18
Apr
Navigation Officer at ships helm
First Internet

What to do if you detect a gas leak on your boat

With some simple safety precautions like our Pilot Gas Alarm and especially our Pilot Gas Monitoring System, you don’t need to panic if you detect a gas leak on your boat.

In any event, it’s sensible to stay calm and deal with the situation as swiftly and smoothly as possible, and your first priority should be to shut off the gas supply if it is safe to do so.

A Pilot Gas Monitoring System can do this automatically when an alarm state is triggered, making it one of the fastest ways to ensure your safety if a leak occurs.

 

If a gas leak is detected

First make sure the alarm system isn’t still booting up, as it will test the audible alarm signal and LEDs for up to 30 seconds when initialising.

If the alarm state continues after 30 seconds:

  • Shut off the gas supply.
  • Open doors and hatches to ventilate the area.
  • Identify and remove any vapour.

Do not take any action that could ignite accumulated vapour – for example, using naked flames for illumination or electrical ignition systems and other switches that may spark.

 

If the alarm continues to sound

If you’re confident any gas vapours have fully dispersed yet the alarm will not stop, consult the troubleshooting guide.

Common causes of this can include loose wires that just need tightening inside the unit, and old LPG sensors that have not been replaced in over two years.

You may also be detecting certain other chemicals, including vapours from some cleaning products.

 

How to test an LPG gas alarm

Testing a Pilot Gas Alarm should be part of your regular maintenance routine and is easy to do.

Pressing the TEST button will immediately trigger an alarm state, which should shut off the gas supply solenoid valve, sound the audible alarm and light the alarm LEDs.

To test individual sensors, you can use a small amount of lighter fluid vapour close to them, which will trigger a ‘real’ alarm state under controlled conditions.

Remember LPG vapour is heavier than air, so replacement sensors should always be positioned low down but in a dry location for the most accurate performance.