# Safe to leave Gas on ovenight?



## 107514 (Oct 8, 2007)

Hello all,

I am planning to *leave the gas on at the bottle overnight* and use a thermostat regulated Propex type blown air heater to keep me warm.

Have checked the connection to the bottle (Fairy liquid and brush) and pipework. The heater is serviced and working perfectly. I have installed a CO detector/alarm (they have one half price today at B&Q).

*Is there any reason why this is a bad idea?* Am getting fed up of having to dismantle my bed every time I want to switch the gas on...but at the same time I'm quite fond of living!

Cheers
PK


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi PK

We always leave the gas on, but don't leave the heater on. Once in bed we are plenty warm enough  

regards

Geoff


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

People with three way fridges often leave the gas on throughout the night so that the fridge works. (many leave it on at the bottle permanently, I do apart from ferries and when I'm putting it in for servicing).

I would be more worried that the exhaust of your propex heater could be sucked in to your van if the air was still. Your CO alarm is a good investment.


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## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

*leave gas on*

Hi PK In over 25 years we have never turned off the gas at night, if off the mains you need it for the fridge, so I think its quite safe, obviously only if its a professionally installed system.
Cheers Don


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

If off hook up we leave the gas on for the fridge all the time when we are not moving. If it is cold we leave the heating on too. We turn the gas off at the bottle when we move.

Like you we make sure the gas fittings are serviced by someone we trust and we keep the batteries in the CO detector in good nick. 

I'd advise anyone buying a used van to make sure the last owner didn't block up all the vents as people tend to do this to stop draughts.

After that, sleep well and warm !

G


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

We always left the gas turned on at the bottles - only switching it off when we were home....I was on the ferry one day, and one of the loaders saw me going into the gas locker, looked at me strangely, I said do I need to turn it off he said NO.... so I didn't bother....

We have on very odd occasions even left the heating on overnight, on low, just so that it didn't drop below 8deg and drop the water....

Carol


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Gas on all night*

Hi

I leave the gas cylinder open all the time. The heating is set to "gas and electric" operation - so electric is on all the time, and if a real "boost" is need the gas will come on too.

When wild camping, I have slept with the heating on all night.

The main question to ask yourself is this. Do you have a central heating boiler at home? Do you turn it off at night? Is it well maintained and serviced?

I must confess I do not turn the gas supply off when travelling - only on ferries or in the channel tunnel. Maybe I should turn the cylinders off when driving, but I am so used to doing what I do, I probably would not remember.

Russell


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## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

*Gas on*

I think its safest to turn off gas while on the move as in the unlikeky event of an accident a pipe or joint could easy fracture, then you could be in big big trouble, I must admit I do ocasionaly forget.
Cheers 
Don


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Gas on*



blondy said:


> I think its safest to turn off gas while on the move you I must admit I do ocasionaly forget.
> Cheers
> Don


Cheap and simple. We have a piece of laminated card kept in the gas locker. It says GAS ON and is hung on the steering wheel whenever we turn on the gas at the bottle, even for a coffee stop.

G


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## allan01273 (May 23, 2007)

*gas off*

I believe it is an insurance requirement to turn the gas of when driving, otherwise they may not pay out after an accident. Obviously gas escaping would be very dangerous at the scene of an accident.

Also if you refill your gaslow tanks then you must have the gas turned off.

At all other times when the motorhome is in use, you need the gas on. to cook, run the fridge, the heater, and the hot water.

If the gas is serviced and you have the documents to prove this then it is the responsibility of the service agent.


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## LPDrifter (Aug 17, 2005)

Basically same as others have said. We leave gas turned on at cylinder all the time while camped. You will need it especially if wild camping and you want the fridge working. We have also left the heating on a few times when we camped in January. 

We turn it off at the cylinder while driving. I think that would be wise in case of an accident which could rupture some of the gas pipes.


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## 107889 (Oct 25, 2007)

Gas regulators are designed to turn off the gas if a pipe ruptures.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

IMO the perception of danger far exceeds the reality,( do LPG powered vehicles isolate before setting off ) and if we thought and worried about everything that could go 'bang' in an accident few of us would every leave the drive way. 
We carry diesel, petrol, LPG and for good measure a couple of big lead acid batteries bubbling away merrily (some under the driving seat !), hurtle down motorways at 70 mph, arrive on site, hook up to 240v, proceed to light a BBQ within a few feet of the van ... 
ahh yes, the joys and dangers of motorhoming.. take practical and common sense precautions but keep it in perspective let's not get paranoid about it.. our RV fridge/freezer does not have a 12 volt option so the LPG is on all the time while traveling. 

Safe travels.. Jim :wink:


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

domino said:


> Gas regulators are designed to turn off the gas if a pipe ruptures.


some are domino not all


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

We turn off the gas at the bottle when driving, but other than that it is on all the time.
The water heater, room heater and fridge are all room sealed and vent to outside anyway on professionally converted vans.
We do have a Co2 detector in the van "just in case" 
We wild camp a lot and also attend meets where there isn't always hook ups, so in cold weather the heater is on low all night too. 

Tina


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

TinaGlenn said:


> We turn off the gas at the bottle when driving, but other than that it is on all the time.
> The water heater, room heater and fridge are all room sealed and vent to outside anyway on professionally converted vans.
> We do have a Co2 detector in the van "just in case"
> We wild camp a lot and also attend meets where there isn't always hook ups, so in cold weather the heater is on low all night too.
> ...


Tina I doubt that you have a CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) detector it would go off every time you breathed out  its probably a CO (Carbon Monoxide) one. Note that smokers can set off a CO detector as the poisonous CO is gradually expelled from their blood after a cigarette.

That is not to say there couldn't be a CO2 detector marketed for excess levels but it would be difficult to set up.


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