fitting gas bottles

[Paul J]

I'm 10 days or so from collecting a new motorhome. I've bought myself 2 propane gas bottles of the correct size. I'm at the stage where I feel like I'm bothering the dealer by continually asking questions. The gas locker seems to have a centrally mounted valve or similar, it certainly has an on/off tap. Somehow I expected there would be a gas pipe dangling in the locker, ready to accept a regulator for the bottle ?
Is it just that this showroom van hasn't yet been made ready for the customer ?

and..... if this is the case, if there is an on/off tap on this central fitting inside the locker.... isn't there also the little wheel on the gas bottle itself ? why would there be two on/off's ?

Paul

 

[Mikeco]

It will have a bulkhead fitted regulator which you will attach your bottle to with a pigtail.

 

[icantremember]

With a new motorhome I would expect the dealer to provide at least one gas bottle and all the necessary regulator, gas tails and advice.

 

[Paul J]

It's got a built in regulator ? thats awesome

yeah, I was surprised with the dealer, they've been great, but are the opposite of pushy, didn't ask if I might want a TV, bracket, accessories, alarm. I'm surprised that motorhome dealers aren't onto the Gap-insurance, paint and upholstery protection selling, as add-ons

 

[Paul J]

I'm hoping it'll have this crash-safe feature, then I don't need to obsessively turn the bottle off when driving ?

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[pappajohn]

The gas locker seems to have a centrally mounted valve or similar, it certainly has an on/off tap

As already said, that will be a fixed bulkhead regulator not a valve.
It just needs a pigtail hose to connect it to the bottle top....no other regulator needed.

The on/off tap may be a manual change over valve meaning both bottles are connected at the same time (so you'll need two hoses) and when one is empty simply turn the lever to switch to the second bottle.

 

[Riverbankannie]

I'm 10 days or so from collecting a new motorhome. I've bought myself 2 propane gas bottles of the correct size. I'm at the stage where I feel like I'm bothering the dealer by continually asking questions. The gas locker seems to have a centrally mounted valve or similar, it certainly has an on/off tap. Somehow I expected there would be a gas pipe dangling in the locker, ready to accept a regulator for the bottle ?
Is it just that this showroom van hasn't yet been made ready for the customer ?

and..... if this is the case, if there is an on/off tap on this central fitting inside the locker.... isn't there also the little wheel on the gas bottle itself ? why would there be two on/off's ?

Paul

I would expect the dealer to have it ready with a gas bottle fitted. How else can the working of the fridge, hob, heating etc be demonstrated on handover. ? Don’t leave without having everything demonstrated. Handover should take couple hours.
Make notes or take a video.

 

[Paul J]

I simply don't remember what happened at handover of my last van, but that was in 2002. you'd imaging they's have some deal with Calor to supply a full bottle with each van, still, I didn't ask, and no info has been volunteered yet. Probably not fair to name the retailer, but they are long established, pretty big, and only sell motorhomes

 

[scotjimland]

you'd imaging they's have some deal with Calor to supply a full bottle with each van,

They won't have a deal, but they may well be Calor agents, when you hire a Calor bottle you have to sign a contract.. of course many don't do that and have them passed on from the last owner.. or they buy at a boot sale..

the dealer will probably have some laying about taken from trade-in vans , so you will probably have one or even two supplied FOC.. make sure you get Propane bottles (Red) which can be used all year.. not Butane (Blue) which stops boiling at just above freezing point so no use in winter.

If they only have Butane available, take them , you can exchange for Propane when they are empty but will require a Propane pigtail which you can buy at any caravan dealers.

 

[Paul J]

got ya, yeah, I have a couple of propane bottles ready to go in. I'd given my old bottles to a friend just a couple of months ago, after saving them for the last 15 years ! I was frustrated at having to pay the hire charge on new bottles which I should have kept, so I posted on a Facebook group for residents of my local area, and hey presto, two empty bottles, for the correct gas company were sourced, and now exchanged for nice full ones. job done, no hire charge required