Taxing Gas Question

[Trevor_swfyc]

Gas is being used a lot more in boats now that it is becoming more readily available, but can the same gas be used in a road vehicle from a tax point of view.

Trevor

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[Pete735]

If you are talking about LPG, then yes, I have been using it in my car for 3 years now. Not sure about the tax question, though, I have always assumed that unless used for heating, lpg picks up duty just like petrol.

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[Evadne]

I think the answer\'s yes

As I understand it, LPG in cars doesn't attract road tax, which is why it is cheaper than diesel. It is also the obvious replacement fuel for big MoBos if and when red diesel comes to an end. You could always search HMCE site <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal> here </A> if you've a spare hour.

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[DJE]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

Didn't I hear somewhere that you can run diesels on cooking oil? Seem to remember a stroy about a chip shop owner running his car on the old oil.

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[mikewilkes]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

Safeway do a good trade in North Scotland on cooking oil - allegedly......



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[bluevelvet]

LPG can be used in your car and if you buy it from a garage their is a road duty tax built in.However if you used boat or heating gas the tax man says you should notify him of your useage.Car use of LPG is increasing greatly due to the high price of oil and LPG is also creeping up but for the forseeable it will remain at less than half the price of petrol.I have been useing gas cars for over five years and would not consisder going back.Regards John

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[bedouin]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

Yes you can run diesels on cooking oil, but in order to do so legally on the road you need to pay tax! The levels are much lower than on diesel but you still have to pay /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

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[Evadne]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

There was even a TV program on it. You have to treat the oil (add oil and paraffin I suspect) and then declare how much you've made to HM customs so they can charge you tax. It's still cheaper even after that, allegedly, and I believe there are some people making a living out of manufacturing and selling the stuff. If you think you can get away without anyone noticing, though, just try standing downwind of anyone using old chip oil and take a sniff.....

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[Evadne]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

There was even a TV program on it. You have to treat the oil (add oil and paraffin I suspect) and then declare how much you've made to HM customs so they can charge you tax. It's still cheaper even after that, allegedly, and I believe there are some people making a living out of manufacturing and selling the stuff. If you think you can get away without anyone noticing, though, just try standing downwind of anyone using old chip oil and take a sniff.....

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[richardandtracy]

Don\'t forget charcoal, wood, coke..

It's also possible to make 'producer gas' from a large number of organic substances. This stuff will run in petrol motors given the right carburation. Take a look at:-
http://www.lindsaybks.com/bks7/bchar/index.html
However, if you do follow this route don't blame me if the engine gets wrecked in short order!

Regards

Richard.


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[boomerangben]

Re: Don\'t forget charcoal, wood, coke..

As far as I know, cars run on Propane and cookers and heaters on boats run on butane and I am not sure that the two are interchangable. Both are LPG, but propane comes in red bottles, butane in blue.

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[Talbot]

Re: Don\'t forget charcoal, wood, coke..

propane freezes at a lower temperature than butane. Thus liveaboards have been using propane for a long time. The standard regulator is normally butane only, although some from Gaslow will cope with both (and with camping gas which is also butane) I suspect that butane is slightly cheaper which is why it is the gas of choice for most in boats and caravans

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[mirabriani]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

This subject has (of course) come up before.
See http:/www.veggiepower.org.uk/page208htm
Sorry I cannot yet do links

There is a group called Low-Impact Living Initiative (LILI)
Who have a series of information about such things, including;
make your own wind powered generator, wood stoves,
solar power etc. LILI are at www.lowimpact.org

Regards Briani

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[steve28]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

I have had my engine running on the doughnut oil for a while now, bought it online.
Make for a very nice smelling exhaust and the engine will never have any more carbon in it which is reflected in the oil which is now clean at all times.
The fuel tank has to be cleaned before starting to use it though as the new fuel disolves all the rubbish in the tank and blocks up the filters solid.

steve

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[huldah]

Propane freezes at a lower temperature than butane, however butane is said to have higher heat potential.

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[Trevor_swfyc]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

Dave,

Thanks found the information but as you said its at bit long winded, but it appears that as long as the LPG tank clearly states that the gas is road tax paid it is ok to use it in a road vehicle. They give a list of tax exceptions one being gas used for heating so I deduce it would be illegal to use the gas from a tank that supplies a heating system. We all know that red diesel contains not only a dye but also a marker chemical so if they catch you with marked diesel in your road vehicle you are in big trouble, but what about gas is that marked in any way? or would they ask to see my receipt and if I couldn't produce it deduce I was guilty.

Trevor

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[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: I think the answer\'s yes

Naturally, however, once the LPG use reaches a "critical mass" (which Gordon has almost certainly calculated) it will be declared subject to tax at pretty much the same whack as petrol/diesel. After all, in the early 90's IIRC the difference between petrol and diesel was of the order of 15-20 ppl whic was a big incentive to buy our first diesel car, cheaper fuel and more mpg.

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.