# lpg  auto gas



## robert b (Aug 12, 2010)

can any one advise me on if i can run my cooker. gas fire.  fridge. on my lpg tank. if the pipe had a diversion fitted to the pipe work from gas compartment and do i need a regulator fitting between tank for said items


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## al n sal (Aug 12, 2010)

if the tank you are talking about is running your vehicle, then No you can't, your engine runns on LPG liquid and your cooker, appliances etc, run off LPG vapour.

liquid is far mor pressured than vapour, so you would probably blow up your appliances and van if you try. 

you need a vapour take off in the LPG tank.

best left to a professional who deals with this stuff, regularly, highly dangerous.

al


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## Deleted member 207 (Aug 12, 2010)

If you can solve the vapour only problem then you might need to change the gas jets as well - though its not 100% certain for every appliance. The propane or butane only appliances have different jets to the autogas appliances (mix of propane/butane/butadienne and other rubbish gases not used in the refineries). I think the autogas appliances run at 50mBar and the others at 30mBar just to make things even more complicated.

Germany was/is the country for autogas tanks in motorhomes and have well developed designs. WYNEN GAS »


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## peterandlinda (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi

To confirm, no you cannot use the same tank to supply liquid fuel to the engine and gas to the domestic appliances.  I cannot remember precisely why, but it is a safety issue and I was convinced when I looked into it myself some years ago.

P&L


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## al n sal (Aug 12, 2010)

Roger said:


> If you can solve the vapour only problem then you might need to change the gas jets as well - though its not 100% certain for every appliance. The propane or butane only appliances have different jets to the autogas appliances (mix of propane/butane/butadienne and other rubbish gases not used in the refineries). I think the autogas appliances run at 50mBar and the others at 30mBar just to make things even more complicated.
> 
> Germany was/is the country for autogas tanks in motorhomes and have well developed designs. WYNEN GAS »



my last camper ran on autogas and these questions I asked as well,  basically I got most of my answers from the main installers. if I rember rightly (and I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong) its not so much about the running pressures its got something to do with the way the liquid acts when entering a vapour system. they told me about one of those old style gas heaters which uses the 15kg bottles loads of houses used to use them before combi boilers, anyway, they said that it acts similar to one of those running and then laying the bottle on its side, apparently they act like flame throwers well something like that it was a long time ago, anyway, that was enough for me to drop teh idea.

there has been a few people who have claimed to have made vapour pick ups for these tanks, but using the tanks for one purpose and not both, but being a worry wart, I wouldn't even consider it myself, I like the idea of living and camping till I'm really old, and not till i switxh the cooker on

personally I would rather spend the money and buy the proper equipment, the red tank, then you know you your family and anyone within a hundred yards arn't going to be on the BBQ list, literally

al


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## vwalan (Aug 12, 2010)

its all down to the take off points .for running a vehicle engine you need liquid .for cooking etc you need gas. even the tanks for cooking lay down but you take the gas from the highest point. were as for engines the lowest point. i personaly see no reason to not take gas from the highest point of the tank for domestic use and liquid from the bottom. but gas suppliers and tec blokes usually will not mix the two schemes . why i cant say. you would fill either tank at the same pumps and if its safe with one tank why not both systems from one tank. i do know people that run both but although i believe its not illegal here you would not get a tuv certificate in germany or so i am told. what you must not do is tee off the pipework you use for the engine. having asked a few why we cant have both on one tank the answer is you cant .but why i ask ,you cant.     full stop.    why?
bit like the eighth wonder of the world or something . you cant?  as for pressure you burn auto gas at the same pressure as your domestic items need here 37mbr if run on propane 37mbr.


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## Deleted member 207 (Aug 13, 2010)

vwalan said:


> having asked a few why we cant have both on one tank the answer is you cant .but why i ask ,you cant.     full stop.    why?



I suspect that its all about engineering in as many failsafes as possible - only one draw off point from the tank makes it impossible to get the vapour and liquid pipes mixed up. You can stamp and paint warnings but some idiot will always get it wrong. There may also be issues (design/legal wise) with the number of holes that are allowed in the tank's valves/guages/pressure relief mounting plate. 

There must have been an accident that got various authorities to outlaw the practice.


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## vwalan (Aug 13, 2010)

hi roger .i can get liquid or vapour from my tank at home. how else do i fill my bottles the tank as a liquid outlet with a long pick up on the top and further along is the vapour. but yes on car tanks its possibly just a make it easy thing. although i have seen several with it all fitted and working. . i dont use the tank for domestic anymore i find bottles cheaper in spain an maroc to exchange .have diesel motor .and try to have a simple life. have thought its a shame its almost impossible to fil tanks in maroc at gas stations. did take my hand pump but its hard work and i,d sooner be surfing in the sea than pumping gas from bottles. ha ha . time all gas bottles and counties used the same fittings save alot of confusion for folk. cheers sun out today better cut the grass. cheers alan.


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## al n sal (Aug 14, 2010)

just one last thing, on my last van the insurance company needed a completion certificate to prove that the tank and system had been fitted properly and was safe to use. the workshop that certified it also installed more safety features, which I'm really glad they did as when the engine fire happened, nothing to do with the lpg side, we had only 5 miles previous filled the tank.Boom

presumably, if i had not had this done then they (an insurance company) could well of refused to pay out and voided the policy, some insurance companies will look for any way out of paying a claim.
the company I was insured with were brilliant but i have heard of those that find it very painful to pay out.

al


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