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reconnaissance from Germany

Ouch, i wonder what caused it, always worth checking your gas lines are safe.
 
My guess would be gas. If a small gas leak then just switching on a light could cause a small spark and ............well the pictures speak for themselves.
Take care All.

Edit: Google translation of report:
Starnberg - In a mobile home in Starnberg, an explosion occurred on Monday evening. A man was flown away with a rescue helicopter, the mother and child were easily injured.

On Monday night, around 9 pm, a severe accident occurred in a forest in the south of Starnberg. In a mobile home an explosion or a deflagration occurred. By the force of the explosion, the roof of the VW bus was folded backwards, the sliding side door slammed about ten meters into the forest, and all the doors and the interior furnishings were badly damaged.
 
It is a very good point, if you ever smell gas at home or in your van, don't switch anything on or off for that matter. Just open the windows to clear the gas and get outside.

Even switching off a light at home can cause a little spark and ignite the gas.
 
MattBW said:
It is a very good point, if you ever smell gas at home or in your van, don't switch anything on or off for that matter. Just open the windows to clear the gas and get outside.

Even switching off a light at home can cause a little spark and ignite the gas.
Click to expand...
Great advice.
 
There wasn't a fire was there? You don't need a spark to explode a gas air mix. If gas is left on a specific gas air mix can detonate creating a supersonic pressure without ignition or fire.


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Perhap's a reminder that the gas hose in the California is recommended to be changed at ? about 5 years of age. Also on this exploding camper van you will not know the standard of the build regarding the gas supply which could be a factor.(on this non California camper van)
 
Last edited:
MattBW said:
It is a very good point, if you ever smell gas at home or in your van, don't switch anything on or off for that matter. Just open the windows to clear the gas and get outside.

Even switching off a light at home can cause a little spark and ignite the gas.
Click to expand...
Agree, just hope the contacts on the door doesn't create a spark! In fact if the fridge is running I would have thought there would be a danger of that creating a spark.
 
ArunAlec said:
Agree, just hope the contacts on the door doesn't create a spark! In fact if the fridge is running I would have thought there would be a danger of that creating a spark.
Click to expand...
You raise a interesting point! Note to self: Have gas system checked regularly especially after prolonged lack of use. (consider removal of gas cylinder to ventilated storage!)
 
Very true @ArunAlec It is why many gas explosions you see in the news seem to happen first thing in the morning. Gas builds up over night and the boiler comes on with the timer...
 
BillyCasper said:
There wasn't a fire was there? You don't need a spark to explode a gas air mix. If gas is left on a specific gas air mix can detonate creating a supersonic pressure without ignition or fire.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

There was a fire and the Husband was burned badly, that was the reason to bring him with helicopter to the Hospital.
 
Last edited:
It seems like the car was a conversion. And I keep wondering if that might have had a cause. I presume the gas container is not as secured as in the genuine California.

I am aware that the gas can leak on many places, but gas is heavier that air, and therefore it will escape out of the van, when the bottle is leaking within the secured water tank. There is a hole in the tank, for that purpose.

But a leak on the hose is another story. A good friend of mine – and fellow Caliowner - is a Gas specialist. According to him the gas container in the water tank is quite safe. Especially if the tank is full. The weakest spot is the hose and especially the ball valve under the sink. He always shuts the gas off on the bottle when not in use. And removes the hose when driving around.
 
There is much in this article is not being said or described and that can arouse speculation. It is entrusted to all, not a crash report. I prefer to have the side door and window open and the gas sensor on. Most likely, the gas flows out when the side door and the window is opened, and an accident is avoided or limited. I find it hard to believe that the side door flies if it is open.
 
MattBW said:
It is a very good point, if you ever smell gas at home or in your van, don't switch anything on or off for that matter. Just open the windows to clear the gas and get outside.

Even switching off a light at home can cause a little spark and ignite the gas.
Click to expand...
Preferably not using the electric front windows to vent.:stop
 
Relays can spark as well. Plenty of them in the Cali.
Just another reason to turn the gas off when not in use. Bit of a pain getting at the bottle but at least turn it off under the sink.
 
Given how strong I find the gas smells if it fails to light on the 1st click I do wonder how you could miss a leak of gas within the van. I know others do not bother but we turn the under cooker valve off when not using and the bottle off when driving. I do have a memory when working someone changing a gas bottle in a tent when a spark set the gas off which caused a flash over causing burns.
 
anti flash.jpg H&S anti flash wear not on our camping list but this incident is a reminder that how quickly something can go wrong
 
I guess the best compromise is Main Valve when on the move. And at least Ball Valve under sink when on hookup/camping.
 
This was not a California. The cali has just a small rubber tube and the rest of the gas pipe line is metal. The gas bottle is enclosed in the water tank and has a vent in the bottom to the outside.

I have seen very tricky DIY constructions VW vans, with gas bottles in a box with lots of rubber tube tunneling through the van and mounted with extra connections, splitters and whatever. Which is the equivalent of of 220V wiring with twisted cable ends insulated with some Tesa tape.

Safety first...
 
Also, many not all, conversions do not have a proper gas tight Cylinder storage with a built in gas vent.
 
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