[chrisyg]

Just to chuck something else into the mix of this post:

I've a caravan that uses gas and a liesure battery and both of them are stored in the 'gas locker' at the front of the caravan.

But I know that later models of the same caravan have separate compartments for the gas and battery, because there's a posibility of gas escaping from the bottle and a spark from the battery; that's obviously not a safe combination!

Hence the seperate compartments.

Now that is actually something worth thinking about. Nice post and worth reading, and looking into other methods and controlling a risk. Obviously it would need to be a gas tight compartment. So best to use a gas container like they do on boats etc.

Oh and have you moved that battery? If not, why not? 

[NWH]

HHiiiiiiisssssssss booooooommmm. :

[David Slater]

You use gas at home as do many many other people,normally it`s stored outside with pipeing coming through the outside wall for cooking.You don`t store the gas inside the home do you,usually 2 large gas bottles will last a year and is safe because it`s as i say stored outside unlike your van.

And where are you while the gas is 'working' inside the vehicle?

And what do you do when you get back inside the vehicle - shut it off perhaps?

As I was told when I rang HSE - our systems probably come closer to a bitumen vehicle which needs to keep its load heated at all times (whether the vehicle is moving or stationary)....but we dont need to have the system working while the vehicle is moving do we?...because its an 'on demand' system.

You really need to stand back and THINK about this a little bit more....and possibly talk to some people who have more expetrise such as the HSE, DoT and VCA.


Gas CAN be controlled safely with some basic measures. If you think can offload your responsibilities because you "bought a system" I'd seriously think again.

As far as carrying a gas bottle being 'dangerous' I think that one has been well and truly shot out of the water - motorhomes, caravans, burger vans, bitumen vehicles, plumbers etc etc etc..

Burger vans-caravans and the like have them disconnected when travelling do you lol,just get yourself a proper heater for goodness sake.

sigh..... :

You really havent thought this through very well have you NWH?

You turn the gas OFF between jobs. It doesnt need to be 'ON' between jobs as its an 'on demand' system. Between jobs, you are basically carrying a bottle of gas which has been isolated - just like a burger van, plumber etc etc etc

If you cant figure out how to control the hazards, then its probably a good idea you bought a system.

Tosh,

An excellent point!!  

Fully covered and explained in MAJOR DETAIL on (ahem!) another forum....I think some guys will know what I'm talking about  

[NWH]

You use gas at home as do many many other people,normally it`s stored outside with pipeing coming through the outside wall for cooking.You don`t store the gas inside the home do you,usually 2 large gas bottles will last a year and is safe because it`s as i say stored outside unlike your van.

And where are you while the gas is 'working' inside the vehicle?

And what do you do when you get back inside the vehicle - shut it off perhaps?

As I was told when I rang HSE - our systems probably come closer to a bitumen vehicle which needs to keep its load heated at all times (whether the vehicle is moving or stationary)....but we dont need to have the system working while the vehicle is moving do we?...because its an 'on demand' system.

You really need to stand back and THINK about this a little bit more....and possibly talk to some people who have more expetrise such as the HSE, DoT and VCA.


Gas CAN be controlled safely with some basic measures. If you think can offload your responsibilities because you "bought a system" I'd seriously think again.

As far as carrying a gas bottle being 'dangerous' I think that one has been well and truly shot out of the water - motorhomes, caravans, burger vans, bitumen vehicles, plumbers etc etc etc..

Burger vans-caravans and the like have them disconnected when travelling do you lol,just get yourself a proper heater for goodness sake.

sigh..... :

You really havent thought this through very well have you NWH?

You turn the gas OFF between jobs. It doesnt need to be 'ON' between jobs as its an 'on demand' system. Between jobs, you are basically carrying a bottle of gas which has been isolated - just like a burger van, plumber etc etc etc

If you cant figure out how to control the hazards, then its probably a good idea you bought a system.

Tosh,

An excellent point!!  

Fully covered and explained in MAJOR DETAIL on (ahem!) another forum....I think some guys will know what I'm talking about  

Think it through a british gas engineer and a fireman where enough to convince me thank`s.

[David Slater]

HHiiiiiiisssssssss booooooommmm. :

Hiiisssss...drop vent removes gas.

Hiiissssss...supply isolated. No naked flame. I suggest you read up on 'Fire Triangle'

Hiiisss...heater isloted from gas cylinder by way of heat screen.

Hisssss...approved gas bottle and fittings dont allow return of gas back to tank (non return valve).

So wheres the boom?

[David Slater]

You use gas at home as do many many other people,normally it`s stored outside with pipeing coming through the outside wall for cooking.You don`t store the gas inside the home do you,usually 2 large gas bottles will last a year and is safe because it`s as i say stored outside unlike your van.

And where are you while the gas is 'working' inside the vehicle?

And what do you do when you get back inside the vehicle - shut it off perhaps?

As I was told when I rang HSE - our systems probably come closer to a bitumen vehicle which needs to keep its load heated at all times (whether the vehicle is moving or stationary)....but we dont need to have the system working while the vehicle is moving do we?...because its an 'on demand' system.

You really need to stand back and THINK about this a little bit more....and possibly talk to some people who have more expetrise such as the HSE, DoT and VCA.


Gas CAN be controlled safely with some basic measures. If you think can offload your responsibilities because you "bought a system" I'd seriously think again.

As far as carrying a gas bottle being 'dangerous' I think that one has been well and truly shot out of the water - motorhomes, caravans, burger vans, bitumen vehicles, plumbers etc etc etc..

Burger vans-caravans and the like have them disconnected when travelling do you lol,just get yourself a proper heater for goodness sake.

sigh..... :

You really havent thought this through very well have you NWH?

You turn the gas OFF between jobs. It doesnt need to be 'ON' between jobs as its an 'on demand' system. Between jobs, you are basically carrying a bottle of gas which has been isolated - just like a burger van, plumber etc etc etc

If you cant figure out how to control the hazards, then its probably a good idea you bought a system.

Tosh,

An excellent point!!  

Fully covered and explained in MAJOR DETAIL on (ahem!) another forum....I think some guys will know what I'm talking about  

Think it through a british gas engineer and a fireman where enough to convince me thank`s.

 

The day a couple of blokes 'down the pub' have more sway than the HSE, DoT and VCA I'll eat my hat.

I'm sure the fireman will tell you, you have more chance of killing yourself and your family with a chip pan....does that mean we should throw our chip pans away or maybe that carelessness and not understanding the hazards associated with chip pans was the problem?

Did he understand how the installation was installed?...if he did, you were obviously fitting it incorrectly or without due consideration of the risks/hazarads posed?

[chrisyg]

David is the flame in the heater isolated? The air vents that cause it to blow out shows its not contained, or is it? Obviously i think the gas box is a great way to go. I'll have to look further into that.

[NWH]

If it catches fire just chuck a damp towel over it lol.

[NWH]

David is the flame in the heater isolated? The air vents that cause it to blow out shows its not contained, or is it? Obviously i think the gas box is a great way to go. I'll have to look further into that.

If you contain it it will ventilation,if your gonna bother going that far you may aswell get a proper 1.

[Tosh]

HHiiiiiiisssssssss booooooommmm. :

Hiiisssss...drop vent removes gas.

Hiiissssss...supply isolated. No naked flame. I suggest you read up on 'Fire Triangle'

Hiiisss...heater isloted from gas cylinder by way of heat screen.

Hisssss...approved gas bottle and fittings dont allow return of gas back to tank (non return valve).

So wheres the boom?

It's surprising how many issues from window cleaning also affect people with (cara)vans!  Honest.  Pumps, liesure batteries, gas bottles, weight issues... and probably other stuff.

But I agree with David, there's no problems with carrying a gas bottle as long as it's secured properly and turned off when you're travelling.  

I would keep the van ventilated and the battery away from the bottle though (belts and braces), but in my (cara)van, I keep them together; I don't think there's much of a risk and I've never had any explosions.

[chrisyg]

David is the flame in the heater isolated? The air vents that cause it to blow out shows its not contained, or is it? Obviously i think the gas box is a great way to go. I'll have to look further into that.

If you contain it it will ventilation,if your gonna bother going that far you may aswell get a proper 1.

well i dont have 3k to spend but i can find £200 for a isolation box - horses for courses.

Once i get the new van, then i will prob have a professional hot system fitted then.

[David Slater]

David is the flame in the heater isolated? The air vents that cause it to blow out shows its not contained, or is it? Obviously i think the gas box is a great way to go. I'll have to look further into that.

Yes.

If you look at those pictures of my set-up you'll see the heater is separated from the gas bottle by way of a solid stainless steel panel (heater is by side door, gas bottle is in the rear).

If the pilot light goes out, the gas automatically stops flowing to the heater. You will have a tiny amount of gas escaping from the pilot light but you're drop vent and ventilation (no van is air tight!) will remove this tiny build up with ease.

If the pilot light goes out, you have just removed the source of ignition - gas cannot ignite without a the flame - 'Fire Triangle'

If you are isolating the gas supply between each job (turning the gas off at the bottle) and you're doing your Daily Visual Inspections and User Checks you would notice if the gas bottle itself was leaking gas before turning the system on.


These Daily Checks and User Checks apply to ANY system and not just gas systems...but I'm sure we all know that  

 

[chrisyg]

Im not really able to seperate them that well, so i think a £200-£250 marine box would be ideal!

you got other forum pm David, just cos you cant pm on this forum. 

[David Slater]

OK...I'll go and check 

[NWH]

David is the flame in the heater isolated? The air vents that cause it to blow out shows its not contained, or is it? Obviously i think the gas box is a great way to go. I'll have to look further into that.

Yes.

If you look at those pictures of my set-up you'll see the heater is separated from the gas bottle by way of a solid stainless steel panel (heater is by side door, gas bottle is in the rear).

If the pilot light goes out, the gas automatically stops flowing to the heater. You will have a tiny amount of gas escaping from the pilot light but you're drop vent and ventilation (no van is air tight!) will remove this tiny build up with ease.

If the pilot light goes out, you have just removed the source of ignition - gas cannot ignite without a the flame - 'Fire Triangle'

If you are isolating the gas supply between each job (turning the gas off at the bottle) and you're doing your Daily Visual Inspections and User Checks you would notice if the gas bottle itself was leaking gas before turning the system on.


These Daily Checks and User Checks apply to ANY system and not just gas systems...but I'm sure we all know that  

 

let us have a look at the pictures then.

[Nathanael Jones]

Here's what you're looking for, £200 for the unit that takes a 13kg bottle:

http://www.gaslow.co.uk/pages/marine.htm

[chrisyg]

Here's what you're looking for, £200 for the unit that takes a 13kg bottle:

http://www.gaslow.co.uk/pages/marine.htm

thanks nath, i got the idea from the other forum it posted there on the main regs thread. found my size gas container 6Kg for £170 cheapest so far - not sure if that included P&P.

[David Slater]

Here's what you're looking for, £200 for the unit that takes a 13kg bottle:

http://www.gaslow.co.uk/pages/marine.htm

"Our Marine regulators have been designed to meet the new EN 12864 - Annex M standard for marine use and are produced in either Stainless Steel or Zinc Alloy which have been specially coated inside and out to protect them from the harsh salt air environment."

I'm pretty sure these units are needed on boats due to the corrosive nature of sea water on the bottle and not to contain an explosion...if you get my drift.

Could be a real issue for guys that live by the coast I suppose?


NWH,

My pics have been up for a month or so now  

[chrisyg]

"Only Gaslow lockers have a gas and watertight lid which completely seals with a simple handle turn."

If you check it has a drop vent so any leakage will disperse through that vent which can be directed right outside the van, and taken away by the wind, if there is any.

I presume thats safer than just having a few holes drilled in your van floor doing the same job. But at least any spark from a battery wouldn't have much chance of ignition, as any leakage will be outside the van rather than inside to start with.

[NWH]

Here's what you're looking for, £200 for the unit that takes a 13kg bottle:

http://www.gaslow.co.uk/pages/marine.htm

"Our Marine regulators have been designed to meet the new EN 12864 - Annex M standard for marine use and are produced in either Stainless Steel or Zinc Alloy which have been specially coated inside and out to protect them from the harsh salt air environment."

I'm pretty sure these units are needed on boats due to the corrosive nature of sea water on the bottle and not to contain an explosion...if you get my drift.

Could be a real issue for guys that live by the coast I suppose?


NWH,

My pics have been up for a month or so now  

Where are the pics then.