Continental Gas

[PaulT]

Later on this year we are moving to France and taking our Senator Indiana. Obviously at some time we will have to buy gas (Propane) over there. Can I buy the Continental style of gas cylinder connector in the UK (and do all Continental cylinders take the same connector)? I've had a (very) quick look in the Towsure catalogue but can't see the item I need. Can I change the hose myself or do I need a CORGI gas fitter? The Indiana has an automatic change over valve fitted as standard - will this need to be changed? What about if I switch to butane?

So many questions, so little time!!

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Paul,

There is no "continental" style of gas connector - many are the same - but the connector is specific to a type of bottle.

In the UK, the valve-head on a butane bottle is different to propane, also sub-10kg bottles will usually have a threaded connector and over-10 kg bottles may have a clip-on connector.

In France you have three main suppliers of LPG - Total, Elf and Shell. Find out what suppliers are in your local area and just buy the connector for that make and size of bottle.

But what is the connector?

If you have a low pressure system - with a regulator on top of the gas bottle - then you will need to replace the two regulators for the correct type (gas and bottle fitting) and you should also replace the flexible hose if it is the thin wall type.

If your automatic changeover system uses thick wall tubing (about as thick as your thumb) with threaded connectors (not jubilee clips) then this usually has a life expectancy of 3 to 5 years - use sensible judgement depending on the date stamped on the tube.

If you have a high pressure EN system - with a single regulator mounted on the gas locker bulkhead and high pressure pigtails that go directly to the bottle on-off valve-head - then you need to replace the pigtails. I think this is unlikely as I don't know of a high pressure automatic changeover system - manual yes.

Do you need a CORGI gas fitter - no - they are usually only certified for household work - someone at your caravan dealership should be trained to handle LPG systems.

Would I do it myself - in my case yes - but then as a Chemical Engineer that designs process control instrumentation for petrochemical refineries, I should be able to, and although I work at a computer I'm rated to work on systems operating above 2000 psig - I'd still check my work methodically and repeat the necessary leak tests after a settling in period.

Robert

 

[Rod_5041370]

PaulT,

If you are moving permanently to France, then I wish you luck with registering your Indiana for towing with a French registered car.

Were it me, I would sell the Indiana in the UK and buy an already registered van in France.

 

[Lutz]

So long as you have a EU Certificate of Conformity it should be difficult to register the caravan in France. It just involves a fair amount of bureaucracy.

 

[Guest]

We met a couple last year in France who had done just that. They stated it was relatively easy, as long as you had the paperwork for the van. Like many things in France there are regional variations. If you are in a small town with a friendly Maire then things can go smoothly and quickly. Big cities may be more fraught. I would not worry too much about it, just be patient and all will be fine in the end. It is the French tax man you really need to worry about, especially if you plan on keeping certain things outside France.

 

[PaulT]

rob_jax

Thanks for your comments - I looked at my gas supply last night and it's Truma Duo Comfort with only one regulator fixed to the bulkhead. The pipes have "high pressure" stamped on them and it's a fully automatic change over. From your comments, it seems that I just need to change the pigtails but do you know where I can buy them in the UK?

PaulT

 

[PaulT]

I can answer my own question - the Truma website lists all the bits I need.

 

[Rod_5041370]

In my French Department (11 Aude) caravan registration has nothing whatever to do with the maire. It is the prefecture that you must satisfy. My friend is in Indre and is 6 months into his attempt but each time he visits the prefecture they need another piece of paper. the last one asked for was a compliance certificate for the gas installation and now they want a compliance certificate for the electrical installation which I doubt he will get until he changes the UK 13A outlets for French sockets as a minimum.

No doubt he will get there eventually, however I was questioning whether it is really worth the hassle when at the end of the day he may not be able to readily sell it.

Personally I placed mine on a permanent plot and use it as a holiday home, and mine was almost totally compliant, being a German Knaus.

 

[Rod_5041370]

An update on my friends attempt to get his caravan registered in France.

He managed to get the electrical installation passed after changing the UK 13 amp sockets to French 3 pin ones and the MCBs from single pole to double pole.

Now they will not accept the caravan data plate so he must obtain a Certificate of Conformity for the chassis from Alko which details axle and coupling permissable loads, then take the empty caravan to a certified weighbridge to get a certificate.

He will then receive a new data plate which must be rivetted to the van............and then?

I wonder if they are yet to realise that the door is on the wrong side?