[whistlinggypsy]

Our new Autocruise Augusta has a Alde heating system and I was wondering if anyone has noticed a significant rise in the consumption of the gas supply.

We are only able to have 2 x 6kg gaslow bottles on board and on 2 occasions recently we have used 1 x 6kg bottle for both occasions in 3 days of camping without EHU.

This seems to me excessive as with the 2 x 11kg gaslow bottles and Truma heating in the previous m/h we would last 4 weeks on 1 bottle, and indeed only used 2 bottles for 8 weeks in Spain in Jan/Feb this year, and 12 weeks for 3 bottles in Morocco in Jan/Mar. 2008.

I have had the supply checked and had a clean bill of health as far as leakage so I am bewildered as to the significant increase in consumption, any ideas anyone?


Bob

 

[TR5]

This sounds excessive to me too!

I have previously had two caravans with the Alde heating wet system, and never noticed a significant increase over blown air heaters.

 

[Spacerunner]

Unless you have kept records of the weather and temperatures almost impossible to guesstimate gas usage.
If it was colder then you would have needed more space heating, if it was warmer then the fridge would be using more gas.

As you are using a Gaslowe system just think how much money and hassle you are savingt as against an exchange system..

 

[greenasthegrass]

Did you mention that when you are in your van its like Southport Brickworks? no is lovely and warm though but keeping at that temperature you are going to go through shed loads.

We have noticed a vast increase in our usage going from 1x 13kg & 1x6kg to 2x6kg and a bigger van.

This dual fuel lark combi boiler is not as impressive as I thought it would be its a bit noisy and don't get me started on the shower.

It has been cold though on the nights you were out specially alot of wet grass around snigger!

Greenie :lol:

 

[Steamdrivenandy]

Leaving the doors open all night to air yer socks'll do it :blueflowerface: :blueflowerface: :blueflowerface:

SDA

 

[whistlinggypsy]

Tell me about it Greenie (wait till i get my hands on you snigger) drying out wet clothes is not funny :wink:

Seriously we are a little careful with our energy supplies (gas and leccy) when off hookup but to use 6kg of gas in 3 days, twice, is more than we ever used before that is why I was questioning the Alde system as the big user of the gas and not being used to the system.

Funny you mentioned the shower as I did notice a distinct aroma around the place when you were around :roll:

See ya.

Bob

 

[Steamdrivenandy]

Tell me about it Greenie (wait till i get my hands on you snigger) drying out wet clothes is not funny :wink:

Seriously we are a little careful with our energy supplies (gas and leccy) when off hookup but to use 6kg of gas in 3 days, twice, is more than we ever used before that is why I was questioning the Alde system as the big user of the gas and not being used to the system.

Funny you mentioned the shower as I did notice a distinct aroma around the place when you were around :roll:

See ya.

Bob

Have you checked they fitted a roof on that Augusta Bob?

SDA

 

[greenasthegrass]

I smell of Woman Bob ALL WOMAN!

Ya cheeky munter!

:lol: :lol: Greenie

 

[Steamdrivenandy]

Seriously though, you've got a 25ft van there with about a 22ft long hab & cab box that's 7ft wide and 6ft 4ins high. That's a volume of nearly 1,000 cu ft by my calculator.

How does that compare to the volume of the 'old' van and what are the comparative thicknesses/insulation of the walls/ceiling/floor?

SDA

 

[an99uk]

gas

Like you we had 2x 6kg gaslow bottles and used one full bottle in 2 days over New Year. It was very cold outside but we did comment that the 6kg lasted no time at all.

I think the problem is we didn't appreciate just how small the 6kg is.

Have now changed the van so I'm looking to replace the 6kgs with 2x 11 Kgs,

 

[whistlinggypsy]

Have you checked they fitted a roof on that Augusta Bob?

SDA

I do seem to have an awful lot of light in the hab. area, maybe its because the roof is missing or it could be the 3 Heike roof vents. 5 throughout the m/h.

I smell of Woman Bob ALL WOMAN!
Ya cheeky munter!
Laughing Laughing Greenie

It was not woman I was a smelling :wink:

Seriously though, you've got a 25ft van there with about a 22ft long hab & cab box that's 7ft wide and 6ft 4ins high. That's a volume of nearly 1,000 cu ft by my calculator.

How does that compare to the volume of the 'old' van and what are the comparative thicknesses/insulation of the walls/ceiling/floor?
SDA

Andy, if you know the layout of the Augusta you will know that the whole m/h is divided into three distinct sections by two doors, so the cab and lounge although quite large does not use extra heat when the first door is closed to the bedroom, and the second door to the bathroom is also closed.

My previous m/h was a 2006 Rapido 985F which was just one big open space and the heating was tremendous with far less gas usage than the present m/h and I do not know if the Rapido is any more or less insulated than a 2009 Autocruise.

Bob

 

[Steamdrivenandy]

Bob,

I'm assuming you don't turn off the heating in each individual 'room' as you progress through the van so I presume you'll be heating the whole thing most of the time.

If it's anything like ours the snuggliest place is in the rear garage where the heater/boiler sits. :roll:

Added to that with all the gas drop outs etc, motorhomes, even with good insulation ain't exactly heat tight.

Unfortunately I can't spot the thicknesses of construction on the Rapido website but Autocruise specify a 63mm floor (with 28mm insulation), a 31mm roof (30mm insulation) and walls of 32mm (28mm insulation).

For comparison my Adria has floor 41/30mm, roof 31/25mm, walls 31/25mm so your Autocruise is better insulated (providing the materials are of similar effectiveness per mm).

My hab/cab box is approx. 18ft x 6ft 6ins x 6ft 7ins which gives around 730 cu ft, or 27% smaller than yours. All things being equal my van will use around a quarter less fuel to heat itself than yours.

Mind, I read somewhere recently that a small panel van converter sacked a member of staff because they discovered he wasn't installing the insulation in the vans he made because he didn't like doing it. 8O

SDA

 

[greenasthegrass]

Good grief SDA you need to get out more lovey!

Or you should be PM! although he is wubbish at maths!

Have just found out that we can fit a 13kg bottle in our locker after numpty oops sorry my beloved hubby said he couldn't - doc says his legs will be useable again in a week! doh :roll: :roll:

Am still thinking its the smallness of the 6kg that makes it seem like you are using more.

Greenie :lol:

 

[pete4x4]

I think you still have a leak, did they check the top of the bottle where the filler hoses attach?
Mine had a leak there, gas pressure checks showed I had no leaks as the part that leaked could only be checked with a liquid leak tester.

Pete

 

[whistlinggypsy]

I'm assuming you don't turn off the heating in each individual 'room' as you progress through the van so I presume you'll be heating the whole thing most of the time.

If it's anything like ours the snuggliest place is in the rear garage where the heater/boiler sits. Rolling Eyes

Andy, the first 2 points are correct (nearly) yes we are heating the whole m/h as one cannot turn it of room by room, a sad omission I think upon the design, and our warmest room is the bathroom or a should say the sauna room.

I do like your comparison details that is impressive, I would not think of doing that.

I am going to try and fit an 11kg bottle in the locker after a little alteration so maybe the gas will at least seem as though it lasts longer.

Am still thinking its the smallness of the 6kg that makes it seem like you are using more.

Greenie, sometimes you just hit the nail on the head and talk some sense, that's probabley why I does like ya.
:wink:

 

[Steamdrivenandy]

All the mags say the Adria Compact gas locker will only take 2x6kg cylinders, but when we came to fit them we found we could get a 13kg in there plus a 6kg Lite cylinder.

So the 13kg is our 'main' tank and we use the Lite cylinder as a spare and for the Cadac as it's easy and light to lug about. That is if we ever get any weather where you'd want to use a Cadac :roll: :roll:

So don't always believe what they say, you might be able to get a 13 in there.

SDA

 

[whistlinggypsy]

I think you still have a leak, did they check the top of the bottle where the filler hoses attach?
Mine had a leak there, gas pressure checks showed I had no leaks as the part that leaked could only be checked with a liquid leak tester.

Pete

Hi Pete, I did have that problem with one of the bottles I ordered from Nuke (not his fault) and that was promptly changed by Gaslow, so I did check these two carefully when I took the m/h home for the first time.

I have since checked again and all is fine with the bottles.

Andy, we were also told that we would only be able to have 2 x 6kg bottles when we ordered the m/h but when we got it and after having the gaslow bottles fitted qwith the filler point inside the locker we realised we could if we moved the filler point get in an 11kg gaslow bottle.

 

[RichardnGill]

Bob I agree with Greenie

It is like drinking larger from them tiny 250ML bottles, you get te the bottom too quick, much better with bigger bottles.

or could always buy 2 new jumpers


Rich...

 

[Boff]

Hi Bob,

some more food for thought:

Firstly, a wet heating system has a much higher inherent heat capacity than an air heating system. In other words, it takes a significant amount of energy to warm up the heating system itself, before it heats up the van. During continuous operation this effect should however flatten out.

Secondly, what about the other big gas consumer, the fridge? Is the fridge in the new van perhaps bigger than in the old one?

Best Regards,
Gerhard

 

[greenasthegrass]

Aw Bob sweetie luffs you too!

Am dead chuffed ya brought up this subject cos it meant we found out we can fit in the 13kg now am looking forward to skiing (or watching it) at christmas.

Greenie :lol: