Gas-it mounting position

[bertiebasset]

In a bit of a quandary here. Have decided to fit refillable gas bottles as Calor are no longer going to supply 6kg and smaller bottles. My problem is where to mount the fill point.
I have an Autotrail Savannah which has 1 x 6kg and 1 x 13kg bottles. The locker door is released from behind the passenger seat and the opening has 15mm clearance either side. Inside the van the gas is contained in a box under the smaller side seat and is covered with carpet.
My problem is: do I mount the fill point:
1. to side of the gas locker with pipework through the gas box under the seat.
2. In the locker door
3. In the skirt.
With 1 then I presume I will break the gas integrity by having a hole in the side of the box and also the fill inlet will be inside the van.
If 2 then the hose will be moved/stretched etc every time I open the locker door so not ideal.
With 3 the skirt is both low and flimsy being held with an angled strip from underfloor at on end and it seems 2 stick along the top of a short piece of skirt.
Has anyone fitted refillable to one of these (Savannah) and if so,, where did you mount the fill.
TIA

 

[Brains]

If you have options then:

Same side as the diesel fill point.
External to the vehicle
(You don't want to be opening locker doors, many LPG fill points don't permit in locker fill points)
Ideally you want it around waist height, you don't want to be grovelling around at ground level, which probably rules out the skirt area.

Mine was professionally mounted in the gas locker door, however others think this can cause an issue as the pipe gets moved every time to locker door is opened, but I've not had any issues with this.

 

[bertiebasset]

Thanks for the response Brains . Will look again at mounting in the locker door. One problem I see it that the hinges are at the top so the pipework will be from the bottle top and running along and up to the rear of the filler, but,, with your input I am able to mount higher (waist height) than I thought.
Will check again then order as required. Thanks again.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

If you do mount your fill point in the locker door( which is not advised) when filling and disconnecting don't open the locker, as when the lpg is in the section of pipe from the fill point to the bottle any bending or movement can cause cracking/ rupture due to the low temperature of the lpg going through the hose.

 

[Lenny HB]

Mounting in the skirt is the best option, it avoids cutting holes in the bodywork. Mounting in the locker door IMO is a big No,No.

I have always had the filler in the skirt on all my vans, safe & easy to do.

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[Spriddler]

Gaslow and Gasit systems are very similar. Five years ago I fitted my Gaslow filler in the locker door in just over an hour, keeping one Calor propane connected (belt 'n braces) ......

​

with a right-angled connector according to Gaslow's instructions........

Gaslow supply stainless steel sheathed neoprene hoses. I think the Gasit ones are unsheathed neoprene.
My gas locker contains only gas cylinders so the door is only opened infrequently (when boarding the ferry and at the start and at the end of a trip).
In the unlikely event that the filler hose became damaged it would only release the small amount of gas in the short length of the filler hose as the locker door filler fitting and the Gaslow cylinder have one-way valves.
I would expect the chance of a gas leak to be less than when changing a Calor cylinder.
The LPG pump guns are quite heavy and fairly awkward to use so I favoured mounting the filler higher than low down in the m/h skirt.
If I was to transfer it to another m/h I'd fit a plastic vent over the (removed filler) hole.

 

[Speve]

We had a 2013 Autotrail Tracker FB I mounted the fill point in the skirt just behind and lower than the diesel filler point, from memory the skirt has brackets behind that make it fairly rigid.

 

[DandG5515]

we have a single 11kg gasit tank with filler direct on the bottle, (to me same as filler in locker) but no holes in bodywork or door. Could only mount under the skirt. As above can carry a calor as back up, but never bother. Gasit gauge is useless more expensive tanks have accurate gauges.

 

[PaulC70]

Everyone keeps on about them not supplying 6kg, but in fact it only says the 6kg lite and doesn't mention the standard 6kg?
Now I don't know, as it doesnt affect me, but I think people should clarify if the standard 6kg is being discontinued or not?
Mind you, going for a full gaslow system is proper future proofing anyway.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

I have fitted 2 fillers into flimsy plastic skirts, bought 1 of these and bent 90 degrees, sikaflexed and screwed to the floor.

Round Dutch Filler Bracket

This bracket is suit able for the 70mm round Dutch filler housing. 250mm long 100mm wide

autogasshop.co.uk

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[Spriddler]

Everyone keeps on about them not supplying 6kg, but in fact it only says the 6kg lite and doesn't mention the standard 6kg?

It's only the 6kg Calorlite that's discontinued:

Calor announces plan to streamline its cylinder range to improve customer service

Calor, the UK’s leading supplier of LPG, has announced plans to streamline its cylinder range as part of its first steps to improving customer service and the availability of cylinders sizes in higher demand.

www.calor.co.uk

 

[bertiebasset]

Thanks all for the feedback. I have ordered the kit so will check on arrival to commit to the final siting of the filler. One problem is the gas locker is full of the 2 bottles so not too much room for the hose to position itself. Also,, with the locker lit being hinged at the top it makes it difficult to see where the fill hose will lie when closed. I have ordered the auto changeover unit so my opening and closing of said locker door will be very infrequent.

 

[bertiebasset]

I have fitted 2 fillers into flimsy plastic skirts, bought 1 of these and bent 90 degrees, sikaflexed and screwed to the floor.

Round Dutch Filler Bracket

This bracket is suit able for the 70mm round Dutch filler housing. 250mm long 100mm wide

autogasshop.co.uk

View attachment 709339 View attachment 709340

The bracket in the 2nd photo seems a good idea. will look under my moho to see if it can be fitted in the skirt

 

[Orion]

Thanks all for the feedback. I have ordered the kit so will check on arrival to commit to the final siting of the filler. One problem is the gas locker is full of the 2 bottles so not too much room for the hose to position itself.

As the cylinders are, well…… cylindrical, and the locker likely more or less square or rectangular, you should be able to route the filling hose up in a corner if you’re careful. Take time to plan the layout and you should be okay - straight and right angled filling fittings are available if required, but as advised above I’d go for a skirt filling point and not putting it in the door unless absolutely unavoidable.

 

[tonyidle]

Mine's inside the locker. No comments from anyone when filling over the last 25+years.

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[Basildog]

In a bit of a quandary here. Have decided to fit refillable gas bottles as Calor are no longer going to supply 6kg and smaller bottles. My problem is where to mount the fill point.
I have an Autotrail Savannah which has 1 x 6kg and 1 x 13kg bottles. The locker door is released from behind the passenger seat and the opening has 15mm clearance either side. Inside the van the gas is contained in a box under the smaller side seat and is covered with carpet.
My problem is: do I mount the fill point:
1. to side of the gas locker with pipework through the gas box under the seat.
2. In the locker door
3. In the skirt.
With 1 then I presume I will break the gas integrity by having a hole in the side of the box and also the fill inlet will be inside the van.
If 2 then the hose will be moved/stretched etc every time I open the locker door so not ideal.
With 3 the skirt is both low and flimsy being held with an angled strip from underfloor at on end and it seems 2 stick along the top of a short piece of skirt.
Has anyone fitted refillable to one of these (Savannah) and if so,, where did you mount the fill.
TIA

Filler point position
1) Seriously bad plan taking a high pressure liquid phase filler hose into the habitation area ( must be properly sleeved / sealed and vented if you do .
2 ) Locker door is a bad plan, last resort and best avoided ( it’s not if it will eventually leak it’s when ? )
The constant movement of the hose , especially with the stainless steel hoses will harden them and it will eventually fail .
3 ) skirt is definitely normally the best possible position when available.

 

[peterc10]

Mounting in the skirt is the best option, it avoids cutting holes in the bodywork. Mounting in the locker door IMO is a big No,No.

I have always had the filler in the skirt on all my vans, safe & easy to do.

View attachment 709327

I agree. BUT you and I have a motorhome with aluminium skirts. I wouldn't want to put one in the plastic skirts many other motorhomes have.

 

[Lenny HB]

I agree. BUT you and I have a motorhome with aluminium skirts. I wouldn't want to put one in the plastic skirts many other motorhomes have.

In a plastic skirt you strengthen it with an alloy plate behind the filler and a brace to the chassis.

 

[Basildog]

In a plastic skirt you strengthen it with an alloy plate behind the filler and a brace to the chassis.

No need
The plastic skirts are far stronger and flexible than you might think ,our fitter has fitted appropriately 10 thousand fillers and only ever strengthened the skirts where they are falling off rotten plywood floors

 

[Toady]

My Gasit filler is inside the door. No issues and out of sight.

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[Hoovie]

In a plastic skirt you strengthen it with an alloy plate behind the filler and a brace to the chassis.

When I was fitting my filler to the plastic skirt, I did have some concerns about the flexing, but when looking at the construction decided there was enough strength there with the existing skirt supports.

Filler fitted

Inner view showing the braces equidistant either side of the location chosen for the filler

Good to have confirmation from Basildog about suitability of Plastic skirts generally as well

 

[bertiebasset]

Well thanks for all your input. I have now fitted my Gas-it system and placed the fill point in the skirt between the gas locker and diesel filler cap. It appeared to be a double skinned fibreglass short section and sturdy enough to support the fitting and hopefully the fill hose when I finally get to fill to check for leaks.