Gaslow filler point, in or out? (1 Viewer)

[The truck]

Having researched installing a gaslow system, the next question is where to fit the filler point. Gaslow point out that if you need to open the gas locker door to fill the system you may be refused especially in France. It's clearly less destructive to the bodywork of the motorhome but I wonder if this will be a measure that proves to make it less practical. What is the experience of filling these systems where the filler point is within the gas locker? Thanks for your help.

 

[icantremember]

Have the filler point put into the lower cill if possible ..... this will rule out any possible damp problems.

 

[JJ]

IMO definitely OUT...

And make sure it is fitted to a sturdy bit of bodywork as the LPG gun and hose pipe can be heavy bits of kit.


JJ :Cool:

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[chaser]

Having researched installing a gaslow system, the next question is where to fit the filler point. Gaslow point out that if you need to open the gas locker door to fill the system you may be refused especially in France. It's clearly less destructive to the bodywork of the motorhome but I wonder if this will be a measure that proves to make it less practical. What is the experience of filling these systems where the filler point is within the gas locker? Thanks for your help.

It is up to you , but whatever you decide , have a look at gasit before you buy , lot cheaper for identical kit:thumb:

 

[lunarman]

I was not happy cutting a hole nearly 3" diameter in the side of my van so I opted for a different type of filler point . It is fitted in the fairing around the wheel arch. (its the small black square in the picture).

It also has the advantage that if I ever change the van or want to sell the fillable system the only thing that is left is a hole about 1" diameter that can be filled with a grommett.

Lunarman

 

[trophychap]

Ours is inside the locker never had problems filling, have had the odd attendant come and look but never been refused here or abroad.

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[jb0371old]

gasit is def the way to go, very helpful guys on the phone, next day delivery and a lot cheaper than gaslow for the same thing apart from the colour of the bottle. I put my filkler point on the outside, mainly because my door hinges upwards so could be a pain in trying to fill it up, also i am lazy, I just want to pop the cap and fill up.

If you do put the point on the outside then another tip is to place the filler pipe into another piece of tubing so as to protect the pipe from chaffing as it works it way through the bodywork to the bottle. A piece of 38mm waste water pipe works for this (measure the gas pipe first just to make sure).

 

[Puddleduck]

If you have a certificate from the manufacturer / installer to say that the system complies with any regulations would it make any difference? I can see that an outside filler would possibly be easier (not having to open the locker) but more subject to being tampered with? I've no idea really but we will be getting a refillable system so I'm interested in the answers. OH thinks outside and I don't know!

 

[iandsm]

In or out

Remember that you MUST turn off the cylinders valves before fulling, given that they are inside the locker, unless you turn them off before your journey you will have to open the locker anyway.

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[Wombles]

Having read the posts on here about possible problems with some fuel stations if the filler point is inside, we wanted to have an external point but it wasn't viable so it is now inside the locker. Hopefully any problems will be rare as refillable bottles are becoming more common now. On the plus side the filler point is behind a locked door whereas a Gaslow external point does not have a locking cap. Don't know if any are suitably sized locking caps available or if this is really an issue for anyone but thought I would mention it just in case it helps anyone.

 

[chaser]

Mines inside, no problems yet. Hth:thumb:

 

[Wombles]

If you have a certificate from the manufacturer / installer to say that the system complies with any regulations would it make any difference? I can see that an outside filler would possibly be easier (not having to open the locker) but more subject to being tampered with? I've no idea really but we will be getting a refillable system so I'm interested in the answers. OH thinks outside and I don't know!

Fitting an external point may not be viable on your Chausson as it wasn't on ours - had Vanbitz fit ours (Funster discount) so trust their experienced judgement that inside was the only safe & practical option.

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[trophychap]

Err, bearing in mind your filler point is supposed to be higher than the bottles - I wouldn't want one in the van 'skirt'. This is supposedly to prevent LPG from puddling in the pipe - so it runs down into the receptacle you are filling not sure how that's supposed to work frankly. But Gaslow's fitting instructions tell you this - also tells you not to have sags in your pipe because of puddling.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that it doesn't make any difference if your bottles are open or closed when you fill them.

 

[The truck]

Gasit

Mines inside, no problems yet. Hth:thumb:

Well thanks to all for opening my eyes to the gasit options. Having read a different thread I am quite interested in the single Gasit refillable option with an internal locker fill point. Gas it claims that this conforms to all UK and EU regulations. I hope they are able to supply certificates to verify this and that this would be enough to satisfy forecourt attendants both here and abroad.

Gas it are currently quoting £147 for a single 6 kg cylinder plus internal fill point. This seems like a good starting point as the system can be added to later on.

All their other accessories such as auto changeover also seem much cheaper than the gaslow alternatives.

 

[chaser]

Well thanks to all for opening my eyes to the gasit options. Having read a different thread I am quite interested in the single Gasit refillable option with an internal locker fill point. Gas it claims that this conforms to all UK and EU regulations. I hope they are able to supply certificates to verify this and that this would be enough to satisfy forecourt attendants both here and abroad.

Gas it are currently quoting £147 for a single 6 kg cylinder plus internal fill point. This seems like a good starting point as the system can be added to later on.

All their other accessories such as auto changeover also seem much cheaper than the gaslow alternatives.

That's the one I have, ordered it 12 o clock one day parcel man knocking on door at eight next morning , all fitted and filled by two o clock:thumb:

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[ShiftZZ]

On the Rapido, it's inside the cabinet. Just make sure that you have it in the right position, too far back and you may not be able to connect to the filler hose.. This happen to me, the person fitting it put it so far back that it was virtually impossible to use, and the same person used 4 different type of screws to hols the bracket in place. One was even a wood screw and different types of screw heads.

Thank goodness Venture Caravans, a thoroughly professional organization sorted the amateurish mess out..


Used it in France and the UK, never had a problem...:thumb:

 

[iandsm]

Gas

Err, bearing in mind your filler point is supposed to be higher than the bottles - I wouldn't want one in the van 'skirt'. This is supposedly to prevent LPG from puddling in the pipe - so it runs down into the receptacle you are filling not sure how that's supposed to work frankly. But Gaslow's fitting instructions tell you this - also tells you not to have sags in your pipe because of puddling.

I[HI] seem to remember reading somewhere that it doesn't make any difference if your bottles are open or closed when you fill them.[/HI]

You are right about puddling but my Gaslow instructions clearly state highlighted in red,

"Important Always turn off cylinder valves BEFORE filling"

I doubt they would have this warning if it made no difference.

 

[chaser]

This is mine, never heard of this puddling thing though, new one to me , mines uphill , no probs I can see, as you will see , still got one calor bottle in as well so if I can't find one , maybe find the other:thumb::thumb:
Obviously not on it's sideoh:oh:

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[Nick100]

Filler point

I put mine outside under the rear bumper it is protected by the towbar from being bashed or bottoming out. Inside fitting bothered me as there seemed concerns that any leakage may not be able to escape from inside the van.

 

[Phill D]

]I was not happy cutting a hole nearly 3" diameter in the side of my van so I opted for a different type of filler point . It is fitted in the fairing around the wheel arch. (its the small black square in the picture). [/HI]

It also has the advantage that if I ever change the van or want to sell the fillable system the only thing that is left is a hole about 1" diameter that can be filled with a grommett.

Lunarman

i was exactly the same and fitted the same filler from GASIt at a fraction of the Gaslow price and was so easy to find a suitable and strong enough place.

 

[Minxy]

If you can make it fit, get a single 11kg Gasit bottle with an in locker filler, much cheaper than two 6kg ones (and leaves space in your locker for other stuff - make sure you do NOT block them with anything else you keep in there!!!). An in-locker fill point is easier to install than an external point (which can get mucky if you have to put it under your MH) and doesn't leave a trace on the outside when you remove the system to put in your next MH. I don't worry about any 'leakage' in the locker as it would be open anyway when filling and it has gas drop-out vents anyway (as I said earlier do NOT block them!).

It is no more difficult to attach the pipes etc than if you were putting in a new hose and/or connecting up a standard Calor bottle, the bracket that the filler is fixed to is the only mildly 'difficult' part as you have to drill holes for the bolts to secure it in the locker so might have to be a bit of a contortionist to do it ... other than that its easy-peasy.

We've had an 11kg Gaslow bottle now since 2009 (Gasit didn't exist then) and have used it in the UK and extensively abroad and have NEVER been refused permission to fill it up, we have sometimes had an assistant do it for us as part of the service they offer!

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[pappajohn]

Having read the posts on here about possible problems with some fuel stations if the filler point is inside, we wanted to have an external point but it wasn't viable so it is now inside the locker. Hopefully any problems will be rare as refillable bottles are becoming more common now. On the plus side the filler point is behind a locked door whereas[HI] a Gaslow external point does not have a locking cap.[/HI] Don't know if any are suitably sized locking caps available or if this is really an issue for anyone but thought I would mention it just in case it helps anyone.

I dont understand the need for a locking cap on a gas fill point......how is anybody going to steal the gas.

to transfer the gas you would need a double ended hose with the LPG Dutch bayonet on one end (same fitting as the dispensing pump) and a fitting for your chosen container on the other....clearly unavailable.

tamper with the fill valve and you get a face full of extremely cold gas resulting in frost burns.

 

[pappajohn]

Err, bearing in mind your filler point is supposed to be higher than the bottles - I wouldn't want one in the van 'skirt'. [HI]This is supposedly to prevent LPG from puddling in the pipe - so it runs down into the receptacle you are filling[/HI] not sure how that's supposed to work frankly. But Gaslow's fitting instructions tell you this - also tells you not to have sags in your pipe because of puddling.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that it doesn't make any difference if your bottles are open or closed when you fill them.

really dont know where this idea comes from.

as there is no one way valve on the bottle the filler hose is full of liquid propane during and after filling.....the one way valve is in the filler neck.

as the bottle empties, the liquid gas within the filler hose will vaporise if the filler is below the bottle.

 

[Techno]

The height of the fill point is irrelevant it is not gravity fed where do these ideas come from oh:

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[Heyupluv]

OUT :thumb:...only this week down south atlantic side of France.. a Welsh couple was refused lpg/gpl autogas a supermarket...lucky he has a normal bottle as well...he is going to call at a relation higher up in France and redrill and bring his refilling point outside... (they are 3 vans away from me so it's not a friend of a friends brother's cousin's motorhome that was refused )

 

[Techno]

From gaslow instructions

Fit in the skirt of the vehicle,
below the floor level as any
escaping gas can then vent
freely to the atmosphere

 

[Forestboy]

Out definitely. oh:

Try showing some stroppy French or Spanish forecourt attendant a piece of paper with a set of regulations on and see where that gets you.

Can see this ending up competing with A Frames & Gassing

By the way mine was fitted professionally and is in the skirt and has been for the last 3 years.

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[Techno]

There really is no better guide than Gaslow's own fact sheet. Even if you opt for Gasit it is the same but red
Link Removed

EDIT forgot to say I'm out every time

 

[sedge]

Ah well perhaps they have changed the instructions since 2009 when we bought ours? but in any event, you'll land up sticking it wherever is the most sensible place for your van !

Have to say, once (2010? 11?) at a Shell garage on a French motorway we did have a chap come out and go berserk at us, just as Pete had finished filling. He said we couldn't do it because the van would explode. We said we wouldn't. He did a passable impression of Basil Fawlty avin a tantrum. We'd also filled with diesel so when we went in to pay Pete said presumably he wouldn't want paying for the gas then, as we weren't supposed to have it? Surprisingly, they did want payment.

Anyway, mindful of their warning, we parked just outside their window and went and had lunch, cos we didn't want to be in the van if it was going to explode ......

After lunch it hadn't, so we continued our journey.

I dunno if it exploded after we P/Ex'd it for the latest van, but we refitted the system to the Pillote we have now and no probs so far. I must admit, we don't tend to lose sleep over it !

 

[TheBig1]

always fit on the outside if practically possible. nobody can tamper with the inlet short of pinching the dust cap. the inlet includes a non return valve so nothing can be taken out of the inlet port. the only possible issue is if the sealing ring fails because of grit or corrosion, but its highly unlikely. this would result in gas vapour leaking from the port. i certainly wouldn't want that sort of leak inside a locker, whether it had the obligatory vents or not

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