| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Cobnut |
Ventilation for LPG cooker and wood burnerHello. I am now the proud owner of a beautiful, albeit quirky, caravan and need some clarification on what vents my builder needs to add before a gas engineer can install the LPG cooker. There is also a small wood burning stove to take into consideration. My wagon is a gypsy bowtop made on a caravan chassis so has few straight sides (just to complicate things) like these:http://www.gregsgypsybowtops.co.uk/default.html The gas fitter said I need a vent on the floor so that any leaking propane can escape. This needs to be a 6”x 3” hole in the floor (covered in mesh to stop rodents taking up residency) with a box type guard (with 2 open sides) underneath to stop water coming in when I’m towing it. The other vent needs to be as high as possible to allow air flow. He said it has to be a “70 sq cm free air vent”/ “10 x 7cm”, and would probably be best over the door as it’s one of the few straight areas and is also close to the cooker and stove (which are about 3’ from the door, opposite each other). Does this sound right, and can anyone post a link to the vents I should show my builder please? He needs to get it right first time and has asked me to explain what the gas engineer said. I don’t want to get it wrong. The gas bloke wants the vents in place before he'll do his bit. Thanks. Beth. |
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| Toffer |
Hi, I'm no heating expert but what you've been told does sound right, propane and butane are both heavier than air, hence the floor vent to allow any leaking gas to escape, and the free air vent is to make sure enough fresh air comes in to allow complete combustion so no carbon monoxide.
The instructions as you've written then here seem clear enough to me, any builder should be able to install those two vents with the info given, unless he's a bit of a numpty. |
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| T.G |
Cobnut: Your caravan is wonderful! Where are you going to site it or are you planning on touring?
Could you not contact the site you posted a link to and see if they have the info you need? |
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| JohnB |
I'd love to see the reaction of the wardens if I turned up on a Caravan Club site with one  .
Sometimes I find living in a van a bit frustrating, and having a car would be useful, but I don't want a conventional caravan. I could be tempted by one of those. The only problem is the width, as the bed only looks suitable for midgets! |
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| Gervase |
Do make sure you've got an audible carbon monoxide alarm fitted as well. LPG stoves and woodburners in confined spaces are notorious for killing people. | ||||||||
| Cobnut |
Good, thanks. Actually I’ve just reread the installation instructions for the cooker and it does back up what the gas man said. It’s just a shame that part of the Romany paintwork will be lost to house a vent, but better than asphyxiating. The wood burner didn’t come with any paperwork unfortunately.
The plan is to stay on farms/stables/nurseries etc doing voluntary work in exchange for a park up, food and use of the bathroom, or pay a small ground rent and find other work. Even better if I get paid work and a free park up . I’ve had 4 invites from Help Exchange hosts already and that’s without contacting anyone, just having a profile up. As soon as my cottage is sold I’m off and will be technically “homeless”. Can’t wait!
I own the red ex-demo one on his website. The internal layout can be seen second pic down on this page: http://www.gregsgypsybowtops.co.uk/Layout.html The lining material has been changes to a cream colour, and the plan is to recycle the (fire retardant) foam and cushions from my sofa and use for the seating area on the left. My wagon will be the first that Greg made that later had a wood burner and a LPG stove in so it’s all new to him too.
Do you think I may be turned away with my wagon then? I was thinking of joining the CC and C&CC but not if they’ll be funny about it. Other than the wagon I’m rather conventional looking so my appearance won’t raise eyebrows. The length of the bed could be a problem to a lot of people unfortunately. Although it’s built on the widest part of the caravan (6’ ish), by the time a thick mattress has been added this shortens as it’s moved into the narrower part of the bow. I just about fit comfortably and I’m 5’6”. The width is also less than a standard double bed so could be too snug for 2 adults too. Saying that, there’s a lot of space underneath the bunk and Greg had the idea of getting a futon for his other wagon, which I think could really work.
Good point, thanks. I’ve already installed a CO and smoke detector...it’s loud enough to wake the dead!  I also called the fire service for advice on fire safety and they’re going to send some information.
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| alison |
We are camping and caravan club and wouldn't have a problem wit a van like that. When Simon stayed here he came in a converted coach. | ||||||||
| JohnB |
I'm not sure. I lived on CC sites for two winters with my conventional camper van and home adapted box trailer. I only had one comment from a warden, and that was just asking if I had any gas cylinders in the trailer. I think in theory they are fussy about anything that is unconventional, and some wardens are apparently little Hitlers, although I never met any. You're also not supposed to use them for anything other than holidays, but it was pretty obvious I was fulltiming, and I never had a problem. I joined the CC to use the CLs, and they vary a lot. I'm sure many of them would have no problem, but some might be a bit funny. I'm sure being conventional looking does help a lot. |