LPG is still a practical way to cook, heat water and, in some campervans, provide space heating without placing a large load on the electrical system. It also deserves more respect than almost any other system in the conversion.
This guide is about understanding and planning a campervan gas system. It is not a step-by-step set of instructions for making gas joints or pressure-testing a homemade installation. A fixed LPG system has to work safely in a small moving vehicle, and the current leisure-vehicle standard covers the design, components and testing as a complete system.
What LPG actually does in a campervan
LPG means liquefied petroleum gas. In leisure vehicles that normally means propane, butane or an LPG supply intended for compatible appliances. The gas is stored as a liquid under pressure and supplied to the appliance as vapour through a regulated system.
Typical campervan uses include a hob, oven, space heater, water heater or three-way absorption fridge. You do not need gas simply because you are building a campervan: an all-electric or diesel-heated layout can make sense too. Start with the appliances you genuinely want, then decide whether carrying LPG earns its space and complexity.
Our cooking in a campervan guide looks at the wider choice between gas and electrical cooking.
Propane or butane?
Both are forms of LPG, but they behave differently in cold weather. Propane continues to vaporise effectively at much lower temperatures, which is why it is commonly chosen for touring use through colder months. Butane is more temperature-sensitive and is more often associated with warmer-weather leisure use and portable appliances.
That does not mean you can swap one for the other without checking the installation. The cylinder connection, regulator and appliance requirements have to match the gas and the system. Follow the appliance, regulator and cylinder supplier instructions for the actual equipment being used.
The fixed LPG system is more than a bottle and a hose
A properly planned fixed system includes the gas supply, storage arrangement, pressure regulation, fixed pipework, appliance isolation, the appliances themselves and the ventilation or flue arrangements those appliances require. All of those parts have to be compatible.
BSI identifies BS EN 1949:2021 as the current British Standard for LPG systems used for habitation in leisure accommodation vehicles. In practical terms, it is the safety framework for how the whole installation is put together and checked — not just the bottle, regulator or appliance in isolation. That is the right starting point for a fixed campervan installation rather than adapting domestic plumbing ideas or copying an old internet diagram.
Plan the cylinder or tank space before the cupboards
The gas supply can take several forms: an exchange cylinder, a refillable cylinder system or a fixed LPG tank. Each changes the van in a different way.
An exchange or refillable cylinder still needs a proper cylinder storage arrangement. In a leisure vehicle that means reserving real space for the cylinder, its restraint and service access, with the locker or compartment arranged so any leaked LPG can escape safely at low level rather than collecting in the living area. Refillable cylinders can also need space for an external filling point and its hose route.
An underslung fixed tank moves the main LPG storage outside the living space, but it creates a different set of layout decisions: where the tank can be mounted and protected underneath the vehicle, where the filling point will go, how the gas line reaches the interior and how the system can still be inspected and serviced.
This is why the gas decision belongs near the beginning of the conversion. A cabinet that looks perfect on the layout can be completely wrong if it leaves no sensible place for a cylinder locker, while an underslung tank can clash with water tanks, heater parts, exhausts or other equipment beneath the floor.
What the regulator does
The gas inside the cylinder or tank is stored at a much higher pressure than the appliances use. The regulator reduces that supply to the pressure required by the installation.
The important point for a DIY builder is compatibility, not memorising one pressure figure. The regulator, gas type, appliances and any changeover equipment need to belong to the same planned system. If an appliance or gas supply changes later, do not assume the existing regulator remains suitable.
Fixed pipework and isolation need to remain serviceable
Gas pipework in a moving vehicle has to cope with vibration and still be protected from damage. Routes should be planned before the walls and furniture close, but the joints, isolation points and equipment that need inspection or service must not be buried permanently.
This is also where a fixed gas system differs from plugging in a portable camping stove. Permanent pipework and installed appliances form a system that needs to be designed, installed and tested as such.
Ventilation is part of the gas installation
Gas appliances need the ventilation and combustion arrangements specified for them. Purpose-provided vents should never be blocked because they look draughty. Gas Safe Register specifically warns motorhome and caravan users not to block safety ventilation.
Some appliances are room-sealed and use a dedicated flue; others rely on ventilation in the living space. The installation instructions for the exact appliance matter, as do the current leisure-vehicle ventilation requirements. Do not size or position vents from a generic rule copied from another build.
The campervan ventilation guide explains general airflow and condensation control, but appliance combustion ventilation is a separate safety requirement.
A gas cooker is not a space heater
Using a hob or oven to warm the van is a bad substitute for a proper heater. Gas Safe Register specifically advises that gas cookers should not be used for heating and that they need adequate ventilation while in use.
If you need reliable space heating, compare a correctly installed gas heater with alternatives such as a diesel heater. The campervan diesel heater guide covers the diesel route.
Carbon monoxide alarms are an extra layer, not the main safety system
Carbon monoxide is produced when fuel does not burn correctly and can be fatal. An audible CO alarm is a sensible additional safeguard in a campervan using combustion appliances, and Gas Safe Register recommends one for LPG installations.
The alarm does not make poor ventilation, a damaged flue or an unsafe appliance acceptable. It sits behind good design, correct installation, servicing and sensible use rather than replacing them.
What should a DIY converter do themselves?
You can decide what you want the gas system to achieve, reserve sensible space for cylinders or a tank, choose appliance locations and make sure the build leaves access for safe professional work. What you should not do is treat gas fitting as another ordinary bit of campervan plumbing.
If you use a professional, check their actual scope of competence. Gas Safe Register has a specific Leisure Accommodation Vehicle category, and an engineer may also need the relevant LPG and appliance qualifications. Being registered for domestic natural-gas boilers does not automatically mean somebody is the right person for every LPG campervan job.
For a private self-build, the legal position is not identical to hired accommodation, so avoid simplistic claims that every piece of work is legally required to be carried out by a Gas Safe engineer. The practical standard should still be the same: a fixed LPG installation needs to be safe, correctly tested and suitable for a moving leisure vehicle.
Before buying a used campervan with gas
Ask for installation, servicing and appliance records. An MOT is not a gas-safety inspection. If the history is unclear, Gas Safe Register advises having the installation checked by an appropriately registered engineer before relying on it.
Look at the whole installation rather than just whether the hob lights. A working flame does not tell you whether the cylinder storage, regulator, pipework, ventilation or flue is sound.
Plan gas early, fit it carefully and keep it inspectable
LPG can work very well in a campervan, especially where cooking or hot water would otherwise demand a large electrical system. The trade-off is that it introduces a pressurised flammable fuel and combustion appliances into a compact living space.
Decide early whether gas genuinely earns its place in the build. If it does, design the layout around a proper leisure-vehicle installation, keep safety-critical parts accessible, use equipment intended for the job and have the completed system appropriately checked before depending on it.