Ralph Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 My friend recently had a Gaslow cylinder fitted by our local dealer. His Lunar van has a gas pressure gauge fitted just before the regulator. The dealer then fitted a Gaslow gauge before it. As far as I can see he has been conned into paying for another guage that he doesn't need, but have I missed something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 No Ralph you haven't missed anything. If your drawing is accurate then the second gauge does nothing extra to the first gauge and is totally redundant. Mind you the first gauge is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard as well :-) . D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 I can offer you an educated guess at what has happened... If you look at the section of the Gaslow brochure that deals with their refillable cylinders, you'll note that twin bottle systems (irrespective of whether the containers involved are 2 x Gaslow refillable bottles, or a Gaslow bottle + an ordinary exchange-only bottle) normally include a 'changeover regulator'. This regulator can either operate automatically so that, when one bottle runs out of gas, the other bottle is automatically brought into play, or manually. Gaslow market an automatic changeover regulator as a complete unit and to fit this would involve replacement of a motorhome's original regulator. Gaslow's manual changeover arrangement is really just a T-piece that can be attached to the inlet of an existing 30mbar regulator allowing two bottles to be connected to that regulator. You turn off both bottles' valves then turn on the valve of the bottle you wish gas to be drawn from initially. When that bottle is empty you turn its valve off, then turn on the valve of the other bottle. However, the T-piece that Gaslow markets for this purpose includes not only a non-return valve but also a (butane- or propane-suitable) 'low level' gauge. So, even if your leisure vehicle already has a gauge, installing the Gaslow 'T-piece' will add a second gauge whether you like it or not. In fact, I've a sneaking suspicion that your friend's Lunar is similar to my own motorhome and has a regulator (in my case a Truma product) with an integrated gauge. This would be more usual than having a separate add-on gauge preceding the regulator as your diagram suggests, though the latter set-up is certainly possible. How does that sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 nutz derk, but you are probably spot on. to get our heater working (a very old carver) alice as to suck ard on the gas supply. prtobably just an air lock but alice loves it parently. justfred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 With Dave I'm afraid, neither gauge will do anything but tell him when the cylinder is empty; but he’ll know that anyway because his appliances won’t work. Just more hardware that adds to unnecessary gadgetry, that could potentially increase the risk of a gas leak, in my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 Derek Uzzell - 2007-10-28 7:09 PM How does that sound? That sounds absolutely spot on! From what I can see both gauges tell you when you've run out of gas to confirm what you thought when the cooker wouldn't light :-S which, I suppose, is what Dave meant. The Tee must have some sort of non return valve I suppose to stop one cylinder from trying to fill the other. Thanks for the help. I was pretty sure it was a waste of space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I'm not certain what the Gaslow 'T-piece' does if the owner of the leisure vehicle chooses to have the valves on both of his/her gas bottles open simultaneously, but the stated purpose of the T-piece's non-return valve is that it "allows the empty gas cylinder to be removed without turning OFF the gas supply". It's worth highlighting (once again) that, although pressure gauges have little practical value for telling you the amount of gas remaining in a cylinder, they do provide a simple and useful gas-leak check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Derek, I can't see how they provide a gas leak check, since the pressure doesn't change whilst there is liquid gas in the tank. I have to say my favoured gas leak check is to spread a strong washing-up liquid water mix on all parts that might leak after any changes to connections have been made. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 I guess he means that if you close the valve and the pressure drops you have a leak. Obviously nothing will happen if you keep the valve open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Mel E - 2007-10-29 9:35 AM Derek, I can't see how they provide a gas leak check, since the pressure doesn't change whilst there is liquid gas in the tank. I have to say my favoured gas leak check is to spread a strong washing-up liquid water mix on all parts that might leak after any changes to connections have been made. Mel E ==== As previously stated that is the only and best use of the guage, it does give an indication of pressure loss when the cylinder valve is closed off. The loss of pressure will be indicated by the guage even when you cannot smell a leak. You should never use washing up liquid to test for leakage on copper pipe as it contains corrosives that remain even when you wipe it dry. You should only ever use 'Leak Detector Solution' sold in bottles with brush or aerosol spray, personally I preffer the brush. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Basil - of course you would! (Basil.....prefer the brush.....getit??) Now to more important issues: the thread title is "Gas Question". But after much quiet reflection, and having read all of the excellent posts, I'm afraid that I still can't grasp why we should gas question. What has question ever done to us? Why must it be gassed? Is there not some other more humane way to remove it - shoot question, or painlessly inject question? I'm not convinced of guilt, and therefore suggest we attempt to save question by launching a "Question is Innocent" campaign at once!! (Just feeling frivolous at the moment..........................and yes, frivolous does like it!!) B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Well done BGD, didn't see the connection at first, all I can say is Boom Boom!! Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Basil - 2007-10-29 2:27 PM Well done BGD, didn't see the connection at first, all I can say is Boom Boom!! Bas Boom boom is what you get when the gas gassing the question gets out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 BGD - 2007-10-29 1:40 PM (Just feeling frivolous at the moment..........................and yes, frivolous does like it!!) I know the booze is cheap in Spain but I assume that the illegal substances are as well ? :-D :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Basil, Surely the connector between bottle and pipe is solid brass? And then there's a length of reinforced rubber pipe before you reach the copper pipe. I've never had any problem with corrosion of the brass fittings in years of using this method. And the liquid mix has never reached the copper pipe. I normally do this check with the gas bottle on the grass outside the m'home - there's more room to tighten fittings there - and it's quite easy to rinse the w/u liquid off with some water before lifting the cylinder into its cupboard. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Mel E - 2007-10-30 12:51 PM Basil, Surely the connector between bottle and pipe is solid brass? And then there's a length of reinforced rubber pipe before you reach the copper pipe. I've never had any problem with corrosion of the brass fittings in years of using this method. And the liquid mix has never reached the copper pipe. I normally do this check with the gas bottle on the grass outside the m'home - there's more room to tighten fittings there - and it's quite easy to rinse the w/u liquid off with some water before lifting the cylinder into its cupboard. Mel E ==== Washing up liquid is corrosive to any metal, which is why we are forever being told not to wash your cars with it. In your origional post you suggested (and this is from memory so may not be word for word) that any connection that was broken and remade should be tested, a lot of fittings have copper olives and you cannot wipe off any of the fluid that runs behind the nut! In the case of where you are suggesting now, i.e. the cylinder connection you may well be able to remove most by splashing of with plain water afterwards and if any surface damage occurs (normally seen by a dark coloured staining of the metal I'm sure you have all seen it) it would not be dangerous. Clearly it is better that someone tests rather than not at all but surely it is far better to use the appropriate and approved liquid in the first place, it is not expensive after all, and not run the risk of future possibly unseen problems, particularly if the work is being carried out away from the cylinder connection. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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