Underslung Tank or Alugas

[Jasz]

My single 11kG Gaslow cylinder is nearly 10 years old now (I am currently using a calor cylinder for a Cadac). I like the idea of replacing it with an underslung tank, which would be very useful in freeing up a locker (especially as it's fairly far forwards), we don’t have the luxury of a garage.
The other option would be 2 Alugas cylinders which would have the advantage of knowing if I was running low (in both cases I would quite like a fixed BBQ point).
Are there any disadvantages of the underslung tank, such as the ease of turning it off (to go under the Channel Tunnel). It is a Fiat chassis.

 

[Bessy765]

We have 2 underslung tanks each with its own remote shut off switch.

 

[Southend]

We have a 25 litre underslung tank on a Ducati.
Our installation has a tap to switch off the gas supply in the cupboard under our sink. Very easy to access.

 

[Whippet93]

Om my previous van I had an underslung tank and there was a shut off tap in the gas locker, where it connected to the van manifold, as well as a shut off on the tank itself. Getting underneath might be awkward, and as has been said you can have a remote switch in the cab.

 

[Lpgc]

It depends on what you mean by a shut off tap or switch.

Any bottle or tank will have a tap directly attached, if you close that tap it prevents any gas coming out of the bottle or tank.

That is different to having a tap that is not directly attached, if there is any pipework between a bottle/tank and the tap then if there is a leak on that pipework closing a tap downstream of the pipework won't stop the leak.

Any system on a motorhome will also have a regulator. There is a difference in a tap or switch between the tap/switch and tank versus a tap/switch between the regulator and appliances. The former shuts off high pressure gas, the latter shuts of low pressure gas. The former would shut off gas and allow you to change the regulator (or shut off gas to prevent a faulty regulator leaking), the latter would not.

If you have a remote electronic switch to turn gas on/off it will be controlling an electronic gas solenoid that is normally closed and will only allows gas to flow through it when the solenoid is powered. In other words if you have an electronic switch to turn gas on/off then whenever you have gas turned on it will also be drawing power from your electrical system / battery. Very often people prefer a manual gas tap because a manual gas tap doesn't draw any electrical power whether it is closed or open, the only problem with a manual gas tap is that it might be in an awkward position to access such as underneath your van if the tank is fitted underneath the van and if the tap is directly fitted to the tank.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}