Carbon Monoxide Leak in new caravan

[JTQ]

Alan,

I beg to differ, nobody assumed it was CO as we were told it was CO in Greenwindows opening post. Hence the huge level of concern generated by the posting.

It was also stated very specifically that the leak [of CO] was caused by a Truma heater.

The really sad issue within this whole tread thought is this statement:

"We have spent almost a year finding out how it happened in our case by speaking to many organisations and professionals, so we now know how our CO leak came about."

It is know what the cause was but that information, with its potentially fatal implications to near 100% of caravanners and motorhomers is not divulged.

 

[JTQ]

Alan,

I beg to differ, nobody assumed it was CO as we were told it was CO in Greenwindows opening post. Hence the huge level of concern generated by the posting.

It was also stated very specifically that the leak [of CO] was caused by a Truma heater.

The really sad issue within this whole tread thought is this statement:

"We have spent almost a year finding out how it happened in our case by speaking to many organisations and professionals, so we now know how our CO leak came about."

It is know what the cause was but that information, with its potentially fatal implications to near 100% of caravanners and motorhomers is not divulged.

Could have done with an "h" in thread. This hateful uneditable forum engine!

 

[Dustydog]

Hi JTQ

I agree the initial inference was CO but as you read the posts there are underlying factors which may well prove the initial reference to CO is possibly misplaced.

Also other information on the matter is surfacing but for reasons of privacy I undersatnd Haymarket and our Mods cannot say anymore.

All I was trying to do with my last post was to suggest the alternative causations and perhaps quell the CO aspect for reasons that I am scared by it as are a lot of others as you say.

Can the impossible happen? Yes, but until Greenwindows issues her next statement we will have to wait and those who haven't already done so should perhaps follow Damian's advice and have all gas appliances checked.

Cheers

Alan

 

[JTQ]

No disagreement with this at all "alan".

Like you I can see alternative causes for a domestic market "CO" alarm going off other that specifically with CO. They simply are not that discriminating an instrument.

However the poster has brought in professional involvement resulting in the statement, "so we now know how our CO leak came about". We therefore are guided to believe it was actually confirmed as CO in this case. But for some reason that info cant be shared.

I thought somewhere in law there was a statuary obligation on everyone to warn others of serious hazards.

The H&S course I attended told me if I discovered a serious hazard I must under the law act. I could not keep quiet about it and must take it further whatever the commercial implication of that might be.

 

[Damian]

Quote "I thought somewhere in law there was a statuary obligation on everyone to warn others of serious hazards.

The H&S course I attended told me if I discovered a serious hazard I must under the law act. I could not keep quiet about it and must take it further whatever the commercial implication of that might be."

I believe that the H&S at Work Act applies to just that, as such, a work place.

As this is a privately owned van I do not think it encumbent for the owner to say anything at all, after all, they are not themselves an expert in the field.

The only way a definitive answer as to whether the Truma fire was cause or not is if the said fire is returned to Truma for thorough examination and test, then if a serious fault were found, which may affect other units, they would be obliged to issue a recall on them, which knowing how Truma work would be an immediate recall.

As we do not know if the fire is still in the van or not, it leaves un unresolved situation as far as the owner goes, but which as I understand is still ongoing and therefore not able to be explained in full at this time.

All I do know is that with the hundreds and hundreds of appliances supplied by Truma over the years this is the first time I have heard this kind of report.

Gas leaks on vans are not uncommon, having found four on a van just a year old this year, but they were all at unions, nothing at all with the actual appliances.

I am still trying to get my head around the problem but it is, as it stands, impossible to fathom for various reasons.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Damian

You said:-

"All I do know is that with the hundreds and hundreds of appliances supplied by Truma over the years this is the first time I have heard this kind of report.

Gas leaks on vans are not uncommon, having found four on a van just a year old this year, but they were all at unions, nothing at all with the actual appliances".

Your last sentence I think is probably what happened here, ie a lpg leakage. Well that's what I think.

How soon do you think we can all be party to the material facts of the case rather than all the speculation?

Cheers

Alan

 

[ProfJohnL]

There is still a lot about this reported incident that the forum has not been advised, and as a consequence we have no idea whether the circumstances are likely to apply to any other caravans.

I have not seen the postings on the other web sites, but it is interesting that snippits of report from them such as the Truma fire being turned off when the CO alarm was raised is highly significant. It discounts the heater from causing the CO.

Others have mentioned the reports of the smell of LPG, this is also significant. I have seen some CO detectors that have activated when exposed to unburnt LPG. This concurs with JTQ's point about the lack of selectivity of some of these detectors.

The suggestion that the gas unions may be to blame for the smell of lpg, is quite possible,

All this is pure speculation, and it might be all wrong.

In the light that Parksy has confirmed the original posting was genuine, I suspect that the limited info may be because there are other commercial interests still involved. - we may never know the whole truth, but I strongly recommend Greenwindows, to post what they can without jeopardising legal position.

Having raised the spectre of a problem, it would be reassuring to have the full facts.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi John L

There's another very important issue here.

Greenwindows has been battling with all the interested parties for over a year now, yet she is no further forward with an explanation and as I understand it a safe working caravan.

My personal view at this stage is a total rejection of the caravan with a full refund, nothing less.

I believe we are all hoping for Greenwindows to make a comprehensive statement on this forum, I hope she does , and soon purely because I know there is real talent here who can give her plenty of practical support in achieving a resolution of her problem.

We have to accept she may have her hands tied if litigation is in process but at the moment we don't know much do we?

Cheers

Alan

 

[Dustydog]

Hi John L

There's another very important issue here.

Greenwindows has been battling with all the interested parties for over a year now, yet she is no further forward with an explanation and as I understand it a safe working caravan.

My personal view at this stage is a total rejection of the caravan with a full refund, nothing less.

I believe we are all hoping for Greenwindows to make a comprehensive statement on this forum, I hope she does , and soon purely because I know there is real talent here who can give her plenty of practical support in achieving a resolution of her problem.

We have to accept she may have her hands tied if litigation is in process but at the moment we don't know much do we?

Cheers

Alan

Hi Parksy,

Just wondered if Greenwindows has decided to tell us all more?

Cheers

Alan