CNG conversion to Propane

rdannap2 · **Joined:** 05 Jun 2012 22:14 **Posts:** 11

One of our priority projects is converting our Force 10 Stove from CNG to propane. According to Force 10 the conversion just requires switching out the orifices. Has anyone done this and if so we welcome any input. And we're also interested to know where any of you located your propane locker (custome or manufactured?) and what size propane tanks it holds. We welcome all your ideas and direction.

Rick
S/V Montego
Hull#121
Annapolis

Cheers

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

Have no experience with a conversion, but the location of the locker (which I believe was an option after 1982) was on the port side of the aft cockpit seating. I think they installed a standard unit with an overboard drain. Holds a 10# size propane tank. This served me about a month when I was cruising and cooking and making coffee everyday. Lasts me about two summers of part time cruising now.

I think the port change is quite easy. I have bought stoves that pack both orfices in the assembly. Make sure you have a solenoid in that locker and use it with a guage. Good way to tell what is going on with your system.

JPANEAVITT · **Joined:** 03 Nov 2010 12:23 **Posts:** 21

We installed two 6# tanks on either side of the lazarette; each was encased in a separate airtight holding container and both plumbed to an overboard vent just above the waterline above the rudder post. Only one of the tanks is connected to the propane stove and we have the turn-on valve on top of the tank and then two electrical selenoid valves to activate the flow of propane to the stove, each of which has to be turned on before the stove will operate.

J. P. Anderson
TRYST (Hull 486)

dtelep · **Joined:** 27 Jun 2013 09:53 **Posts:** 3

I thought about converting my CNG Seaward stove/oven to propane because the only place I can get CNG gas is an hour and a half from my house. And its really expensive ($50/tank). I found a source for some of the parts after a long search but the supplier gets his parts by cannibalizing older units and the cost turned out to be prohibitive.

So instead, I'm staying with the CNG system and am in the process of building an adaptor that can fill tanks from stations that supply vehicles. The closest one is 20 minutes away. The cost of parts is about $150 and I can now fill my tanks for a couple bucks each.

Plans: http://cruisersnet.net/a-homemade-solut ... as-aboard/

glymroff · **Joined:** 29 Jun 2013 09:23 **Posts:** 13

Thats ok if your staying in your area. We found cruising that less and less ops for filling. We had picked up a couple of tanks in Vero on our way by for 10bucks!!! so that lasted us for an entire season. unfortunately we finally converted, as it just became impossible to locate filling areas in the carribean. We built our own locker under port side aft laz. It wasn't really that hard. We made it just big enough to hold two tanks (west marine), and deep enough to take a PVC pipe to hold two 1lb. canisters as well. We also ran a vent out the transom from the bottom of the locker. The top is a standard round cap that the 11lb tanks can fit thru.

The conversion of the stove was really simple, however you might find that the connections to the existing regulator for the oven are frozen. Be patient as the piping maybe stainless. If you break one of these, you will be replacing your stove. We tried to get professionals to do this conversion for us. They all said NO. They didn't want the liability. I tried PB blaster, and finally after I gave up, my son-in-law went below, and it just worked. He did have to 'tweak' the pilot in order to get the right angle for the spark to ignite off the pilot.

We are very happy that we did the conversion. Especially getting rid of the 3 huge CNG tanks.

YMMV

Tartan37.com

CNG conversion to Propane

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