The All New, New "What have you done to your Bay today" thread.

I've been thinking about your sensible comments about joints outside my gas locker @Zed and @mikedjames. My thinking had been to have the manifold outside so I can switch on the supply only when needed, but maybe having the manifold inside the gas locker with an access hatch would be better. Hmmmm, I'm open to suggestions, do peeps leave their gas supply on all the time and only switch off when driving or what?

 

I haven't switched mine off for years. I'd never switch it off in the boat.
Other opinions are available.

 

Usually you turn it off with the master valve on the cylinder, the manifold is more for isolation of appliances. That way, the only connection likely to leak is the cylinder to master isolation valve connection.

In one of my possible future arrangements, the Devon hinge out cooker gets a 2 way manifold in the cupboard under the cooker. One output to the cooker above, the other to a flexi hose with coupler (so I can demount the cooker still) down to a two section copper pipe with maybe 4 bends and grommets through the floor, snaked from the front bulkhead back to the heater.

 

My manifold will be inside the gas locker.
Bit of a faff…open cupboard, move stuff out the way, locker cover off, turn on tap, close locker, put stuff back away, close cupboard, make a cup of tea.

Really that will only take 1 minute. I’m a nervous nelly around gas as i’ve never used it myself but almost been killed by it.

With all the vibration in a van I was just thinking an extra minute won’t matter. If i’m stopped for a while i’ll leave the gas on, knowing i’ve only got 3 connections outside the locker (fridge and cooker x2) that are vented below.

 

It is starting to look like in trying to make it safer by having the manifold accessible to switch units on and off as required, I might have made it less good. An option is to move manifold inside box and only switch off each night (or never!). It will look better and give more room for shelf....guess what I'm thinking of doing this Easter!

 

Fortunately, unlike boats that are nice big troughs to fill with propane or butane, or petrol fumes, the gas runs out under the slider door..yes I once knocked a burner on at TE and emptied the gas overnight. Cant smell it, lived to tell the tale... why I like my gas sniffer.. test it with an unlit cigarette lighter..

The main risk in campers is CO and awnings..

 

Exhaust and heat exchanger out for a clean up! And a bit of a tidy up around the bottom end while I’m there . .

 

Back at it again. I've cut some mats to go under the seat for now, I just need to find some edge trim that'll cope with 4mm thickness to clip it on to the original metal trim. I've just put a plastic file clip there for now to give the idea.

 

After yesterdays M25 16 mph crawl in the bus, managed the return 150 mile journey, averaging 55 mph non-stop for about 2 1/2 hours, from a filling station in North Kent, along the M2 round the M25 and down the M3 and back along the M27 for a bit. Total journey took 3 hours instead of 6 hours..

 

Spent the best part of this morning taking apart what I'd done /\ and thinking and measuring how to do it right this time



"Better to get it right, than just think you're right"

 

If a job's worth doing it's worth doing twice.

 

I am glad my heater installation is easy to remove when/because something was wrong with it. It has been taken out about five times.

 

The plastic is meant to be attached to the door, and the bottom edge of the plastic is meant to reach down and tuck inside the door, directing water into the bottom of the door ( well waxoyled hopefully) and then out the drains.

Looking at that mess, (done by Silicone Monkeys R Us? ) chuck away the card, peel the vinyl if you like it to reuse or just bin it all. Get the proper rubber bungs, new metal clips and a new door card...and some pvc sheet with double sided tape for the membrane..

 

As above, you need a double-sided membrane that tucks inside the door at the bottom. If water does get in, it needs to drain from the (only) drain holes at the lower front edge.

The cab door design is pretty crappy.

 

They'll only drain if the van's parked pointed downhill, otherwise the door will fill up with water. Classic design!

 

I'm guessing double sided tape.