www.hvactechgroup.com - forums

Hi all and congrats on a great forum.

A new customer wants me to do a manometer leak test on her RV, usually done at 8' WC for 15 minutes. The RV is imported from the US and is not CSA approved.  Am I allowed to do that test AND also can I service the propane appliances in her RV.  I have the RV-1 certificate, and regularly do this test on CSA approved RVs.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Kind regards....Guy

That's a good question I don't have an answer for.

fuels_technical_services@tssa.org      

I would copy and paste your question and email the above link.  TSSA is usually pretty quick to answer.  Let us know what they say.                        

Here's is what TSSA was asked a few days ago.

"Here's the scenario.  Customer bought a travel trailer in the US, without a CSA sticker.  Now it needs compliance from Transport Canada, Electrical code and propane code.  All CSA approved propane appliances in the trailer, except the piping hasn't been CSA approved.  Am I allowed to work on that, am I allowed to certify it as meeting propane code for a travel trailer. Would you be so kind as to guide me in the right direction for answers in such cases so I may in turn give solid advice to my customers."

Here is their reply.

"Unless certified to a Canadian standard such as the CSA Z240, an RV shall not be sold or used in Ontario. If you have an RV that is not certified for use in Ontario, you may wish to consult with CSA to possibly obtain certification.

All RV's will bare the certification for that RV on the outside of the RV, typically at the entrance point. It is this certification marking all dealers providing service will be looking for."

I'm not sure I fully understand their answer.  There are so many RVs that don't have the CSA sticker and so many people are in fact going to the US to buy their RVs and bring them across the border all the time.

In my old student notes I have the following regarding this issue >>>"All equipment, parts and installation of Original Equipment Manufacturers (O.E.M) appliances meet Canadian Standards.  See 10.1.1 (page 97) of the B149.2-00 Code"  That was in November of 2003.  I don't know what has changed since?

T.S.S.A. set the standards and requirements for the propane systems found in all RVs that are imported into Ontario through a Canadian dealer.  It sounds like the client needs you to inspect and test the gas system so they can get the Safety Standards Certificates (SSC).

Visit the Registrar of Imported Vehicles web page here - http://www.riv.ca/

There's alot of information there.  I would start with the Importer Checklist

Thank you for your shared interest in this matter.  I've discovered some information and I share it here, from this site http://www.thehitchhouse.com/dealership/news.htm

November 3, 2011 Update

RV Dealers in Ontario should know and understand the certification requirements in Ontario with regards to the importation of all types of RV's.

In this Province there are 2 acceptable certification codes:

    Canadian Standards Association - CSA Z240 Code
    Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) - NFPA 1192 Code


However, both these codes are subject to the CSA Standards for Electrical and Propane (LPG). These are covered by CSA C22.1-09 Ontario Electrical Safety Code with label and CAN/CSA B149.2-05 Code Series as well as CAN/CSA B149.1-05 Code Series for Propane Storage, Handling and Installation. This applies to any person, company or Industry importing RV's into this Province.

The RVIA codes do not comply with the Standards Council of Canada therefore; electrical inspections must be performed by an Electrical Safety Inspector and have applied an orange ESA sticker on the electrical panel or inside the door. Propane inspections must be performed by a certified RV-1 TSSA (Technical Standards & Safety Authority) Propane Technician and be tagged appropriately. (Usually on one of the appliances) THIS IS THE LAW.

Recreation Vehicle Dealers are advised that any type of repair or warranty work should not be performed until such time as these inspections are performed. There is a potential liability involved here.

Likewise, RV's not up to code should not be taken in on trade or sold without an ESA or LPG inspection.

For more information and clarification please refer these websites:

The Hitch House (Why Buy from a Canadian Dealer) 
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) www.csa.ca
Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) www.esasafe.com
Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) www.tssa.org

Thank you,

Larry Boyd
Executive Vise President
Ontario Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association


This answers my question.  I can do the inspection! 

What would be the appropriate tag??  Is the standard PDI pressure test tag sufficient??

Good info!

According to O. Reg 215/01 a RV-1 certificate holder can test the gas piping.  I agree with you, do your tests and complete a pressure test tag to satisfy Clauses 6.22.3 and 6.22.6 of the gas code.

Thank you so much for your feedback.

You just brought something very interesting to my attention.  I don't have 6.22.6 in my new code book B149.1-05 just purchased one month ago from CSA and their update service brings me up to 26 Feb, 2007, but this clause 6.22.6 comes later in 2009 or 2010.  Simply put, why do you have it and I don't  . So where do I find the latest releases hot off the press???  Thank you.........and kind regards.......Guy

That's strange.  CSA should have supplied you with the pink ammendment pages.  The B149.1-05 has been amended to the B149.1S1-07.

You can visit our B149 Document page Here to download and update your code book.  Everything is listed from new to old.

Section 6.22 was amended by adding Clause 6.22.6 which was contained in Amendment FS-144-09, February 18, 2009.