Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

[elkhunter338]

Does anyone have a gasoline detector for their bilge.
If so how well do they work, false alarms, do they actually sense gasoline vapors in the bilge.
I have a 21 foot 1986 boat, last summer had a fuel leak (new fuel pump, marine) was not put together correctly and fuel leaked at dock at startup check so caught the leak.
If the leak had occurred while under power traveling may have been some big problems.
I am considering installing a gasoline fumes detector but do not want to waste my money if they do not work.
Thanks

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

TAKE MY WIFE !!!!
She can smell gasoline a mile away. I even have to skirt gas stations that are refueling as the odor makes her sick.

No actual experience with the other detectors though.

Ed in 'ol Virginny

 

[Bondo]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

Does anyone have a gasoline detector for their bilge.

Ayuh,... The 1 I use is mounted about dead center of my Face,....

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

hmmm, if you can read through the sarcasm, I'm thinking the O-natural way will save you money and not loose any performance.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

I've got one on my boat. It is as old as boat is (86) but seems to be working.
It detects the engine exhaust fumes when idling in the dock, and I checked it with gasoline soaked cloth, it worked too. Never had false alarm, and never had a gasoline alarm either (nock on the wood).It has 3 lights - safe, danger, and explosive, and beeper.

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

Thanks aviator5 for a good response.
The rest of you wise guys where useless. I too use the old sniffer between the eye balls. A whole lot a good that one does when you are cruising at 25 mph for an hour if a gas leak starts after you are underway. Last I checked the wind blows away from the driver going forward and the engine is normally behind you.
For safety sake I am going to invest in the $130 for an gasoline detector.
What I was leary about was if these things work, don't work, or give false alarms.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

I've got one on my boat. It is as old as boat is (86) but seems to be working.
It detects the engine exhaust fumes when idling in the dock, and I checked it with gasoline soaked cloth, it worked too. Never had false alarm, and never had a gasoline alarm either (nock on the wood).It has 3 lights - safe, danger, and explosive, and beeper.

So when the beeper goes off it explodes? Sorry for the sarcasm I just couldn't resist.
I guess if had a bad sinus infection your sniffer wouldn't work.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

It beeps 3 times before explosion, to give me some time to put PFD on and bail out

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

Thanks for clarifying how that gas detector really works.
Is there anyway to slow the 3 beeps down to allow for a mayday call and radio gps coords to coastguard.
I will try and buy the one with no igniter after 3 beeps.

 

[joey maneri]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

I was thinking of puting one in my old silverton but..... after reading this just decided not to! I should be safe from any explosion if Im on the fly bridge, right?

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

Yep flying bridge is safe you can jump from the boat and clear the flames.
All joking aside these safety alarms I think are a good idea because fuel leaks can start anytime and with only running the blowers at startup you could still get fumes in your bilge anytime.
Even at the dock if this think is telling you gas fumes I would turn the blower on but not even start the boat until I found out what the problem is.
I am surprised I have not gotten more responses from people who have these detectors, maybe not that common ??? Sure looks like a must for every I/O gas boat.

 

[arks]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

Nice sarcasm in this thread, but to a novice it might sound like checking for fumes isn't all that important.
It is, BTW.
Obviously, the old 'sniff test' is cheapest and most reliable, but fume detectors have gotten much better in recent years IMO.
I put a Saf-T-Alert Fume detector on my boat 5 years ago. The original was there but no longer reliable.
So far no false alarms, and I test it regularly with a drop of gas on a rag. I don't depend on the 'test' button.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

In the dock it comes on after a few minutes of motor running and blower on.
Actually blower will suck the fumes into engine compartment and trigger the alarm. So sometimes it may be confusing.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

The rest of you wise guys where useless. I too use the old sniffer between the eye balls. A whole lot a good that one does when you are cruising at 25 mph for an hour if a gas leak starts after you are underway.

Ayuh,.... Proper preventive Maintanance,+ a Pre-trip inspection pretty much negate the need for blowing that couple hundred bucks, in My book...

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

TAKE MY WIFE !!!!

At least post pictures of her first.

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

Bondo and others
Preventative maintance is key and pretrip inspections are a must, but thing can still happen and they do between times when you are underway. That being the case I think it is a very good idea to install a fume detector after hearing these things work.
For example I go halibut fishing 20 miles from dock in the pacific ocean. If a fuel leak develops at any time I want to know about it asap. That alternator spinning around has arcing brushes and could spark an exposion with a bilge full of fumes.
This I hope is $130 I will never need, but if I need it it will be money well spent call it some extra insurance.
My normal routine is preventative maintance on all items. For example I replaced all my fuel lines when I bought the boat because they shows signs of age. New marine fuel pump since the old was old and looked like an automotive one.
Every morning before leaving dock I smell bilge, check oil/antifreeze levels, belt tension, general inspection of motor. Then I start engine and most of the time recheck for leaks, verify gas tanks are full, and let engine warm up to operation temp, switch batterys so I always have a spare fully charged battery.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

I agree with you 100%

 

[Bondo]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

That alternator spinning around has arcing brushes and could spark an exposion with a bilge full of fumes.

Ayuh,... Not arguing your point, I run well over 20 miles out in Lake Ontario....
If it makes You feel better,... Go for it...

As long as you're usually a Marine rated alternator, It's shielded....
So,... It's not really a Spark source...
Same for the Starter,...
Etc...

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

if I had more time on my hands, I would put sensors everywhere - engine oil level, engine oil moisture, outdrive oil moisture, metal chips in outdrive oil, etc.
and corresponding alarms.

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Any of you I/O guys with gasloline detector

I have the basics oil/temp gauges and warning alarm and warning light.
I am going to add the gasoline detector, seems like a good idea to me and appears they work the way they are suppose and that was the main reason for my thread on this topic.