Motorhome fire in campsite

[r4dent]

How long have you been a member on here?

You're right, sorry about that.

 

[Robmac]

How long have you been a member on here?
p.s. Rob was actually quoting one of my posts before changing his mind and going 'dotty'.

Yeah, I got me knickers in a twist Colin!

 

[Robmac]

Anyone tried lighting hob with a cigarette?

Apparently Adele can set fire to the rain!

I suppose she's got to be good at something.

 

[Tim120]

Just spotted this on Bob Earnshaws YouTube channel.
Apparently the owner though his gas was turned of when he went to change a cylinder.
A spark ignited the gas, and sadly his van is destroyed.

Not watched it or read all this thread. How many views equal a new van?
1. Turn OFF cylinder.
2. See Above.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Yes and you turn it off at the bottle, not at the regulator which is what PB said at what I queried.

I actually said:-

Not sure how there was a spark, Brass is used so that can't happen maybe he was smoking, or an appliance was on but even then you would turn off the bottle first, so any appliance would go out. I also turn off the regulator to keep gas in the pipes.

I meant to say AT the regulator not the reg itself even though mine can be turned off on the reg as can most of the vans we've owned.

 

[gasgas]

As a gas man I would speculate thus: . If you have an AES fridge and you are on a site and not connected to mains hook up, with engine off, the fridge will auto switch itself to gas. If the gas supply stops, as it woud if for example you are taking a long time to change a bottle, then the auto ignition will go spark spark spark spark spark spark spark spark until the gas supply is restored. If the gas bottle locker is next to the fridge vent then the escaping gas from changing the cylinder could enter the fridge vent where, just inside, the sparks are sparking constantly. Then you get your kaboom. So if you have an AES fridge it is most important to turn the fridge to OFF before changing gas bottles or refilling your refillable gas tank.

 

[trevskoda]

I dont understand why in this day and age vans are fitted with old flame fridges from the turn of the last century, better to go electric.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I dont understand why in this day and age vans are fitted with old flame fridges from the turn of the last century, better to go electric.

Most effective way to cool stuff.

 

[r4dent]

I dont understand why in this day and age vans are fitted with old flame fridges from the turn of the last century, better to go electric.

Because if you are not on EHU the electric will need to come from a 12v source and a fridge (or cooking) drains a battery very quickly.
I know some people have battery banks larger than a blue whale and enough solar panels to power an iron foundry, but most people have a more modest set up.

Maybe the introduction of Electric MoHos with battery capacity measured in mega watt hours will drag us into the 21st century.

 

[trevskoda]

Because if you are not on EHU the electric will need to come from a 12v source and a fridge (or cooking) drains a battery very quickly.
I know some people have battery banks larger than a blue whale and enough solar panels to power an iron foundry, but most people have a more modest set up.

Maybe the introduction of Electric MoHos with battery capacity measured in mega watt hours will drag us into the 21st century.

Time they upgraded then isent it, i have 2 batts 90ah each and fridge will run 24 hrs with no solar, will work round the clock with 2 solar panels

 

[zzr1400tim]

As a gas man I would speculate thus: . If you have an AES fridge and you are on a site and not connected to mains hook up, with engine off, the fridge will auto switch itself to gas. If the gas supply stops, as it woud if for example you are taking a long time to change a bottle, then the auto ignition will go spark spark spark spark spark spark spark spark until the gas supply is restored. If the gas bottle locker is next to the fridge vent then the escaping gas from changing the cylinder could enter the fridge vent where, just inside, the sparks are sparking constantly. Then you get your kaboom. So if you have an AES fridge it is most important to turn the fridge to OFF before changing gas bottles or refilling your refillable gas tank.

its a good point.
I have an AES fridge freezer and its also recommended that you disconnect the gas supply while driving (good practice anyway) or the fridge will switch itself over to gas if you stop for fuel within a few minutes of switching your engine off. Then spark spark spark (not good if any petrol vapor is nearby)
it would ruin your whole day!

 

[r4dent]

Time they upgraded then isent it, i have 2 batts 90ah each and fridge will run 24 hrs with no solar, will work round the clock with 2 solar panels

So your set up supports the fridge for one sunless day or for every when the sun shines.
Do you rely on gas for heating ? Is it a log burner or do you use diesel ?
How about cooking ? Is that the log burner or do you use disposable BBQs?

Each to his own but I think I just stay with my "old fashioned" gas. So much simpler.
(I must admit I was glad away from gas lighting, I never got on with mantles)

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Can you run AES fridges manually or is it fully automatic, as I would hate it making decisions.

 

[colinm]

Do you rely on gas for heating ? Is it a log burner or do you use diesel ?

Trev's brain gets so hot when thinking he doesn't need any other form of heating.

 

[maingate]

Can you run AES fridges manually or is it fully automatic, as I would hate it making decisions.

I had 2 AES fridge/freezers and both had manual settings as well as Auto but some are purely auto.

 

[Nabsim]

A compressor fridge will is approx 24a in 24 hours, an electric fridge freezer will use approx 48a in 24 hours. You either need EHU, a genny or hook up to an EV charging point every few days in Winter in the U.K. If you have a big enough dc-dc charger and travel at least an hour every day that is an option, it would need to be a 60a b2b for a fridge freezer though.

I do love my compressor fridge but they do need more power than a lot of folks have. Of course if you only go away for weekends and battery’s are full when you set off you may not notice. Try full time and it hits home lol

 

[trevskoda]

So your set up supports the fridge for one sunless day or for every when the sun shines.
Do you rely on gas for heating ? Is it a log burner or do you use diesel ?
How about cooking ? Is that the log burner or do you use disposable BBQs?

Each to his own but I think I just stay with my "old fashioned" gas. So much simpler.
(I must admit I was glad away from gas lighting, I never got on with mantles)

No heating as diesel night heater never worked< must sort> we do have a 500w fan heater which will work for a short time, cooking on gas and have a small oven on small camping cylinders.
We also eat out most of the time, no washing up and kids want differant grub than us.

 

[r4dent]

Can you run AES fridges manually or is it fully automatic, as I would hate it making decisions.

Yes.
I had AES on previous van and never used the Auto select feature.

 

[Canalsman]

Can you run AES fridges manually or is it fully automatic, as I would hate it making decisions.

Yes

 

[Canalsman]

its a good point.
I have an AES fridge freezer and its also recommended that you disconnect the gas supply while driving (good practice anyway) or the fridge will switch itself over to gas if you stop for fuel within a few minutes of switching your engine off. Then spark spark spark (not good if any petrol vapor is nearby)
it would ruin your whole day!

My Thetford fridge delays for 15 minutes after engine switch off before reverting to gas. This is specifically to allow time to refuel.

However with a diesel powered vehicle there is no risk, though there is still potential from vapour emanating from nearby petrol-fuelled vehicles that are refilling of course.

If you have a suitable high flow rate cut off valve fitted in your gas installation it is not necessary to turn off the gas whilst travelling.

My GasIt refillable tanks are fitted with such a device.