Gas On While Driving (1 Viewer)

[Chockswahay]

I think the Truma safety device is good (I don't have one as it happens) but I wonder if it can lead to a false feeling of security.

The safety valve will ONLY cut off supply down stream of the device. If you have an accident in which the gas cylinders separate from the valve then gas will escape!

The safest place to have these valves is directly on top of each cylinder.

Having said all this, it can not be a bad thing to have one...... but how much safer is it really?

At the end of the day the safest way is to turn off the gas at the cylinder valve before driving. How many of us really do that?

 

[irnbru]

I must go and have a look to see if Ihave one fitted or not.

 

[magicsurfbus]

On ours you have to select 12v/230v/Gas on the front of the fridge, so there's no way it's going to switch itself to 12v and switch the gas off when the engine's on.

If you remove the lower vent grille you can see the exposed flame burning when it's on gas, and it's easy to blow it out, so if the gas is on when driving it's bound to be repeatedly reigniting, which means you're adding a spark to the mix as well, and wearing out your gas ignition.

Consequently I always turn the gas off when driving, and when crossing the channel. I also turn the gas off at the cylinder valve. You wouldn't light a candle when pulled up next to a petrol pump so why do the same with your fridge?

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[Chockswahay]

I always turn the gas off when driving, and when crossing the channel. I also turn the gas off at the cylinder valve.

That's the problem, I wish I could say I do too (I do intend to)

 

[irnbru]

So no green knob so looks like I dont have one.
Where should I put it or do I need to buy two?

 

[s20hymer]

hya some times the wind on site will blow faster than you can travel but fridge stays on ???

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[scotjimland]

So no green knob so looks like I dont have one.
Where should I put it or do I need to buy two?

The Truma crash sensing regulator replaces your existing bulkhead regulator (silver thingy on wall)

there are two models.. one for a single bottle .. and one for twin bottles which has auto changeover..

You could fit the single if you don't need or want auto changeover..

Link Removed

 

[Chockswahay]

http://www.cnfoutdoors.co.uk/truma-...m_xy0PRmGpbYRv6MlgVCv1sBsn8LziTEPQaAgRk8P8HAQ

 

[Chockswahay]

hya some times the wind on site will blow faster than you can travel but fridge stays on ???

Not in my experience. A real blast of wind against the fridge side of the van has blown it out a few times now

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[irnbru]

Nearly fell off my chair looking at that price. @chockswahay . Will stick to buying the one with the link around £14
Thx though.

 

[Chockswahay]

Nearly fell off my chair looking at that price. @chockswahay . Will stick to buying the one with the link around £14
Thx though.

Haha I do agree! Just looked at the link and it looks good......... you will need two tho

 

[rb62]

Makes far more sense to have them directly on the bottle.
Don't forget your hard hat when your fitting them!

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[irnbru]

Don't forget your hard hat when your fitting them!

Haha already had a clout on the head this morning. I will learn one day lol

 

[Jaws]

Nearly fell off my chair looking at that price. @chockswahay . Will stick to buying the one with the link around £14
Thx though.

It gets worse !! I have had two of them and both have failed after a couple of years.. The filter in the inlet is far too fine and clogs up

 

[iandsm]

I think the Truma safety device is good (I don't have one as it happens) but I wonder if it can lead to a false feeling of security.

The safety valve will ONLY cut off supply down stream of the device. If you have an accident in which the gas cylinders separate from the valve then gas will escape!

The safest place to have these valves is directly on top of each cylinder.

Having said all this, it can not be a bad thing to have one...... but how much safer is it really?

At the end of the day the safest way is to turn off the gas at the cylinder valve before driving. How many of us really do that?

Thats where the first stage of the secumotion system is. The small green button immediately the hose connects to the bottle, these shut off in the event of loss of pressure in the system. The second stage is the button on the regulator itself.

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[irnbru]

It gets worse !! I have had two of them and both have failed after a couple of years.. The filter in the inlet is far too fine and clogs up

Now how am I meant to "Like" that post

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Risk management ? Turned the tap OFF at the distribution switches, for the BBQ point that is located at the rear n/side of the van in case of side swipe or "Driver error ? LOL" Reading this,the rest of the system is charged/full/live ooops. Our first van had an electric switch just by the side door,that would switch the gas off at the tank,very easy to do,think i will have to price this up.
To get to the underslung tank,means laying flat out alongside,taking off a metal cover and shutting the valve.......... Sometimes in the rain,now where can i get a switch from....LOL.
Will go back to,"Gas all off" while travelling,when switch fitted,result.
Tea Bag

 

[Forestboy]

Always travel with gas on. Use fridge on gas while travelling and in winter have heating on as well.
All our RVs were just gas or mains so no choice and use the Hymer the same way. Do turn the fridge off when fueling but back on soon as we leave garage.

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[daveandsan]

Can't believe what I am reading on here, how long does it take to turn a gas bottle off ?
Its a no brainer as far as I am concerned, maybe having been on a few fire marshal courses I have been brainwashed.

 

[Jaws]

I gather all those who turn off gas drive flintstone cars or horse and carts ?

Impacted diesel and petrol is fairly flammable in my experience...

 

[knokinonabit]

Daft question time.

I have a British built MH, an AutoTrail, which switches off the habitation systems when the engine is started.
The fridge is an AES type and reverts to 12 volts, I believe from the engine battery, and nothing else in the habitation side should be working as all the controls turn off.
Am I correct in thinking that those that can keep the fridge on gas, and run the gas heating, have continental built MHs or have modified their Brit built ones to operate the habition side whilst on the move ?
Am I wrong in my assumption that it is not possible in a Brit built MH ?
I must admit that I turn the gas off at the bottles and have never actually tried to run the heating, or anything else, when moving.

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[iandsm]

Can't believe what I am reading on here, how long does it take to turn a gas bottle off ?
Its a no brainer as far as I am concerned, maybe having been on a few fire marshal courses I have been brainwashed.

I doubt a company like Truma would design and advertise a product like Secumotion, or that the majority of continental motorhome manufacturers would fit it it wasn't proved safe. Especially given the fallout if it did prove not to be so. Perhaps the instructors on your courses hadn't heard of it.

 

[vwalan]

the bottle top cut off valves in my view are the safeest.
as for fridges many are just working on gas . not 12v or 240v . even if you have the very latest it doesnt turn the gas off at the bottle . should the pipe break away from the connection on bottle or a pipe up the line fracture gas would come out
to me even the secumotion isnt as good as the bottle top valve .
there isnt as far as i know any ruling or law that says uk vans or any country vans must have a shut off valve.
modern so called safety does seem to blind many of whats really happening .

 

[Cobweb]

We left ours on by accident once when crossing the Pont du Normandie in a near gale and driving rain resulting in horrible smell of gas . It took ages to get the fridge working again on gas so now we double check that it is turned off every time when setting off .

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[daveandsan]

I doubt a company like Truma would design and advertise a product like Secumotion, or that the majority of continental motorhome manufacturers would fit it it wasn't proved safe. Especially given the fallout if it did prove not to be so. Perhaps the instructors on your courses hadn't heard of it.

Not everyone has Secumotion.

 

[robnchris]

Daft question time.

I have a British built MH, an AutoTrail, which switches off the habitation systems when the engine is started.
The fridge is an AES type and reverts to 12 volts, I believe from the engine battery, and nothing else in the habitation side should be working as all the controls turn off.
Am I correct in thinking that those that can keep the fridge on gas, and run the gas heating, have continental built MHs or have modified their Brit built ones to operate the habition side whilst on the move ?
Am I wrong in my assumption that it is not possible in a Brit built MH ?
I must admit that I turn the gas off at the bottles and have never actually tried to run the heating, or anything else, when moving.

You have the same system we had in our Arapaho, the sophisticated management system, (isn`t that a contradiction in terms)? will select the best option for running the fridge, so when disconnected from the mains it would switch to gas, then when engine started it would switch to 12v.
The 12v option had been disconnected on ours, so always run on gas, as for the habitation heating yes in winter we always run with the heating on, it`s a big space with lots of cold air heading for the cab, as most commercial vans the cab heater is next to useless, so much so we are thinking of having an eberspacher diesel heater fitted.

 

[GJH]

I gather all those who turn off gas drive flintstone cars or horse and carts ?

Impacted diesel and petrol is fairly flammable in my experience...

Similar observations can be made on all sorts of risk situations. My view is why add to the minimum risk level if it can be easily avoided (as in the minute it takes to turn off the gas).

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[knokinonabit]

You have the same system we had in our Arapaho, the sophisticated management system, (isn`t that a contradiction in terms)? will select the best option for running the fridge, so when disconnected from the mains it would switch to gas, then when engine started it would switch to 12v.
The 12v option had been disconnected on ours, so always run on gas, as for the habitation heating yes in winter we always run with the heating on, it`s a big space with lots of cold air heading for the cab, as most commercial vans the cab heater is next to useless, so much so we are thinking of having an eberspacher diesel heater fitted.

I understand how the fridge system works but hadn't realised that the gas system would still work with the engine running.
I thought that everything turned off when the engine was started, gas and electric.
You learn summat new every day.
Thanks

 

[vwalan]

We left ours on by accident once when crossing the Pont du Normandie in a near gale and driving rain resulting in horrible smell of gas . It took ages to get the fridge working again on gas so now we double check that it is turned off every time when setting off .

if the flame blows out it should have a thermo coupling that stops the gas going into the fridge burner.
might be a good idea to get it checked out.

 

[Jaws]

Similar observations can be made on all sorts of risk situations. My view is why add to the minimum risk level if it can be easily avoided (as in the minute it takes to turn off the gas).

Which is equally as valid as my view of course, life is absolutely full of risks.. And is really far to short to spend a cumulative several months worrying about every detail

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