Transporting Gas Bottles

[Millerman]

Having measured my noseweight and concluded that I cannot carry gas bottles in the front locker, what do I do with them?

I can lose one as we don't use that much gas, but is there a way of securing the other bottle inside the van?

I'd rather not have it in the car.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Millerman,

Gas bottles must be transported upright, in a properly ventilated locker, and secured to prevent movement.

It is far from safe to transport them inside a caravan, or even worse inside a car.

There is always an alternative to moving gas bottles from their designated locker, by re adjusting the loading of other items in the caravan to compensate. As you say, limiting yourself to one bottle will reduce the nose weight by quite a margin.

 

[Lutz]

Why can you not leave them in the dedicated locker? That is the only safe place. If you have problems with noseweight then you will just have to counterbalance with ballast further to the rear.

 

[Millerman]

Thanks Guys, ballast it is then!

 

[smiley]

What are you packing in that front locker then???

 

[Millerman]

Aquaroll handle, A frame cover, bottle of toilet chemicals! Otherwise its empty (not withstanding the gas bottle).

 

[Liz_374549849]

Would changing to smaller bottles help - assuming you are not already using them?

 

[Millerman]

Already on 4.5kg!

 

[Sproket]

Where is your spare wheel ? is it in the front locker, i know my spare weighs over 20kg, so it is slung underneath on a carrier....

Just for your info:

A 4.5kg weighs in when full at about 10.5kg.

so x 2 = 21kg

A 6kg calor light weighs in at about 10.5kg

Just a thought, you could lower your nose weight by half but still carry 6kg of gas.......

 

[mcghee]

what's the running weight of your 'van and what are you trying to get the noseweight down to?

what you're attempting to achieve may not be safely possible.

 

[Sproket]

Where is your spare wheel ? is it in the front locker, i know my spare weighs over 20kg, so it is slung underneath on a carrier....

Just for your info:

A 4.5kg weighs in when full at about 10.5kg.

so x 2 = 21kg

A 6kg calor light weighs in at about 10.5kg

Just a thought, you could lower your nose weight by half but still carry 6kg of gas.......

should say half your bottle weight....

 

[Royston]

I find it strange that you cannot include a gas bottle in your front locker without exceeding your towing nose weight.

When measuring your nose weight, the best position is to have your van on a level plot.

The hitch when measuring must be the same height as the cars towball.

All the caravans that I have owned I have managed to keep within the towball limitations as specified by my towcar ie 75Kg.

The caravans that I have owned have had a max noseweight of 100 kg.

On the caravan channel internet their is a video showing caravan problems towing when you put to much weight towards the rear .

To put balast behind the caravan wheels to counteract the towball limitations, can cause your caravan to become unstable under certain towing conditions.

Royston

 

[Millerman]

Thanks everybody.

I'm aiming for 85kg, there isn't currently a lot in the van - we don't tend to use the awning much so don't carry it and we have three light reclining chairs under the bed, behind the axle. The miro is 1283kg and MTPLM 1495kg (Swift Charisma). Wheel is underslung and we have mover fitted in front of wheels. Otherwise its empty as we have only had it a week and wife and 8 year old have not focussed on filling it yet!

I think I need to play around with the loading a bit.

I think I'll use up this gas bottle and switch to the Calor light though, although we don't use much gas as wife seems to think she's on holiday in caravan and thus shouldn't cook!

 

[forestgump]

dont take it the wrong way but you can get very diffrent nose weight by hight off gauge type of gauge i had this with 2 types of gauge and found out i was light on nose weight used the bath scales in end on a pole cut to travel hieght.

 

[jerry1]

i had the same problem with a swift charisma 540 2005 i could not get the nose weight below 95 kilo the van was poor designed battery and water heater at the front corners i contacted swift about the problem they were not much help and i suspect they all leave the factory with a 95 kilo nose weight i moved weight towards the rear off van but it towed feeling very loose i think mosts swifts tow nose heavy and tail up

 

[ProfJohnL]

I must correct a point of Roystons posting which is not quite right. Royston suggested the nose weight measurement should be done with the hitch at the same height as the cars tow-ball.

The actual nose load for a given caravan, will change depending on how high the hitch is above the ground. This is to do with relative movement of the caravans centre of gravity in relation to the main axle when the caravan is tipped.

So when the caravan is attached to the car the nose load depress the hitch reducing its height above the ground.

For that reason the accurate measurement of nose weight MUST be carried out with the hitch of the caravan at the same height above the ground as when it is attached to the car and ready to travel. (with driver, all passengers, luggage and fuel).

 

[ChrisUK]

How are you measuring the nose weight? On my 2008 Elddis the "built into the jockey wheel jack" read 100kg, where as a separate nose wheel scale and the bathroom scales both showed 75kg.

I would go for the bathroom scales and a correct lenght of timber everytime.

 

[ProfJohnL]

How are you measuring the nose weight? On my 2008 Elddis the "built into the jockey wheel jack" read 100kg, where as a separate nose wheel scale and the bathroom scales both showed 75kg.

I would go for the bathroom scales and a correct lenght of timber everytime.

Hi Chris,

There are three possibilities,

A the jokey wheel indicator is right and the scales are wrong

B The bathroom scales are right and the jokey wheel is wrong

C and most likely both are wrong

Until you can calibrate one of them you cannot believe either answer.