Now Gas-gate? (1 Viewer)

Jaws

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Might be as simple as a duff filling nozzle mate..
try filling at a different garage :thumb:
 

Minxy

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The whole system had a gas pressure test just 2 weeks ago.
Unfortunately that is NO guarantee that your system is still okay, only when the test itself was done. There are a couple of options as I see it:

1. Try connecting the filling nozzle at another garage, but don't put any gas actually in, and see if it happens again. If so, then the fault is with your system, if not then it was the other garage's equipment.

2. Get it all checked out again by a qualified gas technician to ensure it is still safe and it wasn't damaged when it was last worked on (not impossible for accidents to happen!).:Blush:
 
OP
OP
maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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Might be as simple as a duff filling nozzle mate..
try filling at a different garage :thumb:

I don't think it was a duff nozzle as the man in front of me had just finished using the pump as I drove off. But tomorrow I will take the van up to the LPG conversion place on the nearby industrial estate. They sell LPG (at an extortionate price so I don't usually go there) but they do the filling for you. I'll see how they get on with it. Unfortunately they don't do Gaslow tho' so I'll have to try ringing round tomorrow to find somewhere that does to get it checked out.

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bobandjanie

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Hi Maz, although we have had refillable bottles for years, we have never invested in gaslow stainless steel pipes, but over the years people have had leaks on the pipe or more than often been over tightened and the brass fitting has cracked or even snapped off. :Doh:

:Smile: Bob Jane and Izzy.
 
Jan 3, 2008
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leak

Having read through again Can I suggest he following:

If the locker was locked there is little prospect of anything inside it being sabotaged. However, the filler is on the outside and it appears that this is faulty. How or why it is faulty in not known and when this is examined the answer to that question may be found. It is possible that the hose leading from the filler to the bottles is exposed somewhere before it goes into the locker, if so could this have become detached or faulty.

We know that the gas bottles were turned off so any escaping gas could not have come from them assuming their valves are not damaged and there is not a faulty non return valve on a bottle . I know I discount tampering of the bottles but it should be mentioned that there is no chance of fingerprints being found on the metal valve handle, it is not a suitable surface for a print to be deposited on or lifted off. Also a fingerprint if no use whatsoever unless there is another fingerprint to compare it with which means there has be a suspect. For there to be a suspect, it would be necessary to prove that there was some criminal tampering and that, so far, is not the case.

I hope the OP gets an answer when the setup is examined and that there is a simple one which puts his mind a rest. I look forward to reading the outcome.
 

Jaws

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I don't think it was a duff nozzle as the man in front of me had just finished using the pump as I drove off. But tomorrow I will take the van up to the LPG conversion place on the nearby industrial estate. They sell LPG (at an extortionate price so I don't usually go there) but they do the filling for you. I'll see how they get on with it. Unfortunately they don't do Gaslow tho' so I'll have to try ringing round tomorrow to find somewhere that does to get it checked out.


Damned shame you are not within striking distance of me mate..

I could soon go through it all no probs ( and as I do for all Funsters, FOC apart from parts used.. Dont get me wrong.. I have enough to keep me more than busy with the motorcycle stuff, I just enjoy working on motorhomes as it gives me a break from the every day mundane stuff :thumb: )

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OP
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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I hope the OP gets an answer when the setup is examined and that there is a simple one which puts [HI]his[/HI] mind a rest. I look forward to reading the outcome.

Um, I'm one of the dainty Funsters.
girlpowersmiley.gif

.
 
OP
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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Damned shame you are not within striking distance of me mate..

I could soon go through it all no probs ( and as I do for all Funsters, FOC apart from parts used.. Dont get me wrong.. I have enough to keep me more than busy with the motorcycle stuff, I just enjoy working on motorhomes as it gives me a break from the every day mundane stuff :thumb: )

Cheers, Jaws. Wish I was still in Peterborough. :tears:
 
Feb 27, 2011
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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.

Sorry tonight was my drinking night so my response has been a bit slow. I meant that the connection inside your locker from the filling point to the bottle had come loose due either vibration or the heating/cooling it had experienced.

From memory only... The bit you plug the pump into is just a straight physical connector and doesn't have any valves or other clever stuff in it. It is just a square plate of brass for mounting and a bit of pipe internal to external with a JIC on one side and the other connector which I can't remember the type of. No valve in it at all. I know this cause I blew through mine before installing it to find out. Of course mine might be faulty as well..

With Gaslow bottles the valve is in the bottle itself. When you release the pump the hiss/release you experience is from the pipes leading from the bottle to the inlet. It is not from the pump side at all.

This is the bit that I find a little bit confusing in your situation to be honest. When you first connect the pump to your van but before you pull the lever to start delivery I can't think of any way for large amounts of gas to leak and cause the ice/frost you are seeing.

The gas has to come from somewhere... If there was a fault with your bottle you would have an empty bottle and you would have smelt gas already. The gas check only checks from the regulator only so this is not really relevent.

As other posters have said, try at another lpg station. But I am guessing on current info you will see the same issue.

My view is that you just need to tweek the connection inside your van which have come loose over time.

I have had a few tonight so this is only my view and I am not a plumber so don't take it for anything other than a drunks opinion:Doh::ROFLMAO:

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rainbow chasers

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Go down your nearest plumbing centre and buy some gas leak detector spray - be around 3 or 4 pounds.

It will be easier to find out where it is coming from that way, If from a join then tighten up the join. :thumb:
 
OP
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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I spoke to Gaslow headquarters on the phone this morning. They also think it is to do with the filler hose and suggested I get it checked out before trying any more filling stations, which sounds good advice as it's not a pleasant experience on the forecourt.

I can't get the nuts at either end of the filler hose to move in either direction (but then I am only a feeble female). :winky: However I'm willing to believe that there is a fault in the line somewhere. It's a more comfortable thought than sabotage, although highly coincidental. :RollEyes:

Trying to get work done on Gaslow round here is proving difficult so I have a better plan. Next weekend I was going to be heading down to Dartmoor for a while anyway, so I'm just going to bring that forward a few days. No trouble getting the system checked out down there by a workshop that stocks Gaslow parts if the filler and hose do need to be changed. Means I can be on 16A hook-up for a reasonable rate while I wait instead of freezing off hook-up trying to make my remaining 30% of a bottle last as long as possible, as I am at the moment. Am stuck here for tomorrow as I've got all sorts of dentist/doctor appointments lined up, but come Wednesday I shall be heading southwest. :Smile:

Will let you all know what happens ..........
 

rainbow chasers

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I spoke to Gaslow headquarters on the phone this morning. They also think it is to do with the filler hose and suggested I get it checked out before trying any more filling stations, which sounds good advice as it's not a pleasant experience on the forecourt.

I can't get the nuts at either end of the filler hose to move in either direction (but then I am only a feeble female). :winky: However I'm willing to believe that there is a fault in the line somewhere. It's a more comfortable thought than sabotage, although highly coincidental. :RollEyes:

Trying to get work done on Gaslow round here is proving difficult so I have a better plan. Next weekend I was going to be heading down to Dartmoor for a while anyway, so I'm just going to bring that forward a few days. No trouble getting the system checked out down there by a workshop that stocks Gaslow parts if the filler and hose do need to be changed. Means I can be on 16A hook-up for a reasonable rate while I wait instead of freezing off hook-up trying to make my remaining 30% of a bottle last as long as possible, as I am at the moment. Am stuck here for tomorrow as I've got all sorts of dentist/doctor appointments lined up, but come Wednesday I shall be heading southwest. :Smile:

Will let you all know what happens ..........


If you need a hand let me know, within easy travel distance to Dartmoor!

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WAG2CRU

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I experienced a similar problem a couple of weeks ago, the result for me however was some quite serious cold burns on one hand.

It was late at night and the temperature was around zero, I don't know if this was a contributory factor. I connected the pump and as I twisted the collar, liquid gas was ejected, in my view it can only have come from the on board tanks, the pump trigger would not operate, it took a further three attempts to make a satisfactory connection however I could only then get about 9 litres of gas which did not seem enough although on checking, both bottles were showing full.

It was obvious that the bottles were not full and so another attempt to fill was made about four days later, this time the connection was successful at the first attempt but again only 9ltrs.

A few days later, I went to fill again although one bottle was showing full and the first bottle was about 40% we took on 20 ltrs with no further problems.

I believe that on the first attempt to fill, I turned the collar much further than the 1/4 turn required, this resulted in the system valve being compressed without the trigger being operated allowing gas to escape back to the filler.

I have to assume that it was my error or a faulty pump nozzle and sub zero temperatures which resulted in the problem which thankfully now seems to have sorted itself.
 
OP
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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I experienced a similar problem a couple of weeks ago, the result for me however was some quite serious cold burns on one hand.

It was late at night and the temperature was around zero, I don't know if this was a contributory factor. I connected the pump and as I twisted the collar, liquid gas was ejected, in my view it can only have come from the on board tanks, the pump trigger would not operate, it took a further three attempts to make a satisfactory connection however I could only then get about 9 litres of gas which did not seem enough although on checking, both bottles were showing full.

It was obvious that the bottles were not full and so another attempt to fill was made about four days later, this time the connection was successful at the first attempt but again only 9ltrs.

A few days later, I went to fill again although one bottle was showing full and the first bottle was about 40% we took on 20 ltrs with no further problems.

I believe that on the first attempt to fill, I turned the collar much further than the 1/4 turn required, this resulted in the system valve being compressed without the trigger being operated allowing gas to escape back to the filler.

I have to assume that it was my error or a faulty pump nozzle and sub zero temperatures which resulted in the problem which thankfully now seems to have sorted itself.

That's interesting. Did you get any gas let loose in your locker, or did it all stay outside the van?

Hope the cold burns are better now. I always wear gloves just in case. I'll sit back and wait for the 'wuss' jibes now. ::bigsmile:

I've always been pretty confident about filling up with LPG. Ok, so the 'whoosh' at the end can still make me jump even tho' I know it's going to happen. :RollEyes: But after this I'm starting to feel a tad nervous. :Sad:

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Minxy

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Hope the cold burns are better now. I always wear gloves just in case. I'll sit back and wait for the 'wuss' jibes now. ::bigsmile:

I've always been pretty confident about filling up with LPG. Ok, so the 'whoosh' at the end can still make me jump even tho' I know it's going to happen. :RollEyes: But after this I'm starting to feel a tad nervous. :Sad:
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being sensible and that is what you are by wearing gloves, it is very easy for gas to get onto your hands and we have certainly experienced some pumps that 'whoosh' and discharge some gas in the direction of the hand holding the nozzle, so if we hadn't worn gloves we would certainly have been frosted!
 
Feb 27, 2011
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I think it must be a bloke thing. You wouldn't catch me wearing gloves..

Not brave... I think its a case of ignorance in the face of danger :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Us fellas are good at that :Doh::thumb:

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eddie

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Hi Maz, just reading this. If your heading South West why not pop into Van Bitz? We're two miles off Junction 25 on the M5

We'll check it for you FOC and we have taken the trouble to have LPG on site, this means that every Gaslow system is filled and checked BEFORE the customer gets a handover and demonstration.

It bewilders me that firms that sell Gaslow don't have filling facilities at their premises.

As it seems to be a filling issue we'll need to attempt to "fill" before we can ascertain what's wrong.

Give the office a call ask for me, Ash or James on 01823 321992 and we can get to the bottom of it or you en route to Dartmoor

Regards

Eddie
 
OP
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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Hi Eddie. I've only just read your post (I tend to get fixated on the new posts on the front page :Doh:). That's a very kind offer of yours. I arrived just outside Newton Abbot yesterday lunchtime but I could always double back up the M5 - it's not that far. It would be good to have someone else see the filling problem for themselves.

However, have I left it too late now for tomorrow?
 

eddie

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Lol no problem, glad to help, Newton Abbot isn't too far, one of our fitters lives in Brixham (Torbay) and drives up every morning.

Come up in the morning as we'll sort out the problem

Regards

Eddie

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Carol

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So good to see Motorhome Fun working at its best, that's what it is all about, thank you Eddie, and Rainbow Chasers , so many good things come about through the forum, it's sad when people get so upset over none motorhome related subjects.:Smile:
 
OP
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maz

maz

Jan 26, 2011
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Update

This morning I called in at Eddie's VanBitz. They tried filling up with LPG and found there were two leaks in the filler hose. Nothing to do with nuts being loose - the leaks were in the actual hose connections. The way the system had originally been installed meant the filler hose was flexing too much when the locker door was opened, even though it wasn't fouling on anything. There should have been a 90 degree bend fitting inside the door to prevent this. Also, although not directly connected with the filling problem but a potential issue, two of the connections away from the gas bottles were on sharper bends than they should have been. So the filler hose was replaced, and it and the other pipes were re-routed to prevent future problems.

Being the lovely Funster that he is, Eddie didn't charge me for labour - and the cost of the parts is being paid by the dealer who originally fitted the Gaslow system. So a big thank you to Eddie and the guys at VanBitz for sorting it for me so quickly, even though they're very busy at the moment. :thumb:

So thankfully it wasn't down to further sabotage by creepy guy. If it had been, I would definitely have had to report him to the police. Letting tyres down is moronic enough, but tinkering with the gas system would have been taking it to another level. :Angry:

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Chris

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Damned shame you are not within striking distance of me mate..

I could soon go through it all no probs ( and as I do for all Funsters, FOC apart from parts used.. Dont get me wrong.. I have enough to keep me more than busy with the motorcycle stuff, I just enjoy working on motorhomes as it gives me a break from the every day mundane stuff :thumb: )

Duly bookmarked::bigsmile:
 

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