Gas certification issues

Camelot · June 16, 2015, 07:23:12 PM

Hi all, quick intro - my name is Cam and my partner Catherine have just recently purchased Croady's Aussie Swag. Have just recently obtained a gas certificate but found the whole experience dissatisfying and painful. Wow, did not know that there were so many new regulations and so many disenchanted gasfitters. It seems to be a bad time in the caravan industry right now, with near impossible to work with regulations. I have been informed that my standard, from the factory 1999 Aussie Swag does not meet current gas regulations. Is there anybody out there who can rectify this or offer advice? Happy travelling, Cam and Cat

kizza1 · June 16, 2015, 07:47:08 PM

what have you got that is gas? fridge, stove inside, stove outside?
i went through dramas doing mine and had to disconnect the fridge to get it passed
http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=42473.0

MarkandLea · June 16, 2015, 08:05:22 PM

Where abouts are you located?

Bad Scott · June 16, 2015, 08:10:56 PM

I found you need to get an rv gas fitter. Different regulations need to be followed

Camelot · June 16, 2015, 08:20:57 PM

gas fridge is on the drawbar next to bottles. 2 smaller bottles mounted in slideout kitchen. I live on the gold coast

kizza1 · June 16, 2015, 08:25:03 PM

so what had to be changed? did the reg have to be moved to above the bottles?

Camelot · June 16, 2015, 08:33:08 PM

did not have fridge connected at the time. I got told I would need to have the 2 main bottles in a box, this is expensive.I was told the slideout kitchen was legal in 99 but not now

Murph · June 16, 2015, 08:37:39 PM

Surly you would therefore be a " non conforming" camper then ?

Camelot · June 16, 2015, 08:47:27 PM

conform, don't no that word

Markoutback · June 17, 2015, 08:05:01 AM

When getting gas certification it has to be done to the regulations of the day. When it comes to Rvs the regs are always changing and in some cases are open to interpretation. The regulations have just been updated in the last couple of years. Most plumbers won't touch gas on Rvs as the regs are confusing.

Peterr · June 17, 2015, 08:22:04 AM

contact Aussie Swag for help . They are in Brissy....

jetcrew · June 17, 2015, 09:33:01 AM

This is why most manuf are now using quick connect fittings on the gas . And some have been doing so for years.

Fixed lines =dramas with certification .. If you go fixed lines and later want to sell make sure to get the same bloke who did it in first place. As interpretation causes issues and it can be difficult to get it certified at sale time.

Jet

Camelot · June 17, 2015, 10:52:08 AM

I contacted aussie swag and they said because it was legal in 99 it still is. I have been told this is untrue by 2 gas fitters? This is the problem I would much prefer solid lines properly built by a pro but new regs make this impossible. lets face it temp lines are not ideal or 100 percent safe. The rules are not working for the caravan industry if anything there making it more dangerous

jetcrew · June 17, 2015, 11:35:14 AM

Quote from: Camelot on June 17, 2015, 10:52:08 AM
I contacted aussie swag and they said because it was legal in 99 it still is. I have been told this is untrue by 2 gas fitters? This is the problem I would much prefer solid lines properly built by a pro but new regs make this impossible. lets face it temp lines are not ideal or 100 percent safe. The rules are not working for the caravan industry if anything there making it more dangerous

I am not a gas fitter mate but I would prefer quick connects , no chance if an unseen issue imho.

There are even some issues surrounding annexes with walls , my canvass guy will not build full wall kits if the gas vent is on the annex side.

Jet

IanC · June 17, 2015, 12:10:32 PM

Quote from: Camelot on June 17, 2015, 10:52:08 AM
I contacted aussie swag and they said because it was legal in 99 it still is. I have been told this is untrue by 2 gas fitters? This is the problem I would much prefer solid lines properly built by a pro but new regs make this impossible. lets face it temp lines are not ideal or 100 percent safe. The rules are not working for the caravan industry if anything there making it more dangerous

NO WAY! We have a early 2000 Kimberly Kamper. At gas compliance /roadworthy the "original" camper (ie no changes ever made) failed the new regs. They cut the wires to the front mounted battery, just to be sure!!

We ended up having to rewire the whole camper as it wasn't just the battery they cut

We too have quick release on everything now.

jetcrew · June 17, 2015, 12:31:42 PM

If you own it and use it your fine ..ie every trailer ever built does not need to be redone ..but if you need a certification for any reason then you have an issue . Maybe A/Swag were meaning that .

Jet

GUEY · June 17, 2015, 12:53:06 PM

This link has a couple of guides relating to the standard. Bottles on drawer bar are fine uncovered.
Any bottles that are internal need to be vented to outside and sealed from the inside.

http://caravansplus.com.au/catalog/help-gas-installation.php

Camelot · June 17, 2015, 04:34:46 PM

it would seem general rule of thumb that gas bottles must be 1.5 metres away from any open flame, as in pilot light or any electrical connections or any electrical component ie fridges. This is why I was told I would need to put gas bottles in a vented box with the vent exit pipe 1.5 metres away from the bottles. ps I will be fitting bayonet fitting to fridge tomorrow, thanks it's a great idea.cheers, Cam

rags · June 17, 2015, 10:53:01 PM

Quote from: jetcrew on June 17, 2015, 09:33:01 AM
This is why most manuf are now using quick connect fittings on the gas . And some have been doing so for years.

Fixed lines =dramas with certification .. If you go fixed lines and later want to sell make sure to get the same bloke who did it in first place. As interpretation causes issues and it can be difficult to get it certified at sale time.

Jet

The use of quick connect fittings does not necessarily negate the need for a certificate of inspection. If the quick connect fittings are connected in anyway to the bottle via a regulator and pipe or flexible hose then this forms part of an installation requiring certification, by plugging in an appliance hose into one of these fitted quick connect fitting is more about complying with requirements when using a slide out appliance.. The only way the connection can be done on an rv that avoids certification is if the appliance is directly connected to the bottle by the user like eg when you connect the bbq to a gas bottle.
There are manufacturers of campers who have tried to avoid certification by trying to use this quick connect method but when detected by relevant state gas regulators are directed to comply.
The gas regulators along with vehicle inspectors often conduct field audits at various camping shows looking at compliance issues.

jetcrew · June 17, 2015, 11:02:51 PM

Quote from: rags on June 17, 2015, 10:53:01 PM
The use of quick connect fittings does not necessarily negate the need for a certificate of inspection. If the quick connect fittings are connected in anyway to the bottle via a regulator and pipe or flexible hose then this forms part of an installation requiring certification, by plugging in an appliance hose into one of these fitted quick connect fitting is more about complying with requirements when using a slide out appliance.. The only way the connection can be done on an rv that avoids certification is if the appliance is directly connected to the bottle by the user like eg when you connect the bbq to a gas bottle.
There are manufacturers of campers who have tried to avoid certification by trying to use this quick connect method but when detected by relevant state gas regulators are directed to comply.
The gas regulators along with vehicle inspectors often conduct field audits at various camping shows looking at compliance issues.

So if the connection between the bottle and reg(POL)can be unscrewed by hand then it is fine ..yes/no

Jet

rags · June 17, 2015, 11:18:24 PM

Cam, the issue of gas inspections can be confusing. I assume you are registering a camper in QLD that was previously registered in another state and you require a gas inspection certificate. If it was registered previously in QLD you still require gas certification as part of the road worthy requirements but that should be provided by the seller. The issuing of a certificate of inspection by the gasfitter is done against the complying legislation of the day, ie the relevant state gas Act and Aust Standard and yes parts of an existing regulation won't align with current ones. With the latest [2013] Gas Australia Standard there have been a few changes that don't align with previous editions that your camper was built to comply with and the new standard now includes an additional version relating to RV and marine requirements and in QLD I believe that QLD has adopted the latest version, where as NSW have not yet adopted it and are still working on an earlier edition

rags · June 17, 2015, 11:36:52 PM

Quote from: jetcrew on June 17, 2015, 11:02:51 PM
So if the connection between the bottle and reg(POL)can be unscrewed by hand then it is fine ..yes/no

Jet

The connecting of the regulator to the bottle is not considered work of gas fitting so does not form part of an installation so anyone can connect a bbq to a bottle as an eg or the bloke who does the bottle swap over on an home installation is not required to be licenced
If the rego is connected to a pipe or hose that terminates with a fitting [say female]permanently attached to the RV body that is intended for the connection of an appliance with [say male end] appliance hose this then forms an installation requiring certification.

Barry G · June 18, 2015, 01:26:26 AM

Thankfully Vic doesn't require a roadworthy for a trailer when transferring ownership, so this re-certification issue doesn't arise here.

jetcrew · June 18, 2015, 08:06:12 AM

Quote from: rags on June 17, 2015, 11:36:52 PM

The connecting of the regulator to the bottle is not considered work of gas fitting so does not form part of an installation so anyone can connect a bbq to a bottle as an eg or the bloke who does the bottle swap over on an home installation is not required to be licenced
If the rego is connected to a pipe or hose that terminates with a fitting [say female]permanently attached to the RV body that is intended for the connection of an appliance with [say male end] appliance hose this then forms an installation requiring certification.

So with no hose from reg outwards it's fine ..you connect your flexible hose to the reg in each instance

Jet

UIZ733 · June 18, 2015, 08:11:17 AM

Quote from: jetcrew on June 18, 2015, 08:06:12 AM
So with no hose from reg outwards it's fine ..you connect your flexible hose to the reg in each instance

Jet

No gas certification required with Vista. It has twin gas bottles with a 'normal' BBQ style regulator. The other end of the hose is connected to slide-out kitchen with a bayonet.

News:

Gas certification issues

UIZ733