Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,
Just starting refitting new interior to my van and going ok . Nothing fitted as yet .
Now then, do I need to cut 50/60mm holes in van floor for gas bottle ?

We’ve now got new fridge, electric compressor no gas . Only gas will be to Smeg hob .

I’ve asked a few folk who say there’s no need to reinstall holes in van floor .

Now not sure which is best way forward . I am reluctant to cut any holes in van floor, as I’ve sorted it all out , welding, treated, primed, painted, Dinitrol, etc inside and underneath .

Thanks,
Atb, Chris

Apologies, using Camping Gaz . Blue bottle .

Yes, you really do need a decent sized gas drop vent through the floor! Without it, If the bottle or pipework leaks, the gas will build up in the van rather than venting harmlessly through the floor.
Ideally the gas cupboard would be as well sealed as is practical, too.

Cheers Cobblers .
What a bugger , I need to rethink the set up now . Best to be safe, particularly with grandkids using it .
Never ending saga with these things !
Atb,
Chris

How often would you actually use the hob? Sometimes more hassle than it's worth - I've gone gasless in my last two vans. One has an induction hob that runs from a mains inverter, and the other I just take a small portable stove with me for the occasional time I do cook something.

I use a miniature kettle that runs off the leisure battery for boiling water which works great, I use it every morning for a cuppa!

How hard is it to cut a hole in the cupboard floor?

30MM HOLE WILL BE ENOUGH but it must be at the lowest part if the space you choose is the corrugated part of the van floor

I'm not an expert, but from my looking into this a couple of years ago, anything you installed needed a drop vent at the lowest point (as mentioned above), a 55MM(?) lip at the bottom of an access opening (to pool the heavier-than-air gas on its way out of the drop vent) and be sealed. I don't know if anything has changed since then.

If you search eBay using “gas locker” you’ll see the idea. One of the sellers does/did a top loading version (see last pic of one  installed in a side unit). Not all of them come with the drop vent in the price.

Some sellers offer installation kits to match the bottle being used (see 2nd pic).

And of course, you should get it checked once installed (Christmas Elf and Safety)

Thanks for the replies lads .

I take from this I can get away with cutting a 30mm hole through new plywood floor and van floor , cutting through between van floor ribs ?
I was kinda hoping just 30mm hole through base unit positioned over and between floor ribs without cutting van floor .
Chris

freckvan1 wrote: ↑21 Dec 2023, 20:57 Thanks for the replies lads .

I take from this I can get away with cutting a 30mm hole through new plywood floor and van floor , cutting through between van floor ribs ?
I was kinda hoping just 30mm hole through base unit positioned over and between floor ribs without cutting van floor .
Chris

Yes a 30mm hole will fit tween the ribs , and you do need the hole to the outside world ( cut the hole and paint the bare metal before it cools and it wont end up like a autosleeper window ) because if you did that any gas pooling would fill the floor cavity up and couldn’t escape . You must make a seal between the plywood and actual hole out of the van so it can only go down as well….. just a couple of fingers of sikaflex would work

The metal gas locker thing is only relevant to new builds , not ancient rebuilds i think you will find ….
Do however have the gas connections and pipe checked by a professional , any caravan place will take money from you for that

Thanks Steve,


Makes more sense now , particularly safety side and age of van .
I’ll get some pics up when it’s finished , maybe a while !
Atb,
Chris