Gas Bottles

[udon]

Jai Dee,

Thanks for the heads up on moving to Soi 39.

Do you know if Brad still owns the business?

[udon]

On the subject of gas bottles,

I would never have a gas bottle indoors.

Good ventilation is essential at all times.

How many of you have installed smoke alarms?

Edited February 16, 2005 by udon

[Boon Mee]

On the subject of gas bottles,

I would never have a gas bottle indoors.

Good ventilation is essential at all times.

How many of you have installed smoke alarms?

Not only am I going to install smoke alarms in all bedrooms & halls but I'd like to get a security system put in too.

My gas bottle is definitely going outside.

[Jai Dee]

Jai Dee,

Thanks for the heads up on moving to Soi 39.

Do you know if Brad still owns the business?

Yes, Brad still owns it udon.

Although he sold the Blue BBQ he also bought the bar across the road, redecorated it, and renamed it the Lookie Lookie Bar. (website here)

And tukyleith, that's one h*ll of a barby!!!

How much for something like that?

And... just to stay on topic... my gas cylinder is outside, under shade, with heaps of good ventilation.

[jayenram]

I have 3 phase power at my place in Chonburi which I presume is the 35/100 that you are talking about and we are paying 2.951 baht a unit excl VAT and 3.158 incl VAT direct from the electric company with no loading by 3rd parties.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I cannot understand why you would need a 3 phase supply. Have you got some serious electric motors?

Anyway, the electric supply is written on your meter. Normal household supply is 5/15, 15/45 or 30/100 single phase. There may be others but I've not seen them.

[jayenram]

How many of you have installed smoke alarms?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is a very good idea, Udon. Never really considered it before. I'll add a few to my shopping list.

Anyone know where I can get some? They'll need to be the ones that you can turn on and off for when the FG is cooking.

[pnustedt]

They'll need to be the ones that you can turn on and off for when the FG is cooking. 

No - my missus leaves it turned on and uses it as a timer to know when the toast is done!

[lopburi3]

Smoke Alarms - been down that road and now live without. With open windows and normal burning they have a habit of going off at the most inconvenient times and so often as to become useless. The remark about cooking is also true. Just too sensitive to lifestyle here where homes are set close together and air is full of smoke as a normal occurrence. I do not consider home fire a major hazard here. It would be different if lived in wood construction as most in US.

Home alarms - also removed. Chin Chuks set off those that use light beams as they walk across the lens cover. I know they have improved over the years but still consider local relationships and an occupied home the best defense; and barking dogs.

[Jai Dee]

Smoke Alarms - been down that road and now live without.  With open windows and normal burning they have a habit of going off at the most inconvenient times and so often as to become useless. 

What about battery operated smoke alarms in the bedrooms?

Or would they be unnecessary due to lack of combustable material?

[lopburi3]

Smoke Alarms - been down that road and now live without.  With open windows and normal burning they have a habit of going off at the most inconvenient times and so often as to become useless. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about battery operated smoke alarms in the bedrooms?

Or would they be unnecessary due to lack of combustable material?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The lack of combustible material is a major factor in my not demanding them - but the wife is adamant that never again wake up to that noise so not sure I would win in any case. But I would not advise against it - but consider it something like seat belts in the rear seat of a taxi - good idea but I don't use them.

[Digger]

I have 3 phase power at my place in Chonburi which I presume is the 35/100 that you are talking about and we are paying 2.951 baht a unit excl VAT and 3.158 incl VAT direct from the electric company with no loading by 3rd parties.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I cannot understand why you would need a 3 phase supply. Have you got some serious electric motors?

Anyway, the electric supply is written on your meter. Normal household supply is 5/15, 15/45 or 30/100 single phase. There may be others but I've not seen them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

9 air con, 4 * 12KW water heaters (all must be 3 phase), 200+ lights, 3 fridges, double electric oven, washing machine, tunmble dryer, dishwasher etc etc - but actually the reason I asked for 3 phase is it used to bug me every time someone turned an appliance on, the lights used to dip in my old place. Difference in cost was negligable and now everything can run at the same time with no problems, other than the meter spins so quickly it goes into orbit.....

Edited February 17, 2005 by Digger

[Digger]

Smoke Alarms - been down that road and now live without.  With open windows and normal burning they have a habit of going off at the most inconvenient times and so often as to become useless. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about battery operated smoke alarms in the bedrooms?

Or would they be unnecessary due to lack of combustable material?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dont you believe it - friend of mine had a house in Pattaya where they had somekind of electrical fault resulting in fire on his scanner - smoke damage throughout entire the entire house killed his dog under the bed 30m away on the other side of the house. Basically nothing burnt except the compueter equipment and desk it was on. Luckily nobody in the house at the time other than the poor pooch. If they had been in the house, fire alarm would have alerted them - they did in fact have one and it went off which is what alerted their neighbours but too late for the dog who died from smoke inhalation by the time they contacted them and broke into the house. I went and saw the house few days later and everything, I mean everthing had a thick black soot on it - but only structural damage was some rendering which had come of the wall behind the computer system.

[Jai Dee]

Dont you believe it - friend of mine had a house in Pattaya where they had somekind of electrical fault resulting in fire on his scanner - smoke damage throughout entire the entire house killed his dog under the bed 30m away on the other side of the house.  Basically nothing burnt except the compueter equipment and desk it was on. Luckily nobody in the house at the time other than the poor pooch.  If they had been in the house, fire alarm would have alerted them - they did in fact have one and it went off which is what alerted their neighbours but too late for the dog who died from smoke inhalation by the time they contacted them and broke into the house.    I went and saw the house few days later and everything, I mean everthing had a thick black soot on it - but only structural damage was some rendering which had come of the wall behind the computer system.

Good point Digger.

I'd forgotten about the combustable items like printers, scanners etc and electrical faults.

These battery operated alarms are fairly cheap back in Oz, are they (and the batteries - 9v I think) available here?

[lopburi3]

Home Pro has a fairly good selection of smoke alarms - usually in the area where door locks and such are sold.

[BaanOz]

Where do you keep yours?

The Gas bottle is outside and I have also fitted a gas-fuse. I paid the money and got one from Australia.

I have sadly seen the results of gas-bottles inside.

I have built a little enclosure to allow fumes out quickly and keep the sunlight off.

It takes one spark - Refirdgerator, toaster-oven, telephone, light switch to spark gas.

I also suggest having a vent in case the cook-top doesn't turn off the gas 100%, just something to allow the vapour to escape if the fan in the Range-hood is off.

As far as the right of the stove, great place to add a shelf and have rice and other thinks that take years to perish.

I just don't trust rusty gas-bottles ans sure one day I will get one......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi mattnich,

Can you tell me if the Australian gas-fuse fits straight onto the gas bottle please?

ie: are the fitting the same?

Cheers BO

[udon]

How many of you have installed smoke alarms?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is a very good idea, Udon. Never really considered it before. I'll add a few to my shopping list.

Anyone know where I can get some? They'll need to be the ones that you can turn on and off for when the FG is cooking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Jay

Did you ever get around to getting those samoke alarms?

[Khutan]

Hi mattnich,

Can you tell me if the Australian gas-fuse fits straight onto the gas bottle please?

ie: are the fitting the same?

Cheers BO

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No they aren't, I got a brass adaptor made thats quite cheap. I think it was like 300b to get the local shop to do an adaptor, its a right-hand Thread, I just can't remember the pipe size.

[ozzydom]

Where do you keep yours?

The Gas bottle is outside and I have also fitted a gas-fuse. I paid the money and got one from Australia.

I have sadly seen the results of gas-bottles inside.

I have built a little enclosure to allow fumes out quickly and keep the sunlight off.

It takes one spark - Refirdgerator, toaster-oven, telephone, light switch to spark gas.

I also suggest having a vent in case the cook-top doesn't turn off the gas 100%, just something to allow the vapour to escape if the fan in the Range-hood is off.

As far as the right of the stove, great place to add a shelf and have rice and other thinks that take years to perish.

I just don't trust rusty gas-bottles ans sure one day I will get one......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi mattnich,

Can you tell me if the Australian gas-fuse fits straight onto the gas bottle please?

ie: are the fitting the same?

Cheers BO

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All good tips from mattnich and as a qualified commercial gas fitter might I add a couple of things to consider.

Remember LPG is heavier than air and will always seep to the lowest point.

The thai bottle valve has a pop off pressure valve(red button about 5/16" diam) on the base of the valve,always face this away from combustables (ie your favorite isuzu) In extremely hot conditions these valves regularly pop open to relieve pressure in the bottle, you would probably not be aware of it operating unless it ignites,it is purely a safety device. If it ignites dont panic (unless the bottle is in the kitchen) just call your fire service and meantime play water via your garden hose on the bottle (not the flame)and as soon as the bottle cools a bit the valve will close and the flame extinguish

Remember many of the appliances available in Thailand do not have the safety features of those in western countries so treat them with safety your criteria and enjoy cooking with gas, its a great friend but a real nasty enemy.

ozzydom

[chownah]

A safety tip. If you think that you are in a place where gas in a room may ignite (you can smell it , say) or you must go into a room or corner of a room to turn off a gas appliance because you can smell gas there, you can use this simple technique to eliminate the most danagerous risk in a gas explosion. Most people who die in these small gas explosions do so because they inhale flame which destroys the lining of the lungs. If your lungs are empty by chance (you have just exhaled) and an explosion occurs, a natural reaction to this shock is to sharply inhale and you will inhale the flame possibly. On the other hand if you consciously take a deep breath and fill your lungs with air before proceeding and then there is an explosion a natural response is to sharply exhale which will keep flame out of your lungs and to a certain degree away from your face too. I have used gas industrially and I'm not proud to say that I have made mistakes and caused small gas explosions but I always used this technique and have only had singed face hair and no serious damage.

[bino]

The building I live in won't allow any gas appliances based on the safety aspect. The apartment where I lived in Singapore had the bottle under the counter, and although it was never a problem, it always gave me the creeps.

I'd recommend taking the advice offered by many- locate your tank outside, even if it means relocating your IPStar dish, just for the peace of mind. As ozzydom said; LPG is heavier than air and will always seep to the lowest point. If there was a leak it would be like having your entire floor covered with an invisible puddle / flood of highly volatile material.

I'm sure the chances of something happening with your tank while it is inside are in the order of being hit in the head by lightning or attacked by a shark. However, shark attacks and lightning strikes do happen, and can be minimized by not exposing yourself to the potential risk.

My 2 cents, for what it is worth......

[chownah]

I'm not trying to minimize the dangers of leaking gas but if your floor was covered with an explosive mixture of gas and air it would not really be invisible in that the room would smell so strong it would be obvious beyond belief that you had a gas leak. Unless you are seriously olfactorially impaired.

[bino]

if your floor was covered with an explosive mixture of gas and air it would not really be invisible in that the room would smell so strong

It would indeed be completely invisible. Do you see through your nose?

[udon]

Hi Ozzydom.

Thanks for yr input.

Are there any safety devices worth bringing from Aus that would fit a Thai gas bottle?

cheers

[ozzydom]

I'm not trying to minimize the dangers of leaking gas but if your floor was covered with an explosive mixture of gas and air it would not really be invisible in that the room would smell so strong it would be obvious beyond belief that you had a gas leak.  Unless you are seriously olfactorially impaired.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

chownah,if you ever seen a crater 2metres deep and 100m long which was once a 24inch stormwater drain pipe after it filled with gas and ignited you wont minimise the dangers.

Plus your wrong on the smell ,lpg being heavier than air the odour also is low down so unless you into sniffing floor tiles you may never know till BOOOOM.

Also lpg is odourless and what you smell is a safety additive and varies in quantities added, you may have noticed an after smell when using gas,this occurs when to much is added and the opposite can occur.

ozzydom

[ozzydom]

Hi Ozzydom.

Thanks for yr input.

Are there any safety devices worth bringing from Aus that would fit a Thai gas bottle?

cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi udon, there is a fuseable link available ,I think mattnich fitted one, but fittings are different here so a bit of fiddling would be required (mattnich can advise) but I prefer to use safe handling practises and treat the medium with respect.

Top cooking burners are not a problem as long as the gas is ignited when the supply knob is on, but ovens are the big danger as they require a thermo-couple device for safety and many ovens sold here do not have them. They can be fitted as an after-market item with a bit of skill.

I think its worth explaining what a thermo-couple is.....the principle is that two dis-similar metals when heated create an electrical vis magnetic current .An oven fitted with this device has a pilot burner in the oven and a button on the fascia beside the gas control knob,when you press the button it forces the two metal strips together over the pilot flame and current is produced which makes them sticktogether allowing the gas valve to open and light the oven burner.

if the pilot burner goes out for any reason the contact is lost and gas to the oven automatically shuts down. best safety device since seat belts

cheers ozzydom.

[bangsaen bob]

Outside on a small concrete pad. LPG or propane is extremely explosive. If there is a leak at the tank and it's inside there could be a massive explosion triggered by a light switch in the house or other ignition source.

[BaanOz]

Hi mattnich,

Can you tell me if the Australian gas-fuse fits straight onto the gas bottle please?

ie: are the fitting the same?

Cheers BO

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No they aren't, I got a brass adaptor made thats quite cheap. I think it was like 300b to get the local shop to do an adaptor, its a right-hand Thread, I just can't remember the pipe size.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Mattnich,

For anyone interested here is the "Gasefuse" that Mattnich is talking about:

http://www.gasfuse.com/

I'll get one at the local Bunnings and get adapters for the Thai gas bottle. It looks like it only comes in Oz style.

Also, I assume you would need an adapter for each end of the Gasefuse.

Cheers BO

Edited May 11, 2005 by BaanOz

[udon]

Great tip thanks http://www.gasfuse.com/

[chownah]

if your floor was covered with an explosive mixture of gas and air it would not really be invisible in that the room would smell so strong

It would indeed be completely invisible. Do you see through your nose?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

People who have taken psychedelic substances have said that they can see through their noses...but who nose?

[chownah]

Hi mattnich,

Can you tell me if the Australian gas-fuse fits straight onto the gas bottle please?

ie: are the fitting the same?

Cheers BO

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No they aren't, I got a brass adaptor made thats quite cheap. I think it was like 300b to get the local shop to do an adaptor, its a right-hand Thread, I just can't remember the pipe size.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Mattnich,

For anyone interested here is the "Gasefuse" that Mattnich is talking about:

http://www.gasfuse.com/

I'll get one at the local Bunnings and get adapters for the Thai gas bottle. It looks like it only comes in Oz style.

Also, I assume you would need an adapter for each end of the Gasefuse.

Cheers BO

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't know what was meant by "gasfuse" but thanks to your link now I know. You can buy gas regulators here in Thailand which automatically shut off in the same manner (I think). The one I bought is made in Thailand and the brand name is "Lucky Flame" It is Model L-3265S. The final "S" in the model designation stands for "safety". You don't need any adaptors. It goes on just like any other regulator.

Chownah