Reassessment of priorities with R20

[Tentpeg]

Managed to take my R20 out a few times now and it is interesting how having owned a motorhome how your priorities change. Overall delighted with my purchase it is the most wonderful luxury.

Things I worried about REALLY not important.

1. Colour of seats. Why because to protect them from spills am going to buy drapes..... so they could be barbie pink and it would not matter. Colour of cupboards not covered therefore more important. Lets face it the decor of the environment you live in is important ..... certainly manufacturers now it sells the vans... But really most people cover their seats with drapes for good reason so in this case ... just worry about the cupboard.

2. Driving it and parking it. DEAD Easy. Reversing sensors wonderful.

3. Space to move - the R20 is so well laid out it is so easy to live in.

4. Working the gas fridge.... SIMPLES even a meerkat could do it!

5. Storage.... well the R20 just seems so well designed.

Things that are for me a problem

1. Not solved the spare gas cylinder problem. I know they last for ages but it is never convenient when they run out. Psychologically I hate the idea of having to run out of gas without a spare... I would consider finding out if you could fit a gasglow refillable cylinder for this reason. Working on this one at the moment. Otherwise am going to have to pack a small gas stove as back up.... just a bit of a pain.

2. I would like the heater. Those of you buying new that diesal heater is a good idea. I like not being on a hookup as usually you have a prettier location away from hookups and ALSO small sites without hook ups are the nicest. Also you have to fuss around with leads and things so you cannot make quick gettaways. However first thing in the morning it can be a bit nippy. Going to buy a little gas heater I think.

[Graham]

Managed to take my R20 out a few times now and it is interesting how having owned a motorhome how your priorities change. Overall delighted with my purchase it is the most wonderful luxury.

Things I worried about REALLY not important.

1. Colour of seats. Why because to protect them from spills am going to buy drapes..... so they could be barbie pink and it would not matter. Colour of cupboards not covered therefore more important. Lets face it the decor of the environment you live in is important ..... certainly manufacturers now it sells the vans... But really most people cover their seats with drapes for good reason so in this case ... just worry about the cupboard.

2. Driving it and parking it. DEAD Easy. Reversing sensors wonderful.

3. Space to move - the R20 is so well laid out it is so easy to live in.

4. Working the gas fridge.... SIMPLES even a meerkat could do it!

5. Storage.... well the R20 just seems so well designed.

Things that are for me a problem

1. Not solved the spare gas cylinder problem. I know they last for ages but it is never convenient when they run out. Psychologically I hate the idea of having to run out of gas without a spare... I would consider finding out if you could fit a gasglow refillable cylinder for this reason. Working on this one at the moment. Otherwise am going to have to pack a small gas stove as back up.... just a bit of a pain.

2. I would like the heater. Those of you buying new that diesal heater is a good idea. I like not being on a hookup as usually you have a prettier location away from hookups and ALSO small sites without hook ups are the nicest. Also you have to fuss around with leads and things so you cannot make quick gettaways. However first thing in the morning it can be a bit nippy. Going to buy a little gas heater I think.

Hi Jenny

Regarding the gas cylinder we have room for two in the Dimension and when one runs out (as it did this weekend) we just swap to the other one. I am not totally familiar with the new R20 layout but isn't there another locker the other side of the van where you can store a spare cylinder? Or have you got room for one under the seats? You are right it is a real pain if you run out and it might be somewhere you can't easily get a new one.

I would be very careful with gas heaters we have looked at them and they all say that they are for outdoor use only and dangerous in enclosed spaces, I think that is because of fumes, personally I wouldn't risk it.

[peterholden]

We have diesel heating and hot water and so cannot carry a second gas cylinder in the offside locker.

If you cannot use that locker and you use camping gas a cylinder will stand upright in one of the inside lockers.

If you use calor gas or flogas or similar there is a bodge for anyone who is a bit practical. When you change your cylinder you must get one where the handle/guard at the top is bolted on. This guard stands proud of the top of the control valve. If you unbolt the guard it can be reduced in height by about 50mm and the fixing holes redrilled and the guard refixed onto the cylinder. If should now stand upright in an inside locker. The only problem is that you need to swap the guards over when you change cylinders.

There will be some people who will say that you shouln't carry gas cylinders inside but millions of tent campers do and very old Romahomes have to.

Years ago my dad had a VW Devon and the storage place for the gas bottle was in the engine compartment and the gas connection to the van was justa case of pushing the rubber pipe onto the fitting on the outside at the back of the van.

[diggdeep]

heater

Managed to take my R20 out a few times now and it is interesting how having owned a motorhome how your priorities change. Overall delighted with my purchase it is the most wonderful luxury.

Things I worried about REALLY not important.

1. Colour of seats. Why because to protect them from spills am going to buy drapes..... so they could be barbie pink and it would not matter. Colour of cupboards not covered therefore more important. Lets face it the decor of the environment you live in is important ..... certainly manufacturers now it sells the vans... But really most people cover their seats with drapes for good reason so in this case ... just worry about the cupboard.

2. Driving it and parking it. DEAD Easy. Reversing sensors wonderful.

3. Space to move - the R20 is so well laid out it is so easy to live in.

4. Working the gas fridge.... SIMPLES even a meerkat could do it!

5. Storage.... well the R20 just seems so well designed.

Things that are for me a problem

1. Not solved the spare gas cylinder problem. I know they last for ages but it is never convenient when they run out. Psychologically I hate the idea of having to run out of gas without a spare... I would consider finding out if you could fit a gasglow refillable cylinder for this reason. Working on this one at the moment. Otherwise am going to have to pack a small gas stove as back up.... just a bit of a pain.

2. I would like the heater. Those of you buying new that diesal heater is a good idea. I like not being on a hookup as usually you have a prettier location away from hookups and ALSO small sites without hook ups are the nicest. Also you have to fuss around with leads and things so you cannot make quick gettaways. However first thing in the morning it can be a bit nippy. Going to buy a little gas heater I think.

do as we do put kettle on it soon get warm get hot water as well we willed camp a lot one cileder does ose a long time run fridg day time keep milk stof for a week lots super markets round diggdeep

[Vanderella]

1. Not solved the spare gas cylinder problem. I know they last for ages but it is never convenient when they run out. Psychologically I hate the idea of having to run out of gas without a spare... I would consider finding out if you could fit a gasglow refillable cylinder for this reason. Working on this one at the moment. Otherwise am going to have to pack a small gas stove as back up.... just a bit of a pain. .

Totally agree with this. We ALWAYS run out of gas when it is most inconvenient. It is difficult to monitor how much you are using, one clyinder lasted us over a year, while to next one lasted just a few weeks. I think it is using the gas fridge that gobbles it up. We have now managed to fit a spare into one of our other cupboards so we are never without

[diggdeep]

gas cilender

Hi Jenny

Regarding the gas cylinder we have room for two in the Dimension and when one runs out (as it did this weekend) we just swap to the other one. I am not totally familiar with the new R20 layout but isn't there another locker the other side of the van where you can store a spare cylinder? Or have you got room for one under the seats? You are right it is a real pain if you run out and it might be somewhere you can't easily get a new one.

I would be very careful with gas heaters we have looked at them and they all say that they are for outdoor use only and dangerous in enclosed spaces, I think that is because of fumes, personally I wouldn't risk it.

with the R20 now batterey is under one off beds all the elic stoff so u only have on side now u can get a gav cileder back of pas seat diggdeep

[Mr T]

Spare gas cylinder

HI TENTPEG
See my thread Mr T R25 Mod cons part 3

BRIAN

[Tentpeg]

The wet locker... (off side locker) not sure gas cylinder will fit although will give it a go. Ideal solution seems to me is when the motorhome is built it is has a gasglow arrangement so you can fill up with autogas then you know you are full. I mean a proper arrangement so you have a proper filler cap like for filling with diesal so there is no potential fuss at petrol stations. Lets face with a small camper weight and space are an issue and that would be so sensible as you would could always top up before you went away..... No swapping cylinders in the pouring rain & dark!

DIY is my idea of hell.... unbolting this ... drilling this....Nah sorry.

Campinggaz, Ant tells me does not work as well with the new gas regulators although in theory it should otherwise I would go down this route and have a large and small camping gaz.

Graham yes I know gas heaters should not be used in an unventilated space and would never leave one on overnight or anything daft like that but in short bursts could take the nip out as you left a window open to ensure no build up of carbon monoxide.

[peterholden]

A calor propane/butane cylinder should fit although I remember someone on here finding it a bit tight. They ended up taking the rubber seal off the flange, reducing the flange slightly and putting the seal back.

Peter

[jayjay]

Graham yes I know gas heaters should not be used in an unventilated space and would never leave one on overnight or anything daft like that but in short bursts could take the nip out as you left a window open to ensure no build up of carbon monoxide.

Hi TP, just put one of your cooker burners or the grill on. It does exactly the same thing... a plus with using either is that you can boil a kettle for your hot water bottle!

There's a thread for a little gadget in the gadget section with a review I did for a type of cover for a gas ring, which radiates the heat and covers the naked flame. Its very useful when you have no EHU. I also found that the heat diffuser for the double skillet does exactly the same thing. It just covers the naked flame, so there's less chance of anything catching fire. So a pan heat diffuser or the gas gadget, or just a low flame will do exactly the same thing as a separate gas heater.

[Flo]

We always used to run out of gas in our R20 and it was always when we were miles from anywhere. We were going to buy another bottle and keep it in the underseat locker - but we have now changed vans (not because of that though)

Another thing I do now is google the nearest supplier to our location and programme their postcode in to satnav before we go, so at least we can get some more if we get stuck.

By the way Go Outdoors sell gas and they offer the £2 discount with their card, so the annual £4 card pays for itself for us.

[1_man_and_his_dob(lo)]

I spent a while looking for a Campingaz 901 bottle to go next to my 907, but they were so expensive and, in the case of my local stores, always out of stock. Then somebody gave me an old Epigas camping stove (with bottle still attached after about 20 years or more!) - I used that up recently outdoors when we had that really nice weather, and then bought some new bottles from a well known motor-supply/cycle store because I only need it for cooking and it's cheap and small enough to fit in the gas locker.

I'll echo what others have said about warming up by boiling the kettle - works a treat in my little 'van. Provided it's not so cold that the butane no longer wants to co-operate...

Also agree with Flo about Go Outdoors...I think the card has gone up to £5 now (picky, picky) but you'll recover that with your first basket of stuff.

[Vanderella]

We always used to run out of gas in our R20 and it was always when we were miles from anywhere. We were going to buy another bottle and keep it in the underseat locker - but we have now changed vans (not because of that though)

Another thing I do now is google the nearest supplier to our location and programme their postcode in to satnav before we go, so at least we can get some more if we get stuck.

By the way Go Outdoors sell gas and they offer the £2 discount with their card, so the annual £4 card pays for itself for us.

We have a posh new Go Outdoors store in Hanley, Stoke on Trent......BUT.....cant get into their carpark as its multi story with height barriers. AND they did not have the Camping Gaz in stock when we phoned to ask them!! Not the best of starts.

[jimish]

We are still waiting for our R20 Hilo so i have no experience of using the storage in this van. However, I do intend to take our Camping Gaz Party Grill with us ( We like our bar b Q'd breakfasts, weather permitting) because it uses a small clip on throw away cylinder, the CV470. You can also use the Party Grill as a single burner cooker and so that will be our spare if we run out on the main cylinder. Should do us until we find somewhere to buy a refill.
On the theme of using your cooker to keep warm, I remember reading about a couple who died from CO poisoning in a VW camper. They fell asleep with the cooker on, and no ventilation. I suppose if you're cold the last thing you want is to open a window. I was wondering if a Gaslow refillable system could be fitted to the R20 too. Gas would be a darn sight cheaper too. Please keep us informed of your findings. I can't do anything about it 'till we get our van in 2 weeks but I will let you know how We get on.

[diggdeep]

new R20

Managed to take my R20 out a few times now and it is interesting how having owned a motorhome how your priorities change. Overall delighted with my purchase it is the most wonderful luxury.

Things I worried about REALLY not important.

1. Colour of seats. Why because to protect them from spills am going to buy drapes..... so they could be barbie pink and it would not matter. Colour of cupboards not covered therefore more important. Lets face it the decor of the environment you live in is important ..... certainly manufacturers now it sells the vans... But really most people cover their seats with drapes for good reason so in this case ... just worry about the cupboard.

2. Driving it and parking it. DEAD Easy. Reversing sensors wonderful.

3. Space to move - the R20 is so well laid out it is so easy to live in.

4. Working the gas fridge.... SIMPLES even a meerkat could do it!

5. Storage.... well the R20 just seems so well designed.

Things that are for me a problem

1. Not solved the spare gas cylinder problem. I know they last for ages but it is never convenient when they run out. Psychologically I hate the idea of having to run out of gas without a spare... I would consider finding out if you could fit a gasglow refillable cylinder for this reason. Working on this one at the moment. Otherwise am going to have to pack a small gas stove as back up.... just a bit of a pain.

2. I would like the heater. Those of you buying new that diesal heater is a good idea. I like not being on a hookup as usually you have a prettier location away from hookups and ALSO small sites without hook ups are the nicest. Also you have to fuss around with leads and things so you cannot make quick gettaways. However first thing in the morning it can be a bit nippy. Going to buy a little gas heater I think.

new r20 will be longer and taller with more in side it is on same chasey as R25 diggdeep