22
Gas
Q&A
Your gas
questions
answered!
Compiled by ESV’s Gas Installations
and Appliance Safety team.
As per previous issues of Energysafe,
we are pleased to provide answers
for a varied range of frequently asked
questions received on ESV’s Gas
Technical Helpline, 1800 652 563.
Note The technical regulator may require notification before work commences and confirmation that completed work is in accordance with
this Standard (AS 5601—2013) and any other relevant requirements.
Question
Answer
Clause
Where should gas pressure regulators
be installed on caravans and boats?
Gas pressure regulators should be installed in a well-ventilated location
and directly onto the structure of the caravan or boat.
AS/NZS 5601.2:2013
How should gas pressure regulators
be positioned on caravans and boats?
Gas pressure regulators should be positioned:
(a) so that they do not obstruct the removal or replacement of cylinders
(b) so that they permit drainage of any liquid back into the cylinder
(c) so that if installed externally the vent is positioned to avoid
blockage by contaminants.
AS/NZS 5601.2:2013
What are the general requirements for the
installation of piping in caravans and boats?
Piping installed in caravans and boats shall be:
(a) secured against vibration
(b) protected against abrasion and impact where piping passes through
partitions or bulkheads. Protection can be in the form of a rubber grommet
or equivalent protection or by using a bulkhead fitting
(c) designed, constructed and installed so as to provide flexibility to the piping
so that excessive stress caused by the independent movement of the
piping and the supporting structure can be avoided
(d) at least 25mm from any electrical service
(e) protected against abrasion, kinking or permanent deformation.
AS/NZS 5601.2:2013
Where must you install the main run
of the piping system on a caravan?
The main run of the piping system must be installed outside the caravan
regardless of the number of appliances connected to the pipework.
AS/NZS 5601.2:2013
What are the additional requirements
for installing piping in caravans?
Additional requirements for installing piping in caravans includes:
(a) firmly fastening piping in a protected location so that all unions and joints
are accessible, and shut-off valves and hoses are readily accessible
(i.e. accessible without the use of a tool)
(b) arranging the piping such that branch pipes separately enter the interior
of the caravan adjacent to each appliance
(c) fastening the piping to the side of a structural member, and not
beneath it, when piping runs along the chassis.
AS/NZS 5601.2:2013
What are the additional requirements
for installing piping in boats?
Additional requirements for installing piping in boats includes:
(a) firmly fastening piping in a protected location outside any structure or false
bottom so that all unions and joints are accessible, and shut-off valves and
hoses are readily accessible (i.e. accessible without the use of a tool)
(b) using continuous lengths of piping from the regulator to branch points
and from those points to the appliance (unless this is impracticable)
(c) using continuous lengths of piping when piping passes through
an engine room or sleeping accommodation space.
AS/NZS 5601.2:2013
What must you make sure of where piping
penetrates a boat’s decks or bulkheads?
Where piping penetrates H