Hi For people who do not know how to check for gas leaks the best way is with a small spray bottle filled with water and a bit of washing up detergent if there is a leak it will produce larger bubbles do this at least twice to double check. If there is a leak turn off at cylinder and rectify leak by either clean fitting or tighten fittings. Turn on gas again and recheck if gas smell is still presant check all pipe & regulators using soapy water until leak is found. All cylinders and fitting should be checked this way after travelling or cylinder change due to vibration. Sad to hear of this thing happening. Safe travelling Regards,
Have to get a refill, or change over gas bottle on the van, and will make sure I double check all gas lines etc., when I reconnect it - need to get grandson to remove bottle from van, I can't lift, even empty.
How sad to have this happen - thank goodness there were caring people around to check on the elederly couple, even though the results weren't good.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
I have always had a concern for gas bottles fitted in the front boot of vans. I am sure they are safe, otherwise they would not be able to build the vans with this design. It just plays on my mind.
Terry
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Chris & Terry
3.2lt 4 x 4 Mazda BT 50, single cab chas with full alloy canopy
How do you change over or refill when travelling Jules, if you can't lift it. Mines only a 4 litre so I suppose that makes it easier but runs out faster.
Me neither Sheba, but now that I have gas am getting used to it. I am very careful and consious of it all the time, quite often only turning it on to boil some water and turning it straight off again.
I read somewhere else that one reason might have been the kettle boiling dry the night before, and the gas then using up all of the Oxygen in the Van, resulting in both deaths.
It might not be right, but that's one theory at the moment. Autopsy will give the answer.
Cheers,
Sheba.
-- Edited by Sheba on Thursday 11th of August 2011 07:06:54 PM
Marj - John always handled that sort of thing - and with 9kg, takes quite a while to use it. It is mounted on the front of the van - and I very rarely use the gas stove inside - boil kettle, toast etc. Have bought one of those butane canister stoves - have Cobb Cooker, small gas bottle and single burner (which I probably won't take with me this trip) which we used for bbq plate - so really only the fridge on gas, and will get connections checked before I leave.
What a tragedy if what Sheba says is the case -
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Just bear in mind that gas is heavier than air, so if the bottle is in a boot, don't block any holes in the boot floor. Also, in the van don't block lower door vents or any other vents because it is "cold", otherwise you might not wake up.
Always try to turn off the tap on the bottle when possible when not in use rather than just at the applicance, particularly at night.....
And as Dave says on his post.....
-- Edited by Vic on Thursday 11th of August 2011 08:15:25 PM
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Vic
Hi Ace Pop Top Campervan & A'Van A'Lite Camper Trailer.....
Khalil Gibran says "We tarry forward - not backward".
Spread the laughter Share the cheer Let's be happy While we're here.
I have always had a concern for gas bottles fitted in the front boot of vans. I am sure they are safe, otherwise they would not be able to build the vans with this design. It just plays on my mind.
Terry
This is always a concern to me as well. My 9kg bottles are on the A frame. I have a cast gas cooker out under the awning and never cook in the van. If it's a quick cook I use the butane cooker. The vents at the bottom of the van door are the gas outlet if there's a leak in the van. Never, I repeat NEVER tape them shut or cover them to keep the dust or water out. It's suicide! The rear door vans are very susceptible to the dirt and water spraying in from the wheels, but dying isn't worth taping the vents shut.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Very sad to hear this story. As we live close to Pilliga and spent time recently at the Bore it came as a shock to hear news such as this. Please all fellow campers check your gear over and over and prevent any accidents. God rest these two people's souls.
Hi For people who do not know how to check for gas leaks the best way is with a small spray bottle filled with water and a bit of washing up detergent if there is a leak it will produce larger bubbles do this at least twice to double check. If there is a leak turn off at cylinder and rectify leak by either clean fitting or tighten fittings. Turn on gas again and recheck if gas smell is still presant check all pipe & regulators using soapy water until leak is found. All cylinders and fitting should be checked this way after travelling or cylinder change due to vibration. Sad to hear of this thing happening. Safe travelling Regards,
This above is a recognised way of testing gas lines for leaks.
However there are connections under the cooktop and behind the gas fridge that are not usualy accesible unless the unit is pulled out.
Do a search and Type in "Simple Gas Test" there are some other posts on this.
-- Edited by elliemike on Friday 12th of August 2011 10:21:00 PM
Yes , While in Townsvillie at the CP. Saw a guy openering up his van windows ect. Later found out that the o ring in the regulator had let gas out ,and the bottles were in the front boot. It filled his van with gas.Lucky he never had a gas fridge going.. It was a Jayco expander.. Both he and his wife worked so they didnt find out till home that night. Could have been dif.had it leaked at night...
JB thats a good idea...
I just fitted a CO gas alarm...
Bob n Bev
-- Edited by BobnBev on Friday 12th of August 2011 11:32:13 AM
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Land Rover Discovery Chipped TD5 Manual ,Air Springs, Anti Sway. T.C. Auto level. Van, Roadstar 21.6 Voyager 4000 all sola powered.
Haven't used my internal gas appliances so the bottle on the A frame is turned off all the time. Like other have a portable Bu stove just incase we need gas cooking option A floor mounted or a low mount gas detector is a good idea as are smoke detectors on the ceiling
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
I notice a lot on here only use the gas, turn it on and turn it straight off after. Obviously they are not needing it to power their fridge. So how are you doing this. I understand while travelling you would have it on 12v as I do. But what do you do when parked and not in a powered site.
So when you have stopped along the way Sheba and no 240 v you just leave the fridge off do you? I know a few times in my last trip I did the same, found it easier than popping out and back to turn the gas on and off just for an over night stop. But you do have to remember to take it off 12 v while stopped. As long as you are not stopped too long and don't open the fridge too often you can get through a night.
Different campervans are set up a few different ways. Yours sounds like it has a 12/240V & Gas Fridge (3 way fridge). My previous Mazda campervan was like that.
Mine was basically that while travelling you had the gas bottle turned off and the fridge switched to 12V, this meant that while I was driving the vehicle was running the fridge on 12V, however when I stopped so did the fridge, so if I was stopping for any length of time (short cuppa stop should be ok) I needed to put the gas on if 240V not available while stopped for awhile, but making sure it was turned off at the bottle before departing. If in a caravan park or friends place etc with 240V power available plug in 240V.
There should be a switch on your fridge front panel too, switch to 12V while travelling, turn to gas if using gas, and 240V (AC) if on power. You need it to be switched to 12V if you want your fridge to run the fridge while moving. Can leave it on 12V if stopped for short periods and not changing over to gas (switch and gas bottle turned on, make sure both turned off before moving off again and switch turned over to 12V). Mine did not have an Auxillary (inside camper battery, usually under bed) so the fridge would not run on 12V when stopped. Remember this is for the set up I had on my Mazda campervan and may not be the same as yours.
In my current campervan, my fridge is 12V/240V (2 way fridge) only, no gas, and has an Auxillary battery and battery charger under a bed. This means that when I am driving the vehicle will run the fridge and charge the Auxillary, and when stopped the Auxillary battery will continue to run the fridge on 12V, can be good for up to 3 days stopping without recharging until on the move again or if on 240V this will charge it up and swaps from 12V to 240V automatically. This set up is different to yours.
However, if yours has also been fitted with an Auxillary battery and charger, then this may run your fridge on 12V too when stopped, but you need to check and see what set up yours has. If anyone has a similar model to yours and the same equipment as yours then they might like to clarify this a bit. Sorry if this all sounds a bit confusing, best to check and tell us exactly what you have in your campervan, especially if it has an extra (auxillary) battery and charger.
Others have fitted solar panels and different set ups again.
-- Edited by Vic on Sunday 14th of August 2011 01:36:36 PM
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Vic
Hi Ace Pop Top Campervan & A'Van A'Lite Camper Trailer.....
Khalil Gibran says "We tarry forward - not backward".
Spread the laughter Share the cheer Let's be happy While we're here.
