Doubling up on gas bottles

[loubyscooby]

Hi, at present I have 1 gas bottle stored in the gas locker. I would like to have a second and then attach together with the ability to switch from one to the other when needed and have a valve that shows how much gas is left in the bottles.I am a little nervous when it comes to gas but think that this www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/gas/gas_regulators/Change_Over_Gas_Regulators.aspx is what I need. They do have ones with various bar pressures so how do I know which one to get?

 

My second question is how easy is it for a novice to fit ?

 

I would appreciate any advice given and any suggestions if you think another product would be better.

 

Thanks, Louise

[BargeeSpud]

Ive got a version of one of these:

 

http://www.caravanaccessoryshop.co.uk/product/gas-auto-changeover-kit/400

 

It works by attaching 2 bottles to it & opening both valves. The black lever at the top points to the bottle which is feeding your supply. When that bottle empties, it automatically switches over to the spare bottle & a red flag appears in the clear window below the lever which is now pointing at your empty bottle. When you replace the empty, you then turn the lever over to the full one & the window goes clear.

 

You will notice its also cheaper than the one you've found. As for pressure, provided its certified for propane, which most of them are, you shouldn't have a problem. If you are nervous about messing around with gas or don't really know what you're doing, then get a pro to fit it for you.

[Titus]

They seem very easy to fit and obviously very quick to change from one bottle to another but when I looked into it for my boat I realised that either way I'd have to disconnect one to have it replaced when empty. At the moment when one runs out I change bottles and remove the empty one from the locker to replace at the next opportunity. If I fit one of these change over systems knowing me I'd just switch over and forget to replace the empty one until they were both empty !!!

 

Dave

[Chalky]

I went for the manual rather than auto change over. A lot cheaper and has the advantage that you know when it's changed and don't suddenly find 2 empty bottles.

[BargeeSpud]

... If I fit one of these change over systems knowing me I'd just switch over and forget to replace the empty one until they were both empty !!!

 

Dave

I know exactly what you mean, I've done it mate - ran out on Christmas morning!

 

Fortunately Boat Club had a spare kicking around & I've never done it since. Just had to get into the habit of checking regularly, which is no bad thing.

[ridders]

hi louise, which changeover valve to get depends on what gas you are using, is it propane (red) bottles?

eta as a novice, i would suggest you take advice on here, buy the parts, then get someone competent to fit and test

paul

Edited August 2, 2012 by ridders

[dor]

My regulator is mounted on a T-piece with two pipes going to the two bottles. No changeover lever, manual or automatic. When one bottle runs out I just turn the valve off on that one and turn the other on. Nice and simple and (relatively) foolproof. Don't like the idea of auto-changeover as sooner or later I will have two empty bottles. As it is, I just replace the empty as soon as I can.

 

This setup can vbe useful as well if you have a lot of gas equipment (e.g. gas cooker and gas boiler) as both bottles can be opened together if required to satisfy the RCD flow rate requirement.

[Naughty Cal]

We have a second gas bottle but we have to manually change the regulator from one bottle to the other. We have done it this way so that we know when the bottle has run out and can replace it straight away, meaning we always have two bottles on board (one being used and a full spare). We have fallen foul of running out of gas before, I get crabby without my coffee.

[bottle]

Loubyscooby, (Louise)

 

Just buy another bottle and change over you existing regulator when the bottle runs out.

 

Do not have gas now but did it that way for many years when caravanning.

 

Put a big notice somewhere prominent to remind you to buy a new one asap.

[ridders]

Loubyscooby, (Louise)

 

Just buy another bottle and change over you existing regulator when the bottle runs out.

 

Do not have gas now but did it that way for many years when caravanning.

 

Put a big notice somewhere prominent to remind you to buy a new one asap.

definitely the cheapest and simplest way, nothing to test or change

[Ex- Member]

We have a second gas bottle but we have to manually change the regulator from one bottle to the other. We have done it this way so that we know when the bottle has run out and can replace it straight away, meaning we always have two bottles on board (one being used and a full spare). We have fallen foul of running out of gas before, I get crabby without my coffee.

 

We have a similar set up I think. Being wide beam though we have enough room for 3 bottles. 2 are always connected via this regulator.

 

 

 

With both bottles connected you can choose to only open one bottle valve so when it runs out all you need to do is turn on the valve on the second bottle which can be done very quickly. Or you can run both bottles at the same time, we choose the latter.

 

Also our third (emergency bottle) is Flo Gas rather than Calor so gives an option of using another supplier, Flogas tends to be cheaper overall as well but their bottles are slightly lighter in weight so you need to calculate weather it's the case.

 

As our gas bottle lasts months though it gives plenty of time to replenish, Auto change over is ok, but pricey and un-necessary when quickly turning a valve takes a few seconds and you know it's empty without having to periodically check which in reality takes longer.

 

 

[loubyscooby]

Firstly thank you all for your comments and advice. I will get the regulator as I don't want to be messing about changing a regulator overI'd rather flick a switch and I will also take the advice about getting a professional to put it in as looking at the way Julynian has it set up I would need something for the valve to be attached too. I too have a wide beam so can easily fit 2 in and thanks to reading this know alittle more about gas bottles and the like.

 

Thanks again to you all for taking the time to help me out

[David Mack]

Firstly thank you all for your comments and advice. I will get the regulator as I don't want to be messing about changing a regulator over I'd rather flick a switch and I will also take the advice about getting a professional to put it in as looking at the way Julynian has it set up I would need something for the valve to be attached too. I too have a wide beam so can easily fit 2 in and thanks to reading this know alittle more about gas bottles and the like.

 

Well you will have to change the hose tail over every time you change a gas bottle anyway, so its no extra work jsut to have a single bottle regulator and change that over each time a bottle runs out.

[nicknorman]

Manual changeover is all very well until you run out of gas and didn't notice that the oven went out:

Just after you put the Xmas day dinner in

When there is a souffle / Victoria sandwich cake that you have spent a long time and a lot of mess making

Etc

Etc

 

In other words, having the gas run out and manually changing over is all very well if you do not do proper cooking. Otherwise, auto changeover is better provided you check for an empty bottle every now and then.

[Ex- Member]

Well you will have to change the hose tail over every time you change a gas bottle anyway, so its no extra work jsut to have a single bottle regulator and change that over each time a bottle runs out.

 

The point is you don't have to change the bottle, you simply turn the second bottle on, so if you're half way through a cooking a meal it only takes seconds to reinstate gas. You can then change the empty bottle at your leisure and not usually at night in the pouring rain as inevitably happens

 

Ok an automatic will do the same, but it still has to be checked periodically to find out if it's auto changed.

 

 

 

[pete23]

surely even with a automatic change over valve you would have to relite the cooker due to the flame falior (spelt wrong i know)

[DeanS]

Existing boat has 2 bottles, with regulator connected into one. You can tell days before that the gas bottle is starting to get low, because gas has an odour added in the bottles...(so you can smell a leak). This concentrates at the bottom of the bottom (gravity) and it gives off a stronger odour ...days before..which is when SWMBO tells me to make sure the spare is a full one. When the existing bottle finally goes out, it's a 1min job to unscrew the regulator, screw it into the full bottle, and all is well. On my new widebeam, I'll have it exactly the same....less risk of leaks, less risk of having 2 empty bottles etc.

[Ex- Member]

Existing boat has 2 bottles, with regulator connected into one. You can tell days before that the gas bottle is starting to get low, because gas has an odour added in the bottles...(so you can smell a leak). This concentrates at the bottom of the bottom (gravity) and it gives off a stronger odour ...days before..which is when SWMBO tells me to make sure the spare is a full one. When the existing bottle finally goes out, it's a 1min job to unscrew the regulator, screw it into the full bottle, and all is well. On my new widebeam, I'll have it exactly the same....less risk of leaks, less risk of having 2 empty bottles etc.

 

What if she's got a cold

[ridders]

surely even with a automatic change over valve you would have to relite the cooker due to the flame falior (spelt wrong i know)

no it changes automatically - no sarcasm intended

[Ex- Member]

no it changes automatically - no sarcasm intended

 

Correct I think it's seamless, as the pressure drops from the depleted bottle it slackens a valve, the pressure from the new bottle pushes against the same valve creating a seamless exchange.

 

Well that's how someone explained it to me.

 

 

[ridders]

if that's the way you're thinking now louise, make sure you get one big enough for your appliances(usually 4-5 kg/hr), and have it fitted by someone competent. Clesse stuff is pretty reliable, and available through bes, it's also wise to have an adaptor fitted with a test point just downstream of the isolating valve http://www.bes.co.uk/ having a look at their online catalogue, virtually any of their two pack changeover kits would be ok. main features in the kits are non return valves (so you can change an empty bottle without turning the other one off) you don't need opso or upso valves with 2 bottles.

i normally buy mine through my local plumbcentre purely for ease of swapping faulty ones

[BargeeSpud]

surely even with a automatic change over valve you would have to relite the cooker due to the flame falior (spelt wrong i know)

Actually no, thats why its an "automatic" changeover. There is no interuption of gas flow.

[bizzard]

Actually no, thats why its an "automatic" changeover. There is no interuption of gas flow.

These are generally used on hire boats, so that hirers should have no reason to tamper about in the gas locker.

[n.b.Goldie]

I had an automatic changeover valve and although it passed boat safety the gas locker always stunk of gas whenever the bottles were turned on (I always turn them off when the boat is left for any lengthy time).

 

I have now changed to a manual system using a Gaslow regulator and gauge system. The hosetail is screwed tight into regulator/gauge assembly with a 'gas spanner' (other spanners are available). The assembly has a 'hand wheel' to connect to the bottle so no spanner is needed to change the bottle.

 

Result, the gas locker no longer smells of gas, the gauge tells me when the bottle is getting low and I can change the bottle without having to hunt for the spanner!

 

My boat club's clubhouse uses (BIG) propane bottles and has an automatic valve and it's locker stinks of gas, is this a feature of automatic valves? Wasted gas methinks.

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler