How to Install a Campervan Hob Safely in Your Van

A hob is a small appliance with a large effect on your layout. Get its position right and cooking is straightforward; get it wrong and you can lose drawer space, compromise required clearances or create an awkward gas run. When planning how to install a campervan hob, treat the appliance, worktop, gas locker, ventilation and test procedure as one system rather than separate jobs.

This guide covers the practical fitting sequence for a typical LPG campervan hob in a UK conversion. Always use the installation instructions supplied with your specific appliance as the final authority. Gas work must be carried out and tested by a suitably competent person, and a Gas Safe registered engineer is the sensible choice where you are not qualified or equipped to do so.

Plan the Hob Installation Before Cutting the Worktop

Start with the hob's technical drawing, not the size of its glass lid or outer frame. The relevant measurement is the worktop cut-out, along with the clearances required above, behind, below and to either side of the appliance. These dimensions vary between models, particularly on two-burner hobs designed for compact campervan kitchens.

Check what sits beneath the proposed position. A hob often shares a unit with drawers, a cutlery tray or a water container, and its burner box can extend further down than expected. Leave room for the gas connection without crushing the pipe, and make sure the appliance can be removed for servicing later.

The surrounding surface must be suitable for heat. Avoid fitting a hob hard against a timber side panel, curtain, pop-top canvas or vinyl wall covering unless the manufacturer specifically permits it. If a heat shield is needed, use a non-combustible material and maintain any air gap stated in the instructions. The lid also needs space to open fully without hitting a window or overhead locker.

Before committing, place the hob on the worktop and mark the intended cut-out with masking tape. Stand in the doorway and use the kitchen as you would on site: can you lift pans safely, reach the controls and open the nearest cupboard? This simple check can prevent a costly rework.

What You Need for a Campervan Hob Fitment

The exact tools depend on the worktop material, but a measured installation normally requires a tape measure, straight edge, square, pencil, drill, suitable jigsaw blade, file or sandpaper, and a vacuum for clearing dust. Use masking tape around the cut line to reduce chipping on laminated boards.

You will also need the fitting clips, seal or gasket supplied with the hob. Do not substitute a random sealant for the manufacturer's gasket. Some hobs are designed to sit on a dry fitted seal, while others specify a particular heat-resistant sealant. Using the wrong product can make later removal difficult and may invalidate the appliance warranty.

For the gas side, use components rated and approved for LPG installations: the correct regulator for the appliance and cylinder, suitable pipework, approved fittings, an accessible isolation valve and a properly ventilated gas locker. A purpose-built locker is not optional on a permanent installation. LPG is heavier than air, so any leak must be able to drain outside the vehicle rather than collect in a cupboard or low point in the van.

Cut and Prepare the Worktop

Measure the cut-out twice against the manufacturer's template or drawing. Mark the corners accurately, drill starter holes inside the waste area, then cut slowly with the correct blade. Keep the saw inside the line. It is easy to remove a little more material with a file; it is not easy to make an oversized cut-out disappear.

Test-fit the hob before applying its seal. It should drop in without force and sit flat across the worktop. Check that the retaining clips can engage properly underneath and that there is no clash with furniture rails, drawer runners or framing.

If the worktop has a timber core, seal every freshly cut edge before the hob goes in. The visible edge may be protected by the hob frame, but unsealed chipboard or plywood can absorb moisture from cooking and washing-up. A suitable edge sealer protects the board and helps prevent swelling around the opening.

Fit the Hob and Secure It Correctly

Clean the worktop so the supplied gasket can bond evenly. Fit the gasket or seal exactly as directed, lower the hob squarely into the cut-out, then secure it from below using the supplied clips or brackets. Tighten evenly. Over-tightening can distort a thin worktop, crack a glass-topped hob or damage the mounting points.

Do not rely on silicone alone to hold the appliance in place. Campervan furniture moves with vibration, and the designed mechanical fixings are there to keep the hob stable on the road. Once secured, check that the pan supports, burners and lid operate freely and that the controls remain accessible.

If your hob has a 12V ignition or mains-powered feature, route its cable away from heat and sharp edges. Protect any cable passing through furniture with a grommet, secure it against vibration and install the correct fuse or circuit protection. Keep electrical wiring separate from gas pipework where possible.

Connect the Gas Supply Safely

The gas connection is the point at which a neat-looking installation becomes a safety-critical one. Use the route planned earlier: from cylinder locker, through approved pipework and accessible shut-off arrangements, to the hob connection. Avoid joints hidden behind fixed panels, pipe runs that can rub on metal edges, and flexible hose used as a substitute for properly supported permanent pipework.

The cylinder must sit upright in a gas-tight locker that is sealed from the living area and vented through its floor to the outside. The locker must be secured, and the cylinder itself restrained so it cannot move while driving. Never store a gas bottle loose in a kitchen cabinet, garage area or under a bed.

Fit an appliance isolation valve where it can be reached without dismantling furniture. In an emergency, you should be able to shut off the hob supply quickly. Follow the hob manufacturer's specified inlet pressure and connection requirements. LPG systems are not interchangeable by guesswork: regulator type, cylinder connection and appliance specification all need to match.

For a fixed campervan gas installation, have the final connection and commissioning completed or checked by a competent LPG engineer. This is particularly worthwhile if the vehicle will be sold, insured as a conversion, used for hire, or inspected to a recognised leisure vehicle standard.

Test, Ventilate and Commission the System

Do not test for leaks with a naked flame. A proper gas soundness test uses appropriate equipment to confirm that the system holds pressure. Leak-detection fluid can help identify a suspected joint, but it does not replace a full test. If you smell gas, turn off the cylinder valve, ventilate the vehicle, avoid electrical switches and do not use the hob until the fault has been found and rectified.

Once the system has passed testing, light each burner according to the appliance instructions. Check that the flame is stable and predominantly blue, that the flame-failure device operates where fitted, and that each control turns off fully. Yellow, unstable or lifting flames need investigation rather than adjustment by trial and error.

Permanent ventilation is essential when gas appliances are installed. Do not block designed low-level or high-level vents with insulation, furniture, bags or removable covers. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in the living area in line with its positioning instructions, and consider an LPG alarm at low level as an additional warning device. Neither alarm replaces correct installation, ventilation and testing.

Use the Hob as Part of a Practical Kitchen Build

A campervan hob works best when the kitchen is planned around it. Leave enough landing space for hot pans, keep a suitable fire extinguisher or fire blanket within easy reach, and avoid storing aerosols, cooking oil or cleaning chemicals in the hottest adjacent cupboard. If the worktop is short, a fitted sink and hob arrangement can make better use of the available unit width, but only if both appliances retain their required clearances.

Before your first trip, run the kitchen at home or on the drive. Boil a pan of water, open the drawers, use the tap and check that nothing becomes too hot or awkward to reach. A safe hob installation is not just one that lights - it is one that remains secure, ventilated and usable after miles of vibration and everyday cooking.