Which side for exterior Gas filler

[sallylillian]

I am in the process of specifying my refillable gas installation and have come to the conclusion that an exterior fill point as against one in the bottle locker will be a better bet. For not having to open a locker in a possible tight spot, getting refused to fill, and also so I can easily connect a "normal" bottle in the event of exhaustion of the main bottles.
My experience of filling our large fixed gas tank in the 3 years of RV ownership was only twice as we only used it for the hob and the fridge sometimes. So which is the prefered side when filling LPG at a garage, left side or right side?

 

[old-mo]

Same side as your fuel filler cap...

Mine is NOT and it`s a pain in the bum if I need both diesel and gas..

 

[ivorantony]

As mo said! I have them both on the same side and it's the easiest way if you need a fill up

 

[SomeoneElse]

Convenience is one thing, safety may be another. When I had my fixed tank installed I was advised to have the filler on the opposite side to the fridge. I.E. as far away as possible from a potential naked flame.

 

[sallylillian]

Same side as your fuel filler cap...

Mine is NOT and it`s a pain in the bum if I need both diesel and gas..

Thanks Old Mo, there is a logic to that, my thoughts were which side the pump might present itself as there are not normally multiple LPG fill points.

Convenience is one thing, safety may be another. When I had my fixed tank installed I was advised to have the filler on the opposite side to the fridge. I.E. as far away as possible from a potential naked flame.

That works for Old Mo's suggestion as diesel is on opposite to fridge.

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[funflair]

Convenience is one thing, safety may be another. When I had my fixed tank installed I was advised to have the filler on the opposite side to the fridge. I.E. as far away as possible from a potential naked flame.

Your fridge should not fire onto gas untill the 12volts has been switched off for 15 minutes for that same safety reason.

 

[funflair]

Exterior filler YES and not in the locker door (ours is) same side as fuel might be practical but proximity to the bottles might be the overriding factor, does a longer fill pipe mean more blowback when you disconnect the gun (don't know if there is NRV in fill point or just at the bottle)

 

[SandraL]

Sods law you pull into crowded forecourt on wrong side of pump. For small extra cost why not have a fill point installed on both sides of van? PS,there is NRV in full point.

 

[sallylillian]

Exterior filler YES and not in the locker door (ours is) same side as fuel might be practical but proximity to the bottles might be the overriding factor, does a longer fill pipe mean more blowback when you disconnect the gun (don't know if there is NRV in fill point or just at the bottle)

Looks like I will be fitting my fill point on the opposite of the van to my bottle locker, reasonably straight forward I think, However the Gaslow fillers come with a max 1.5 metre hose and I will need at least 3 metres with jiggling over and around stuff. I seem to remember a post maybe from Andy, you can use any length hose, do I recall correctly and what hose as this would be somewhat exposed under the chassis?

 

[Gromett]

My advice is if you are using refillable cylinders is have the fill point immediately adjacent to the locker contain the cylinders. Not on the door of the locker or inside though. Keep the pipes as short as possible without them being overly tight.

It would indeed be handy if it was the same side as the diesel filler cap. Mine is a self build panel van and I put the gas cylinders on the same side as the diesel filler cap meaning in about half the petrol stations I go to I get diesel then move forward and get LPG all in one go. Confuses some station attendants though.

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[sallylillian]

My advice is if you are using refillable cylinders is have the fill point immediately adjacent to the locker contain the cylinders. Not on the door of the locker or inside though. Keep the pipes as short as possible without them being overly tight.

It would indeed be handy if it was the same side as the diesel filler cap. Mine is a self build panel van and I put the gas cylinders on the same side as the diesel filler cap meaning in about half the petrol stations I go to I get diesel then move forward and get LPG all in one go. Confuses some station attendants though.

So as my diesel fill is on the other side to the bottle locker, which is the best, near the bottle locker or on the side of the diesel filler, I cannot have both unfortunatly! My RV had dual fillers for diesel!

 

[Techno]

You can buy up to 3.0 metres here and through connectors
http://www.gasit.co.uk/index.php?_a=category&cat_id=9

Fast Fill OEM Hose.
3 mtr JIC Fast Fill 'Hydraulic Style' E67.01 Hose with Straight Ends.
Connects the vehicles Brass JIC fillpoint directly to a GAS IT, Gaslow Refillable bottle, GAS IT 4 hole Refillable Gas tanks, Alugas & more.
These Fast Fill hoses are held in stock in lengths from 0.5 mtr up to 3 mtr. Sizes over this can be made or 2 or more hoses can be connected together with a separately purchased JIC Male Male connector - sold on our webshop.

 

[trophychap]

Our filler for the LPG is the opposite side to the Diesel filler it can be a pain at times when we need both fuels. We usually to stagger our fills for this reason although that is not always possible.

I would be a bit concerned having my filler pipe some three meters from the tank. You are going to end up with a lot of LPG in your rubber pipework hanging under the van unless you can fabricate some metal pipe work, not a good idea in my humble opinion.

Our filler is in the gas bottle locker and not wishing to tempt fate we have never have problems when we fill up.

Sorry was writing this when Techno posted his reply.

 

[SomeoneElse]

Your fridge should not fire onto gas untill the 12volts has been switched off for 15 minutes for that same safety reason.

No instructions like that came with my fridge, the instructions are to turn the switch to one of three positions depending on which fuel you wish to use, no mention of any time delay. The gas system is designed to be used at any time even when traveling, primerrily to allow heating in the hab area while moving, we usually leave the fridge on gas 100% of the time.

 

[Techno]

No instructions like that came with my fridge, the instructions are to turn the switch to one of three positions depending on which fuel you wish to use, no mention of any time delay. The gas system is designed to be used at any time even when traveling, primerrily to allow heating in the hab area while moving, we usually leave the fridge on gas 100% of the time.

Martin refers to AES fridges (automatic energy selection) with yours it will stay on what you have selected manually. So you must not be on gas when entering fuel stations

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[sallylillian]

You can buy up to 3.0 metres here and through connectors
http://www.gasit.co.uk/index.php?_a=category&cat_id=9

Fast Fill OEM Hose.
3 mtr JIC Fast Fill 'Hydraulic Style' E67.01 Hose with Straight Ends.
Connects the vehicles Brass JIC fillpoint directly to a GAS IT, Gaslow Refillable bottle, GAS IT 4 hole Refillable Gas tanks, Alugas & more.
These Fast Fill hoses are held in stock in lengths from 0.5 mtr up to 3 mtr. Sizes over this can be made or 2 or more hoses can be connected together with a separately purchased JIC Male Male connector - sold on our webshop.

Thanks Andy, I knew you'd pop up, Trophychap commented on gas in that length of pipe, do you have any comments on that if it is indeed an issue?

 

[Techno]

It is high pressure pipe made for the purpose of filling. There is no "hanging down under the van" it must of course be securely fastened with metal P clips. We are only talking the width of the van here with enough for the bends and to reach the top of the bottle.

 

[trophychap]

Hose - yes Techno is correct, I commented to this effect at the end of my post.

Our heating does that too. But even so with the gas turned 'On' at the control panel the fridge goes onto 12v virtually as soon as the engine is started and does not spark up to light on gas again until 'some time' - can't recall exactly how long - after the engine has been turned off at any time, precisely to prevent the risk of a spark while the vehicle is stopped at pumps.

 

[SomeoneElse]

Martin refers to AES fridges (automatic energy selection) with yours it will stay on what you have selected manually. So you must not be on gas when entering fuel stations

Yes I turn the gas off when refilling, but its something I have to do. So by having the filling on the opposite of the van, it reduces that risk should I fail to turn it off.
Incidentally I had a auto fuel selector on a van I hired in Canada, but it only switched between mains and gas, I was advised by the hire company not to move it to 12v. I tried it on 12v during the 14 hour ferry crossing from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland but it flattened the leisure battery and all sorts of alarms were sounding when we returned to the van. All was well when the engine was started.

 

[gozomike]

I agree with OldMo and the others who say the same side as the fuel filler would be ideal. Mine are opposite and I frequently have to fill both so end up moving around between pumps where there was a DERV one next to the LPG. Best if you can fill the LPG first though just in case they query the use of it.

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[sallylillian]

You can buy up to 3.0 metres here and through connectors
http://www.gasit.co.uk/index.php?_a=category&cat_id=9

Fast Fill OEM Hose.
3 mtr JIC Fast Fill 'Hydraulic Style' E67.01 Hose with Straight Ends.
Connects the vehicles Brass JIC fillpoint directly to a GAS IT, Gaslow Refillable bottle, GAS IT 4 hole Refillable Gas tanks, Alugas & more.
These Fast Fill hoses are held in stock in lengths from 0.5 mtr up to 3 mtr. Sizes over this can be made or 2 or more hoses can be connected together with a separately purchased JIC Male Male connector - sold on our webshop.

Andy, do you know if we have a Gasit forum arrangement for discount?

 

[Techno]

I don't think so, I only know of one forum with an arrangement and I don't think it is owt to shout about. To be fair their prices are already the most competative.

 

[32143]

Ours is same side as fuel, passenger. We only had one problem in Portugal when Nige had to drive around forecourt wrong way to get to the lpg station, this was the only time we came across only pumps on one side, everywhere else pumps on both sides.

Lin

 

[Gromett]

I just ordered my second cylinder, autochange regulator and all needed parts from Gasit.
They were excellent and even told me of a part I didn't realise I needed to complete the job.
Next day delivery and great service. Price was spot on as well. I highly recommend them.

 

[Peter A Forbes]

We have three on the trailer, one each side and one at the front.

The whole rig is too long to fill from the sides at some stations as the Discovery will block the exit lane, so with the front filler we can use the same pump as for the Discovery.

The Mercedes will have two fillers, one each side, both well forward of the Fridge exhaust.

We used PVC covered 8mm tube for all the filler piping, the gas comes in at pretty high pressure and we haven't had any problems filling. The front filler is probably 12-15ft of piping.

Peter

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[pappajohn]

If funds allow have a filler on both sides.
its a possibility you may not be able to get the the pump on a given side....poor access for the van etc.

Our one and only LPG garage pump is only accessible from the right hand side due to the pump and pay booth layout, luckily our filler is in the left, but isnt a problem for cars

 

[trophychap]

My previous post was made by sedge not me!

I don't know what she think she knows LOL, our Dometic fridge will not fire up on gas until the engine has been switched off for fifteen minutes. Our previous van was a Bessacar with a Thetford fridge that tried to start up as soon as the 12 volt supply was cut, it would spark constantly for a minute or so till it ignited or it then would start flashing a warning that it wasn't working.

Always had to turn it off when we went to refill the gas.

The heating will run on gas when we are on the road if required. We have never knowingly left it on though, but the burner is a sealed combustion unit anyway so only hot exhaust gases coming out of the flue.

But I wouldn't risk any filling either diesel or LPG with it running.

 

[jtp890]

unfortunately diesel filler on same side as fridge on RH drive german Dethleffs - Problem?

 

[Reallyretired]

My filler is the opposite side to the diesel filler, but I have never found it a problem
I never fill with diesel and lpg at the same time.
This is to avoid it being obvious to the garage staff that the lpg is for domestic rather than propulsion use as they would then be within their rights to refuse the sale.
Also someone on here was pursued by the police for non payment as they were only charged for one fuel rather than both.

I don't find it a problem filling separately as i fill up with diesel a lot more frequently than lpg.