Gas & Ferry

morning all,

More good responses in regards to the gas, after reading them yesterday I decided to go & have a play, found where the shut off tap is on our moho, located next to gas tank but of which I had to remove a metal plate that was just clipped on, then found the brass tap, so all good & I think as we won't be carrying much stuff in the fridge, just juice oh & wine, i will just turn it off, save it trying to use the gas.

Anyway thank you all for your replies

Cheers

Sean

We always carry at least three freezer blocks, pre-frozen at home, to carry us through the channel crossing.

It's very rare that they melt during the trip. The last time wasn't on the ferry, it was on the journey from Sarlat to St Denis D'Oleron in mid 30s heat.

So when we travel on a ferry, it could be a potential fire bomb if people are complacent about not making sure the gas is off. As "Inspiredron" said, the fridge could switch over to gas if it is one of the automatic selection type.

What springs to mind is what happened to the Greek ferry a while ago, although I never did see the result of the investigation as to the cause.

Resposibility for the vehicle safety lies with us, so making sure gas is off before every journey is ours. I sometimes forget certain things before moving on, so now keep a check list on a card in front of the drivers seat. My vehicle also came with a warning sticker, a reminder to turn off the gas by the drivers seat.

Leighton.

Bad Penny wrote:

Resposibility for the vehicle safety lies with us, so making sure gas is off before every journey is ours. 

Leighton.

You're absolutely right Leighton but, I think BF are being very naive in thinking that everyone is either aware of safety or as concerned as they should be or, as honest as they should be.  Checks are necessary if they believe it matters.  

We've used the camping on deck facility on Greek ferries and there is usually a big, very clear, notice, in red, on the camping deck, forbidding the use of gas appliances. Electric hook ups are provided.  That said, you will see people happily cooking evening meals or boiling kettles on their gas stove and the crew aware of this.

Quite right Quilter.

Regrettably those in authority never seem to bother until after the tragic event.

Nobody was at all concerned about casting off without fully closing the bow doors until the Townsend Thoresen ferry sank. 

I'm not a Health and Safety pedant (very far from it!!) but the fact it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't - and unfortunately the sane and sensible among us need the rules and checks to protect us from the idiots!!

(Maybe some of us should remember that when we whine about rules and regulations.  
Not all of them are instigated by irritating H&S jobsworths!!  )

Dave (dbroada)..Like yours, ours is a 2016 vehicle without the yellow tap. I had always used the yellow tap on our previous Nuevo and haven't yet taken this van on a ferry. Apart from having to get on your back under the van (!) did you find the removal and replacement of the gas tank housing cover straightforward? 
 The handbook says: 'Note.When replacing the housing cover ensure that the rubber seal around the edge is located correctly in the groove.' 
I'm always wary of taking things apart if the putting back together can be tricky.
And Sean, I thought the housing cover has a black plastic knob that has to be unscrewed?

Hi merv,

On ours we have a plate that is held on with a clip, undo clip slide plate off to expose shut off tap, yes you are correct you have to line it up when putting it back on otherwise it won't sit right and clip in, it was OK when I did it, just took my time and it was OK.

Cheers

Sean

Irish Ferries hand over your boarding passes at check in. An extra card is given to you stating that gas cylinders must be shut off. To their credit they will offer as many ehu hookups as are available, although there are not sufficient for every caravan/Motorhome at peak travel dates. Especially useful on the 18 hour france crossings.

Davy

TeamRienza wrote:An extra card is given to you stating that gas cylinders must be shut off. 

Davy

How very sensible. This is exactly what I suggested to BF but am not holding my breath.

We don't take a lot with us in the fridge to Spain but I nearly always make a first night casserole which I freeze and usually find it is still pretty much rock hard even after 24-36 hours with the fridge off. Ditto milk which is still fresh and has been in the frdge door.

Sean, thanks for that. What a crazy setup though, having to get under the van, presumably on the quayside or before AND again on the other side to turn the gas on.

I did try shutting the valves off in the van, but what a pain in the bum, especially the one under the oven....no no no, just as easier to get on your back under the van, job done then you know you are completely safe, but make sure you turn the fridge off as it will try and use gas.

Cheers

Sean

Although we both have 2016 Broadways but different models the arrangement inside must be different. On ours, the red isolation taps are in the wardrobe and very accessible.

merv wrote:Although we both have 2016 Broadways but different models the arrangement inside must be different. On ours, the red isolation taps are in the wardrobe and very accessible.

They isolate the appliances from the gas supply, not the tank.

Same here Quilter. As I said earlier, in the dozens of ferry crossing I've done in the van, including several to Corsica, I've never once been reminded to check the gas is off. Until this year that is, on the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing, then I was specifically asked. Mind you I was also asked if I was carrying any knives or other weapons, to which I replied 'Of course I am, how else am I going to carve up my steak and cut my bread!'
I didn't really, in fear of the customs officer pulling on his rubber gloves...
Al.

Well today was a first. The guy at check in said he needed to check that I had isolated the tank. When I said that it was an underslung tank he was happy to take my word for it. Ironically, I still had to stop this side as I don't find replacing the cover easy I left it slightly askew, expecting it to be checked before boarding and I would correct it then.

IF I get the cover in the correct position first time it goes on easily. If I don't get it quite right it takes forever. I think the fresh water drain tap mounting bracketary impedes the cover somewhat one the Nuevo. It may be easier on the longer vans.

dbroada wrote:Well today was a first. The guy at check in said he needed to check that I had isolated the tank. When I said that it was an underslung tank he was happy to take my word for .

When we had Gaslow bottles in an easily reached locker they were always checked on Eurotunnel. When we got the Broadway with underslung tank the personnel in charge were always prepared to take our word the taps were off. Only on one occasion were they checked and that was one filthy wet winter day when a very young apprentice was instructed to crawl underneath. We did offer him our rubber mat as he had nothing provided but he refused and got very dirty.

seanroberts037 wrote:.... in regards to the vigenette which Groundhog spoke about, do i need to show the V5? 
Cheers
Sean

The last time I drove a Motorhome through Switzerland was in 2014 and I produced my V5 and Certificate of Conformity at a service station desk, in order to get my vignette.

Neither document was checked, but the staff could see I had them with me !

seanroberts037 wrote:I did try shutting the valves off in the van, but what a pain in the bum, especially the one under the oven....no no no, just as easier to get on your back under the van, job done then you know you are completely safe, but make sure you turn the fridge off as it will try and use gas.

Didn't know there was one under the oven?? 

Surely the three (?) in the wardrobe isolate all the appliances, and turning them off couldn't be easier?? I think I'm missing something here??

Getting under the van on the other side may not be a lot of fun if it has rained heavily! If the inspectors will accept the internal taps I would breathe a sigh of relief, and crawl underneath only if I had to.

Do you need to turn the fridge off? On ours if you manually tell it to use 12 volts it will chunter away to itself until you start driving again, then the fridge will come on - even though you have probably forgotten all about it in the excitement of getting off the ferry and deciding whether to go right, left or straight on.  

Last year I bought my 2016 Swiss vignette off ebay a few weeks before I travelled, lots of bikers who buy them don't actually stick them in place, then sell them on when they've completed their trip. I think I paid about £15, a considerable saving on purchasing one at the border.
Al.

Gromit wrote:.... Do you need to turn the fridge off? On ours if you manually tell it to use 12 volts it will chunter away to itself until you start driving again, then the fridge will come on .....

Didn't know that, so thanks. I'd assumed that the fridge would only work on 12v when the engine is running. But this suggests that, when loaded on a ferry with engine off, the fridge can be selected to, and will, run on 12v (until leisure battery is depleted, presumably) - which should give a few hours' cooling.  Very useful to know.
Cymro

PS: haven't checked if there's a gas tap under the oven, but - like Gromit - I don't recall seeing one. There is an electricity switch there, for isolating the electric hob, but don't think there's a gas tap. Wonder why there would need to be one, given that ther's a convienient tap inside the wardrobe, as Gromit mentioned.

Cymro wrote:

Gromit wrote:.... Do you need to turn the fridge off? On ours if you manually tell it to use 12 volts it will chunter away to itself until you start driving again, then the fridge will come on .....

 I'd assumed that the fridge would only work on 12v when the engine is running. But this suggests that, when loaded on a ferry with engine off, the fridge can be selected to, and will, run on 12v (until leisure battery is depleted, presumably) - which should give a few hours' cooling.

Apologies Cymro - I have misled you. The fridge will run on 12 volts only when the engine is running, as you said.

By "chunter away to itself" I was referring to the constant flashing - and display of an error code which usually appears until you start the engine. (Colloquial Vale of Evesham Speak I'm afraid  )

It may still qualify as a handy hint though. By manually switching to 12 volts before boarding the ferry/tunnel you don't forget to do so when you land in France. There's lots of immediate activity involved in getting off and leaving the Port area, so it's very easy to be two hours down the road and suddenly remember the fridge has been off since Dover - or Portsmouth, which is far worse!! 

It's still no great panic as the fridge will take a long time to defrost if it's more or less full and the door remains closed. We've gone for six hours (Yes, we did forget to switch it back on at Calais!  ) and it was still OK.

It was after that minor drama that I had the idea of manually setting it on 12 volts. It remains (effectively) switched off while on the boat or train so it's perfectly safe, but it comes back on again when the engine starts without us having to remember to do anything.

Sorry for the confusion. 

We don't touch the fridge control panel in day to day use, relying on the system automatically switching between 12V, gas and 240V when available. So far, so good.

Where we have made a major boob is ( once only !) not turning off the fridge or gas supply at the end of a trip. As usual I emptied the fridge and left the fridge door and freezer box door open. A week later, when we returned to the van, there was a gigantic ice block round the freezer compartment, thick icicles hanging from the cooling fins and a substantial percentage of the gas tank used up.

Be warned !

Thanks, Gromit - I had me doubts about whether "chuntering away" meant "working as it should" or "desperately trying to start itself on any fuel";  hence the check.

I recall the old Electrolux fridge which could certainly chunter when set to gas if the supply was off - the igniter would flash and flash in despair, not doing the battery much good!

I understand your tip about manually setting the Thetford, and setting it to12v in such circumstances as a ferry. Whether I'll remember is another matter!

Best wishes,
Cymro

Quilter wrote:Where we have made a major boob is ( once only !) not turning off the fridge or gas supply at the end of a trip. As usual I emptied the fridge and left the fridge door and freezer box door open. A week later, when we returned to the van, there was a gigantic ice block round the freezer compartment, thick icicles hanging from the cooling fins and a substantial percentage of the gas tank used up.

Be warned !

Now she tells me!!!! 

Two years too late. I did exactly the same when we first had the van with the auto fridge, and wasted half a tank of gas. Fortunately it's cheap enough not to matter - but irritating all the same.

I really don't like all these modern gadgets that try to do your thinking for you. I'm perfectly capable of flicking a switch, and can't see the need for ever more lazy-making gadgets. OK until they go wrong, or fail to think the same way as you do!! 

I'm seriously terrified of the day (not too far ahead I guess) when driverless cars will be infesting the roads. However clever they are, and their programmers think they themselves are, I fail to see how they can be expected to deal safely with every conceivable situation - specially when some situations are effectively inconceivable, quite literally!

Hey Ho. Luddites of the world unite!! 

Just back from France yesterday morning, here is a photo (hopefully) of the extra card given out to motorhomers and caravanners along with the boarding cards.
No mistaking the request or pleading ignorance. As I said before they also offer 240v hook ups were possible, which helps on the 18 hour crossing.

Davy