Driving with the fridge running on gas?Is it ok?Or should i not

[alf stone]

I thought it was normal to buy an older camping car.That way i COULD buy one,and at very first i thought it was a good way to visit people that havnt room while their houses are renovated (pulled down & a new one put up)

 

Something ive discovered is that older camping cars have far fewer miles on the clock than newer ones :-) In the past & to some extent today from posts read,camping cars were driven to one or two campsites where they remained for the holidays,then back to the warm garage :-)

 

Mines great better than a few new campers as good as many and smaller than quite a few others

 

Hear now in Cahors the camping car park has two British campers with a French camper from dept 53 between & a huge forth one that parked blocking the third place

 

On the river were militant fisher men one huge Hymer (new)British van also fishing and two French campers i followed a French camper in and out no room but a little further along found a comfortable place for the night

 

:-D With this internet connection 8-) i went to the cafe in town which closes at 19.30 but it didnt seem worth taking this laptop as it dosnt last long or just click & shuts down

 

Yes i really have been in France all this time and yes im sad its coming to an end even the weather is crying with rain but 15c outside

 

ill just make another post then close down

[Guest Tracker]

And we await the last post with joyful but sad anticipation!

[Big Momma]

Tracker - 2011-03-15 8:56 PM

 

And we await the last post with joyful but sad anticipation!

 

With your knack for words Rich you could have made that statement at this year's Rememberance Parade - quite impactive stuff :-(

[Guest Tracker]

Big Momma - 2011-03-15 9:01 PM

 

Tracker - 2011-03-15 8:56 PM

 

And we await the last post with joyful but sad anticipation!

 

With your knack for words Rich you could have made that statement at this year's Rememberance Parade - quite impactive stuff :-(

 

I can see the funny side in most things Eric - but not 11/11 Rememberance day - sorry.

 

Lest we forget.

[Big Momma]

Tracker - 2011-03-15 9:03 PM

 

Big Momma - 2011-03-15 9:01 PM

 

Tracker - 2011-03-15 8:56 PM

 

And we await the last post with joyful but sad anticipation!

 

With your knack for words Rich you could have made that statement at this year's Rememberance Parade - quite impactive stuff :-(

 

I can see the funny side in most things Eric - but not 11/11 Rememberance day - sorry.

 

Lest we forget.

 

Wasn't meant to be funny Rich, I was being extremely serious, the words you used were very poignant and as someone who served for 22 years and in 2 Gulf Wars and the Balkans it's not something I make lite off ;-)

[Derek Uzzell]

Brian Kirby - 2011-03-15 6:02 PM

Derek Uzzell - 2011-03-14 7:04 PM

Brian Kirby - 2011-03-14 5:23 PM Just for the record, having the gas turned on at the cylinder while driving, in France, is illegal - unless fed through a Truma Secumotion system.  Alf's won't be.

I'm not sure that this is true, though I've certainly been told before that it's the case. (Brian, can you quote the regulation, please?) .........

Hi Derek.  No, I don't have a reference for the actual French legislation.  My source is a supplement to Le Monde du Camping Car "Le Guide Pratique de l'Accessoire", (an annual supplement for subscribers), in which they have stated, "La loi française impose de circuler avec les bouteilles de gaz fermées (sauf avec système Sécumotion).  Vous ne pouvez les ouvrir qu'à l'étape.............."  (French law requires gas bottles to be closed while driving (unless equipped with the Secumotion (UK: Drivesafe) system).  They may only be opened once parked up.............).

No legal reference was given and, as we have Secumotion, I haven't pursued the veracity of the statement.  However, I would assume they will have satisfied themselves as to the reasonable accuracy of their statement. 

That aside, it would appear rupture of a gas line in an accident, especially the high pressure flexible, must be the concern. 

I have not heard of French police checking gas cocks on cylinders, but suppose they might, and I have not seen mention of a penalty for non-compliance, but suppose there must be one.  (10 years in the Bastille: guillotine?  :-))  Afraid I have therefore just assumed compliance to be the better part of valour.  :-D

There's a long related thread on:http://forum.campingcar-infos.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=50142&start=0As is usual with French motorhome forums the ability to focus sharply on an issue is sadly lacking and, although there is certainly plenty of 'discussion', there seems to be no hard and fast information about which French regulations actually demand that the gas reservoirs of leisure vehicles travelling in France must be shut off en route. It's possible that French regulations that deal with commercial transportation of gas canisters may cover this, but I wouldn't bet on it. I've no problem with the concept that 'safety' systems (like SecuMotion) can override national prohibitions in EU countries and allow a suitable gas heater to be run in a moving vehicle. I'm just interested if "La loi française" really does insist that (ignoring SecuMotion-type systems) the gas reservoirs of leisure vehicles be turned off while travelling, or is this just a time-honoured strong recommendation that the French now treat as being legally enforceable.I suspect that many UK caravanners and motorcaravanners believe they MUST turn off gas reservoirs while touring in this country because all the clubs and leisure magazines (quite sensibly) strongly advise people to do so. But there's no general-purpose UK law demanding this nor, as far as I'm aware, has there ever been any UK law prohibiting one from running a gas-fuelled heater, fridge, oven, etc. in a moving vehicle while travelling in the UK.

[Brian Kirby]

You may well be right, and there were a few advocating leaving the valves open on the basis that whereas this may result in fire, it would not result in explosion.

However, they seemed to be the pompiers, so I suppose they might speak from vested interest, preferring a risk they can identify, to one they cannot.

For the rest of us, it seems to be case of choose your accident carefully!  If the side of your van is swiped, and the flexibles cut, probably better to have the valves closed, to reduce the risk of escaping gas causing a fire.  However, if the fire has already started, probably better to have the valves open, so that the cylinders don't explode, even if that might worsen the fire!

As one wag commented, in terms, you have a choice: to roast slowly, or get blown to pieces!  Hard world, innit?  :-D