Are refillable gas bottles allowed in motorhomes?

Camper Supplies News | 2024/08/14 01:08 pm | 973 Views

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Are refillable gas bottles allowed in motorhomes?

The term refillable gas bottle colloquially refers to a pressurized gas container that is equipped with an 80% fill-stop valve. The fill-stop valve closes automatically as soon as the refillable gas bottle has been filled to 80% with LPG (propane/butane).

Refillable gas bottles can initially be divided into two different categories.

On the one hand, there are gas cylinders that are CE/PI certified and equipped with either an 80% multivalve or an OPD valve. Both valves switch off the refueling process automatically at an 80% fill level. With the multivalve, the filling and removal nozzles are separate, whereas with the OPD valve, filling and removal take place through the same opening. These gas cylinders have the same certification as conventional exchange cylinders, which can be exchanged in DIY stores, for example. According to the approval, refillable gas bottles with CE/PI marking are portable gas pressure containers and are not permanently installed in the motorhome.

There are also refillable gas bottles that are homologated in accordance with ECE 67R01. These refillable gas bottles only have the shape of a gas bottle, but are legally a gas tank. ECE-R67 is a regulation of the United Nations and has been valid in Germany, among other countries, since 2001. The standard specifies the requirements for an LPG system that is to be permanently installed in a vehicle, as well as for its equipment parts. In addition, strict parameters are defined in order to homologate components in accordance with ECE-R67. These parameters must be fulfilled and certified by an independent testing institute in order to obtain homologation.

ECE-R67 01 is regarded worldwide as the gold standard in terms of safety. Many countries outside the European Union have also adopted this standard in whole or in part. For example, the strict approval criteria apply in the USA, Australia, Japan and many other countries.

CE marking is required for many products in order to place them on the market in the European Union. For many products, it is sufficient for the manufacturer to formally confirm that all relevant EU regulations have been met. For certain product groups, it is necessary for an independent testing institute to confirm this. In contrast to ECE-R67, products with CE marking cannot be placed on the market in third countries. For example, stricter requirements apply in the USA or Australia with UL certification. The new UKCA regulation also applies in the UK.
Some people claim out of ignorance that refillable gas bottles are prohibited or that TÜV approval is required for refillable gas bottles.

The installation of a refillable gas bottle in a leisure vehicle is not regulated by law in Germany. There are merely various standards to which suppliers and manufacturers may refer.

DIN EN1949, for example, describes the specifications for the installation of LPG systems in habitable leisure vehicles and for residential purposes in other vehicles.

A DIN standard is fundamentally not a law and its application does not constitute carte blanche, even in the event of damage. Only when a standard is included in a law or is part of private law contracts does it become binding. DIN standards are drawn up jointly by interest groups or companies in order to establish uniform standards. Probably the best known example is the DIN A-4 standard for paper sizes.

Point 13 of EN1949 defines the "Installation of liquid gas tanks in road vehicles for the supply of liquid gas appliances". Here, the standards committee has oriented itself almost exclusively to the standards laid down in ECE-R67 and refers directly to paragraphs of the ECE-R67 directive in many questions. In some points, however, EN 1949 remains imprecise.

For example, the fixed piping between the LPG tank and the gas regulator.

Point 13.2 of EN 1949 describes the connection between the LPG tank and the gas regulator unit with "fixed piping" in the legend to the sketch. However, this requirement is not defined in the ECE-R67 directive to which EN1949 previously refers. Since the beginning of the millennium, fixed piping of gas lines has no longer been used. Instead of copper or steel pipes, which are not subject to a certification procedure and only have to meet certain requirements, rubber, rubber or thermoplastic pipes are used. These cables are tested in accordance with ECE-R67 and offer the advantage that they are more resistant to damage or rotation due to their flexibility. In addition, high-pressure gas hoses, for example, are already crimped and, unlike fixed piping, do not have to be fixed in place with an unsafe cutting or compression fitting. In addition, these gas hoses from manufacturers such as GOK, Truma or Cavagna are equipped with a hose rupture safety device that interrupts the gas flow in the event of a leak.

Refillable gas bottles TÜV approval - current situation in Germany

In simple terms, it can be stated that refillable gas bottles certified according to ECE-R67 are entered in the vehicle documents through a TÜV approval according to § 21 StVZO.

In contrast, systems that are CE-approved, such as the Alugas refillable gas cylinders, do not require TÜV approval. In this case, the manufacturer of the system confirms that, provided the installation is carried out as described in the installation instructions, it complies with German or European law.

Refillable gas bottles new regulation

There are currently changes in various standards committees and the G 607 (gas testing) published by the DVFG (German Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association). The aim is to dispel the uncertainty that sometimes exists among consumers as to whether a refillable gas bottle is permitted in a motorhome.

EN 1949 was last amended in June 2022; no further amendments are currently known and the question of whether refillable gas cylinders are prohibited or whether Alugas refillable gas cylinders must be approved by the TÜV has been clarified by DIN e. V.

You can find more information in our article Refillable gas bottles - new regulation.

Refillable gas bottles - regulations in other European countries

In other European countries, as in Germany, there are no independent legal regulations for the installation of refillable gas bottles in motorhomes. The EN 1949 and ECE-R67 regulations are primarily used. In addition, there are some regulations or information sheets from various associations or interest groups.

Switzerland is the exception here. A comprehensive set of regulations has been adopted in cooperation with the LPG safety working group. In Switzerland, refillable gas bottles are approved in accordance with CE and ECE-R67, but must be installed by a trained and certified "gas tank installer".

Are you looking for an installation company certified by the LPG Switzerland working group for the installation of an Alugas TRAVELMate or CAMPKO® refillable gas bottle in Switzerland?

Pleasecontact us and we will find a certified installation company for you .