Another CORGI gas question: bayonet connections

[rrh]

Sorry, this is probably an old chestnut, but googling the group doesn't give me the answer.

Once a CORGI person has connected up a gas cooker with the usual flexible hose into bayonet fitting, is it sensible for the average DIYer to occasionally disconnect it in order to move the cooker out - eg to fit new flooring - then push it back in and connect it up again? I know it's not illegal to do it for oneself but that's not my point; I don't feel competent to do any gas work whatsoever myself and don't want to do even this simple thing if there is a safety risk I might not be able to spot or fix.

On the other hand if this apparent no-brainer really is OK then I don't want to waste a hundred nicker (going rate here in sunny Norf London) on getting a CORGI bod in for a five minute job.

[Christian McArdle]

If you absolutely check that the bayonet fitting has totally cut the supply and there is no smell of gas afterwards, then you should be OK for short supervised periods when you are in the house, such as to do the job in question. When I got my tame CORGI (Hi John!) to connect my bayonet, I ensured that he installed an isolating lever valve at the same time to cover the outlet. Therefore, I can be somewhat more confident when removing the cooker, even for long periods when I might not be present. It is good for holidays, too, even when the cooker is connected. There can be no more "did I leave the cooker on" when you are 100 miles down the motorway when you can remember an unusual event such as turning off a lever valve, even if it does confuse the wife shortly after your return.

Christian.

[geoff]

In message , rrh writes

Well the bayonet fitting should cut off the gas when it's opened. To be sure, you could turn off the gas at the mains and then do it

At the end of the day, it's up to you as to whether you feel competent to do it. Nobody can make that decision for you

[Ed Sirett]

I beleive the intention of the bayonet connector it provide a means of disconnecting the supply for the user to remove the cooker temporarily for cleaning etc.

The analogy with electricity is the difference between _using_ a plug/socket and installing a socket.

I have been called in occasionally to disconnect cookers where the connector has become very stiff through disuse. Generally IME the bayonet connectors are quite reliable although I did find one that leaked a little. Evenso if the cooker is being 'permanently' disconnected then replacing the bayonet outlet with a plugged pipe is better.