underslung lpg

Has anyone retro fitted an underslung gas tank to a Nuevo? I've just bought an early 2012 Nuevo ES with a skirt locker on the nearside and gas locker on the offside and would like to use the gas locker as extra storage space. Both lockers take up the space in the skirts just in front of the rear wheels and so I'm wondering if there is space elsewhere underneath.

Hi Billy,
Do you really need an underslung tank with all its complications, we have a single 6kg refillable cylinder which lasts us for a minimum of
5 days in the winter with the truma heater on all evening, (not during the night purely for safety reasons) and 10 days or more in summer when the Truma has a lot less use, using only 1 cylinder leaves half the gas locker free for other things. Gasit 6kg refillable £105 + filler at £23, a lot cheaper than the figure of £700 quoted to one member to fit a tank.

Brian2

PS see this for a photo of my gas locker.

https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t2929-supply-of-calor-lite?highlight=calor

Thanks for the responses. It's certainly considerably more expensive to fit an underslung - £770 fitted or £380 for a diy whereas just under £200 diy (easy) for an 11kg gaslow in the gas locker.

Not really sure if we really need the space as there seems to be plenty in the overhead lockers relative to our Executive although less under the habitation seats. We would still gain 50% of the gas locker if using the 1 bottle system. We have a 6kg refillable in our Executive and one bottle works fine.

Brian2 - where did you get the filler for £23 - I'm being quoted £64

Hi Billy,
Check out FES autogas the Gasit people in Carnarvon North Wales, they do all sorts of filling equiptment including an in locker mounting bracket. their in locker kit is £40, but look at the loose items under fillers. Your supplier probably quoted from the Gaslow catalogue ( they are dearer) + a bit for himself.


Brian2

PS Gasit 11kg cylinder only £121 75. will it fit your locker?.

That's quite a difference for the filler. Perversely I can get an 11kg Gaslow bottle from Hamiltons £7 cheaper than the GasIt 11kg bottle but their filler is £64 - £24 more!

I pick the van up in January so can't measure the box to see if the 11kg cylinder will fit but the gas locker takes a 13kg replaceable so I'm fairly confident.

I've got 2 full propane 6kg cylinders so I might just use those up one at a time while I find out if we do need the extra storage. Need and want being two different things...

Hi Billy,
You now have all the info you need and I am absolutely certain that if the gas locker will take a 13kg calor it will take an 11kg refillable.

Brian2

PS how do I contact Hamiltons for a cheap cylinder, as I have a friend who is buying a motorhome.

http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/Gaslow_Refillable_Cylinders___Accessories.html gets you direct to the gaslow page on their web site.

I bought the gaslow for my Executive from them and the service was top class

I wouldn't like to try and get a 11kg cylinder into an Executive/Talisman Gas Locker ( my knuckles 5 years on still bear the scars of 6kg's ) You will get 2 x 6kg in there but if I still had our Exec it would be an underslung tank pcb7ty and I know a lady with a Talisman who has had an underslung tank for a few years and puts her gas locker to better use ( I mean Liz, Peter ) The thickness of the body is great for mounting a fill point, unlike the current shells.

Definetly agree with Roli about the Exec locker - no way would a bottle larger than 6kg fit in the locker, hieght and diameter would both be a problem.

Finding LPG stations is easy if you use a smart phone - there's an free application called FillLPG which covers all of the uk; it automatically locates where you are, draws a map and shows where the stations are.

Billy

There are quite a few web sites/maps with LPG filling points. I got a map book from one it cost around £7 and list all over the UK. Will have a look at that app Billy (presume its available for Android)

Hi All,
I have the book too, as I dont carry the computer round with me, and I have trouble with a smart phone, having tried one I have gone back to my old standard phone, and as we never know where we might be from from day to day the book is particularly useful. Order from Autogas 2000 this includes a free download for your satnav, but watch it as LPG stations come and go.


Brian2
PS Billy, does the series 2 Neuvo have a bigger gas locker than the series 1, as I could not get an 11kg into ours.

Yes it takes 13kg and a 6kg tank - least ways I'm sure that's what I saw. I pick the van up in early January so can't check at the moment. 6kg always lasted us ok in the Executive - as you said, 5 days in winter use - so it wouldn't be the end of the world if it won't take the bigger bottle and it would save a bit on weight.

My Exec is up for sale and I shall give the purchaser the option of 2 x 6kg propane replacebles or the 6kg gaslow refillable.

Billy

roli wrote:There are quite a few web sites/maps with LPG filling points. I got a map book from one it cost around £7 and list all over the UK. Will have a look at that app Billy (presume its available for Android)

I run it on a Samsung Ace but I guess it will run on any android

I fitted an underslung gas tank to my Talisman, it was very simple & it freed up the 2 bottle gas locker, which now houses the EHU lead, ramps,

hoses, tools & any other junk I can think of

I wouldn't think your van is that much different.

A big bonus for me is the fact that the autogas is very cheap ( realativley speaking ) & I don't have to cart an almost empty bottle with me, if

I need a couple of litres to top up, then thats what I buy. Also, it has a nice & convenient LED gas level gauge in the van

A very tidy job Modelman, as always from you.

Now I see that all the connections are in the middle of the underside and there is a suggestion on the Autogas web site that they also fit the tank in the middle of the underside. All the other photos I've seen of underslung tanks have the tank along the side of the the skirts and I had always assumed this was so that the outlet valve could be easily accessed and closed while the tank was filled (as you would do with normal refillable bottle). I guess this is not the case ? If so it makes siting an underslung much easier.

Billy

That did cross my mind, & as such, I made provisions to fit an alloy plate, similar to a sump-guard, to not only completely keep any crud from

everything, but also act as a secondary restraint, it will be fitted when the weather improves, ha ha

Hi All,
Another reason for mounting the tank in the middle is safety, if you get T boned at any time with a side mounted tank, possible escaping gas adds an extra hazard.

Brian2

Presumably Stainless Steel straps would be a good upgrade.

I have a 40ltr tank underslung in the middle of the chassis similar to Modelmans photo
this was fitted by Chris at Autogas 2000 (just up the road from us) four years ago
but with a strong fabricated cradle, the filler is built in to the nearside skirt and a
LED indicater on the dash to guage gas content. We spend a lot of time in Spain wild
camping, but the Executive locker wont take a Spanish gas bottle, so, ideal for us.

Ray

Are the any MOT checks on fitted gas tanks.
Tank looks gd underslung

When I took mine for its first MOT after fitting the gas-tank & air-suspension, I asked the tester about these 2 'mods', he said that he wasn't

interested as it wasn't covered in his checklists, HOWEVER, I asked if he could have a look over them as he was under there just to 'double-check'

my work, he had a good 'ol prod, pull, wiggle etc. & informed me that all was good & well

I had no real worries really since I've spent most of my working life doing this kind of stuff, indeed much more so , so this was a bit of a doddle

There WAS one 'iffy' part to the insallation however, & this was during the first gas-fill, you see, in the box of bits was a can of gas-leak spray, the

idea of course is to spray this stuff all over your new instalation & if there's any loose/leaking joints etc. will result in bubbles, GREAT, BUT, I had

an empty system didn't I.

So, pop round to the autogas station 1/2 mile away, pull up to the pump, 'now then, how do we do this'? The nice printed instrutions on the pump

had totally faded due to sunlight ( honest ) so I had to work it out for myself, got it eventually, now the fun bit, what if leaks? how will I know?

A short few mins of hilarity ensued, put in a couple of litres, stopped, got down on all fours under looking & sniffing, did this several times, &

the other guys at other pumps must have thought I lost the plot

Then a mad dash home & I was looking in the mirrors all the time, half expecting to see a sort of 'rocket-plume'

The second I was back, out came the spray, smothered everything to reviel no leaks, then went back & filled up

Hi Modelman

Just a couple of questions:

Where did you buy the tank and bracket from?

Does the bracket attach to the wooden floor or the chassis?

Thanks

Billy

Hi billy, I bought my gear from these guys: http://www.gasit.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=8

I also got the mounting cradle & straps plus pipework, fill coupling, reguator etc.


The cradle for the tank is bolted directly to the chassis cross-members by bracketry I fabricated, very simple actually but I found the hardest

part (for me anyway) was holding it all up in the air whilst faffing about trying to get the strap-bolts in!!


regards