When I am traveling in a campervan, I am certainly in a happy mood and would be on the lookout for the best of enjoyment away from the din and pollution of city life. However, when I’m moving far away from your home and city in a campervan, you need to be fully prepared for the occasion. Especially when I have the kids with me. This is because many of us may be moving away from the comfort of homes into a place that is not exactly comfortable. In many cases, life could be tough in many camping sites even if it is for a few days.
We need quite a few things to keep in mind when preparing for such trips. Cooking food, heating water, and perhaps even staying warm in cold, outdoor problems could be a challenge for many. Hence, we need to make sure that we are carrying the right heating sources and sources of fire when we are going on a camping trip or other such trips.
Camping gas bottles contain highly combustible fuel that is stored at the right pressure. It can be propane, butane, or LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).
Though it’s not mandatory by law, it makes sense to keep gas bottles (incl any spare bottles) in the rear of the campervan away from engine heat, sunlight, and the petrol filling source. It also makes sense to keep the gas bottles tightly secured in a gas locker with a gas drop-out vent.
Why camping gas as fuel?
Gas bottles are considered important and even indispensable and critical for camping trips. They help to cook food, boil drinking water, and also perhaps help wild animals and reptiles away during the night. Hence, carrying a gas bottle or a gas cylinder is a must for me. However, we need to keep a few things in mind while storing gas bottles and cylinders in the campervan. We cannot jeopardize the safety of the campervan and ourselves while storing, porting, and moving the gas bottles from our starting destination to the camping site. There is no doubt that these gas bottles are highly flammable and combustible – that’s sort of the point, right ;). Hence, we need to ensure that the right care and caution is taken for keeping the gas bottles safe and at the right temperature.
In this article, I will have a look at the answers to the question of how do you store a gas bottle in a campervan. This is vital because the last thing we would want is an accident or mishap because of our carelessness when it comes to storing gas bottles properly in a campervan. I hope that the next few lines and the sub-headings that are listed below and discussed in brief will be able to help the readers to get the right answer to the question: how to store a gas bottle in Campervan?
Why gas bottles have to be stored carefully?
Gas bottles or gas cylinders contain highly combustible fuel that is stored at the right pressure. However, they are subject to volatility and could increase the risk of explosion when unnecessary combustion takes place. They have quite a reasonable upper threshold limit as far as outside temperature and heat is concerned. However, one has to make sure that they are stored properly and at the right temperature, and in the right position. With the objective of safe storage of gas bottles in campervan whether one is on the move or static, I am listing down a few points which we are sure will be quite informative and useful.
Where do you put the gas bottle in a campervan?
While storing your gas bottle especially in a campervan, there are a few things that one must keep in mind. It would always be ideal to select a separate spot for keeping the gas bottles while you are moving in a campervan. Make sure that the gas bottle is kept in the rear of the campervan. Ensure that it also is away from the petrol filling source. Have it tied firmly to the car so that it does not oscillate or move around too much. Keeping it in the rear is always a good idea because, in case of any fire mishap or leakage, the inhabitants of the campervan will have enough time to stop the vehicle and get out of it.
The size and shape of the car could also determine the place where the gas bottle should be kept. There are many campervans that have generous storing space atop the vehicle. It may not be a bad idea to store the gas bottle atop the campervan provided it is properly insulated and if the weather is not too hot or warm. In case you have a trailer attached to your campervan, it could be the best place for keeping your gas bottle. It will stay away from the campervan and to that extent, it will be a safe and intelligent move.
Apart from the above, there are a few more things that one must keep in mind when it comes to storing gas bottles in a campervan. As mentioned above, make sure that the gas bottle or gas cylinder is properly secured to the van. Rolling is not advisable and it could lead to combustible gas escaping from the bottle or cylinder. Always ensure that the gas bottle is kept upright. This will prevent the movement of gas to the mouth of the bottle or the cylinder as the case may be.
You may have to travel long distances to reach your camping site. Hence, please ensure that the gas bottle is kept in a place that is easy to access and inspect. It will help you to be proactive rather than being reactive in case something wrong untoward happens. You will also be able to identify any potential source of a leak if an actual leak should happen. It would be better to keep the cylinder away from direct sunlight or from the heat that is generated from the car.
If you want to look more into how long a gas bottle will last in a caravan, you should check out my overview here…
Do you need a gas locker in a campervan?
Should a gas bottle be locked up in a gas locker when you are moving it around in a campervan? Or is it fine to keep it with other materials that you carry in your campervan especially when you are headed towards a camping site where you may have to stay for a few days? The above two are common questions and the answers would depend on the comfort levels and preferences of the users of the gas bottles. There is nothing in the law, as far as I know, that suggests that you should have a gas locker in your campervan when you are moving gas bottle/bottles from one place to another.
However, based on experience and taking into account the need for abundance safety, it always makes much better sense to keep the gas bottle firmly locked in a gas locker. It will help to keep the gas cylinder or the gas bottle away from other potential sources of combustion. Further, when you have the gas bottles kept separately in a place earmarked for it, you will be in a position to constantly keep a watch on the cylinder. Every hour or so, you can stop your campervan, and have a look at the gas bottle to make sure that there is nothing wrong or dangerous that could be brewing in the background.
Keeping it along with other material may make it difficult to remove the gas bottle and isolate it from the campervan in case there is any leak or any possible danger of the gas bottle catching fire. The lockers that come in a campervan are made from high-quality mild steel. They also help create a strong sealed box with an easily detachable front door. It adheres to proven international standards and therefore protects the campervan and its inmates in case of an unforeseen malfunction of the gas bottles, including leakage.
Do you need a gas drop-out vent in a campervan?
Though not mandatory as per any local laws (as far as I know), it makes good sense to have a gas drop out vent when you are traveling in a campervan with the gas bottle in the vehicle. These vents provide an additional layer of protection for gas to escape in case of leaks. They help in the safe dispersal of LPG. This is because LPG is much heavier than air and it will move down when you have a floor vent.
Vents are also used to bring down the amount of condensation or to provide an escape route for campervans that are sealed and well insulated. In short, it helps to make the entire campervan safer especially when you are traveling long distances with the gas bottles in tow.
Spare gas bottle storage
There are many people who need a spare gas bottle when they are out camping for a reasonably long period of time – I certainly do. While there is nothing wrong with carrying a spare gas bottle, it should be stored properly and safely. However, ensure that the bottle is stored upright and there is enough ventilation for the spare bottle. Keep them away from ignition and heat sources. Keep them in the rear of the campervan so that the chances of fatalities are reduced should something untoward happen to the gas bottle or cylinders.
Conclusion
To conclude, while there is no doubt that carrying a gas bottle for your camping is extremely important and perhaps even indispensable, make sure that you are following the required safety protocols and precautions. Always make sure that the gas bottle is kept separate from other materials to avoid cluttering.
Avoid the risk of rolling the bottles, by securing them to the campervan. Using a gas locker will certainly be a good idea along with a gas vent. Always make it a habit to check the gas bottle frequently, especially when you are traveling long distances with the gas bottle in your campervan. Being proactive is always better than being reactive. Following the above simple steps should be enough to make your travel with a gas bottle quite safe and uneventful.
