Gas...

[Pokey]

I recently had to get a gas certificate for Qld rego and had a leak that was minor but had to be fixed. While he was doing it I chatted to the plumber and he told me that you shouldn't use tape on gas fittings. The deign of the connectors and the flare in the pipe or fitting is all that is required. If the connectors are leaking it is better to get new ones then muck around with them.

[Craig]

It would appear that the regulator is not fitted above the bottles. I know the following link is in the UK but the same thing applies here. Half way down the page "Bulkhead regulator failures"

http://www.a-tconsulting.co.uk/caravan_ ... tters.html

[Pokey]

I believe that is part of the current gas regs. The regulator must be positioned above the bottles so that it will drain back into them.

[Chuck]

The regulator is above the bottles.

The hoses are braided.

There is a loop in them.

Will see if I can obtain a new 'lever' thingy... if not will revert to a single hose.

[Greynomad]

Generdawg,
That setup of yours looks similar to the one fitted to our first m/h (built 1982) which had a pressure-activated valve in the T-piece to prevent the full bottle draining into the empty one - and no switch-lever.
When one bottle emptied, we just opened the other one.
Does your arrangement have that valve? Or do you just open both bottles simultaneously? (In my thinking, that leaves you with a catastrophic lack of gas when they both run dry - as Murphy ensures it will happen half-way through a roast dinner!)

Our current m/h has the switch-lever located with the bottles in an under-floor bin, and therefore protected from heat extremes.

Chuck,
I agree with all other posters who have mentioned this: the POL fittings need only be hand-tightened until firm resistance is felt. Any tighter and you risk cutting the rubber seal and creating a leak. NEVER use a spanner to tighten it... only (if necessary) to remove it so you can refill your bottle.
Replacement O-rings are available from camping stores or most gas bottle refillers if this turns out to be the problem.

[generdawg]

Generdawg,...
Does your arrangement have that valve? Or do you just open both bottles simultaneously?

No and No.

The valve the hoses are attached to is a one-way valve, NOT both ways, although I guess you could turn it half way for a pseudo off position. However, I NEVER have both bottles open at the same time - even if the other is empty. Even if I trusted that valve, both open at the same time would defeat the "bottle out" wake-up call.

That valve depends on an elastic material for sealing which by design has a finite MTBF operation quantity. Next time it fails I will opt for a single hose set-up.

dawg

[Greynomad]

Materials technology has improved since 1982...
On our set-up you could hear the 'click' as the valve flipped over from one intake to the other. We couldn't feed both bottles in simultaneously (not even at the same time, either... ), even if we'd wanted to, so I guess ours was an early one-way valve.
Like you, we depend on the 'bottle empty' warning, so never operate both.
A plastic/silicone flap-valve would appear to be today's answer then...

[norman]

Gas regulations in Australia are a bloody minefield.I know...We have the same regs in NZ except for one thing and that is we can do our own gas fitting as long as its from a 9kg bottle.Even allowed to use flexible hose. rubber gas hose even...

[BruceS]

Yes Norman........ but it's no problem really.
Once you've got the bus registered you can fiddle as much as you like........ has anyone ever had their MH's or caravans inspected ? I reckon you could use garden hose & no-one would know/care?
It is LP..... 7psi I believe? Less than me when I'm busting to get to the toot in the morning!
Higher before the regulator which may indicate Chuck's problem may be there?

[T1 Terry]

Gas regulations in Australia are a bloody minefield.I know...We have the same regs in NZ except for one thing and that is we can do our own gas fitting as long as its from a 9kg bottle.Even allowed to use flexible hose. rubber gas hose even...

And I believe you are allowed to do your own wiring, it just needs to be inspected at the completion. How come you aren't all dead from blowing yourselves up or electrocuting yourselves or gassing yourselves? too many "holier than though" 'professionals' protecting their turf at all costs in this country, but it's not likely to change real soon I'm afraid.