettes. Around 0400 the wind had died down and I hear this weird hissing sound. the gas had been on all night, me smoking and making coffee and there was not even the smell of gas in the boat till I got right over the burner.
I'd say that if you tried that with propane you would not be alive to tell the story.
IMHO
It is a pain to find though, no doubt about it.
But Mr. Obama says that he is going to fix all that with a new tax hike