Help with gas please

[Zoomzoom]

Ok so I have a dual gas / electric stove / oven. The top is gas and the oven is electric. I have, for a long time, consistently got 6 months use out of a 9 kg gas bottle. I moved house, and got a proper gas installation - bottle is outside with regulator in a cage and there is a copper pipe with flexible hose at each end connecting pipe to bottle and pipe to stove. I purchased a 19kg gas bottle 8 months ago expecting to get a year's use out of it based on previous consumption over the last 3 years. I didn't and this is a giant financial problem.

I am going to check for a leak, but it must be very slow because I can't smell any gas either inside or outside (I can get close to the joins outside), but I was wondering if the heat/cold outside might have had any effect on the gas as well. I'm in the Karoo, and although the bottle has brick on three sides, the side facing the sun is just mesh and the bottle is in the sun until mid-afternoon.

Also wondered if the move could have damaged something inside the stove (the movers were seriously careless with my stuff and everything was damaged to some degree), and how I could check that? The stove is a Bosch, no idea which model. It does all work although the pressure with a new bottle is not as fantastic I expect it to be, so that has made me wonder. I clean all the jets etc on the stove regularly so I don't think that is a problem.

Any thoughts, suggestions, input would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[KleinBoontjie]

My guess is the regulator needs replacing, but first test the pipe for leaks.

 

[bwana]

Using soapy water, check for leaks - start with the valve stem on the bottle, regulator, pipe joints. You'd most likely smell a leak if it was inside but check the hosing anyway.

 

[Zoomzoom]

My guess is the regulator needs replacing, but first test the pipe for leaks.

it was brand new a year ago .. but I guess anything is possible.

Using soapy water, check for leaks - start with the valve stem on the bottle, regulator, pipe joints. You'd most likely smell a leak if it was inside but check the hosing anyway.

I'm going to check it. Had a lot going on today so will do it tomorrow. The thing that is really confusing me is the lack of pressure on the new bottle. In my experience is that you have high pressure with a new bottle - almost can't use the stove on full - and as the pressure in the bottle decreases so does the pressure at the stove so you have warning when the gas is almost out. I had no warning the gas was almost out - and there has been no improvement / difference in pressure with the new bottle. This is a problem I haven't experienced before and don't really know where to start looking for the problem.

 

[Jehosefat]

I'm going to check it. Had a lot going on today so will do it tomorrow. The thing that is really confusing me is the lack of pressure on the new bottle. In my experience is that you have high pressure with a new bottle - almost can't use the stove on full - and as the pressure in the bottle decreases so does the pressure at the stove so you have warning when the gas is almost out. I had no warning the gas was almost out - and there has been no improvement / difference in pressure with the new bottle. This is a problem I haven't experienced before and don't really know where to start looking for the problem.

This suggests that your regulator is stuffed. Pressure should be the same from the time you open the bottle until it is damn near empty.

 

[longboy]

Regulator sound suspicious here.

 

[CamiKaze]

Keep in mind that the colder the environment, the more condensed the gas is and therefore, the more gas gets used.

I have a 19KG gas cylinder that is connected to a Gas Geyser.
The 19KGs lasts for 2 months during winter.
During Summer, it stretches from 6 - 7 months.

 

[The_Librarian]

Keep in mind that the colder the environment, the more condensed the gas is and therefore, the more gas gets used.

I have a 19kg cylinder that last but only 12 months during winter, but 6 - 7 months during summer. This is connected to a gas geyser.

HUH? Your last sentence doesn't make sense... :wtf:

 

[CamiKaze]

HUH? Your last sentence doesn't make sense... :wtf:

Fixed, typo and wasn't paying much attention.

 

[The_Librarian]

Fixed, typo and wasn't paying much attention.

Cool, thanks

My suggestion is to invest in a solar geyser. During summer it will cut your gas use out totally (except for the oven). During winter you can route your solar geyser through your gas geyser, which only need to heat up the water a little bit, cutting down on gas use.

Normally in winter the water is colder so you have to use more gas to heat it up to the same temperature as in summer (or even a bit higher). By having the solar geyser "preheat" the water, you now don't need to heat cold water (using less energy to achieve the same result).

 

[CamiKaze]

Cool, thanks

My suggestion is to invest in a solar geyser. During summer it will cut your gas use out totally (except for the oven). During winter you can route your solar geyser through your gas geyser, which only need to heat up the water a little bit, cutting down on gas use.

Normally in winter the water is colder so you have to use more gas to heat it up to the same temperature as in summer (or even a bit higher). By having the solar geyser "preheat" the water, you now don't need to heat cold water.

yeah no that is all part of my plan. I already have it figured out. Just replied to OP so that he can understand that the temperature around the cylinder plays a role as well.


As for my plan, I am planning to cover one portion of my roof with solar panels, and 1 solar geyser and some batteries. The solar geyser will feed into the gas geyser.
The rest of the power in the batteries will be used to power the lights and whatnot.

 

[Suspect99]

I suggest lots of fibre in your diet. and avoid coffee

 

[bwana]

yeah no that is all part of my plan. I already have it figured out. Just replied to OP so that he can understand that the temperature around the cylinder plays a role as well.

Isn't that why we have pressure regulators in place? To make sure it doesn't really play a role?

 

[reactor_sa]

Keep in mind that the colder the environment, the more condensed the gas is and therefore, the more gas gets used.

I have a 19KG gas cylinder that is connected to a Gas Geyser.
The 19KGs lasts for 2 months during winter.
During Summer, it stretches from 6 - 7 months.

Lol, the difference in ambient temp will have such a minor impact on gas density. It's just that the incoming water is farking cold in winter compared to summer. Ie. The energy required to heat water from 20C to 60C Vs heating water from 5C to 60C.

 

[Zoomzoom]

This suggests that your regulator is stuffed. Pressure should be the same from the time you open the bottle until it is damn near empty.

it now is, but didn't used to be. I preferred it with the difference because then I knew when it was about to run out and didn't have it do so in the middle of Sunday lunch (which is what happened on Sunday). I could see it getting lower and could watch the bottle, and the height of the flame and plan the replacement to get the max out without actually running out.


So basically consensus is - if there is no observable difference the regulator is working correctly?


I was wondering if the cold snap had any effect on the pressure in the tank and/or if the heat over summer did - but other answers seem to have put paid to that idea.

So I'm left with trying to track down a leak. Sigh.

 

[Spliffcat]

Get a scale and weigh your bottle when it's empty and again after it has been filled up. Methinks you were screwed on the fill up.

 

[CamiKaze]

Lol, the difference in ambient temp will have such a minor impact on gas density. It's just that the incoming water is farking cold in winter compared to summer. Ie. The energy required to heat water from 20C to 60C Vs heating water from 5C to 60C.

I agree with this but then please explain to me why when my cylinder was empty during winter, I had to connect the other cylinder, then when the weather was warm again, I connected the empty cylinder again and the gas lasted for 3 weeks?

 

[Zoomzoom]

I didn't find a leak but I did find a loose pipe. Didn't show any signs of leaking with soap, but very slight leaks apparently don't always show. I tightened the hose clamp and let's hope that was the problem.

Get a scale and weigh your bottle when it's empty and again after it has been filled up. Methinks you were screwed on the fill up.

I've thought that on many an occasion over the last few years. I think there has been a difference in how full 'full' is compared with how full 'full' used to be. But I can't prove it and unless the bottle is actually underweight, there is nothing you can say if they have stopped FILLING the bottle quite as much.

 

[bwana]

I didn't find a leak but I did find a loose pipe. Didn't show any signs of leaking with soap, but very slight leaks apparently don't always show. I tightened the hose clamp and let's hope that was the problem.




I've thought that on many an occasion over the last few years. I think there has been a difference in how full 'full' is compared with how full 'full' used to be. But I can't prove it and unless the bottle is actually underweight, there is nothing you can say if they have stopped FILLING the bottle quite as much.

The bottle weight is usually printed or stamped on the bottle. Just weigh it when you collect the "full" bottle and do the maths.