Gas Locker Floor - Luck Was With Us!

[Elsie2010]

Hi all

Thought I'd share our experience as not sure if this is a known thing or just an unfortunate event (hoping it's the latter!)

Whilst (luckily) driving through the grounds of Chatsworth (private stately home) doing no more than 5mph, we heard the biggest thud and a sound of dragging.

Whilst trying to look for a safe place to pull in, an oncoming car flagged us to stop.

Our spare gas had fallen out of our locker, onto the oncoming traffic due to our gas locker floor failing completely, with the connected gas hanging on by the pug tail, scraping the floor!

We have a 2008 Elddis Autoquest 140, bought in Jul 2022, where luckily our dealer has said he will stand to the repair.

Have read this to happen to caravans but not so on MH's.

Just makes you aware of how flimsy the floors can be, and just grateful it didn't happen on a main road or a motorway and it didn't hurt anyone or their vehicles.

Both were secured but gravity won the battle and the spare went rogue!

Photos attached (floor completely gone and what the floor looks like)

 

[Elsie2010]

Just a small update on this
I've contacted Elddis (Hymer) to advise of this issue (in case they've had similar before, so they may then make it a 'known problem' and possibly (unlikely) revisit the materials etc used, and they have asked for photos and VIN

You never know (hmm) possibly may take it seriously enough...Unsure on any recalls, dependant on how often this issue happens but if it can save one person from a potential disaster, the better

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I had a look under a couple of new Eldiss Van's whilst we were at Brownhills recently and the bottom of the gas lockers had a length of aluminium angle screwed into each of the external floor ends/ sides.

 

[Elsie2010]

I had a look under a couple of new Eldiss Van's whilst we were at Brownhills recently and the bottom of the gas lockers had a length of aluminium angle screwed into each of the external floor ends/ sides.

Yes, we have one of them retrieved from the floor, the other we can only assume fell down the cattle grid or possibly came off prior resulting in it failing?
What do gas lockers usually have to secure them down out of curiosity?

 

[Tony68000]

I was only thinking the other day how flimsy the floor of our gas bottle cupboard looked. I'm pleased you had a lucky escape, it could have been a lot worse.

This is definitely something I'll be adding to my periodic checks now. Thanks for the warning.

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[Elsie2010]

Surprising how common-ish this is after our experience and hearing about others.
Someone had the same happen but on the M1! Luckily, all was well

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I am planning to add a couple of longer brackets under the gas locker floor and up to the sides

 

[Elsie2010]

Are they screwed in under the locker or within it?

 

[angiep]

Thanks for the heads up. We will be checking our gas and battery lockers in the morning!!

 

[Elsie2010]

UPDATE:
Hab man's been today and had said that the wooden floor appears to have 'stapled on' as there judging by the look of the wood that was in place and also the fact that there were no screw holes in the metal surround of the actual gas locker

I suspect then with this in mind that, this is how it was fitted in the factory (unless of course, its had a new complete gas locker at some point, i.e the metal/aluminium sides, with there not being any trace of screw or bolt holes)

When I initially spoke to him, he said he'd never heard of this however, he's since done some 'googling' and found it's not too much of a rare thing (which backs up what our new dealer has said as he's had a few customers this is happened to)

Anyway, it's a £50-60 fix, using the current floor and metal grill/vent, which our old dealer is picking up the bill for


May be as well to (somehow) check how your floors are fixed.

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[brucekidd]

Hi all

Thought I'd share our experience as not sure if this is a known thing or just an unfortunate event (hoping it's the latter!)

Whilst (luckily) driving through the grounds of Chatsworth (private stately home) doing no more than 5mph, we heard the biggest thud and a sound of dragging.

Whilst trying to look for a safe place to pull in, an oncoming car flagged us to stop.

Our spare gas had fallen out of our locker, onto the oncoming traffic due to our gas locker floor failing completely, with the connected gas hanging on by the pug tail, scraping the floor!

We have a 2008 Elddis Autoquest 140, bought in Jul 2022, where luckily our dealer has said he will stand to the repair.

Have read this to happen to caravans but not so on MH's.

Just makes you aware of how flimsy the floors can be, and just grateful it didn't happen on a main road or a motorway and it didn't hurt anyone or their vehicles.

Both were secured but gravity won the battle and the spare went rogue!

Photos attached (floor completely gone and what the floor looks like)

View attachment 736769 View attachment 736770

 

[brucekidd]

Same happened to me, where did you get replacement floor

 

[Richard n Ann]

Just checked mine - Elddis Accordo 105 2014 and the gas locker floor looks like it's a continuation of the main floor even has the same lino on it.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

On seeing the first post I reinforced mine with angle brackets just to be sure.

 

[Phill D]

Same happened to me, where did you get replacement floor

I would be putting a metal frame work in there not just replacing the woodwork

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[cyberyacht]

View attachment 953767

My, what a big drop vent you have grandma said Red Riding Hood

 

[brucekidd]

Hi all

Thought I'd share our experience as not sure if this is a known thing or just an unfortunate event (hoping it's the latter!)

Whilst (luckily) driving through the grounds of Chatsworth (private stately home) doing no more than 5mph, we heard the biggest thud and a sound of dragging.

Whilst trying to look for a safe place to pull in, an oncoming car flagged us to stop.

Our spare gas had fallen out of our locker, onto the oncoming traffic due to our gas locker floor failing completely, with the connected gas hanging on by the pug tail, scraping the floor!

We have a 2008 Elddis Autoquest 140, bought in Jul 2022, where luckily our dealer has said he will stand to the repair.

Have read this to happen to caravans but not so on MH's.

Just makes you aware of how flimsy the floors can be, and just grateful it didn't happen on a main road or a motorway and it didn't hurt anyone or their vehicles.

Both were secured but gravity won the battle and the spare went rogue!

Photos attached (floor completely gone and what the floor looks like)

View attachment 736769 View attachment 736770

Where did you get your replacement floor as this happened to me last week

 

[Phill D]

It appears that the relevant member has not posted since sept 2023 so you are probably not going to get a response.

You are best off making a replacement floor yourself reinforcing it with metal supports. Or getting someone else to make one up for you.
Remember to fit a ventilation grill.

 

[Tinker2]

I replaced my floor, after hitting a speed bump, that wasn't signed. My box was probably overloaded.

 

[Lindaok]

Elddis Majestic 180 year 2012
We just had a similar experience- joining the A7 at Algeciras, fortunately, a very persistent Spanish driver flagged us down. The, almost full, 6kg cylinder was a couple of inches above ground level being held only by the connecting hose and the retaining strap which was on the neck of the bottle; the empty cylinder was held in place by the retaining strap and the floor had entirely disappeared. The only evidence that a floor ever existed is a very thin inch wide piece of damp wood along with pins/staples and a couple of screws at the back of the locker.
The van has a habitation service (and motor service) every June/July and no advisory was made in ‘24 regarding the locker floor.
Could have been a whole lot worse - no one hurt, on our return leg from a 2 month trip and we now have to eat out!
Safe travels.

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[CAB96]

Elddis Majestic 180 year 2012
We just had a similar experience- joining the A7 at Algeciras, fortunately, a very persistent Spanish driver flagged us down. The, almost full, 6kg cylinder was a couple of inches above ground level being held only by the connecting hose and the retaining strap which was on the neck of the bottle; the empty cylinder was held in place by the retaining strap and the floor had entirely disappeared. The only evidence that a floor ever existed is a very thin inch wide piece of damp wood along with pins/staples and a couple of screws at the back of the locker.
The van has a habitation service (and motor service) every June/July and no advisory was made in ‘24 regarding the locker floor.
Could have been a whole lot worse - no one hurt, on our return leg from a 2 month trip and we now have to eat out!
Safe travels.
View attachment 985102

Wow, scary.

At least there's no danger of gas build-up from a blocked drop-out vent

 

[daveclare]

Just reinforces my views on some of those who carry out hab checks.