Crash resistance and safety

Message

steve_96 · #1 Post by **steve_96** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:23 am

An Omega converted by us was 'rolled' a couple of weeks ago. We were asked to remove the LPG system from the total loss vehicle by the Owner. The gas tank sat tight on its mountings as if nothing had happened. The filler pipe was bent over 90 degrees but did not leak as a result. When the engine was run (after putting some petrol in the tank, fitting another battery and cleaning oil off the sparkplugs) it warmed up and ran on gas first time. As long as LPG conversion is done in a proper manner it is SAFER than petrol. After all, the rolled car emptied its petrol tank all over the road but did not leak a single CC of gas. <img src="http://www.my90.co.uk/lpgforum/messages/898/2293.jpg" alt=""> <img src="http://www.my90.co.uk/lpgforum/messages/898/2294.jpg" alt=""> <img src="http://www.my90.co.uk/lpgforum/messages/898/2295.jpg" alt="">

cubicincubi · #2 Post by **cubicincubi** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:22 am

suspose if the tank is in a confined space like a boot then its going to be out of harms way.

steve_96 · #3 Post by **steve_96** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 5:21 am

That is true, but perhaps not the main point. In our opinion it is more important to note that a tank weighing some 75 Kgs when full of LPG did not break free from its mountings because it had been properly installed, and that no leakage of the fuel occurred when the car was damaged and rolled upside down. The same cannot be said for the Petrol tank, as it leaked its contents all over the road. Heaven knows the outcome of that if another passing motorist had thrown out a cigarette butt or caused a spark when hurtling round the bend and then trying to avoid the incident. That is not even to consider the pollution of local watercourses. In this way, it shows that the poor picture that the media have painted on LPG is incorrect and a converted vehicle's LPG system is SAFER than the original, not the other way round as many would have us beleive. Regards and Happy New Year to all Steve <a href="http://www.go-lpg.co.uk" target=_top>www.go-lpg.co.uk</a>

lebesset · #4 Post by **lebesset** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:18 am

steve is , of course ,correct ; properly installed mountings are key but never forget the sheer strength of the tanks and bottles used for gas about 5 years ago I was in spain and a british driver in a new hymermobile motor home made an illegal left turn across the traffic and was T boned by a van ; on this model the gas bottle is low down outside the chassis , and suffered a direct hit squeezing it against the chassis ; the bottle was flattened sufficently so that the horizontal profile became oval , but no gas escaped regrettably,the impact was so severe that both pasengers in the van were killed

classicswede · #5 Post by **classicswede** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:37 pm

Done correctly LPG is much safer than petrol. A vw camper we converted some years ago cought on fire, the tank worked as should just blowing off exess pressure and remained safe. Mike

steve_96 · #7 Post by **steve_96** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 12:05 am

We have also had one of our Customer's converted cars burn (due to an electrical fault). The local Fire Services produced a report which not only completely exonerated the LPG system but went on to say that it actively protected itself from the fire by shutting down the tank when the engine stopped. No LPG was released. The midly ironic thing about it was that the owner worked for a Trading Standards Agency in his home town. Eighteen months earlier Birmingham Trading Standards had conducted a campaign of total discredit on LPG, labelling LPG tanks 'A Time Bomb' and whipping up public concern. This was something which almost put us and many other firms out of business. (There is a thread on this going back some 2 yrs) The full report on the car fire can be seen at <a href="http://www.go-lpg.co.uk/Fire.html" target=_top>http://www.go-lpg.co.uk/Fire.html</a> The picture below shows the Jaguar's LPG vaporiser ringed in Red, blackened a little but otherwise unscathed and servicable. Regards Steve <a href="http://www.go-lpg.co.uk" target=_top>www.go-lpg.co.uk</a> <img src="http://www.my90.co.uk/lpgforum/messages/898/2339.jpg" alt="">

garysutherland · #9 Post by **garysutherland** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:10 pm

...And yet they still won't let you take an LPG-fuelled car through the Channel Tunnel... Cheers Gary

stevenm · #10 Post by **stevenm** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:16 am

Quote "a lot of modern cars have plastic petrol pipes which melt in a fire and add petrol to the fire". A lot of modern cars also have a plastic fuel tank. My Range Rover does and holds 22 gallons of the stuff when full. Not that it is ever full though, much too expensive compared to lpg. Steve.

cabbyman · #12 Post by **cabbyman** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:05 pm

The gas explosions in boats originate from the use of propane for cooking and heating. Most leisure craft are diesel powered from an inboard engine or petrol driven from an outboard. The settlement of gas fumes in the bilge can be alleviated by the use of a bilge pump however, the majority of gas bottles are stored in lockers that have drain overboard so avoiding a build up in the bilge. Most gas explosions can be traced back to poor maintenance or bad seamanship. i.e negligence. Steve.

pete_hill · #13 Post by **pete_hill** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:13 am

There may be a move to LPG for Lesiure craft. They have been using RED diesel. This is being stopped and they will now have to use ROAD duty paid Diesel. As they have diesel engines there is little the current owners can do as the cost of a new engine is too high and saving from fumigation of a Diesel too low. Residential boats have to run the engine 2-3 hours a day to keep batteries charged, hot water tank hot and it's also the central heating boiler.

steve_96 · #14 Post by **steve_96** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:26 am

An interesting aside when considering the strength of an 8mm thick steel LPG tank - An Aluminium drinks can (as found on any pavement or thrown from cars) is easily capable of withstanding an internal pressure of 100 Psi. Don't try this at home! We did Hydraulically, in a lab. with screens Etc.

pete_hill · #16 Post by **pete_hill** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 5:25 pm

It's inland waterways that will be affected. Currently all the canalside pumps have RED diesel. Because they only have one tank they will have to switch to supply duty paid diesel for all uses. <a href="http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money-save ... _page_id=5" target=_top>http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money-save ... ge_id=5</a> It's not a second fuel tank they will need to continue to use RED diesel domestically, it's a second engine too. And they need them now as any contamination of the propulsion engine by RED will be taken to proove they have been avoiding Duty - they are all contaminated. Will Customs start crushing narrow boats for duty evasion?