LPG Gas Cylinder

[Ian Hulley]

The only other way would be to have a cylinder tank bolted down under the bed which vents to the outside in the event of an over-pressure incident or fire. Ironically many people here are looking to acquire and fit exactly what you've got, we fitted our's last year.

Ian

[AngeloEvs]

Could you not remove it and just use a small portable gas cylinder like we do in the UK?

[Oldiebut goodie]

Idle thoughts about the problem:
Where do they mount tanks for lpg fuelled vehicles in NZ then? On the roof?
How on earth do you manage to fit a cylinder upright under a van? - You can't lay it on its side otherwise you will have liquid gas into the regulator.
Surely if vehicle has been imported and registered in NZ the vehicle has been passed as OK as it is? Or is it a new regulation that has come into being since the importation - namely NZS 5428:2006 that has caused it to become illegal? I cannot find an online version of the reg. to peruse.
I don't know why you are so very anti having the cylinder internal - if you have to move it from underneath you really have no other option. No matter where you construct a locker for it it will be internal! So long as you have your locker ventilated to the atmosphere at the bottom I cannot see the problem.
Just some food for thought

[lloyd]

You must be having a bad night Oldiebut goodie.

Dave,
Many of the German westies have had the tanks removed from underneath and bottles put in cabinet under the sink. Some came without tanks underneath and have a bottle locker inside. I can't find a picture of one, but they are like setting a bottle in a bucket with vent in bottom. Because LPG is heavier then air, this keeps it in the bucket until it drops outside through bottom vent. As AngeloEvo said, most campers here have bottles inside and only have a vent in bottom of cabinet bottle sets in.

Hope this helped answer your questions.

Oh! Welcome to 80-90!

[Mr Bean]

This problem vexes me from time to time and I have ften thought of putting it on an extended tow bar rack at the rear. although theft and sabbotage might be an issue apart from the ensuing blevy in the event of a rear ender. Mine is in the usual place next to the fridge under the sink. To take it one step further and meet your requirements you could weld up an internal box in that area and place an access door in the side of the van. Problem is that you wouldn't completely eliminate risk as there will still be the piping, joints and appliances inside the van. My advice would be to put up with the uncomfortable feeling with it inside the van and adopt some safety procedures such as:
Don't leave anything on gas overnight even if your tinnies get warm.
Fit a pressure test guage between you regulator and bottle and test regularly.
Paint white marks on your appliance knobs so you can easily see when they are in the off position.
Check your internal pipes and fittings regularly.
And maybe fit one of those gas alarms.
Cheers
Wolfie

[Oldiebut goodie]

I have found a few facts concerning the installation of gas containers for lpg fueled vehicles - I cannot find that containers for internal appliances should be subject to different criteria.(that is not to say that they are not)
It may help.

Taken from alternative fuels certification.
Requirements from NZS 5422: 1987: Part 1 Requirements from AS/NZS 1425: 2003
1. Containers, fittings and pipework must be mounted inside
the perimeter of the vehicle.
2. Container valves on externally mounted containers must be
positioned no less than 200 mm from the vehicle
extremities.
3. A container must not be fitted:
a) on the roof or above a passenger compartment
b) forward of the rear of the driver’s seat in its rearmost
position without specific approval
c) in a position beneath the vehicle that decreases the
effective ground clearance.
4. A container located between or behind the axles must be
within the zone limit shown in Figure 1–8–1.
1. The whole of a fuel container, compartment and subcompartment
must lie within the ground clearance zone
limits indicated by Table 1–8–2 and Figure 1–8–2 and
Figure 1–8–3.
2. A container must not be mounted outside the body contour
to the front or sides of the vehicle.
3. A container must not be mounted outside the body contour
to the rear or top of the vehicle without specific approval.
4. A container installed inside a vehicle must not be mounted
forward of the rear of the driver’s seat in its rearmost
position.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Howz about this then , I have found the draft for the revision of nzs 5428-2006 - the portion that I have copied is what you are looking for.(3.2.3.(c) appears to apply but a crucial word is missing at the end of paras. (a) and (b) - the word or (that is the ex-civil servant in me)).
Draft for Public Comment
Standards Australia/Standards
New Zealand Standard
LIABLE TO ALTERATION—DO NOT USE AS A STANDARD
BEGINNING DATE
FOR COMMENT:
1 August 2008
CLOSING DATE
FOR COMMENT:
3 October 2008
AS/NZS 5601.2—200X
Gas installations
Part 2: LP Gas installations in caravans and boats for
non-propulsive purposes
(Revision of AS 5601—2004 & NZS 5428—2006

3.2 LOCATION OF LP GAS CYLINDERS
3.2.1 Restriction on location of cylinders
LP Gas cylinders shall not be installed nor shall provision be made for installing or storing
any LP Gas cylinders inside any caravan or boat except as permitted in Clause 3.4.4.1.
3.2.2 Required clearances around a cylinder
Minimum clearances around a cylinder shall comply with—
(a) in respect to ignition sources, AS/NZS 5601.1; and
(b) in respect to openings into a boat, Figure 3.1.
3.2.3 Mounting and stowage
LP Gas cylinders and all high pressure stage piping shall be—
(a) installed in a cylinder compartment or LP Gas locker complying with Clause 3.4;
(b) mounted externally on the chassis of a caravan in a protected position;
(c) mounted externally on the chassis of a caravan under the skirt; or
(d) mounted externally on the upper deck or cabin top of a boat but not within one metre
of an opening into the boat, or in such a way as to impede movement on board the
boat and at least:
(i) 1000 mm from any opening into the boat below the cylinder valve
(ii) 150 mm from any opening into the boat above the cylinder valve
(iii) 1500 mm from any fixed source of ignition.

Mounting underneath does not appear to be illegal to me, but I note that this draft only states caravans in the title (I don't know how your motorcaravans are classified down there).
Link for draft http://shop.standards.co.nz/drafts/DR08158-DR08158.pdf
Hope you are still around reading this after all this research!

[Oldiebut goodie]

Obviously OP has slipped off the bottom of the Earth