Additional or replacement lpg tank

Hi all, after a very cold w/e, I found that the 20ltr lpg had actually run out on me or at least very close to!

It lasted all but 2 days and nights!

When I first purchased the Broadway, I considered a larger tank, but naturally in the summer months20 ltrs was ample.
Clearly: it isn't when it's very cold!
So... the option to fit either, an additional 25 ltr tank or replace with a 50+ litre tank.

Has anyone carried out the mod.....or have an opinion that might save me some cash?



Ray

Hi Ray

I would like to have done what you suggest, but it's hardly feasible on the Nuevo. With the two feet or so extra length it should be much easier on your van. Fitting a second tank and linking the two shouldn't be too difficult, and the latest tanks come with mounting brackets already fitted so you can't get the rotational angle wrong. (Like A/S have managed to do on a good few vans!!!)

Having discussed it at some length with Chris Wise (Autogas 2000) I think if I were you I would go for an additional tank, if only to spread the weight to the other side of the chassis. If you choose to go for a bigger tank I would want to fit it transversely, for the same reason. The difference in cost between the two options is not massive.

Hope this helps

Mine reads empty after a similar time but only takes 10ltrs to top it back up to full. Apparently I have a 25 ltr tank so that s quite a reserve!

Toffee wrote:Mine reads empty after a similar time but only takes 10ltrs to top it back up to full. Apparently I have a 25 ltr tank so that s quite a reserve!

Bet the rotational angle is incorrect - as I just mentioned.

It's fairly critical, and can influence the filling cut-off valve as well as the gauge, which could be serious. Mine was about 15 degrees out.

Lack of care and attention to detail again at the factory, which spoils what otherwise remains one of the best makes of motorhome on the market.

Having said that, these gauges do tend to be a bit pessimistic, so it pays to take note of the number of lights just before a fill so you can calculate how much gas each one represents. (Assuming the gauges indicate linear quantities of course.) You don't give the year of your van, but only the most recent ones have a 25 litre LPG contents tank. Earlier ones were advertised as 25 litres, but that's the total volume, not taking into account the 80% cut off which drops it to a usable content of 20 litres.

You can procure a hose that will connect the unregulated output of a gas cylinder to the gas fill point on your van so that in the circumstances you describe you can supplement the supply in the fixed cylinder.

These hoses are available from reputable manufacturers in the industry but their use is often frowned on by others so I'll leave it to you whether you want to investigate further yourself.

Thanks all for the replies, I'll look into the rotation issue, I can see why that would cause an issue!
Peter, thanks for the idea, on this occasion I'll pass on it! I don't want to carry a bottle if I can help it.

Ray

Libraryman2 wrote:Hi all, after a very cold w/e, I found that the 20ltr lpg had actually run out on me or at least very close to!

It lasted all but 2 days and nights!



Ray

Hi Ray,
From experience, I have found that we get, at the very least, a week's (most likely nearly two) use out of our on board 20 ltrs of gas at this time of year - with day/night heating and cooking consumption. I am surprised that you could consume 20 ltrs in 2 days - assuming it was brim full in the first place?
Otherwise there has got to be a reason - either;- 
- you have an outside leak in one of the connecting joints,
- or as has previously been mentioned your tank is incorrectly mounted - in which case it will not fill to the max 20 ltrs (80% of 25 ltrs overall capacity)
- or (less likely) the cut off valve is not performing correctly 
- also if the van is not very level during the filling phase the valve will cut out early and you will not get the max amount in!
You may have noted that in Europe they make a point of providing dedicated very level parking on sites where gas filling occurs.
I agree that the gauge is rubbish and therefore only a very rough indicator - its also a pain to have to start the engine every time you want to check, but of course this is no good if you are not parked on a very level site!
I have found that with time you get to know instinctively roughly how much gas has been consumed and I therefore tend to fill up whenever the opportunity arises.
As my van was one of the early batch that had the gas tanks fitted I had it checked and realign (yes, it was out of alignment by a considerable margin) by AS at a subsequent visit to Willersey - they stated that the fitters did not realise the significance of orientation when they first mounted them!
I would suggest that you get it checked by AS - preferably at Willersey if you can.
Hope you get it sorted.
Liam

Cheers Liam, I'll certainly look at the orientation of the tank, and yes the gauge may be suspect.....at the moment I'm trying to run the gas down, so that I can get a sense of how much is left, after the red light is (which it is)
I have also had air suspension fitted so that may be playing a role when filling because the rear is definitely higher.

Ray

Libraryman2 wrote:I have also had air suspension fitted so that may be playing a role when filling because the rear is definitely higher.
Ray

If your tank is fitted like ours, longitudinally down the driver's side sill, a slightly high rear end will make your gauge even more pessimistic, as it will register less LPG than the tank actually contains. Visualise liquid in a sloping tube and you will get the picture. The bulk of the LPG has gone to one end, and is therefore somewhat shallower in the middle where the float is situated.

When filling it is likely to allow a slight overfill for the same reason, but not enough to be either significant or dangerous unless you are on a very steep slope - which is most unlikely.

I would want to modify the comments about the gauge being rubbish. It's certainly not a high tech precision instrument, but it is reliable - in that once you are used to its idiosyncrasies it is fairly consistent in the readings it gives. That's why I suggested taking note of the reading before you top up each time. After a few top ups you get to know what the gauge actually means when it is (say) down to three lights.

After saying all this, it's so easy to top up with this system that you may as well do so whenever you are down to about half full, probably indicated by about 3 or 4 illuminated lights. We do the same with the diesel tank, never letting it fall below half full. You never know when it might suddenly become difficult to get either gas or diesel - as happened in France only last year. Some of those who were in the habit of running their fuel tanks right down before filling up found themselves stuck in a lay bye for several days. We were over there at the time, and encountered quite a few very unhappy people with only fumes in their tanks.

Yes understood Dave, I'm in the process of getting to know what's in the tank!
I've filled it several times now, usually when it's half full, it's only now that I'll have the chance to fill it from an indicated empty..
I'm hoping that I'll get a better sense of what it's doing!

Ray

Libraryman2 wrote:I have also had air suspension fitted so that may be playing a role when filling because the rear is definitely higher.

Ray

Ray,
I think that might be your problem - LEVEL means level in all plains. 
As Ray has stated the front to rear issue is not helping your situation. We had air suspension fitted to our van because we were tail down - now it is level and so is my tank - front to rear! It might be worth checking with a spirit level (when you are next on level ground!) how much you tank is out of plumb and if you can recover it to level via adjustment to the air suspension - purely for filling purposes.
If the gauge was more user friendly it would help - but of course if you are not on level ground in the first place then it is not very helpful. You can see this variation in the gauge whilst on the road as you go up and down hills!
Cheers,
Liam

I agree that the contents gauge is only a rough guide and ours tends be be a bit pessimistic.
After establishing if your tank is correctly fitted and as your tank is perhaps less than half full at the moment you could purposely run the tank dry then fill up and see how close to the 20 litres it holds.

You may find that the gauge is showing a red lamp when just under half full.

spanner wrote:I agree that the contents gauge is only a rough guide and ours tends be be a bit pessimistic.
After establishing if your tank is correctly fitted and as your tank is perhaps less than half full at the moment you could purposely run the tank dry then fill up and see how close to the 20 litres it holds.

You may find that the gauge is showing a red lamp when just under half full.

I hope so, I'm trying to run it as long as I can, and run it dry as you say, the most I've been able to top up is about 8 Ltrs or so.

Ray

This thread has reminded me to check if my tank is aligned correctly. We hardly use the LPG so I've never had the need to check this or if the gauge is working. The photo Gromit posted in the "Bourton LPG tank" thread will make this task easier.