Salad Dodger Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I am looking to purchase my first Motorhome and the one i am looking at has an onboard Gas Tank is this a good or bad thing? Any help will be much appreciated. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Definitely a GOOD thing in my view. A fixed LGP tank not only means you buy your gas much cheaper than when it's in exchange bottles, it also means you can forget about humping those metal cylinders around. Oh, and you don't waste the last bit by having to change the cylinder when there's still a bit left. But do be aware that in some countries LPG isn't as common at filling stations as it is here. It's not as universal in France as it used to be. But that shouldn't be a problem with a proper tank - even with my refillable cylinder it's OK as long as I keep some track of where I'm up to with consumption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Strachan Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hi, and welcome, Gas tank is a good idea, and I wish I had one. Changed vans in March to do longer trips, and the new bigger van has a smaller gas locker. Changing to refillables must be high on our list when we return. Good luck with your search, once you get a van I'm sure you will feel its something you should have done years ago. Enjoy Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Not a bad thing no...but how beneficial it'll be,all depends on how much gas you are likey to use.... We spend our time split between sites with hook-up and Cls(some with,some without elec')and we halved our gas costs purely by switching from a 6kg to a 13kg Calor bottle. The 13kg bottle only cost us around £25,whereas the 6kg was costing around £22!).This has lasted us well over a year now... I know it's difficult to put a price on the "convenience" of a refillable system but how ever we look at it,for us at the moment,the sums just don't add up(..especially as,if we were to go down that route,we'd want the more expensive,underslung tank,so as to free up the gas bottle locker for storage..) However,if we were able to be off touring abroad,"wildcamping" for months at a time,then a refillable system would be on our "things to get" list.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Bear in mind, Pepe, that OP isn't thinking of shelling out to have a tank fitted, but considering buying a van that already has one. So unless the tank has pushed up the asking price for the van quite significantly, the numbers are all on the same side of the sheet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Oh yeah..so they are.. :$ ..sorry folks.. In that case,it's win win situation.. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ina Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 The only disadvantage I can think of is that motorhomes with LPG tanks are NOT allowed on Eurotunnel. I don't know whether that would be an issue for you. We use the tunnel every time, as OH is a very bad sailor, so in our case we'd have to think very carefully. Ina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Ina Are you sure about this? My understanding is that vehicles powered by gas are not allowed, but that gas tanks / cylinders are OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 spospe - 2012-08-14 6:16 PM Ina Are you sure about this? My understanding is that vehicles powered by gas are not allowed, but that gas tanks / cylinders are OK. Your understanding is correct - the relevant regulations are here http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/site-information/lpg/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsea Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hi that was my understanding as well. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ina Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 spospe - 2012-08-14 6:16 PM Ina Are you sure about this? My understanding is that vehicles powered by gas are not allowed, but that gas tanks / cylinders are OK. Sorry, my mistake. I'd read the OP wrong, and thought it related to the main fuel tank. I apologise for any confusion. Senior moment strikes again! Ina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I've got the Gaslow refillable cylinder fitted to my motorhome. I just filled it yesterday on my return from a trip......12.4 litres cost me £8.64p. It wasn't really a cost consideration for me, just the convenience of the system.I think I've got a 'dicky' gauge though. Sunday it read just under full and Monday I was on the red reserve indication. The gas is only used for cooking and the fridge on the odd occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 bob b - 2012-08-14 7:13 PM I think I've got a 'dicky' gauge though. Sunday it read just under full and Monday I was on the red reserve indication. The gas is only used for cooking and the fridge on the odd occasion. No, your Gaslow gauge is no more "dicky" than anyone else's Bob. They only really start to show anything other than "green" when they're nearly empty. They do show a bit more realism if you run something "heavy" (eg cooker instead of just fridge) but the real answer is to keep some track of your consumption. I know our Gaslow lasts for just over a week with no mains hook-up (ie 7x shower each, meal for two, washing-up ditto, and 24hrs fridge). So I remember (or make a note) when I fill up, and start looking for more after about 5 days. Works for me! I've no experience of fitted tanks like the OP's, so I don't know how accurately they measure what's left, but since they're basically the same kit as used for LPG-POWERED vehicles I assume they must bear some relation to reality! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hi bought my M/H back in March and due to the weather have not used it quite as much as hoped but it has a 40lt fixed tank, which has a usable capacity of 32lt. the tank has a display of 4 green lights and 1 red light on the control panel ,all 4 green lights were on when we got the M/H so full tank.After the latest trip to Hembsy with 2 grandsons only 2 lights on so filled up at local BP station.13.5lt £9.63. On the site at Hembsy hook up was £3.50 per night so we did not hook up.In all we have had 15 nights away using cooker, fridge heater and generator(only when home to use hoover)for less £s than 3 nights hook up on a private site. I think Ipaid 72p per lt =£1.44 per kg , how does that compare to bottled? Quite well I think regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 bob b - 2012-08-14 7:13 PM I think I've got a 'dicky' gauge though. Sunday it read just under full and Monday I was on the red reserve indication. The gas is only used for cooking and the fridge on the odd occasion. Same 'problem' here - when we came over to the Isle of Wight it was still reading 'full' the next day it was showing flipping empty! Had to pay an 'extortionate' 88p per litre to get it here! 8-) so it cost us about £2 more than it would be normally ... or the cost of 2 McFlurry ice-creams! *-) However, to 'calm' our thrift nerves we did partake of 2 Mcflurry ice-creams yesterday anyway! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 The potential accuracy of a Gaslow bottle's integrated contents-gauge is described here (on Page 14) http://www.southdownsmotorcaravans.co.uk/pdf/sdmc_2009_gaslow_brochure.pdf 1. From Full down to 50% full the gauge's needle should be at the upper end of the gauge's green segment. 2. The needle in the centre of the green segment should indicate 40% full. 3. The needle in the yellow segment should indicate 30% full. 4. The needle in the red segment should indicate 18% (or less) full. An 11kg Gaslow bottle holds approximately 21 litres of LPG when 'full' (ie. at 80% capacity). So, from 21 litres down to 10.5 litres, gauge-reading "1" (above) should apply. Gauge-reading "2" should indicate around 8.4 litres of LPG remain in the bottle. Gauge-reading "3" should indicate around 6.3 litres of gas remain. Gauge-reading "4" should indicate that no more than 3.8 litres of LPG are left. In Mel B's case, if her bottle's gauge-reading was "1" (at least 10.5 litres remaining) and the next day "4" (no more than 3.8 litres left), then, logically, at least 6.7 litres have 'gone missing' in the previous 24 hours. Either that or the gauge is misreading. My understanding is that (unlike STAKO canisters) there's no direct mechanical connection between a Gaslow bottle's internal contents-level float mechanism and the gauge itself. Presumably (unless magic is involved!) a moving magnet causes the gauge's needle to move. If a gauge does begin to produce readings that are clearly inaccurate, then either it's the gauge itself that's at fault and a replacement should correct this, or it's the float mechanism within the bottle (which wouldn't greatly surprise me if the design/construction hasn't changed from when it was first introduced). I think Tony Jones may be referring to Gaslow's "Low Level Indicator" gauges (Page 6 of the .pdf link I gave above) not the integrated Gaslow-bottle gauge. Realistically, the former gauges have little value when it comes to assessing how much LPG remaind in a gas-bottle, though they can provide a useful leak-testing capability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Hi Salad Dodger, You will certainly find the running costs economical. Wife and I just spent 6 weeks abroad and used the gas cooker quite a lot and the fridge on gas quite a lot as well-we normally stay on sites[EHU] but this year mixed with some Aires. Started the holiday with full Gaslow cylinders and when we refilled in Holland just before the Rotterdam Ferry home the total cost was in the region of £4.50 equivalent. good luck with whatever you purchase derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Derek Uzzell - 2012-08-15 8:33 AM In Mel B's case, if her bottle's gauge-reading was "1" (at least 10.5 litres remaining) and the next day "4" (no more than 3.8 litres left), then, logically, at least 6.7 litres have 'gone missing' in the previous 24 hours. Either that or the gauge is misreading. It is either a faulty gauge (which is my view) or the flipping Isle of Wight flying ants have been getting 'high' on the stuff overnight!!!! 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowan Lee Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We've been on Eurotunnel several times with our underslung gas tank, no problem. It's LPG powered vehicles that are not allowed. I always declare it when they ask if we have gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.