LPG systems

There has been a huge change this year, the lpga approved conversions have now gone on to a database as most of the insurers didn't actually know what a genuine cert looked like.
You should have problems next year.
No there is no legal requirement that you get the LPG serviced I generally see customers when they have a problem, if they had servicing done they wouldn't have the problems.

m58mw said:

There has been a huge change this year, the lpga approved conversions have now gone on to a database as most of the insurers didn't actually know what a genuine cert looked like.
You should have problems next year.
.

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I see..... I wont av any problems at all... i sold it

the cert doesn't expire the retest date is for the tank. Honestly I have never heard of anyone retesting there tanks. These test dates are on any pressure vessel I have also never heard of a normal person having there compressor tank tested but I bet the insurance wouldn't payout if there was an accident due to a corroded tank.

nathan5346 said:

I see..... I wont av any problems at all... i sold it

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That should sort it

m58mw said:

the cert doesn't expire the retest date is for the tank. Honestly I have never heard of anyone retesting there tanks.

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Surely, as a responsible Approved supplier, you should be contacting your customers as their tanks are due to expire and arranging an inspection.

Who actually does the inspection, what do they inspect and how much does it cost?

My guess is it's probably easier to just fit a new tank and be done with it.

m58mw said:

There has been a huge change this year, the lpga approved conversions have now gone on to a database as most of the insurers didn't actually know what a genuine cert looked like.
You should have problems next year.

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Hmm. Look, well done for coming on here and giving us the LPGA Installer's point of view but frankly, this is just 'scare mongering'.

Contrary to the view that you have repeated in a number of posts, whilst having an LPGA Certificate makes insurance simple, not having one does not make your car uninsurable! If you renew with your existing insurer, they are unlikely to even ask for one and if not, there are insurance companies out there who will accept an engineer's report instead of a Certificate.

For the record, I renewed my insurance 2 weeks ago, no problem........and before you ask, yes they know it is on LPG, yes they know I fitted the system myself and yes, they know it doesn't have an LPGA Certificate.

Ragtag said:

Surely, as a responsible Approved supplier, you should be contacting your customers as their tanks are due to expire and arranging an inspection.

Who actually does the inspection, what do they inspect and how much does it cost?

My guess is it's probably easier to just fit a new tank and be done with it.

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the retest time for a tank is 10 years. Thats a long time in the ownership of a car most cars go through on average 3 owners in 10 years and people don't tell the convertors where they go. It does sound easy but in fact is pretty difficult to contact the owner.

Ragtag said:

Hmm. Look, well done for coming on here and giving us the LPGA Installer's point of view but frankly, this is just 'scare mongering'.

Contrary to the view that you have repeated in a number of posts, whilst having an LPGA Certificate makes insurance simple, not having one does not make your car uninsurable! If you renew with your existing insurer, they are unlikely to even ask for one and if not, there are insurance companies out there who will accept an engineer's report instead of a Certificate.

For the record, I renewed my insurance 2 weeks ago, no problem........and before you ask, yes they know it is on LPG, yes they know I fitted the system myself and yes, they know it doesn't have an LPGA Certificate.

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I'm not an insurance company and this isn't "my opinion"
this is the official line LPG news item details
"the engineers report" is a safety check carried out by a lpga approved installer.
The plan is if your car is not on the insurance database it will be uninsurable.
Of course you still have the option of not telling the insurance company but then it will be a undeclared modification. its not "scaremongering" I'm just giving you a heads up. If you have all the information you can make an imformed decision.

m58mw said:

the retest time for a tank is 10 years. Thats a long time in the ownership of a car most cars go through on average 3 owners in 10 years and people don't tell the convertors where they go. It does sound easy but in fact is pretty difficult to contact the owner.

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It was a joke (see grin) but seriously, assume for the sake of argument, a customer of yours comes back to you with an out of date tank. What do you advise?

I have looked on the interweb for 'car LPG Tank Recertification' and not found a thing. Nothing on VOSA site either.

Cheers

Chris

m58mw said:

The plan is if your car is not on the insurance database it will be uninsurable.

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Thanks for the link, very interesting.

Of course the 'plan' of the LPGA (now re-branded UKLPG?) is to make any car not converted by their members uninsurable, that has always been their aim:doh: It isn't working, however........ as I said I insured my bobtail a couple of weeks ago!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against safety certification, I just have a problem with a monopoly position being handed to nothing more than an unregulated trade association who's only responsibility is the welfare if its members. This sort of thing should be done by VOSA if it is that important. In my view, no installer should be able to certify their own work.

OK, I'll concede that it is certainly a step forward that under the new scheme, a currently uncertified installation can be approved and added to the Register but I'll bet this is the price paid by the LPGA to get the monopoly.

Interestingly, I keyed in the Reg of my Disco, (which was professionally converted by an LPGA installer) and surprise, surprise, it isn't on the database. I wonder how many installers have updated the database with the registration numbers of all the cars they have issued Certificates for? Not Arun Autogas, clearly.

Ragtag said:

It was a joke (see grin) but seriously, assume for the sake of argument, a customer of yours comes back to you with an out of date tank. What do you advise?

I have looked on the interweb for 'car LPG Tank Recertification' and not found a thing. Nothing on VOSA site either.

Cheers

Chris

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There are companies that test compressor tanks ,Im sure they would test a gas tank, having said that in reality an air compressor rusts from the inside out as they contain water, but a gas tank will rust from the outside in as they carry an oil based liquid. So my advise would be a visual inspection and if its damaged replace it.
don't forget gas tanks are at least 3mm thick steel they are pretty tough.
I have seen a nissan almera spin on a motorway and hit a tree backwards, the flat mounted toroidal tank ended up near the front seat and it was still round! These things are built tough and if mounted inside a car will outlive the car .

Ragtag said:

Thanks for the link, very interesting.

Of course the 'plan' of the LPGA (now re-branded UKLPG?) is to make any car not converted by their members uninsurable, that has always been their aim:doh: It isn't working, however........ as I said I insured my bobtail a couple of weeks ago!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against safety certification, I just have a problem with a monopoly position being handed to nothing more than an unregulated trade association who's only responsibility is the welfare if its members. This sort of thing should be done by VOSA if it is that important. In my view, no installer should be able to certify their own work.

OK, I'll concede that it is certainly a step forward that under the new scheme, a currently uncertified installation can be approved and added to the Register but I'll bet this is the price paid by the LPGA to get the monopoly.

Interestingly, I keyed in the Reg of my Disco, (which was professionally converted by an LPGA installer) and surprise, surprise, it isn't on the database. I wonder how many installers have updated the database with the registration numbers of all the cars they have issued Certificates for? Not Arun Autogas, clearly.

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I would suggest a phonecall to Arun Autogas is in order! they will add it for free or if you have the certificate a phonecall with the cert number to the lpga should do the job.
I have sent off all my old certificate copies and would hope that all my cars have been added.
Now I think about it I must check my own rangerover!

Sorry but you don't need a certificate for insurance mine is declared and I have Never been asked for a certificate.

What legal grounds are the lpga founded on?..... Non

please correct me if I am wrong.

I used Profess about a year ago. The did the job in a (long) day. They provided a certificate which has naturally been shared with my insureres who had no problem with it. Similarly, the certificate was requested by the DVLA when i changed the registration - again with no problem.
In terms of the conversion, the RR runs well and I've not had any problems with it.

m58mw said:

sadly profess auto gas are not UKLPG approved so your insurance will be invalid.
A decent lpg conversion takes at least 3-5 days to properly install.
Find and LPGA Approved LPG Autogas installer.

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m58mw said:

sadly profess auto gas are not UKLPG approved so your insurance will be invalid.
A decent lpg conversion takes at least 3-5 days to properly install.
Find and LPGA Approved LPG Autogas installer.

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Just so you know I have had two Range rovers converted by Profess. They have both been brillant with no problems. I had no trouble with my insurance company either. Not sure where you get your info from is is it just an envy problem? I,m sure if you had 2/3 mechanics doing a conversion they could turn around in 1 or 2 days. They work hard and produce good work and i reckon i saved £500 on each car.

just my thoughts

Great Thread!....answered most of my questions regarding my imminent LPG conversion!
Thanks to all you expurts!

Have to add that my 4.0 rr converted 2 years ago by profess autogas. DVLV accepted certificate. Insurance co accepted certificate.
I would argue that the major reason they are not UKLPG is that they will if asked avoid the dangerous practice of putting the filler in the bumper and instead mount it in the filler "box". This is way way safer than having it mounted where the vehicle is designed to take impact. But crucially needs a higher skill level and is outside UKPLG code of pratice.
My last LPG RR had a bumper mounted filler, when reversed in to a wall by a friend caused major gas leak !!

i recently bought my P38 4.6 LPG from a guy in Bolton, the car was fitted with a Tartarini sequential system fitted by Autogas Northwest & he had it serviced at FI Automotive in bolton & sang their praises - too far for me to go though. It's absolutely spot on & no trouble.