Is gas still an option?

[barryd]

We used some 117 litres of lpg on our 85 days trip to Spain last Winter, but it was one storm after another with very little Winter Sun! But, at a total cost of some £88, it didn't break the Bank ... . And we did have some trouble with a sticky regulator, so used a fair amount of gas seeing if my my latest attempt at a temporary repair had fixed the problem [it didn't, but we warmed the hab area with each attempt ...]

Steve

For me its not the cost, its the availability, dependence and frequency of fills. If I had to use our Gaslow over winter with the heating on all the time it would probably only last a few days. I wouldn't care if I could carry a 100litre tank but I cant. I Don't think the underslung tanks hold that much either and they cost a fortune for my van.

 

[ProDave]

Unless you are talking about fuel for the engine, I really cannot see the point in fixed LPG tanks for the cooker and heater. They are much better served by replacable Calor bottles that you most definitely can get on the outer Hebridies.

 

[barryd]

Unless you are talking about fuel for the engine, I really cannot see the point in fixed LPG tanks for the cooker and heater. They are much better served by replacable Calor bottles that you most definitely can get on the outer Hebridies.

Yep. Which is why for nearly two decades I have carried a Gaslow and a Calor. Just wish this latest van had a bigger locker. Can only fit 1 x 6kg Gaslow in and 1 x 6kg Calor. It works as its mainly summer use but still limiting.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

If I were to get another van, it would need to have a garage for the scooter and wheelchair, but it would also have a good-sized proper gas locker built into it for 2 or even 3 11kg Gaslow cylinders, I'm not a great fan of underslung cylinders.

 

[Okta]

Unless you are talking about fuel for the engine, I really cannot see the point in fixed LPG tanks for the cooker and heater. They are much better served by replacable Calor bottles that you most definitely can get on the outer Hebridies.

I won’t bother replacing my refillable now I only have a 2 burner hob to supply. However last time I ran gas heating in cold weather I would have been getting through a 6kg bottle every 2 days and that would be a pain in the backside as far as I am concerned. Exchange cylinders are ok for boiling kettles and pans but not for serious heating.

 

[Geek]

With the ever decreasing number of outlets for filling up with lpg via a gun/pump what are the opinions on having a diesel cooker? I spend most of my time in Scotland and with the big distances between outlets and with the uncertainty of supplies I see gas now as a major headache.

I am not in Scotland - well, not at present - but I didn't think there was any problem with availability of LPG.

Autogas refill points are a bit less common, but if you are travelling around, you will probably pass them.

You may not like the price, admittedly.

But that's why it is available off the beaten track: good margins make a worthwhile product, even with low turnover.

Diesel is nasty, stinky stuff. If you don't use LPG, perhaps spending a fortune on solar panels, batteries, inverters and chargers makes more sense.

You could become another blue box bore.

However, the further North you go, the shorter the season when solar power is sufficient.

I have a good sized LPG tank, enough for a month in Winter, enough for a Summer in Summer.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

A lot really depends on how much you use, our consumption dropped dramatically, I put in 0.8l LPG on our return, as we didn't have a 3 way fridge this trip jsut a small 12l fridge/frezzer which did remarkably well, it did mean a shop at least every two days, but if we ever do get the 3 way fixed, it's there as a back up and for £70 https://amzn.eu/d/0g8emscG it's a good back up to have, weighs nowt really, and uses little 12v, I meant to try out my new blue box inverter but forgot

 

[mistericeman]

To be honest our LPG consumption has dwindled to almost nothing since removing the gas fire and replacing it with an eberspacher....

We rarely cook in the van as we tend to eat out most of the time...
So odd kettle of water for a brew and heating the water.... Is about it.

Everytime I fill the van I'm filling the diesel heater too as it's fueled from the main tank...

Far less fretting about finding a bulk lpg station to fill the gaslow bottles...

 

[ProDave]

Just wish this latest van had a bigger locker. Can only fit 1 x 6kg Gaslow in and 1 x 6kg Calor. It works as its mainly summer use but still limiting.

I feel your pain. The gas locker in our demountable could fit two 6Kg propane bottles. But the original purchaser specified the diesel water / space heater. And being demountable it can't draw from the vehicle diesel tank, so half our "gas" locker is taken up with a 2 gallon diesel tank leaving room for just one gas bottle.

That gives us the additional complication of ensuring we start each trip with a full cylinder as the only place to carry a spare would be in the cab. So that meand making "arrangements" to refill a part empty cylinder before a trip.

 

[Okta]

I am not in Scotland - well, not at present - but I didn't think there was any problem with availability of LPG.

None in Shetland or Orkney. Not many in North or West Scotland and unhelpful postings like this becoming more common.

Diesel is nasty, stinky stuff.

It doesn’t have to be. I get a tiny whiff of diesel when my combi first fires up from cold but once it has warmed up the smell and noise is little different to the gas combi it replaced.

 

[Geek]

If I were to get another van, it would need to have a garage for the scooter and wheelchair, but it would also have a good-sized proper gas locker built into it for 2 or even 3 11kg Gaslow cylinders, I'm not a great fan of underslung cylinders.

I really like underslung.

You can have a nice big tank and you get to repurpose the gas locker for something useful.

 

[Geek]

Which is why for nearly two decades I have carried a Gaslow and a Calor.

When I bought my van it had a huge underslung tank and an 11kg bottle in the locker. After several years, I realised that I was never going to use the bottle. So it moved to a shed in the garden. I assume it is still there.

 

[Geek]

None in Shetland or Orkney. Not many in North or West Scotland and unhelpful postings like this becoming more common.
View attachment 207438

It doesn’t have to be. I get a tiny whiff of diesel when my combi first fires up from cold but once it has warmed up the smell and noise is little different to the gas combi it replaced.

Yes, any refillable system has to have a proper external fill point. The cretins who used adapters to refill normal bottles have made sure of that.

As for the diesel only smelling when your diesel combi starts up, I'd find that very alarming. You should never be breathing in any fumes at all, ever. So how can you smell it?

I was thinking about cooking on diesel being smelly, not heating with it.

 

[edina]

I built from scratch, so to include another fuel source, lpg, and all its associated pipework etc.did not seem worth it. It’s a different scenario for anyone with gas already fitted to their vehicle.

I have a large lithium battery bank and it is kept charged with big panels, a 50a b2b and a victron multiplus charger/ inverter. We have an under counter fridge with separate freezer compartment which is left running throughout the year and a 2 kw 15 ltr water heater. All our cooking is done with induction hob, microwave and air fryer. We also have other 230v items like toaster, kettle, coffee maker etc. I have never needed to use EHU.
Would I go back to lpg…… never!

 

[mistericeman]

Yes, any refillable system has to have a proper external fill point. The cretins who used adapters to refill normal bottles have made sure of that.

As for the diesel only smelling when your diesel combi starts up, I'd find that very alarming. You should never be breathing in any fumes at all, ever. So how can you smell it?

I was thinking about cooking on diesel being smelly, not heating with it.

Cooking on something like the Wallas diesel unit won't....
Or at least SHOULDN'T smell of diesel as the burner is a sealed unit...

Same with eberspacher heaters.....
If it smells of diesel then I'd be concerned something is wrong.

 

[ProDave]

As for the diesel only smelling when your diesel combi starts up, I'd find that very alarming. You should never be breathing in any fumes at all, ever. So how can you smell it?

The exhaust for ours is on the side of the 'van. We have to keep the window on that side firmly closed when the diesel heater is on or fumes get in.

 

[Nabsim]

I only have the 3 burner hob that uses gas so my usage is very little. I would still never do away with it though as in Winter it's bad enough keeping enough power coming in without using my 240V appliances. Summertime I can be completely electric no bother if the weather is ok but not Winter.

It does depend what you are starting from though, also how and where you use your van.

I like to be able to get stuck in snow for a week or two without having to worry about running out of anything.

 

[Okta]

Yes, any refillable system has to have a proper external fill point. The cretins who used adapters to refill normal bottles have made sure of that.

As for the diesel only smelling when your diesel combi starts up, I'd find that very alarming. You should never be breathing in any fumes at all, ever. So how can you smell it?

I was thinking about cooking on diesel being smelly, not heating with it.

The bit about external fill points is probably not of general concern but the transport use only and no filing cylinders/bottles will affect many. It is basically banishing motorhomes.

I can only smell diesel if I stand with my nose by the flue when it first fires up and I only did it because some people wrongly say diesel is smelly. No one is breathing diesel fumes or gas fumes which come out of nearly identical balanced flues. We have 2 porthole windows on that side of the van, the one nearest the flue has always been fixed shut to comply with regulations and this applies to gas and diesel alike.

 

[Geek]

I put in 0.8l LPG on our return, as we didn't have a 3 way fridge this trip jsut a small 12l fridge/frezzer

My large fridge freezer works brilliantly even in silly temperatures, partly due to vent fans and an internal fan.

The fridge claims to use 300g of LPG per 24 hours, and experience suggests that's about right.

With a little cooking and water heating (we are frugal with water) in summer, we use less than 5 litres of LPG per week. So in theory the tank should last twelve weeks. But you never go that long in the UK without needing some heating.

 

[Geek]

The bit about external fill points is probably not of general concern but the transport use only and no filing cylinders/bottles will affect many. It is basically banishing motorhomes.

Not at all.
Banning filling of bottles/cylinders is simply sensible. Forecourt staff can't be expected to be able to tell which bottles have a proper ullage valve.

'Transport use only' doesn't mean for 'transport motive power use only'. Heating and cooling in a transport situation is included.

I can only smell diesel if I stand with my nose by the flue when it first fires up and I only did it because some people wrongly say diesel is smelly.

That's a relief!