Filler location

[toomanytoys]

OK.. could just ring Steve, but thought this might help some others..

I am refitting the system that was originally fitted (to my Syncro Doka) when I bought it in Holland, it was all Dutch approved and registerd, but the French authorities in there wisdom wouldnt allow it... so I had to remove it..
The filler was in the locker with the tank, which I felt wasnt ideal..
I will refit the tank under the rear bench seat (new frame and comfy caravelle bench going in there) and was thinking about installing the filler in the engine bay up close to the engine bay hatch (doka and single cabs have a large rear hatch where the numberplate is for those not aware) rather than trying to fit it in one of the side panels which are awkward to get behind..

Is a filler behind the engine bay hatch ok from a regulation point of view?

[Ian Hulley]

Is a filler behind the engine bay hatch ok from a regulation point of view?

Evening Si, from memory some 'other' installers have refused to certify installations with them there ... presumably for fear of the shunt from behind ?

(I asked Steve to fit our's on the o/s/r panel with the vapouriser in the cavity left where the warm air box was)

Ian

[T'Onion]

could just ring Steve

think you have just answered your own question there Si , don't think there much of a law on where to fit the filler cos theres only gas in it when filling up , and if you start looking around you see them in some right strange places , on some cars I seen them on lower area of the plastic bumpers ,always make me smile

[CycloneMike]

I have noticed they are fitted on the tow bar of a lot of Range Rovers, often without any cover or protection, which always looks a bit of a lash up to me.

[Ian Hulley]

I have noticed they are fitted on the tow bar of a lot of Range Rovers, often without any cover or protection, which always looks a bit of a lash up to me.

Yep, and me

[72BUG]

On my old F0rd Econoline it was fitted just below the rear bumper. No idea whether it was certified though. It was fitted when I got it.

[steve8090]

Most cars are fitted to the bumper area, it is not the collision that the standard is concerned with but the escape of gas when filling, if this enters an engine bay or the interior of the vehicle then it does not meet the standard, those who have earlier T25 conversions will have their filler on the back quarter where the air box is, those fitted late 2007 onwards will have the filler fitted forward of that area where the arch is so that an escape of gas when filling would dicipate under the arch, the standard changed after that period, so bumper, tow bar, arch anywhere where an escape of gas is exterior to the vehicle, definitiely not a locker or engine bay if you want to fit to standard.

In the event of a collision in the filler area, the most that can happen is the filler is scrapped and the content of the fill line only escapes, there are mechanical valves on the tank to stop any large escape of gas from the tank.

[toomanytoys]

Cheers..
Ok.. so I shall have to rethink that...

[silverbullet]

My two penn'orth - I was thinking of putting all my hookups on a sealed panel behind the no. plate flap to avoid chopping holes in the van too. But as Steve has made clear, there's a red hot exhaust right below it so shunt = boom just from the gas in the fill line.
New plan - I've got a second T25 filler neck to fit in the n/s wheel arch, to mirror the petrol one. Would this be OK or is there a limit to the length/volume of filling line allowed?
Should have booked the van into Gasure for the new year by now, but looks like beloved Allroad will have to be on the forecourt first

[steve8090]

It was fine a few years ago to fit it on the back panel but they changed the standard and it was no longer accepted that it was to be fitted to an engine bay or interior of the vehicle without correct venting, you can fit it to the back panel providing you fit the correct inner rubber vent sleeve and run the filler line inside a vent tube allowing the excess gas to vent to atmosphere, the pipe or vent should be no closer to an exhaust manifold than 100mm, thus we fit it to the rear wing, it would add to the cost of the conversion in parts and time to do it otherwise.

[silverbullet]

Just re-read my post - I should have said filler neck in the front n/s arch (mine's 2wd) which is why I queried the length of filling line involved. I don't fancy a spare donut tank. I would rather have one under the r&r bench if possible, but my one is rather low (10" kickboard - SA fitment rear bench).
Does the filler have to be above the tank for LPG to flow or does it rely on the filling tank being at a much higher pressure to fill the vehicle tank?
Sorry if these are daft questions but they're not obviously covered by the q&a.

[steve8090]

No, filler can be above, below or sideways to the tank it makes no difference.

[silverbullet]

Thanks Steve, I'll press on and cut the castellated hole for the T25 filler then!

Didn't mean to hijack your thread, Simon...

[toomanytoys]

No worries.. its why I put it on here, as I thought the regs had changed..
Funny how my fully dutch gov approved conversion that was on the doka when I bought it and was less than 1 year old.. had the copper pipes exiting the tank i the locker through the firewall to engine bay with no outer vent tube.. pluss the filler was located in the locker o the end of the tank.. caused a nice smell in the cab after filling.........
Looks like I shall install filler in the "redundant" front arch petrol filler pressing (syncros dont use them you see) seems like a lot more hassle to sleeve and "vent" the filler pipe if in the engine bay...

Just back from France and petrol is cheaper than last time.. but still a lot more than here... I havent done the sums yet, but I do know one tank only returned 20mpg.............

[silverbullet]

Got anywhere with your gas filler, Simon?
I've just booked the 2.6 into Steve's and I was going to chop a spare filler funnel into the nearside front wheelarch as I've got 9 weeks in hand
Question: from what I gather, the filler neck has to withstand a 50kg force/500N to comply with the Cop11 regs (which you can't find online). This means that the plastic funnel will need a metal reinforcing bracket behind it, anchored to the wheelarch. What size hole is needed in the panel to mount the LPG filler?
LATEST: I found on someone's DIY lpg motorhome pages that the filler neck housing needs a 70mm dia hole to mount the plastic housing. Sound about right? BUT it needs to be vertical, to prevent rainwater laying in it (which would freeze when filling up...) so no point going to the effort of fitting the VW funnel after all
I'll save it for the water tank.