Can you combine Gaslow, Calor and an underslung LPG Tank?

[barryd]

Humour me on this one.

Now it seems we have solved our off grid power issues my eyes are turning to the feeble Gas supply situation. 1 x 6kg Gaslow (new fitted last year by Autogas 2000) and 1 x Calor backup. Its a bit naff. Especially if its cold nights and mornings and we need the heating on. I have the calor back up as we are often where you cant get LPG.

I remember talking to Charlie at Autogas 2000 about the options and one was an underslung tank but it wasnt very big and required an Alko kit I think and was really expensive.

Im wondering though if say a 30 or even 40 litre tank could be fitted below and used in conjunction with the Calor and Gaslow. Is that possible?

 

[colinm]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442772460030603265

 

[Tezza33]

If I run out of LPG in my underslung tank I connect a bottle to the BBQ point, I turn the tank off and the bottle/regulator runs everything, I have done it a lot of times over the 23 years that we have had this van, it has never been a problem but whether the experts will say it isn't advisable I couldn't say

 

[r4dent]

I have a similar set up(11kg Gaslow / 6kg Calor))
I close the Gaslow valve and remove the Galow pigtail from the reg; connect the Calor pig tail and open the Calor bottle valve.
So far I have only had oto do this once, all the local Spanish LPG stations were shut for a Saint's day.

If the underslung has a stop valve and a pigtail you could do the same.

However, if the underslung is "hard wired" to the regulator things become more complex.

I suggest that you discuss the situation with whoever you are considering using to fit the underslung tank.

Connecting a gas bottle to the BBQ point is fine, but the bottle must have a regulator fitted.

 

[exwindsurfer]

Humour me on this one.

Now it seems we have solved our off grid power issues my eyes are turning to the feeble Gas supply situation. 1 x 6kg Gaslow (new fitted last year by Autogas 2000) and 1 x Calor backup. Its a bit naff. Especially if its cold nights and mornings and we need the heating on. I have the calor back up as we are often where you cant get LPG.

I remember talking to Charlie at Autogas 2000 about the options and one was an underslung tank but it wasnt very big and required an Alko kit I think and was really expensive.

Im wondering though if say a 30 or even 40 litre tank could be fitted below and used in conjunction with the Calor and Gaslow. Is that possible?

I only ever had a 38ltr underslung tank and have never run out of gas.and as you can see its well protected by the alloy guard.

 

[barryd]

I only ever had a 38ltr underslung tank and have never run out of gas.and as you can see its well protected by the alloy guard.View attachment 142503

Thats a good size but even with that I would be tempted to want a Calor backup as a long stay in say the Scottish islands we would eventually run out.

It was just an idea I had this morning. I am keeping the set up we have now for France this year but I think it will be an annoyance.

 

[trevskoda]

Have you ever thought of a deisel night heater.

 

[Nabsim]

I only ever had a 38ltr underslung tank and have never run out of gas.and as you can see its well protected by the alloy guard.View attachment 142503

You probably don't want to sit in the same place for a month or more before getting gas if you need it Jeff lol

 

[barryd]

Have you ever thought of a deisel night heater.

If the Truma ever packs up and apparently they do it might be an option. Its the fridge thats the killer on the gas I guess as its always on and I dont fancy a compressor fridge as for our usage at times even with more solar and lithium I would have concerns it would last.

 

[Robmac]

If the Truma ever packs up and apparently they do it might be an option. Its the fridge thats the killer on the gas I guess as its always on and I dont fancy a compressor fridge as for our usage at times even with more solar and lithium I would have concerns it would last.

I've done 4 days on 240ah batteries and 100w solar with my compressor fridge Barry, having said that it would be with the odd trip to the shops so a bit of alternator charging as well. Do you stay put in one place for longer than that?

With the new setup though I doubt I'll ever even think about it.

 

[colinm]

If the Truma ever packs up and apparently they do it might be an option. Its the fridge thats the killer on the gas I guess as its always on and I dont fancy a compressor fridge as for our usage at times even with more solar and lithium I would have concerns it would last.

There's all sorts of variables, but 1 hour of a Truma heater is about same as 1 day of fridge.

 

[alwaysared]

I think a 38 litre tank like Jeff's and your backup 6kg Calor would be more than enough.
We're full time so the fridge runs 24/7 so does the Truma heater for hot water and heating in the winter, we also cook with gas in the winter and I like to keep the temp in the van around 20-22°C.
I have two 11kg Alugas bottles which equates to about 40 litres of LPG and I've never run out and yes I do go to the North of Scotland.
This winter it has averaged out at £2.55/day. In our last van we used to have one 11kg Alugas bottle and a 6kg Calor but after carrying the Calor bottle around 4 years I decided not to bother when we went full time in this van and so I got a second Alugas bottle.
I actually think that people over think this LPG station stuff, the one place I go to when I'm visiting my son has actually had a second tank installed due to the high demand for LPG and it's still only 75p/litre.

Regards,
Del

 

[trevskoda]

If the Truma ever packs up and apparently they do it might be an option. Its the fridge thats the killer on the gas I guess as its always on and I dont fancy a compressor fridge as for our usage at times even with more solar and lithium I would have concerns it would last.

No bother lasting. wildbus did all the tests and so did i.

 

[barryd]

I've done 4 days on 240ah batteries and 100w solar with my compressor fridge Barry, having said that it would be with the odd trip to the shops so a bit of alternator charging as well. Do you stay put in one place for longer than that?

With the new setup though I doubt I'll ever even think about it.

Thats the problem Rob, we can do. We have been known to spend as long as two months in one spot without moving the van on occasion but three to four weeks is not uncommon. I hear people saying their Lithium and banks of solar provide infinite power but do they? How long have they tested them for without moving the van? I googled compressor fridges and their consumption and I think they use around 400wh over 24 hours. Lets say you get a week of dull weather. Thats a lot of power required. Just my thoughts and Im probably wrong.

Gas you can usually always get and with 40 or 50 litres onboard and a calor backup it will last a fair chunk of time. Sunshine is unpredictable.

 

[barryd]

No bother lasting. wildbus did all the tests and so did i.

How long did you both last without moving your vans?

 

[barryd]

I think a 38 litre tank like Jeff's and your backup 6kg Calor would be more than enough.
We're full time so the fridge runs 24/7 so does the Truma heater for hot water and heating in the winter, we also cook with gas in the winter and I like to keep the temp in the van around 20-22°C.
I have two 11kg Alugas bottles which equates to about 40 litres of LPG and I've never run out and yes I do go to the North of Scotland.
This winter it has averaged out at £2.55/day. In our last van we used to have one 11kg Alugas bottle and a 6kg Calor but after carrying the Calor bottle around 4 years I decided not to bother when we went full time in this van and so I got a second Alugas bottle.
I actually think that people over think this LPG station stuff, the one place I go to when I'm visiting my son has actually had a second tank installed due to the high demand for LPG and it's still only 75p/litre.

Regards,
Del

I reckon 40 litres would be ideal, especially for Europe. I used to leave our Calor behind when we had a single 11kg Gaslow as it was so easy there compared to here. I think we will struggle with just 1 x 6kg Gaslow this year though. We would have been stuffed the last two times on Arran without the Calor though even with a 40 litre tank as we stayed 8 weeks each time.

Ill see how we get on this summer and I might approach it with Charlie at Autogas 2000.

 

[merl]

Humour me on this one.

Now it seems we have solved our off grid power issues my eyes are turning to the feeble Gas supply situation. 1 x 6kg Gaslow (new fitted last year by Autogas 2000) and 1 x Calor backup. Its a bit naff. Especially if its cold nights and mornings and we need the heating on. I have the calor back up as we are often where you cant get LPG.

I remember talking to Charlie at Autogas 2000 about the options and one was an underslung tank but it wasnt very big and required an Alko kit I think and was really expensive.

Im wondering though if say a 30 or even 40 litre tank could be fitted below and used in conjunction with the Calor and Gaslow. Is that possible?

Maybe dodgy to connect the tanks together on the high pressure side (at the tank outlets themselves) but It's all the same stuff (LPG) so I can't see why you couldn't have various sized tanks all with their own one way pigtail, regulator and isolation valve connected into the same system, why not?

 

[mark61]

50 litres of Propane = 354 kWh. 29500 ah of battery = 354 kWh

More to it than just that, but it's a start to have the bones picked out of it.

Also, calculator might have messed up.

 

[runnach]

I only ever had a 38ltr underslung tank and have never run out of gas.and as you can see its well protected by the alloy guard.View attachment 142503

Jeff, did Ure Geller form the rad on the guard?

 

[trevskoda]

Thats the problem Rob, we can do. We have been known to spend as long as two months in one spot without moving the van on occasion but three to four weeks is not uncommon. I hear people saying their Lithium and banks of solar provide infinite power but do they? How long have they tested them for without moving the van? I googled compressor fridges and their consumption and I think they use around 400wh over 24 hours. Lets say you get a week of dull weather. Thats a lot of power required. Just my thoughts and Im probably wrong.

Gas you can usually always get and with 40 or 50 litres onboard and a calor backup it will last a fair chunk of time. Sunshine is unpredictable.

My small fridge is 250mW a hr and lasted on test 24hrs on a lead acid 90ah battery, if in sunlight with say 200ah and solar it will be ok, winter nov dec is a dif matter..