[Spotfree]

Do you fill straight into the van from tap etc or do you fill an ibc and then transfer?
If ibc, consider insulation perhaps so your starting with a steady temp to begin with.
Have you insulated the van tank as well?
Also do you use all the water you take out each day?  For instance I dont and so my starting temp before i turn on the immersion can be higher than the ibc water.

I transfer from an IBC.

I didnt insulate as wanted the van stay max warmth for winter. The immersion was never intended for "hot" water.

I rarely have water left out of my 650ltr (600 when alls said and done)

[Spotfree]

Ive had a 3kw element on for 12 hours last night, warm water is all I'm cleaning with today.

It does seem to help on them snail trails though, and Daz is right about being on the coast, some months are a nightmare.

I get pain in most of my joints and if hot can make things a little easier without paying too much then it could be for me.

Have you upgraded your electrics to support a 3KW immersion?  How much water were you heating? If you only got lukewarm water after 12 hours it either isn’t a 3KW element or the thermostat is set at minimum.

I was an electrical engineer before cleaning windows, the 3kw is wired from its own breaker in the consumer unit through a full 16 amp installation.

I say "lukewarm" I don't know what the temp is really, I just know its not hot.

[Spotfree]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

I'm talking about having a professionally fitted system by people who know how to make safe and provide all the correct equipment and a flue.

I could go and knock one myself in no time, but if I did then it might not be safe.

There are countless motor homes around the country with simple installation in, to fit these kinds of things there is a specific qualification.

[Dry Clean]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

[Dry Clean]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

I'm talking about having a professionally fitted system by people who know how to make safe and provide all the correct equipment and a flue.

I could go and knock one myself in no time, but if I did then it might not be safe.

There are countless motor homes around the country with simple installation in, to fit these kinds of things there is a specific qualification.

A professional gas system wont be much cheaper than a diesel system as Dazmond mentioned Sureclean in N Ireland used to sell them but at around £3k they just didn't get the custom.

[dazmond]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

is that what you ve done with your gas heater set up sean?

can we all see some pics of your set up please?

[Dry Clean]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

is that what you ve done with your gas heater set up sean?

can we all see some pics of your set up please?

No I only used mine for a few weeks to try it out, put the flue out though the side door, didn't want to cut holes in the van unless I was sure I was going to keep it.

[Stoots]

Having a gas boiler in a van is just nuts.

If you want cheap get an immersion

[dazmond]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

is that what you ve done with your gas heater set up sean?

can we all see some pics of your set up please?

No I only used mine for a few weeks to try it out, put the flue out though the side door, didn't want to cut holes in the van unless I was sure I was going to keep it.

i didnt think so........

you never help anyone out do you sean?

[Dry Clean]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

is that what you ve done with your gas heater set up sean?

can we all see some pics of your set up please?

No I only used mine for a few weeks to try it out, put the flue out though the side door, didn't want to cut holes in the van unless I was sure I was going to keep it.

i didnt think so........

you never help anyone out do you sean?

I tried to help you out but you still wasted your money, its not hard, buy a decent heater, put a flue on it and put the bottle in a gas bottle container, you can even buy a gas detector to check that the fittings aren't leaking.

[dazmond]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

is that what you ve done with your gas heater set up sean?

can we all see some pics of your set up please?

No I only used mine for a few weeks to try it out, put the flue out though the side door, didn't want to cut holes in the van unless I was sure I was going to keep it.

i didnt think so........

you never help anyone out do you sean?

I tried to help you out but you still wasted your money, its not hard, buy a decent heater, put a flue on it and put the bottle in a gas bottle container, you can even buy a gas detector to check that the fittings aren't leaking.

the problems with gas heaters are

1.the flame goes out on a windy day,very frustrating....
2.changing gas bottles!i used to always run out when i needed it most(half way through a first clean or add on job usually)
3.pressure dead end settings...i had endless problems getting the CAL setting right which resulted in connectors blowing off and wrecking hoses.....
4.drain screw........i forgot one night in the middle of winter and it froze inside and broke it.....
5.potential of a gas leak......from the heater or the regulator......
6.potential of carbon monoxide build up in the van.....
7.grey area regarding insurance.....

also i didnt "waste" my money on a diesel heater.....it doesnt have ANY of the above problems.......i would of just blown the 4.5k on a few holidays abroad with my missus anyway....

[P @ F]

  go Daz

[CleanClear]

Hot water cleans better than cold water in the same way that pure water leeches all the impurities from what it touches, and ordinary water don't.

[Jonny 87]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

How would any of the above helped me in my scenario and dazmonds I believe?

I hand a gas leak from the inlet of the boiler. No safety measure could help that. It’s either gas tight, or it leaks. Who’s to say when that point happens and it starts leaking.

The difference is that to all other uses of these heaters ( dog groomers, chippy vans, motor homes) they are right next to the heater while it’s operating. Any problems and your right there to sort it. Not 100 metres away round the corner working away blissfully unaware as your van burns down.

Mark my words it’s just a matter of time before there’s a major accident with a window cleaner using one of these. There’s been Atleast 3 close calls on this forum, Mayb more.

[P @ F]

I never had a close call like you guys in the 7 or 8 years l had my L5 in the van , I changed because gas prices went up , I also saw that Transit that had a bottle leak and changed shape a bit !
Plus the fact I had built my diesel heater , during the testing stages I pulled the L5 apart to maybe use the heat exchanger in a different way.
What I found scared the poop out of me , the gas regulator body had a hairline fracture in it , could have explained why I was using so much gas , maybe I had been a lucky boy for some time, we will never know !
I did love the L5 though , but I would never go back to gas now , I would rather go immersions or stay cold .

[Dry Clean]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

How would any of the above helped me in my scenario and dazmonds I believe?

I hand a gas leak from the inlet of the boiler. No safety measure could help that. It’s either gas tight, or it leaks. Who’s to say when that point happens and it starts leaking.

The difference is that to all other uses of these heaters ( dog groomers, chippy vans, motor homes) they are right next to the heater while it’s operating. Any problems and your right there to sort it. Not 100 metres away round the corner working away blissfully unaware as your van burns down.

Mark my words it’s just a matter of time before there’s a major accident with a window cleaner using one of these. There’s been Atleast 3 close calls on this forum, Mayb more.

Caravan and motorhome users will run gas heaters and so on when not in them but if a gas appliance is going to blow up why would it be an advantage to be next to it ? fact is there are millions of regulators used throughout the country and the only people who ever have problems with them are shiners looking for an excuse to buy the latest gadget.
I cant say that some idiot wont blow himself up but I do know if I ever needed to use a hot water placebo I would be more than confident that my DIY gas hot system would be safe to use,

[Dry Clean]

Dazmonds heater did what most gas heaters will do if they fail to ignite on time, the build up of gas exploded, in caravans and motorhomes the flame would have went up the flue causing no damage or harm.

[Status Check]

Dazmond sang the virtues of a LPG heater to everyone before he had his little mishap.

Why did he have this "mishap" ?

Because he installed it incorrectly in his new leased van.

[Jonny 87]

I disagree, the heater could be safe but any gas leak from the bottle, regulator or pipework is a bomb in the making. My regulator leaked, I was lucky and got away with it. Had the gas ignited I dread to think what could have happened.
Think about it, any gas leak is going to fill the back of the van, all that gas around your battery terminals, controller, pump, boiler and connections ........ madness.

The bottle needs to be in a container that's vented from the bottom, you can buy them on Ebay for around £100, from mobile dog grooming vans , chippy vans, motorhomes, caravans and so on there are thousands of vehicles driving around the UK with gas appliances that don't have any problems, lets get real here when it comes to Dazmond the further away he gets from a self installed LPG system the better but for somebody with a bit of DIY knowledge and some common sense then a safe LPG set up is very achievable, just don't cut corners, box the bottle and flue the heater.

How would any of the above helped me in my scenario and dazmonds I believe?

I hand a gas leak from the inlet of the boiler. No safety measure could help that. It’s either gas tight, or it leaks. Who’s to say when that point happens and it starts leaking.

The difference is that to all other uses of these heaters ( dog groomers, chippy vans, motor homes) they are right next to the heater while it’s operating. Any problems and your right there to sort it. Not 100 metres away round the corner working away blissfully unaware as your van burns down.

Mark my words it’s just a matter of time before there’s a major accident with a window cleaner using one of these. There’s been Atleast 3 close calls on this forum, Mayb more.

Caravan and motorhome users will run gas heaters and so on when not in them but if a gas appliance is going to blow up why would it be an advantage to be next to it ? fact is there are millions of regulators used throughout the country and the only people who ever have problems with them are shiners looking for an excuse to buy the latest gadget.
I cant say that some idiot wont blow himself up but I do know if I ever needed to use a hot water placebo I would be more than confident that my DIY gas hot system would be safe to use,

Erm........... because you smell almost instantly that there is a gas leak. Funny story,  they actually add the smell into gas so it acts like a warning. Who’d of thunk it. You have to have your nose in the same vehicle though of course.

[Spotfree]

I went in today and had a chat, big garage full of motorhomes.

He tells I need a sealed unit with the gas bottle inside, that has a flue. I also need a flue in the van.I need a stopcock to switch the supply off when the van is in motion.

For £400 he can install me a tank that I fill from a port in the van like the fuel tank.

So all in if I supply the boilers he'll install everything to regulation and provide a certificate for £8-900 sounds ok to me.

I mentioned that some people were skeptical about it being safe, he just grinned and said he's been doing this for a living for years.