GasStop Propane Safety Valves FAQ Page

Our useful FAQ is designed to be as clear as possible. If the information below does not answer your questions, please let us know by contacting us...

CAN GASSTOP BE USED WHILE DRIVING?

  • It is important to note that using propane gas driving is regulated country by country. Please consult with your manufacturer, a certified professional and the appropriate regulation before using gas while driving. GasStop can be used on your gas system while driving. Furthermore, GasStop can be installed alongside a crash sensor valve. A GasStop will offer protection against hose rupture/major leaks, a crash sensor valve will protect against collision. The two safety devices fulfil separate yet important functions.

WILL GASSTOP PROTECT ANY LENGTH OF HOSE/PIPE?

  • GasStop offers up to 19 feet of protection against major leaks (0.31″ hose/pipe diameter) with an outlet pressure of 87 to 116 psi from your cylinder.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GASSTOP AND AN EFV VALVE? 

  • GasStop will completely (100%) and automatically shut off the supply of gas in the event of a major leak or catastrophic regulator failure. GasStop must be reset manually, giving the user complete control. An EFV (excess flow valve) is often a self-equalising, automatically set, flow limiter, and may not shut-off the flow of gas 100%. Many EFV’s do not have manual resets.

HOW CAN GASSTOP TEST FOR MINOR LEAKS?

  • Always check your system for leaks before use. The GasStop pressure gauge is sensitive to minor drops in pressure, making it is a useful tool to use when performing a visual lock-up pressure test, also known as a pressure tightness test or pressure decay test. This test can only be carried out prior to normal gas usage. During normal gas usage, GasStop will not shut off the system in the event of a minor leak. During normal gas usage GasStop will only shut off in the event of a major leak. To test your system for leaks:
  1. Set up your system as described in your instructions. Turn off the tap on the gas cylinder. Now turn off your gas appliance(s).
  2. Now turn the gas cylinder back on. Keep all appliances off for the time being.
  3. Pump the pressure gauge on the GasStop up and down steadily at least 4 to 6 times. The longer the distance the gas has to travel in the pipe or hose, the more you will need to pump. If insufficient pressure has been created, the GasStop will keep shutting off the gas supply. Double check at this point that your appliance is still switched off.
  4. The needle on the gauge should now indicate the gas pressure. If the needle is on zero, or below the red bar on the gauge, then the cylinder tap/valve is not open, GasStop has shut off, the gas has run out or you have not carried out sufficient pumping. Is the temperature around freezing? Please refer to the Useful Tips section in your instruction booklet.
  5. Now turn off the tap on the gas cylinder and register the exact position of the needle on the gauge. Wait 60 seconds for Standard Installations and 5 minutes for longer gas systems (e.g RVs, caravans, motorhomes, boats and houses).
  6. At this point, pressurised gas is now held between the GasStop and your appliance(s).
  7. If the needle has dropped from its initial registered position at the end of the recommended period of waiting time, there is a leak (pressure decay). Do not use the gas system until the leak has been solved or repaired by an approved gas specialist.
  8. If, after pumping, the needle remains in the same position during the waiting time specified above, you can carefully start using the system.

DOES THE GAUGE READ THE EXACT LEVEL OF GAS IN CYLINDER?

  • No, it reads the pressure of the gas under load/usage. It therefore gives a meaningful readout of gas supplies during the consumption of gas (at phase equilibrium). See our FAQ section “Is the pressure gauge useful?” for more information.

WHY DO I HAVE TO LEAVE THE GAS RUNNING TO READ THE GAUGE, WHY ISN'T IT INSTANT?

  • The gauge operates much like a consumption gauge (e.g. an oil pressure gauge in a car).

WHY DOES GASSTOP KEEP SHUTTING-OFF WHEN I TRY TO USE GAS?

  • If installed correctly GasStop will only shut off if there is a major problem with your system e.g. a major leak or catastrophic regulator/system failure. If no major leak is present it may be that an inappropriate appliance or regulator is being used. If you are ever in doubt, contact a gas specialist before using your gas.

WILL ONE PUMP BE ENOUGH TO PRIME THE GASSTOP?

  • No. GasStop requires several pumps of the gauge to ensure adequate priming.

CAN GASSTOP BE LEFT OUTDOORS?

  • GasStop is made from high quality, surface treated brass and can withstand being left outdoors. Our gauge face is made from reinforced polycarbonate. As with any brass device, weathering will happen over the course of many years. To slow this process we highly recommend covering your GasStop when not in use.

DOES GASSTOP OPERATE IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES?

  • GasStop propane devices operate between -4 degrees F and 131 degrees F.

IS GASSTOP TESTED?

  • Yes, GasStop is UL listed. Furthermore each and every GasStop is rigorously tested. All of our testing is evidenced via a global third-party test auditor.

DO I STILL NEED TO USE A PRESSURE REGULATOR WITH GASSTOP?

  • Yes. GasStop is designed to be used with regulators rated at 1.5 kg/h and up to 20″ W.C. Please note GasStop will not work with some EFV (excess flow valve) regulators/connectors.

DOES GASSTOP AFFECT THE NORMAL FLOW OF GAS?

  • It has a very minor resistance but normal gas usage is not affected in any way.

CAN I USE GASSTOP FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS?

  • GasStop can be installed across a wide range of systems. Note that GasStop can only be used and installed as specified in the instructions. GasStop cannot be used on high pressure/high capacity appliances. GasStop is only to be used on a pressure regulated system rated at 1.5 kg/h and up to 20″ W.C.

IS GASSTOP COMPATIBLE WITH ALL TYPES OF GAS CYLINDERS?

  • No. Please refer to our packaging or the retailer for case by case compatibility.

IS THE PRESSURE GAUGE USEFUL?

  • The gas pressure gauge is a very useful, multipurpose tool.  – The gauge indicates when the gas cylinder is almost empty (a decline in the vapour pressure curve). The gauge does not indicate the exact amount of LPG left in the cylinder. – A steady pressure reading only indicates that LPG is left in the cylinder. -If the needle is pointing to:
  • HIGH: Increased gas pressure GAS: Sufficient gas (steady pressure) LOW: Almost empty (approximately 30 minutes left of gas use) -As GasStop is directly installed into the bottle there are a few variables that can affect unregulated pressure, namely: temperature, amount of liquified gas vs rate of vaporisation, gas type and gas purity. There may also be other irregularities which affect the pressure reading. -As per the instructions, it is advised to run the gas for a small period of time to have a better indication of gas level. This allows the LPG/pressure to reach something called “phase equilibrium”. Further to this point there is a “vapour pressure curve”, this is  why it is recommended to run the bottle for a short while to allow for this process. 

CAN GASSTOP BE USED ON A BULKHEAD OR AUTOMATIC/MANUAL CHANGEOVER GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR?

  • Yes. GasStop can be used with an automatic or manual changeover gas pressure regulator, rated at 1.5 kg/h and up to 20″ W.C. A GasStop will need to be installed on each bottle attached to the changeover device.

HOW DOES GASSTOP KNOW BETWEEN A MAJOR AND A MINOR LEAK?

  • GasStop will only shut-off in the event of a major leak. A major leak is defined as a sudden and dramatic change in the gas flow rate. GasStop is calibrated to shut-off at ≥125% of the guaranteed flow rate (UL requirement). If GasStop were to be calibrated to shut-off in the event of a minor leak, this would interfere with the ‘normal’ usage/consumption of your gas appliance(s) – GasStop would shut-off every time you use your appliance(s). We have therefore calibrated the device to shut-off for major leaks only. UL standards state that an LPG shut-off device must be calibrated as described above. GasStop will therefore not shut-off the supply of gas in the event of a minor leak.

WILL GASSTOP OPERATE AT LOW TEMPERATURES?

  • You may notice that in colder temperatures (below 0oC/32oF), an EFV (GasStop) may shut-off more readily when used with higher demand appliances and/or on longer length pipework. For optimum results try where possible to use your LPG system above 0oC/32oF.