Cookers in camper trailers

Submitted: Friday, May 27, 2005 at 06:25
ThreadID: 23346 Views:4337 Replies:8 FollowUps:13
This Thread has been Archived
Can anyone tell me about high pressure gas cookers in camper trailers, are they high pressure to enable the gas to give adequate pressure to reach the pull out kitchen at the back or can low pressure cookers give the same pressure, Have to replace and not sure which way to go, just dont want to lose pressure.
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: flappa - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 08:52

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 08:52
Not really , they are high pressure because they are easy to make and use , and are cheap.

Simple attach a gas hose from bottle to stove. Finish. Most are pretty ordinary TO actually use though. The adjustment is just not there.

Low pressure stoves work heaps better. Far better adjustment for cooking. You can actually simmer something with a low pressure stove.

Downside is , requires a regulator , and are normally more expensive , but , owning both , worth every cent.

I do believe there IS a hose limit for Low pressure stoves . . . something like max length of 1.5m. I'm not sure if that includes JUST hose , so if you plumb it in properly (by gas fitter) , then that bits not included.

I would certainly recommend a low pressure stove IN campers , if nothing else , for safety. Low pressure stoves dont flare like high pressure ones.
AnswerID: 113142

Follow Up By: JB - Monday, May 30, 2005 at 15:30

Monday, May 30, 2005 at 15:30
Flappa, maybe you can help me with my problem?
For the last few years I have had major problems with my high pressure stove on my camper trailer.......but only on very cold mornings.
During the day it is OK but first thing in the morning it is dangerous as the flame flares up about a foot...very frightening. Why would this be?
Many thanks.
0
FollowupID: 369653

Follow Up By: flappa - Monday, May 30, 2005 at 15:38

Monday, May 30, 2005 at 15:38
I dont profess to be an expert on this.

It would be to do with the cold temps. You are using unregulated pressure at probably very cold temps , and the stove simply cant handle it.

Butan Stoves (those Kmart, Big W jobbies) , also dont work properly in very cold conditions.

If someone can say what the EXACT reason is , I would be interested in knowing , but , I would guess (educated) , that the temp of the gas , and the unregulated nature , would be the cause.

I had it happen on a few occassions (and not really understanding why), prior to getting my low pressure stove.

What you are describing , is one of the reasons I bought the low pressure stove. I have camped in Minus conditions , and have had no problems. Flaring Stoves in a Canvas Tent area is a BIG NO NO.
0
FollowupID: 369654

Follow Up By: JB - Monday, May 30, 2005 at 15:53

Monday, May 30, 2005 at 15:53
Thanks for your comments flappa.
Do you know if there is any way to convert from high to low pressure as the stove is built in to the slide out kitchen in the camper.
0
FollowupID: 369658

Follow Up By: flappa - Monday, May 30, 2005 at 16:04

Monday, May 30, 2005 at 16:04
No i dont think so , because they are quite different.

HPS use jets , LPS dont.

I would be surprised though , if you couldn't do a complete swap.

HIGHLY recommended in my opinion.

What sort of CT is it ?
0
FollowupID: 369659

Follow Up By: JB - Monday, May 30, 2005 at 16:13

Monday, May 30, 2005 at 16:13
Flappa, it is a JB brand, steel framed with stainless top etc.
I have looked at several new stoves (expensive?) and they are all too high by a few cms.
I would have to rebuild kitchen.
0
FollowupID: 369660

Follow Up By: flappa - Monday, May 30, 2005 at 16:21

Monday, May 30, 2005 at 16:21
OK , yep , gotcha.

Sort of rock and a hard place.

Though , I REALLY like my Coleman ;)
0
FollowupID: 369661

Reply By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 09:14

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 09:14
They dont have the problem of blocked jets and use much less gas!!!
AnswerID: 113149

Reply By: Longreach - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 09:59

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 09:59
Not sure about the logic of it but I remember being told low pressure were able to run longer hoses than high pressure. I remember it because when we bought our camper there was a choice of low or high. They told us with the low pressure you could use a longer hose, which on our camper means you can use the stove to make a cup of tea on the side of the road with the gas bottle still locked on the side of the trailer. I suppose the hose is about 1.5m.
AnswerID: 113155

Reply By: Ingenious - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 17:49

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 17:49
Length of hose is not as important as is the hoses internal diameter, pressure will allways be the same only restriction will be to the flow. Caravans all run low pressure systems and some can have 6 to 7 metres between reg and stoves.
Cheers.
AnswerID: 113211

Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 18:13

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 18:13
Gas regs limit the length of hose to 1.2 m from memory. Pressure loss is dependent on length and pipe diameter although diameter is the biggest factor. It's actually pressure that is lost not flow, you can't put x litres
of gas in at one end and have y litres coming out at the other end (assuming no leaks) where would it disappear to.
0
FollowupID: 369369

Reply By: Ingenious - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 18:43

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 18:43
you can't put x litres
of gas in at one end and have y litres coming out at the other end. ?????

The gas doesn't go missing the FLOW rate is reduced as in the litres per minute of gas that is ables to pass through the restricion which in this case is the hose assembly. When the gas comes out through the burner head the heat generated is not governed by the pressure rather the quantity or flow of gas.
Cheers.
AnswerID: 113223

Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 22:08

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 22:08
How can you put say 10 l/min in one end and have a different amount coming out at the other end of a pipe of any given diameter.
0
FollowupID: 369423

Reply By: rhonda2 - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 19:59

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 19:59
Thanks to all your replies, they have given the info I need, low pressure is the way to go Cheers.
AnswerID: 113235

Reply By: Willb - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 21:46

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 21:46
Hi, just another thing to consider, if you plumb in the gas system in your camper you need to get the whole thing certified and a compliance plate fitted.
Will
Always planning the next trip. VKS-737 mobile 1619

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 113268

Reply By: Ingenious - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 22:43

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 22:43
Patrolman Pat posted this followup
How can you put say 10 l/min in one end and have a different amount coming out at the other end of a pipe of any given diameter.

First you need to understand how a LP gas regulator works, it maintains a preset Pressure only, It DOES NOT regulate the FLOW of the gas at all. (ie. quantity)

Flow is for all intense and purposes controlled by the needle valve tap on your gas stove at the end of the line not the start. However flow could be affected by line diameter in comparison to the size of the tap at the end of the line. (ie. if the tap was to flow a larger amount of gas than the line would allow to flow)

So in conclusion if the line diameter is of correct size, gas pressure will always remain equal between the regulator and stove needle tap, from the tap to the burner it will reduce from reg. pressure to atmospheric pressure as it passes out the burner head.

I hope this clears everything up for you.
Cheers.
AnswerID: 113276

Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Friday, May 27, 2005 at 23:19

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 23:19
"The gas doesn't go missing the FLOW rate is reduced as in the litres per minute of gas that is ables to pass through the restricion which in this case is the hose assembly"

You still haven't explained how flow is reduced by the hose. What goes in at one end comes out at the other, does it not.
I'm fully aware of the differences between pressure and flow rate.
Pressure will drop continually along a length of pipe of equal diameter due to the effects of friction. The longer the pipe the less pressure at the end of it, the flow through the pipe will remain constant.
0
FollowupID: 369431

Follow Up By: Ingenious - Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 00:20

Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 00:20
You've got to be kidding, aren't you!!!!

Look this morning when you get up and go to the loo, start the flow then squeese the end of it just a little to reduce you pipe size & watch what happens to your flow rate verses your pressure theory as you still have the same friction value in this equation. Friction is only used in a calculation when flow rates are closest to the maximum flow rate of the pipe. An increase in pipe diameter will negate friction from the equation.

It is clear that you understand a very small portion of the dynamics involved & thus your conclusion.

For further information on this subject I would recommend some light reading at your local library and more science experiments at home.

Over & out.
0
FollowupID: 369434

Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 09:26

Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 09:26
I won't list my qualifications here but over 25 years in the gas service industry and 6 years further study after becoming qualified gives me some insite into the dynamics of gas flow. Presuure loss will occur in a pipe with any fluid moving along it due to friction at the pipe wall (determined by diameter and length of pipe and the friction co-efficient of that pipe), and the density of the fluid and the square of the flow rate.

We are getting off topic and the caravan example is a poor one due to very small lengths of pipe having minimal effect of pressure loss, but as I've said you can't put more in at one end than you can get out at the other end in this example.
0
FollowupID: 369440

Follow Up By: Ingenious - Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 11:19

Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 11:19
Patrolman Pat posted this followup
We are getting off topic and the caravan example is a poor one due to very small lengths of pipe having minimal effect of pressure loss,

The Topic was for gas stove high or low pressure fitment in a camper trailer was it not?
The discussion was that on a low pressure system that longer hoses than 1.2 metres wern't recommended by the regulator manufactures was it not?
My statement is & was that on lengths up to 6 to 7 metres would present no problem for a low pressure system to be fitted to a camper trailer with the correct diameter pipe used, thus getting back to your statment as above "due to very small lengths of pipe having minimal effect of pressure loss"
Where your headed with your argument with relavance to a gas in a camper trailer fitout I have no idea?
What point is there in bringing other factors into a specific topic discussion where as you've & I clearly stated that it would have no impact on the outcome. This only confuses the information for normal people that use this forum!!!
Cheers.
0
FollowupID: 369452

Follow Up By: Ingenious - Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 16:42

Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 16:42
Was this the bit you were refering to?
"pressure will always be the same only restriction will be to the flow."
If so how it should have read is: "only restriction will be to the flow if too small a line is used."
I'm sorry that I didn't fully explain what I meant. (there doesn't appear to any method of editing posts in this forum)
Cheers.
0
FollowupID: 369475

Sponsored Links