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The photo below, which is a close-up view of the back side of a stainless steel gimballed stove that is fueled by LPG tells a story about something that not too many folks think of, but that needs to get shared as it could be a big problem if not attended too.
What you see in the photo is a heat shield / deflector that is installed on the back of most of the popular gimballed stove sets we see on modern boats. The unit is fueled by LPG that gets delivered to the stove via the rubber hose you see out of focus below the shield. The issue here is chafe and potential damage to the hose. I have checked quite a few of these over the years and one of the things I have found is that on some of the units the bottom edge of the shield has a razor sharp edge that can under the right circumstances cut into the hose if it has been cut too short and is pulled tight up against the shield. The hose is used of course to provide a flexible loop so that will allow the stove to articulate when the gimbal release is set and the boat is underway. Filing the sharpe edge off is not going to be easy since it is probably going to involve removing the stove to gain access. On the units I’m familiar with the shield is actually spot welded onto the back of the stove.
So, the answer here is to make sure the flex loop is long enough and is routed so that it stays clear of any sharp metal at all points as the gimbal allows the stove to swing in place.
Check yours out and be carefull! I’ve almost cut my fingertips several times checking the bottom edge of these shields. I don’t think I need to explain the significance of possibly having an LP gas leak in your boat’s cabin, so if you have an LP gas stove, check yours out next time you’re on board.
