I could probably be wrong but most vans I have seen appear to have HWS fridge and Loo on the right side and gas is on draw bar or in boot.............. But I could be wrong. again

Roving-Dutchy wrote:

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Like many petty rules made by seat polishing bureaucrats, you just do what you want to do and ignore them, it's your van, you set it up the way you want.
Cheers
David

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 ........... and gas yourself!

Is there a law about this? If there is what's the citation?

Big Gorilla wrote:

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More red tape. If it's real, who is gonna enforce it...

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 If it is a new regulation then the ones that will be most interested in it are the insurance companies it will give them another reason to not pay...

 

Having said that I would think it wouldn't be very wise to enclose a fridge or HWS  in the annex...

I spoke to freind who is a licensed gas fitter & works in the caravan industry. he says you cant use gas appliances or have a gas storage compartment under a enclosed annex or store gas bottles in a enclosed annex.
Cheers
Jeff

Gday...

I think the following would be three fairly representative examples of the types of canvas annexes that most people would use.

Surely, having a fridge, or heater, or stove inside one of these running on gas could not possibly be dangerous - except for any possible fire danger perhaps.

I doubt if any of these would have anything like 'restricted airflow' to cause any potential danger of suffocation using a gas appliance. 

    

Cheers - John

Safety first guys, not just a bureaucratic blast.

This is about gas exhausts in an enclosed space. Just as you need ventilation in an enclosed space that operates a gas appliance, ie, those vents in the bottom of the van door and on the walls etc, you also need an open space for the exhaust, inside the van you get away with the gas stove because of those vents, but a fridge and HWS may be operating a lot more than a cooker, we all know you have good ventilation in your annex (don't you?) but the law doesn't know, so they have to come up with these rules, like a good Nanny, to save us from ourselves.

Also, insurance is a real issue, not to be taken lightly.

I worked for Kleenheat in WA for 31 years, and in the seventies laws were changed to stop installing unflued gas heaters in bathrooms, after several deaths. An enclosed annex is the same scenario.

Anyway, our van, and I think most others, do have the fridge vented to the starboard side. If yours is not, just have some airflow through the annex. We had an annex once, I do believe it had a ventilation screen anyway.

You certainly wouldn't want to have anyone sleeping in an annex if there is a gas appliance exhaust blowing into it, big No No folks. A clean fuel, but still produces some carbon monoxide, and CO2, depletes the atmosphere of healthy air.

Take care,
Bevan

absolutely agree Bevan,

Maybe detectors ( both fire and gas ) should be used , that and a bit of ventilation should be adequate , a lot of people use annexes and
rather than ban them , just bring about awareness and ways to safely use them rather than a total ban as people will still use them regardless in most cases anyway

rockylizard wrote:

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Gday...

The point of the photos was NOT to show WHERE they van was situated ..........just to show what a full annex looks like.

It is all a moot point I guess. It only takes ONE instance of a death in an annex and the overpowering Nanny State will kick in.

But back to the OP - if the fridge and HWS are vented into the annex side, this is probably a thoughtless design by the van maker. The solution is to not buy a van that has been thoughtlessly designed if you are going to be using a FULL annex, otherwise, what's the problem

Cheers - John

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 That is why I said in part 'I do get your point' most people would know what an annex looks like.

I have used an annex for years and never had a problem and yes my fridge is on the annex side, however there could be a problem if one is using gas and you are parked right next door and there is a fire, would one be able to claim on their insurance or would one claim on your own insurance?

And you would find that their insurance would not pay theirs let alone yours.

deverall11 wrote:

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Our annex is NOWHERE near being air tight. Don't think we will ever get gassed in those conditions.
Again, another case of some useless bureaucrat justifying their employment. How many of those clowns have ANY experience with caravaning?
Larry

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 none would be my guess

sometimes safety must and should be considered. A few years ago a friend was visiting family and the visited kids wanted to sleep in the van as it was something new.
Both kids died overnight because of a faulty fitted gas appliance.
Isn't it better to save one life out of the thousands that travel in caravans and motor homes than risk yours and complain about new laws.

jpw50 wrote:

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I'm getting an external bayonet gas fitting installed as part of my Hino's fit-out, and was told that under the new rules (effective from July 1 if I remember correctly) that it cannot be located below an awning, whether an annexe is fitted as well or not.

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Hi jpw, we have a bayonet fitting, and have found it takes a bit of wrist/hand strength to plug the gas pipe into it. Best to have the bayonet facing outward instead of downward, so you don't have to bend down and push-turn in an upward direction. (Hope that makes sense?)

NeilandRaine wrote:

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sometimes safety must and should be considered. A few years ago a friend was visiting family and the visited kids wanted to sleep in the van as it was something new.
Both kids died overnight because of a faulty fitted gas appliance.
Isn't it better to save one life out of the thousands that travel in caravans and motor homes than risk yours and complain about new laws.

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Where was the compulsory gas detector and who signed the certificate off??