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[Viral_Jim]

So, having (for now) cured all the little niggles on my 2.2 4-pot, I've been doing some research in preparation for fitting LPG and I've got a couple of questions I was hoping the collective OOF wisdom can answer for me.

I understand that the LPG filler pipe needs to be either vented or sealed with a rubber boot at both ends. However I don't understand how the two are interchangable. Surely a leak at the tank end would overpressurise the boot and allow gas to escape. Plus any damage to the fill pipe along its length would still cause a leak into the vehicle.

Secondly, spreader plates, I understand their use and their purpose, but can't seem to find any to buy online. Can they be bought or do you just make them out of plate? In which case, is there a minimum size, thickness or hardness of steel that should be used to make them?

Finally, I can't find any information on fitting a toroidal tank. Are they bolted through the bottom of the spare wheel well, or with metal straps over the top, or both?

Thanks in advance chaps!

[Lazydocker]

I'll answer properly later but...

Carry on reading COP 11. Spreader plate sizes are dictated by tank size.

Toroidal tanks mount either bottom or top... I'll take some pictures of mine when I get 5 minutes.

As for the vent pipe... The gas tight box must be vented by a minimum cross section, after taking into account any wires/pipes run through. The fill pipe can be sealed both at the back of the filler box and at the gas tight box, meaning you can run a vent pipe and a feed line, complying with COP 11 with no issues.

[Viral_Jim]

Cheers Lazy, that'll teach me to not read the whole thing before posting 

 

[Lazydocker]

Cheers Lazy, that'll teach me to not read the whole thing before posting 

 

Just edited with a bit more info.

I fitted a 74L tank and raised the boot floor by a few inches

[Kevin Wood]

The valve box on the tank needs to be vented under the car, normally via the ducting that takes the liquid feed pipe up the the front end. If this is large enough, it is permissible for the fill pipe to be sealed around the valve box. This is normally done when the filler is mounted in the car, through a panel, for example. If the filler is mounted externally, such as on the tow bar, then the filler is normally fed through ducting exiting under the car.

As long as the connectors at each end of the filler are inside ducting, it's OK. The filler has a one-way valve at the tank end, so it will only emit a small amount of gas if it ruptures.

Spreader plates I used are 50mm square or so. B&Q sell them for use with coach bolts, if memory serves.

Toroidal tanks normally bolt down through holes in the centre of the tank or on brackets on the outside of the tank. It's not commonplace to use straps, although you can do for a vertical tank in a saloon spare wheel well, for example.

[Lazydocker]

It will become clearer with my images tomorrow, if I remember

[Viral_Jim]

Oh bobbins!

Just realised I may have been reading an outdated/incomplete version of COP 11, after your comment Lazy I went back and read through the COP but couldn't find guidance on plate sizes anywhere - I'd been using this one http://www.geocities.ws/lpgmanuk/cop11.html, which doesnt seem to include the ammendment which details spreader plate sizes etc - What a dingleberry! 

So, next question, does anyone have/know of a pdf copy of the COP 11 rules in their entirety? I'll pay the £32 to buy them if needs be but if there's a free one going then that would be better! 

Cheers chaps!

[Lazydocker]

I've got a copy somewhere... PM your email address

They'll be from several years ago but nothing much has changed