By ateale - 17 May 2018
We are currently in Belfast Maine and have run into a problem getting our UK propane tanks refilled. Others must have encountered this problem before us and we would be grateful for any advice that may be out there.
Alan Teale, SV Kiviuq
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By simoncurrin - 17 May 2018
Alan there is another thread on this elsewhere on the Forum that I hope will give you some pointers. Is the problem that you can’t get the appropriate fitting to decant your own or are the retailers declining to fill your cylinders because they don’t comply with local regulations? Here is a link to the other thread: http://forum.oceancruisingclub.org/topic2094-refilling-composite-propane-bottles.aspx
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By ateale - 18 May 2018
Thanks for your response Simon. It’s looking as if we will need to purchase US tanks. The main problem seems to be the need for an over-pressure device on the tank valve in Maine and seemingly in many other states (if not all). Alan
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By simoncurrin - 20 May 2018
Alan
Oh that’s a bit depressing as we are heading your way and already acquired some redundant cylinders on our travels. Are you heading north? If so we may cross as we come south. We will watch out for you.
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By Dick - 20 May 2018
Hi Simon and Alan,
The good news is (I believe) that Canada and the US are on the same page propane bottles-wise. My fittings from 10+ years ago when last in the US are good with the Canadian tanks I bought last fall when I arrived in Newfoundland, The tanks were not crazy money and I can swap or get them filled. I have not been able to confirm, but I believe it to be true, that the pressure relief valve and design for the CA tanks is the same as for the US. Once you are sorted with these tanks/fittings, they should be good into the US and all over the Caribbean.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy, Lewisporte, Newfoundland, CA
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By ateale - 20 May 2018
Thanks for that Dick, We are currently acquiring a couple of US tanks with OPD's and a regulator. The next challenge will be connecting the US regulator to the flexible gas hose that is the distal (tank end) stage of a UK system. I am hoping a simple hose tail screwed into the regulator will do it. That said, nothing is simple about adapting a UK boat to US systems.
Simon, yes we will be heading north with a first leg to Shelburne, Nova Scotia in mid-June.
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By Dick - 20 May 2018
Hi Alan,
If in need of fittings,the best place (to my knowledge) is Trident Marine ( I believe in Pennsylvania). They might be able to help. If you run into dead ends, give me a heads up directly by email and I will see if some Maine contacts of mine can help. Be explicit about where the problem lies.
I know of few systems that give the wide ranging cruiser more headaches than propane.
Hang in there: it will get sorted. Dick
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By ateale - 21 May 2018
Thank you Dick. Your support is appreciated.
We have identified a suitable tank(s) and we think we have identified a suitable regulator. The company in Belfast that does pretty well all of the boat tanks around here thinks our plan to connect from the US regulator to our flexible hose with a simple brass hosetail is doable and acceptable. We move on to ordering.
I will let you know how it turns out. Alan
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By Dick - 21 May 2018
Hi Alan,
We have wandered many places where we were faced with some kind of dilemma. Here on Alchemy we work quite hard to solve the problem in a reasonable fashion on our own. We are industrious and patient and willing to go down a few dead ends. But we do get to the point where we throw up our hands and just choose the “last resort” strategy: we throw money at the problem.
That, for better or worse, usually solves it. And more often than I would like to admit, we are sorry not to have thrown money at the problem earlier.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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