Now Gas-gate? (1 Viewer)

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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This lunchtime I pulled into a garage to fill up with LPG, as I've done many times before. Put the nozzle on, gave the quarter turn clockwise ........... and could hear gas coming out of the nozzle! This was before I even attempted to pull back the trigger. Tried again - same thing happened. Could hear what sounded like gas rushing out of the locker vent. Not happy with situation so hung up nozzle and opened gas locker. Inside the stainless steel pipe to the tanks and their fittings was covered in white gas. :Eeek: Needless to say I abandoned my attempt at filling up.

Now why should this happen? How is gas getting in to the locker around the filler instead of going down the pipe? Is there some kind of seal which can fail?

And you know what's also bugging me? This is the first time I've gone to fill up with gas since Peterborough and Tyre-gate. The Gaslow filler is accessible from outside - could it have been tampered with as well as the tyre valves? :Sad:
 

hilldweller

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The Gaslow filler is accessible from outside - could it have been tampered with as well as the tyre valves? :Sad:

You're really talking attempted murder now.

Get it examined by an independent person and if tampered with call the Police.
 

ukbill

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do what brian says and do it quick you may not be able to prove the tyre person tampered with it but if he did surley he will have fingerprints on the inlet valve
 
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maz

maz

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Was the locker was locked or otherwise when you opened it. If locked tampering seems unlikely.

It was locked. That was why I was wondering if it could be tampered with from the outside. The filler doesn't look damaged - but then I've never really stared into it before to know if anything's changed. :Sad: The tyre valve didn't look obviously damaged until the core was taken out and you could see it was slightly bent where it had been forced.

I'm currently at High Wycombe (which is a bit of a black hole for Gaslow it seems). I've found a couple of caravan workshops within reasonable driving distance that I'll ring tomorrow to ask. I've also found a mobile engineer who might be able to help - John Poole at Postcombe. Anyone know him?

Think I'll probably only feel happy with a replacement filler fitted. :Sad:

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maz

maz

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do what brian says and do it quick you may not be able to prove the tyre person tampered with it but if he did surley he will have fingerprints on the inlet valve

If he did, he probably wore gloves or just pushed a screwdriver into it or something. Not too sure what the rectangular piece of brass in the middle of the filler actually does. Anyone know?
 

canopus

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This lunchtime I pulled into a garage to fill up with LPG, as I've done many times before. Put the nozzle on, gave the quarter turn clockwise ........... and could hear gas coming out of the nozzle! This was before I even attempted to pull back the trigger. Tried again - same thing happened. Could hear what sounded like gas rushing out of the locker vent. Not happy with situation so hung up nozzle and opened gas locker. Inside the stainless steel pipe to the tanks and their fittings was covered in white gas. :Eeek: Needless to say I abandoned my attempt at filling up.

Now why should this happen? How is gas getting in to the locker around the filler instead of going down the pipe? Is there some kind of seal which can fail?

And you know what's also bugging me? This is the first time I've gone to fill up with gas since Peterborough and Tyre-gate. The Gaslow filler is accessible from outside - could it have been tampered with as well as the tyre valves? :Sad:


Gas will not be dispensed from the pump until the pump is authorised by the garage. You have to keep your hand on the button. Did you check with the garage to see if the pump was faulty, there are loads out of order in our experience?
Seems a bit hasty to assume sabotage IMHO :Eeek:
 
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maz

maz

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I would turn off the cylinder taps an run a spanner over all the pipe nuts. I had one of mine come loose (I doubt sabotage in my case though...)

JJ :Cool:

I already did that once I got to High Wycombe - all nuts tight. :Smile:

I also had a hab service done (by an engineer in Peterborough that I trust implicitly) just 2 weeks ago.

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Feb 27, 2011
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I hope you get it sorted. It does sound like it has worked its way loose though and a quick tighten up with a spanner could well sort it.

When I fitted mine I didn't tweak it enough on the first fit as I was concerned about knackering the brass threads. However when I tightened it up further it sorted itself out.

I am with JJ on this. I can't see anyway to abuse it if the back of the filler and all the other gubbins are in a locked locker and would look at tightening stuff up first.
 

pappajohn

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pump filler nozzle not seating correctly but still opening the one way fill valve and gas was escaping FROM the onboard tank.

what you saw as white gas would be frost on the filler pipe as the gas travelled the pipe to the filler.

if you had successfully attached the filler nozzle and looked at the pipe while filling it most likely would look the same as gas rushed into the tank.

same phenomenon as moving a gas bottle from cold air into a warm room and opening the valve.....the bottle will frost over to where the liquid gas level is.

if the filler had been tampered with, or any joint had worked loose/cracked, the only result would be total loss of gas from onboard.

LPG gas is colourless.
 
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Feb 27, 2011
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pump filler nozzle not seating correctly but still opening the one way fill valve and gas was escaping FROM the onboard tank.

what you saw as white gas would be frost on the filler pipe as the gas travelled the pipe to the filler.

if you had successfully attached the filler nozzle and looked at the pipe while filling it most likely would look the same as gas rushed into the tank.

same phenomenon as moving a gas bottle from cold air into a warm room and opening the valve.....the bottle will frost over to where the liquid gas level is.

if the filler had been tampered with, or any joint had worked loose/cracked, the only result would be total loss of gas from onboard.

LPG gas is colourless.

I thought with gaslow the one way valve was on the cylinder not on the filler end?

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maz

maz

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Gas will not be dispensed from the pump until the pump is authorised by the garage. You have to keep your hand on the button. Did you check with the garage to see if the pump was faulty, there are loads out of order in our experience?
Seems a bit hasty to assume sabotage IMHO :Eeek:

This I know - I have filled up with gas many times unaided. The first time I filled up I was actually tutored by JJ himself. :Smile: I didn't even get to the button-pressing stage (or trigger pulling for that matter). As soon as I turned the nozzle the quarter turn, you could hear gas escaping into the locker (presumably just what was left in the nozzle pipe from its last use).

Yes I did drag a garage attendant out to check the pump but the fault was with the filler not the nozzle.

I don't want to assume sabotage either - it's not a very comfortable feeling. But it does seem rather a coincidence that I'd had no problems at all with LPG filling before Tyre-gate. :Sad:
 
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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pump filler nozzle not seating correctly but still opening the one way fill valve and gas was escaping FROM the onboard tank.

what you saw as white gas would be frost on the filler pipe as the gas travelled the pipe to the filler.

if you had successfully attached the filler nozzle and looked at the pipe while filling it most likely would look the same as gas rushed into the tank.

same phenomenon as moving a gas bottle from cold air into a warm room and opening the valve.....the bottle will frost over to where the liquid gas level is.

if the filler had been tampered with, or any joint had worked loose/cracked, the only result would be total loss of gas from onboard.

LPG gas is colourless.

I'm really confused now. The nuts and filler pipe inside the locker were wet and white and stank of LPG when you touched them. It wasn't white like frost. :Confused:

Both gas bottles were firmly turned off - I always drive with them off and checked them before I set off this morning.
 
Dec 6, 2011
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I'm really confused now. The nuts and filler pipe inside the locker were wet and white and stank of LPG when you touched them. It wasn't white like frost. :Confused:

[HI]Both gas bottles were firmly turned off -[/HI] I always drive with them off and checked them before I set off this morning.

so if both bottles were off the only gas available is either from the pump / dispenser or the small amount in the fill line in the locker, which hardly seems enough to cause the sort of results you are saying.

i know you cant go back and check but it seems likely that gas was escaping from the gun before the trigger was pressed.

unless one of your gas cylinders has a problem with its shutoff, " just a few thoughts"

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Carol

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Maz, humour me, think of me as a elder worried Aunt, but if you go the the camp site again and the person who loosened your valves is there drive off.

It simply is not worth the worry have having to check everything and be put at any risk, I know you think the b#### is getting the better of me, but you get the upper hand by taking yourself out of his twisted sight, and get on with your motorhoming without risk from his perverse ways.
 
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maz

maz

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I just found this on an LPG website:

When a liquid Liquefied petroleum gas leak occurs, the gas release will be seen as a patch of ice around the area of the leak, or as a jet of white liquid. This white appearance is due to the cooling effect created by the rapid expansion of the LPG liquid into a gas. The condensing atmospheric moisture makes the leak visible.

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Maybe this explains the white liquid I saw?
 
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maz

maz

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i know you cant go back and check but it seems likely that gas was escaping from the gun before the trigger was pressed.

But why was that gas ending up loose in the gas locker and apparently running down the outside of the pipe? :Confused:

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Dec 6, 2011
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I just found this on an LPG website:

When a liquid Liquefied petroleum gas leak occurs, the gas release will be seen as a patch of ice around the area of the leak, or as a jet of white liquid. This white appearance is due to the cooling effect created by the rapid expansion of the LPG liquid into a gas. The condensing atmospheric moisture makes the leak visible.

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Maybe [HI]this explains the white liquid I saw[/HI]?

i think thats very likely..... but, if the tanks were shut off and the pump was not dispensing where did the gas come from?

also.

thinking about it if the cylinders were off and there was already a leak in your pipework then it would have been escaping before you connected the nozzle ( I think ). i.e. when you were parked with the bottles on.

so to me it seems the gas pressure must have come from the pump even if you have got a leak in your pipework.
 
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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Maz, humour me, think of me as a elder worried Aunt, but if you go the the camp site again and the person who loosened your valves is there drive off.

It simply is not worth the worry have having to check everything and be put at any risk, I know you think the b#### is getting the better of me, but you get the upper hand by taking yourself out of his twisted sight, and get on with your motorhoming without risk from his perverse ways.

Don't worry Carol (but I love you for doing so :Smile: ) - I have no intention of parking my van anywhere near the cretin again!
 
Feb 27, 2011
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i think thats very likely..... but, if the tanks were shut off and the pump was not dispensing where did the gas come from?

also.

thinking about it if the cylinders were off and there was already a leak in your pipework then it would have been escaping before you connected the nozzle ( I think ). i.e. when you were parked with the bottles on.

so to me it seems the gas pressure must have come from the pump even if you have got a leak in your pipework.

That makes the most sense to me. Loose fitting, when you connect to the pump the residual gas in the pump line is escaping from your connection.

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Dec 6, 2011
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But why was that gas ending up loose in the gas locker and apparently running down the outside of the pipe? :Confused:

it can only be that there is some form of gas escape as you say. so maybe there was more than one issue, there is a leak at a pipe and there was a source of gas pressure when you connected the pump but before pressing the trigger.
 

pappajohn

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I thought with gaslow the one way valve was on the cylinder not on the filler end?
direct fill/portable bottles (not fixed in a locker) have a filler valve, identical to the remote filler but without the plastic housing, fitted to the bottle stub and acts as a one way valve just the same as a fixed bottle with a fitted filler hose.

the filler valve is the one way valve regardless of where in the system its fitted.

i doubt there would be enough pump pressure to push open a valve on the bottle.
the action of squeezing the trigger pushes on the rectangular plate in the filler thus opening the one way valve (as well as sealing the system)...release the trigger and the valve closes.
 
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maz

maz

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i think thats very likely..... but, if the tanks were shut off and the pump was not dispensing where did the gas come from?

also.

thinking about it if the cylinders were off and there was already a leak in your pipework then it would have been escaping before you connected the nozzle ( I think ). i.e. when you were parked with the bottles on.

so to me it seems the gas pressure must have come from the pump even if you have got a leak in your pipework.

I was thinking that there would still be an amount of liquid gas in the pipe between the pump and the nozzle? I'm trying to understand what actually happens at each stage of the filling process. So what does that quarter turn of the nozzle actually do. Does it operate anything within the filler - that rectangular brass bar I mentioned earlier maybe?

There was no sign of any leaks while I was parked up. That gas locker gets opened every day and I have a very sensitive sense of smell. :Smile: The whole system had a gas pressure test just 2 weeks ago.

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maz

maz

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That makes the most sense to me. Loose fitting, when you connect to the pump the residual gas in the pump line is escaping from your connection.

Ok, I'm probably being really slow on the uptake here. I can understand it escaping from the connection (ie escaping outside the locker) but I still don't see how it could end up inside the locker running along the outside of the pipe.
 
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I was thinking that there would still be an amount of liquid gas in the pipe between the pump and the nozzle? I'm trying to understand what actually happens at each stage of the filling process. [HI]So what does that quarter turn of the nozzle actually do[/HI]. Does it operate anything within the filler - that rectangular brass bar I mentioned earlier maybe?

There was no sign of any leaks while I was parked up. That gas locker gets opened every day and I have a very sensitive sense of smell. :Smile: The whole system had a gas pressure test just 2 weeks ago.

i believe that turn locates the gun in place on the brass bars that stick out either side of the filler valve center.

as you have said it was tested 2 weeks ago an all ok + you have been using it up to the point of connecting the pump.
so to me whatever has happened did so then, and it is very likely that the gas came from the residual in the pump line. also its not impossible to have a leak occur at that time ( increase in pressure )

definitely a case of check tightness of all joints and if they are tight get the filler and hoses checked again.
 
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Ok, I'm probably being really slow on the uptake here. I can understand it escaping from the connection (ie escaping outside the locker) but I still don't see how it could end up inside the locker running along the outside of the pipe.

that can only happen if there is a " hole " in a pipe or a union not tight.

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pappajohn

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I was thinking that there would still be an amount of liquid gas in the pipe between the pump and the nozzle? I'm trying to understand what actually happens at each stage of the filling process. So what does that quarter turn of the nozzle actually do. Does it operate anything within the filler - that rectangular brass bar I mentioned earlier maybe?

There was no sign of any leaks while I was parked up. That gas locker gets opened every day and I have a very sensitive sense of smell. :Smile: The whole system had a gas pressure test just 2 weeks ago.
the quarter turn does nothing more than dock the nozzle to the filler inlet.
the action of squeezing the trigger makes the actual seal between the pump nozzle and filler inlet and also pushes open the plate which opens the one way valve.

if the seal isnt made when the trigger is pulled then gas will escape FROM the bottle.

there will be no pressure in the pumps hose before the 'fill' button is pressed as any pressure will be released by the last user when they disconnected from the pump.... hence the short burst of gas on releasing the trigger....that is the nozzle pressure escaping.
 

Wildman

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If you are a little heavy handed when disconnecting the pump it is possible to loosen the nozzle.
However as already said unless there is a leak in the pump or in your bottle valve no gas should be present. I would advise a trip to the gaslow agent so a though check.
PS the triangular brass bit you can see is merely a continuation of the brass pins that the nozzle connects to .

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