filling lpg/gpl onboard tank

[fliowerman146b]

i have a coachman catalina with an onboard gpl tank for heating water and cooking. i have just bought an adaptapter from autogas 2000 to enable me to fill the tank in france/italy. i am told lots of stories that you cannot just pull into a fuel service station in france and fill up from the lpg/gpl pump. i am told you need a special certificate, that lpg is not suitable for use in an rv for cooking/heating etc and you can only go to special pumps at camp sites. has anybody please had experience recently in france?

 

[MikeandCarolyn]

i had a problem 1 week ago i north france at 3 super markets,many others with out insterlation certs [ ie gas safe ]were turned away they were dutch belgum and english,,?? the law has now changed in france ??.just had a call from a friend in mont gen skiing they are having to go to olux to get gas as the local mamouth wont sell with out ticket of safety,,so be warned if it aint safty checked you possably wont get it,also just because you use to get gas in the past with no problem dont mean you will now, i will see in two weeks as off to bordux for two ,,,lets see what happens there

I have just been to the local Baileys service place and asked about an Installation Cert.
There doesnt seem to be one that he could issue and he pointed out that Gas Safe is purely domestic and doesn't apply to caravans or Motor Homes.
So,what is the Cert that is required ? Where can it be obtained? Does it apply to fixed tanks as well as Gaslow systems ?

Mike

 

[scotjimland]

So,what is the Cert that is required ? Where can it be obtained? Does it apply to fixed tanks as well as Gaslow systems ?

Mike

Hi Mike, you should be able to have your system checked and a safety cert issued by any qualified Gas Safe engineer who ALSO has an LPG ticket
.
Gas Safe engineers may have additional training to qualify them to install and test LPG systems.. many households have bulk LPG tanks.

 

[John & Joan]

Hi Mike, you should be able to have your system checked and a safety cert issued by any qualified Gas Safe engineer who ALSO has an LPG ticket
.
Gas Safe engineers may have additional training to qualify them to install and test LPG systems.. many households have bulk LPG tanks.

When you had your bulk tank fitted you should have received a certificate for your tank signed by the installer.

If you have bought a GasLow system contact them. If you have Alugas contact your supplier.

John

 

[trophychap]

I contacted Gaslow who today sent me by email Certs for both my bottles. Unfortunately they are in Portugese or possibly Spanish not quite sure which.

As yet Gaslow do not have any French certification. They are seeing what can be done.

Do you think the French will accept either my english or other certification??

Personally I have my doubts.

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[scotjimland]

Be mindful , there are two certificates ..

1) For the tank or bottle.
Issued by the manufacturer and date stamped on the tank when it is due re testing, usually every 10 to 15 years..

2) The installation .. ie, hoses, connectors, regulator and fittings and can only be issued by a Gas Safe-LPG qualified engineer. It should be part of the annual hab check.

 

[John & Joan]

I contacted Gaslow who today sent me by email Certs for both my bottles. Unfortunately they are in Portugese or possibly Spanish not quite sure which.

As yet Gaslow do not have any French certification. They are seeing what can be done.

Do you think the French will accept either my english or other certification??

Personally I have my doubts.

They may be in Spanish as Spain has tight LPG regulations recently. For a Full instalation inspection and certification I was quoted between 160 and 200 Euro. This can only be done by a Repsol or Cepsa engineer.

John

 

[John & Joan]

Be mindful , there are two certificates ..

1) For the tank or bottle.
Issued by the manufacturer and date stamped on the tank when it is due re testing, usually every 10 to 15 years..

2) The installation .. ie, hoses, connectors, regulator and fittings and can only be issued by a Gas Safe-LPG qualified engineer. It should be part of the annual hab check.

As far as I understand it is recommended but not compulsory for work on LP Gas systems to be by an approved LPG installer in the UK. The UK LPG certification is for Domestic LPG installations in properties, not Motorhomes.

The National Caravan Council (NCC) are recommending that refillable tanks are not fitted to Caravans and motorhomes until a Europe wide certification scheme is in place. They say the only regulations are for LPG powered vehicle tanks.

John

 

[sedge]

Well the "Iberian" cert is just for the bottles; we couldn't work out at first why there were two but then realised one is for one bottle and other is for t'other. I don't really understand why it should NOT be possible to get this in French so I refuse to listen to any Prophet of Doom merchants at the moment. We can't ask the person who fitted it to issue a cert because that's Pete. However Mark (CLS) did the Hab check for us last year and I suppose there are some boxes that must be ticked re the gas installation? Dunno, never read it, like vehicle servicing and MOT's, that's Pete's domain!

Hopefully it will all be sorted out before we go in April. If not we will have to come back when we run out of gas! or eat salads. LOL

To quote their (Gaslow's) email dated yesterday

Dear Peter
Thank you for your enquiry, please find attached copies of Certificates as requested, unfortunately we are unable to supply these in French at the moment.

We have contacted our suppliers to see if this is possible.