Gas on the Move

[PhilGrace]

Just seen a letter in the print version of magazine saying that 2015 Lunar allows use of gas fired Alde wet heating whilst van is "on the move". How can that be so?

Channel Tunnel requires gas to be turned off at cylinder. Both major Clubs advise that gas is isolated at the cylinder whilst travelling and this is also the view taken by the British Compressed Gas Association, the industry trade body.

I expect people to comment about white lining vehicles but I do not think they fall into the same category as a car/van combo travelling at up to 60mph.
Have I missed some change in guidance?
Phil

 

[RogerL]

Ferries, channel tunnel and filling stations are special cases, as are road markers.

It always used to be acceptable, even normal in the "olden" days, for the fridge to be powered by gas on the move but had to be turned off while refuelling and I don't recall hearing advice not to do that - I must have missed it.

 

[Gozza]

Must admit I'd always believed gas had to be turned off while travelling, but I can't now remember why I thought that - I suspect I was told it by my Dad, who was a caravanner long before me.

Having been in an accident where the caravan rolled and the bottle locker burst open, I can't see why anyone could think it was acceptable to have the gas turned on at the bottle during travel, but I guess there's always someone out there pushing the envelope. It's not something I'm ever likely to be doing.

 

[Dustydog]

The Caravan Club "recommend " no gas appliances are used whilst in motion.
I've never used gas in motion . I suspect the flame could blow out?

It could be argued that if gas operation in transit was ok then why do most fridges come with three operational systems? ie 230 v 12v and gas

 

[chrisbee1]

I believe this type of heating system has an additional safety gas cut off valve which activates should you be unfortunate enough to suffer an accident (sorry Prof, I mean RTC )

 

[PhilGrace]

ChrisBee,
But surely such a cut off device (if it exists) can only turn off gas to the heater/appliance. It would still leave the main cylinder valve open?
Phil

 

[PhilGrace]

Just checked main Clubs - perhaps should have done that before posting!

CC&C has turn off gas before travelling as the top of its list of thing to do re gas safety.
CC website is "experiencing difficulties" so unable to check with them at present.

Phil

 

[chrisbee1]

From Alde on another forum:

The Alde system will run on gas heating, stationary or on the move, but of course the question is whether it's safe to do so with the gas supply fitted in the vehicle.

The Lunar option will likely be for a third party system similar to the emergency fuel shut-off in a car. i.e., If the system senses a dangerous collision, it automatically shuts off the fuel. It maybe integrated into the gas regulator.

Your Lunar dealer should have more info.

There are other safety considerations when using gas heating on the move. Mainly, the gas heating must be turned off before pulling into a fuel station.

This is why it's more of a personal preference, as some people don't trust themselves to remember the above.

 

[RogerL]

At the risk of appearing as devil's advocate - the primary risk with LPG cylinders is the risk of explosion caused by external heat on the cylinder itself - for which an open cylinder valve allowing the gas to escape and burn may be the lesser of two evils!

 

[NigelHutson]

I have ordered a 2015 Clubman with the "On route heating" ; I was offered it at a very agreeable price!! Apparently motorhomes have had the facility for years, and working in exactly the same manner as it should in caravans. Basically, there's a different regulator with an automatic cut-off (detecting any impact etc) and stainless-steel braided hoses.

Whether we'll actually use it remains to be seen.

 

[PhilGrace]

Thanks to all for clarifying the matter. I'd hope that there was an auto shut off incorporated into the main cylinder regulator AND that other people (without Lunars) wouldn't be tempted to travel with gas heating switched on.

Interesting that the recent 18 hour closure of the Mi in Northants was due to an accident involving a dual fuel commercial vehicle - LPG plus diesel. As I understand matter both tanks ruptured and the risk of a gas explosion required an exclusion zone to be set up. This allowed the diesel to spill onto the tarmac thus ruining it. Required several hundred metres of tarmac to be ripped up and replaced.

RogerL: Agreed one could argue that it is better for there to be an open valve when a cylinder is exposed to heat - but unless there is an auto shut off incorporated into the main regulator I rather not have people travelling with heating on/running. I 'm not sure I'd be relaxed if there wasn't a fire as a result of the accident but gas was escaping...!
Phil

 

[Sproket]

Spot the gas bottle hmy:

Extreme accident, but i bet the gas bottle was turned off.

Yes it's the right way up ( well the bottle is )

 

[Dustydog]

Spot the gas bottle hmy:

Extreme accident, but i bet the gas bottle was turned off.

Yes it's the right way up ( well the bottle is )

Steve
Do you know what caused the accident?
A large twin axle with a large Sorento tug hmy:

 

[RogerL]

The caravan bodyshell is relatively intact - considering that it's completely separated from the chassis - which makes it an unusual incident, doesn't look like snake and rollover.

 

[Sproket]

How come the chassis is upside down on the central barrier ....

The tow ball is still coupled to the tow hitch & it looks like its been torn out of the reciever ..

This is where i found it watch closely is there a gap in the armco ?? or has it rolled over with the impact ?

Looks like it was a snake, watch closely at approx 1 min 9 sec on and you can see the skid marks come from the left hand lane and go to the rear of the Sorento....
Looks like it turned the Sorento round and hit the armco front passenger side first ?

 

[emmerson]

At the risk of appearing as devil's advocate - the primary risk with LPG cylinders is the risk of explosion caused by external heat on the cylinder itself - for which an open cylinder valve allowing the gas to escape and burn may be the lesser of two evils!

Roger, I must agree with your remark re escaping LPG being "safer" than if the gas was compressed .
I once saw a film of a LPG powered Range Rover (not mine!) on fire. The car burned fiercely, from the front, but when the heat got to the gas tank there was no explosion as expected, rather a sudden burst of flame, vertically, which went straight through the aluminium roof, then stopped, as the safety valve opened and shut, then a few seconds later another burst. This happened three times, and that was it. The car then exploded as the petrol tank went up!, Of the two, the LPG was much the "safer" explosion. .