Westfalia lpg gas tank what regulator to run for a propex ?

[Auto]

Hi folks I've just fitted a refurbished westfalia lpg exterior gas tank under my bus it has the original 50 m bar regulator on it.
my question is can I run my HS2000 propex with that regulator and if not if I fit a 37 m bar regulator will the cooker still work ?
I don't have the fridge fitted so the propex is fitted to the fridge tap conection instead the tanks not connected to the inside yet
as I've only just got the tank bolted up I just thought I would find out if any one else has done this before I fill the tank for the
first time
cheers phil 

[clift_d]

You’d need to speak to Propex about whether the heater can run on 50 mbar- it may be that it can be modified to work with the higher pressure.

If you need to change the regulator to a lower pressure then I understand that the stove would still work, but it would be somewhat underpowered. You could perhaps change the nozzles in the stove to get a better flame, but then you’d have to find the parts to do that.

[Auto]

Hi thanks for the swift reply clift_d I have sent propex an email about using it at 50 m bar but as yet not had a reply.
I did ask them about fitting an inline 37 m bar regulator after the cooker but they said it might not work after
the 50 m bar regulator as they were designed to accept a higher pressure than that as you would expect streight
from a gas cylinder 
if any one knows the solution please chime in
cheers phil 

[davidoft1]

My propex has a 50mb regulator , I think they may re jet

[clift_d]

Hi thanks for the swift reply clift_d I have sent propex an email about using it at 50 m bar but as yet not had a reply.
I did ask them about fitting an inline 37 m bar regulator after the cooker but they said it might not work after
the 50 m bar regulator as they were designed to accept a higher pressure than that as you would expect streight
from a gas cylinder 
if any one knows the solution please chime in
cheers phil 

A standard regulator needs the high pressure from a bottle to function properly, which is probably why Propex have said it might not work. However, you can get a thing called a Second Stage Regulator that will work at lower pressures, and which should allow you to drop your gas pressure from 50mbar to 37mbar. We've used one of these to run a water boiler externally at 37mbar off the 50mbar Westfalia gas supply. Give the guys at Hamilton Gas Products a ring and see what they suggest, but I think your biggest problem is probably going to be making sure everything can be connected securely.

[Auto]

Thanks for the useful replies guys that's great I will see about getting one of those second stage regulators  it would be easier
than sending my propex to them now it's all fitted in 
I will get their advice on how to connect it up I'm thinking it can be fitted under the westi cooker cabinet after the stop tap
the propex is at the moment connected from the stop tap to the propex under the back seat with 8mm copper pipe I had
a section of rubber gas pipe to the stop tap to and a calor gas bottle under the sink but now I have the westi tank under the bus I
wanted to free up some space and may be fit an extra leisure battery in its place
clift_d why do you think i might have problems connecting it up ? don't they sell connections that allow for fitting to 8mm pipe 
from this type of regulator ? 

cheers phil


 

[Mocki]

Depends what westy tank you have ( there are a few variations ) I just fitted a standard blue calor regulator onto mine , same thread , problem solved . Colour regulators are less than a ten a in caravan shops . 

[clift_d]

clift_d why do you think i might have problems connecting it up ? don't they sell connections that allow for fitting to 8mm pipe 
from this type of regulator ? 

cheers phil

Rubber gas hose has a limited life span of 5 years, after which it perishes and might need to be replaced. In my mind that’s just another thing to worry about, particularly if your install might leave it behind panelling, so ideally I’d want any connections to be permanent hard lines. I was just wondering out loud whether you’ll be able to find some adaptors you could use to join everything up using copper, and avoid having rubber hoses.

[Forden341]

I had a similar issue when installing a 30mbar heater in my otherwise 50mbar Gipsy.



https://www.autogasshop.co.uk/gok--trum ... -604-p.asp

I used one of these inline jobbies installed in my rigid lines. Works an absolute treat.

[Auto]

Thanks guys for all the useful information it all sounds very promising
Mocki my westy tank is a 1990 tank so one of the later ones with the barbecue take off which I intend to use , did you notice a drop in the heat from the interior westy cooker when you fitted the calor regulator ? I presume it was a 30 m bar regulator 
clift_d  yes I have ditched the rubber hose and will be using copper pipe if I can throughout 
Forden341 that regulator looks easy to connect in line having the compression nuts already on but what's the short brass coloured pipe sticking out of the top, what connects to that ?
thanks again 
cheers phil
 

[clift_d]

… what's the short brass coloured pipe sticking out of the top, what connects to that ?

It says it has a breather vent pipe on the linked page - you’d need to check, but I’d assume that would need to be piped to the outside.

[Mocki]

Thanks guys for all the useful information it all sounds very promising
Mocki my westy tank is a 1990 tank so one of the later ones with the barbecue take off which I intend to use , did you notice a drop in the heat from the interior westy cooker when you fitted the calor regulator ? I presume it was a 30 m bar regulator 

I don’t have a westy , but my non westy hob noticed no change ……
what I did notice was I used less lpg.  

[Auto]

Hi Mocki It might be worth a try for just a tenner as I've just looked and my gas barbecue is also 30 - 37 mbar  depending on which gas
(butane or propane), I'm not sure which gas lpg is from the petrol stations ?  did your westy tank have the barbecue take off if so did your regulator connect to it ? the calor gas regulators I have seen have a barbed rats tail type fitting for rubber gas pipe so is yours like that or different 
cheers phil 

[Mocki]

Yes mine has the barbed fitting for rubber pipe , which goes round the back of the tank and then onto copper pipe 
no I don’t have the BBQ take off . 
Can’t see the point in having a cooker inside and then using a BBQ off the same gas supply to cook a foot away from the fitted kitchen out side ??? 

[clift_d]

The BBQ point has actually been quite useful for us. We’ve at times run an external water heater off it, and an extra stove when we’ve been cooking for a larger group. It also allows you to easily connect an external gas bottle to the van as an alternative supply, which is how we cooked when we went to Iceland.