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Hi,
Our van’s coming along lovely (pics will be up as soon as I get a chance) and now it’s getting to the time when I need to get the gas things fitted. I’m fairly competent at this kind of stuff, but it would be good to know what regs I’ve got to keep to before I build it….
The gas safety people aren’t very keen on telling me as they say I should have it done by a pro. I can sort of see their point, but I fitted the gas at our old house, and I’ve done a little bit of aircon work before, which has higher safety standards. I think a simple rubber hose job isn’t too big a deal really!
Also, it’s pretty hard finding someone who is willing/able to sign off on this kind of work. Any of you Kernow people (Darren?) able to tell me who you used?
Thanks,
Dan
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Exactly what I was thinking.
Exactly what I was thinking. As KS says, check you insurance policy wording.
If it says your vehicle must have a valid gas safety certificate to be covered, then they might be exercising the small print to get out of paying.
If it doesn’t say as such, then ask them to clarify what they need it for.
insurance
Glad you both have answered in the same way – they are definitely trying to get out of paying! Thank you – will keep you updated
I think my first question
I think my first question would be what on earth has the gas certification certificate got to do with my van being stolen?
This is a very odd request and yes i agree with you, they are trying to get out of paying. Read the small print in your insurance very carefully and then go back to them and ask them why. Alternatively just tell them that you use a portable gas stove and that it doesn’t need one. Do they have any evidence that you have a fixed gas installation already?
Who is your insurance company too and please keep up updated as to your progress as i am not aware of any laws regarding this other than if your insurance company says that it is a requiremnt from the outset then you will need to provide it?
For example mine does not require a certificate for the gas but does for the bio-fuel conversion i have. But it certainly is not required by law.
KS
insurance
Many thanks for your advice – am double checking the small print before I respond and will keep you informed!
gas fitting certification
we had a T25 VW which we bought and restored and had loads of fun in. unfortunately it was stolen 4 months ago and we are still waiting for an insurance payout!
they are now asking for copies of the certification relating to the gas fitted to the vehicle – does anyone know exactly what the certificate is called that you receive when you have it checked? we fitted it ourselves and were unaware that you have to have it checked. is it a legal requirement? the insurance company have had us jumping through hoops, don`t think they really want to pay!
signing off gas work
There are few with the right ticket or understanding of regulations as it is a massive grey area.
However we can put you in the right direction if required
Matthew
MAL-VW Sales & Conversions
Truro
My insurance did not insist
My insurance did not insist on corgi registered fitting or on certification of my gas installation. I have checked it myself and as far as i am aware there is no law saying that you have to get this done for your own campervan. The golden rule is always tell your insurance company what you are planning to do.
KS
regarding gas in campervans
regarding gas in campervans and motorhomes is now becoming that you have to be registered similar to Corgi for houses to certificate them, and from information I have heard that gas installs are recommend to be checked and tested before they can be certificated to safe guard against yourself and prevent problems with insurance.
anybody have a photo of this
anybody have a photo of this connector that goes between the copper pipe and the orange rubber one…? Our converted van we just bought just has the rubber hose from the bottle going straight to the back of the cooker….after reading all this, me no likey anymore!
Hose attachment
I attached the rubber hose to the copper pipe with an adapter which was used on the donor caravan. The adapter is just a nozzle with the hose clamped on with a jubilee clip.
I think I’ll partition off my gas bottle and put a floor vent in for peace of mind then.
15kg does sound quite big,
15kg does sound quite big, but i would use as large as you can fit in.
The only length of flexible hose i have is the one that attaches straight onto the bottle and this is contained within the sealed box and there is no alternative to it, it comes with the bottle and is industry standard.
Many people utilise camping cookers for their campervan conversions. These types of cookers with the attachments are designed for use outside where if you do get a leak in the rubber hose it is not an issue as it blows away. Inside a van a leak is an altogether different issue and it does happen. The heat from the cooker itself can melt that hose. Yes you can be careful but if your van goes up in smoke becasue of a rubber hose i suspect you won’t get an insurance payout.
Yes you can keep an eye on the hose but your post intially was asking about safety certificates and regulations and what you have to do to comply, we are just giving you that infomation and rubber hose does not comply.
I am not 100% sure as to why a metal or metal lined box is required, but i went for the metal lined box, see photo.
At the end of the day its your van so do what you think is suitable.
Oh and the bottle is a 6kg one and is plenty for me but i only use it for cooking.
KS
The people I’ve spoken to so
The people I’ve spoken to so far say that it needs to be sealed off from the rest of the van and vented to outside to comply with regulations. As to whether it’s dodgy like that, I’m not sure. They’re not likely to get gassed as the gas is heavier than air, but if there is a fire they won’t do so well I guess….
Out of interest, how is the rubber hose attached to the copper pipes? I can’t figure that bit out!
Also, anyone know if a 15 kilo butane gas bottle is too big?
sealed?
In my van I have copied the setup which was in my old VW. That is the gas bottle was in a cupboard and was connected to the appliences via a gas regulator, a short length of rubber hose then copper pipes. Each appliance has an isolator.
The cupboard is vented to the outside but its not sealed. In fact its under one of the beds. Is this dodgy do you reckon?
rubber hose
OK. I thought rubber hose would be a good idea as it’s flexible and unlikely to create leaks when jiggled around – especially if using loads of ptfe tape! Also the regulator and camping cooker I am planning to use both have connectors for rubber hose on them. As long as I keep an eye on the hose for any signs of perishing I can’t really see the problem with this. However, if there are genuine reasons I want to hear them.
I am already planning on making a sealed box for the gas bottle with vents to the outside, although not a metal one. Again, I would mind helpful explanations of why this is wrong.
I’d really appreciate any links to a howto or something. So far my googling hasn’t come up with anything remotely useful!
Hi Dan,
The gas in your
Hi Dan,
The gas in your campervan does not need to be fitted by a pro, you can do it yourself, but if you think that a simple rubber hose job is sufficent then perhaps you should get a pro to do it.
I would strongly advise that you use copper pipes and that you have a sealed, vented to outside and either metal or metel lined box for the gas locker. A regulator and another valve in the low pressure side.
Any garage is should be able to look at your installation, see if they think it is ok and sign it off. I would be surprised if they would sign off a set-up with rubber hoses.
KS