Gas Certificate For Caravan:
Everything You Need to Know
So, you’ve bought a gorgeous new caravan or motorhome, and you can’t wait to start going on camping adventures. Beautiful beaches, unknown towns, fresh countryside. Hiking. Bonfires and marshmallows. Living completely mobile from the rest of the world.
Going off the grid is your next best lifestyle, but you need to consider some things before saying goodbye to city life!
Of course, you need to consider your safety when it comes to your caravan especially when you’re dealing with high-risk gas.
So, get ready for the countryside checklist! Getting a gas safety certificate is important for not only enjoying your time on the road but being 100 per cent safe too. Our gas safety technicians deal with a lot of unsafe gas situations which could potentially put you and your family at risk…
Please, if you do have a caravan ensure that your gas is safe. We don’t want anyone hurt in a gas explosion… These requirements are put in place for your safety.
If you’re looking to get your caravan gas certificate done, we’re here to help. Just pop us a call or jump onto our gas certificate page and book online.
Don’t forget, gas safety certificates are different to mobile roadworthy certificates so please don’t get them mixed up. You can find out what, when and how a roadworthy works here.
Table of Contents
What Is A Caravan Gas Certificate?
To put it simply, if you’re planning to install or already own gas appliances of any kind in your new (or old girl, nothing wrong with good old fashion camper) caravan, you will need to get a safety certificate for your gas.
Even more simply; a caravan gas certificate is where a QLD approved gas technician comes and inspects your caravan’s gas to ensure that it is safe for you and other road users.
Hey, don’t stress. It’s not overly expensive and they last 3 months. This is all for your safety as well. Getting your gas checked and ensure that it’s safe through a gas inspection means that it lowers your risk of any serious injuries or unexpected problems. When you put it like this, it’s actually priceless, right?
The certificate process involves an inspection by a professional gas technician or licensed LP Gas Fitter. All of our technicians are QLD approved and registered.
This needs to be done every single time you have a gas appliance put in or taken out. Generally, this is for appliances such as cooktops, stoves, hot water, grillers, fridges or anything with gas piping.
Common Areas That Caravan Owners Fail Their Gas Certificates On:
Keep in mind, you must take some precautions before calling a professional, as you want to make sure you’re going to pass the inspection… Ideally, you’d want any extra costs to be spent on getting your caravan safe than the cost of the inspections.
Here are 5 common areas to ensure you don’t fail the first time:
- No test point on the regulator
- The regulator height must be above the gas bottle valve
- The fridge needs to be well ventilated
- Appliances need to be Australian approved and certified
- The hot water system needs to be properly sealed
Ensure that these areas are all ok before you book in the gas safety inspection to save costs and pass the first time 😆.
When Am I Required To Obtain A Gas Certificate For My Caravan?
When a caravan, motorhome, camper trailer or campervan is bought, transferred, or sold, then you will be required to get your gas safety certificate.
Even if the certificate is still valid after buying or selling, you need to get the appliances within the vehicle reassessed by a professional. The gas certificate is required to be dated no more than 3 months before the transfer occurs.
In more simple terms;
- You are buying a caravan or campervan that has never been registered
- Moving from one state to another or transferring the registration
- Your registration expired for than 3 months ago
- Selling or buying a caravan or trailer
So please, if you’re aiming to put a fancy new stove into your caravan for your cooking, you’ll need a new inspection.
It may seem a little frustrating, but it’s better than stressing about a broken gas system, especially if you plan to go into outback areas with little phone reception. Or worse, an unexpected mistake hazard. Be prepared and be safe.
What Do I Need to Do To Pass My Caravan Gas Certificate?
- All your appliances need to be able to function correctly. This makes it easier on the gas fitter and saves a lot of time.
- Your caravan needs to be flat on the ground, so get rid of those jacks from underneath.
- A gas bottle with a 10-year test date.
- A gas compliance plate.
- You need a gas pressure test point installed; this allows the gas fitter to test the gas pressure coming from the regulator.
- You need a dual-stage regulator, which helps with high and low gas pressure.
- The appliances you need to abide by the AS5601 Australian standards
These are the requirements that you will need to pass during your gas inspection to be able to come out on top with a gas safety certificate. It’s not much, and as you can see it’s all for safety.
These inspections are not in place to be a burden on you, but more to keep you and your family safe. It’s not hard to pass, it’s basic safety…
It’s also compulsory for our gas technicians to remove and replace these appliances. This way, you can get them tested as well as fitted. Two birds and one stone; renovate and minimise risks at the same time!
Think about all the meals you want to make after being on the road all day. Need your pasta fix? Or do you have a weekly meal plan you just can’t stick to without that stove?
If you’re a sucker for long hot showers after your daily travels too, this will benefit you. Safe, and practical.
Why Is the Gas Regulator on A Caravan Or Motorhome Important?
The regulator on the gas of back the caravan keeps a nice even steady pressure of gas coming out of the tank. Our gas technicians will disconnect the tank and do a pressure test from the regulator.
If there’s no pressure on the pressure needle, you’ll find that you have a leak somewhere. We will follow the line from the gas tank along the pipe, to each unit that is running on gas, which could be something as simple as the seals and pipes. Sometimes, it may need to be re-sealed.
For extra safety, it’s good to invest in a gas safety gauge, which always shows the Gas Cylinder Level at a glance. The level sensor measures the residual liquid level of the gas bottle. In the event of a gas leak, the safety gauge will automatically shut off the gas.
The bottom line is, having a gas inspection can help find these issues and fix them straight away. It’s important to remember as well, 90% of the time our gas technicians can actually fix issues to help you pass the inspection the first time.
Are You Required by Law to Get A Gas Certificate For Caravan?
Yes, legally you need this certificate similar to a roadworthy inspection. There is information in the Department of Natural Resources and Mines document, under AS/NZS5601.1:2013 Gas Installations.
On page 7, there is a table of what needs to be tested with your caravan. Some of these clauses include:
- Pressure test points.
- Discharge from breather vents,
- Vent terminal locations.
- Gas flue terminals.
- Clearances around a gas cooking appliance.
- Clearances around domestic gas cooking appliances.
- Protection of combustible surfaces near a gas cooking appliance.
- Spillage tests.
- Symbols used in gas control system diagrams.
This may sound super complicated, but don’t get your head in a spin. This is ultimately for the professional to assess, so you don’t need to wrap your head around too much of the technical stuff. It’s just important to list these legal requirements so you don’t get into trouble.
The reason why gas certificates are required by law is that it keeps other road users safe, along with your own safety.
Caravan Gas Flue Terminals – Why Are These So Important To Get Your Certificates?
When considering putting in a new kitchenette, you have to make sure your gas terminals are being cross-checked for safety as well.
A gas terminal is what helps healthy ventilation in a caravan or motorhome after putting in a new annexe. This prevents a massive built up of combustion, condensation, or even carbon monoxide.
If you’re wanting to feel extra secure, you can get a sensor – just like a smoke sensor – but instead of sensing smoke, it senses gases, even Co2.
Gas is an odourless substance; a fragrance is added to gasses to make a pungent smell so that people can smell it. Natural gas has no actual smell.
Afterwards, ensure the gas bottle is as tight as possible. If it proceeds to leak between the gas bottle and the regulator, you may need a new regulator or rubber seal.
These areas also get picked up by qualified pre purchase inspectors when you’re selling your car.
Things To Look Out for While Getting A Caravan Gas Certificate
When getting the gas approved for your caravan or motorhome, you want to avoid scammers and dodgy people doing a risky job.
If you see a white thread-tape instead of yellow, then you know they’re using tape to seal up water, not gas! Gas tape is yellow, the white tape is for water.
But on a more serious note, there are cowboys out there who are looking to perform a gas inspection and then fail you on purpose… After this, they will then try to fix the issues at an EXTREMELY inflated price trying to charge you triple the amount.
Unfortunately, this does happen, so be aware of who you are going with and check their reviews or how big the company is first. It also happens with roadworthys, that’s why sometimes going for the cheapest is suspicious and can be an expensive mistake.
Our gas technicians can show you the original copy of their Certificate of Inspection and their QLD approval to prove that they are experts in what they are doing.
They also need to attach a label on the gas system and keep a copy of the gas inspection certificate for at least three years. This just makes sure you’re not getting into any funny business.
Do You Need A Gas Certificate For My Motorhome As Well?
Yep, caravan and motorhome both require gas safety certificates. Again, you can get this booked in with one of our specialist gas technicians. For new motorhomes, gas inspections can be done pretty quickly and most of the time it’s a pass.
For older motorhomes or caravans, gas safety inspections might take a little longer. But don’t worry, the price still stays the same. We’re just taking the extra time to ensure that you and other road users (or happy campers) are safe.
2 Responses
I got a new caravan and under warranty they changed the cooker for new one are they required to give me a gas safety certificate
My friend bought a truck/ motorhome is he required to get a gas certificate every year with machinery certificate?