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Converting Stove

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Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/22/2007 : 11:34:44

I was looking at my original stove and I am thinking about looking at converting it by replacing the existing hardware with a propane equipment. I am thinking that a burner like you would find on a gas grill might work. Figured I would ask the group to see if anyone has thought about or done something like this to their boat.

I would really like to keep the original housing, as I like the look of it on the boat.

Chris Z.
Water Warrior
1982 Force 5

Former Owner Blown Away - C25

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2007 : 11:52:33

This was posted a while ago...

Catalina Stove Conversion - Alcohol to Propane
Submitted by Adam Fishman

Parts Lists

2 Scout Century stoves
2 Brass Hipressure M Throwaway - M X 1/4 Male Pipe
3 1/4 inch street elbows
2 Flare union 3/8 inch X 1/4 female pipe
3 Flare union 3/8 inch X 1/4 male pipe
Swivel Nut 3/8
2 Flare Nuts 3/8
3/8 copper pipe
2 brass Elbows
1 Brass 3/8 T female
6 foot hose
Pipe dope, all the joints except the flare
Assorted brass washesrs as spacers

Remove the old guts of the Alcohol Stove, keeping the Nobs and Extenders with hairpins. Go to a sheet metal shop that works with stainless steel, and grind the 1/4 inch holes to aproximately 1 ", (Enough room for just 2 Brass Hipressure M Throwaway - M X 1/4 Male Pipe but not too large so to keep the hex end from going through -have them hand while it is ground to fit well) where the old alochol burers were, to the size required for the fittings to screw in to the regulator. I added 2 washers below, to tighten regulator to the Hipressure M Throwaway Pipe

Remove the plastic nobs off the century stove (I used a pliers to hold valve and wiggle them off), and then file the end an 1/8 inch smaller to allow the old extenders to slip on tightly, then drill the hole through for the hairpin.

Go to a propane parts store, that does tubing, and they should have most of the other parts. Show them the picture and have them make the connectors to fit, and the copper tubing, with correct fittings, so it can be tested for no leaks.

I added a hose that can come out below the stove (the front plate comes off) and I can put a bottle on the floor. In the future I am looking to add a tank off the back of the boat, but want to be sure that I can have a sniffer installed for safety.

http://www.netstores.com/~adam/Catalinastove/Underneath.close.jpg

Edited by - dlucier on 05/22/2007 13:39:37

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2007 : 13:03:22

The tank must be outside of the cabin and not in the "dumpster", which is open to the bilge. (Propane is heavier than air and flows downward.) I believe CG regs require a permanet installation to include a thermocouple setup that shuts off the tank if there's no heat at the burner. I recall the C-250 setup has that, with the tank in its own locker roughly where the C-25 rope locker is.

For all the stuff you'll have to buy, you might want to look at the portable, stowable units Coleman and some others have. I've been thinking about one of their models that's half stove and half grill. I might settle for the Kenyon butane.

Edited by - on

mhartong
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2007 : 13:38:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 I recall the C-250 setup has that, with the tank in its own locker roughly where the C-25 rope locker is.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It depends on the model year of the C-250. Originally the C250 stove was butane powered with the canister inside the galley under the galley counter. That then moved to the external propane tank with locker and solenoid. The current iteration of the C250 stove is a Seaward 1203.

It is fueled by a butane canister located to the right of the burner.

Mark

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2007 : 19:14:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mhartong
 ...The current iteration of the C250 stove is a Seaward 1203.
It is fueled by a butane canister located to the right of the burner.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That would make it roughly the equivalent of the $40 Kenyon butane.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 05/22/2007 19:14:36

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2007 : 13:13:38

I've been pondering doing something similar. The one question that keeps popping up is, are the burners on the Scout Century stove safe for indoor or enclosed space use.

My Coleman propane stove, which I was considering putting the guts of into the original stove casing says it's not for use inside tents, campers, etc. because of the possible production of carbon monoxide.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2007 : 21:25:37

Your gas stove at home produces significant amounts of CO--people die trying to heat their homes with their gas ovens. You just don't want to use that stove to heat the boat overnight. If you're cooking something for hours, crack the companionway lid. I used to prop the forward hatch up on its dog-down bolts and leave it that way to ventillate the cabin for weeks in all weather. A little air movement like that is a good idea.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2007 : 22:28:12

"die trying to heat their homes with their gas ovens"

Properly burning Propane or Butane gas produce negligable quantities of CO (Carbon Monoxide). What happens to get people in trouble is that without proper ventilation the Oxygen concentration available for the combustion process will start to drop. When the Oxygen concentration drops below a certain level the combustion process starts to produce significant quantities of CO. At that point you're in trouble.

This principle is used by 'indoor rated' propane heaters (and other appliances). They are typically equipped with a low-Oxygen sensor which shuts them off before they can start producing enough CO to be hazardous. Gas appliances installed in the home depend on proper ventilation, unobstructed flues (etc) to keep them operating safely.

Remember that burning charcoal produces CO all the time and should never ever be used in an enclosed area. (or even a semi-enclosed area for that matter) CO kills because it binds to red blood cells and prevents oxygen from being carried in the bloodstream. Even a fairly low concentration of CO will cause it to accumulate on the RBC's over time and get you in trouble. A group of hunters I knew became very ill from CO poisioning at a barbeque where several charcoal grills were cooking on a semi-enclosed porch that had a door open between it and dining area. Fortunately, nobody was killed in that incident even though several people ended up in the hospital.

It's a good idea to make yourself familiar with CO poisioning symptoms. Here's a link: www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/466.html

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2007 : 12:23:29

I've heard that if the propane is burning a blue flame then no CO, but if you see orange or yellow flame then CO is being produced due to poor combustion.

Any truth to this?

Edited by - on

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