10 best manufacturers of gas equipment (GBO)

By deciding to install gas equipment on a car, the owner can significantly reduce refueling costs and reduce operating costs. At the same time, the payback of HBO, depending on the manufacturer and mileage, can take up to a year. The most rational and cost-effective option is to install a 4th generation gas supply system, despite the higher cost compared to simpler gas equipment.

The best manufacturers producing gas equipment, including those for the Russian market, take part in the review. When compiling the rating, the technical characteristics of products manufactured by different companies were taken into account, as well as the opinions of specialists in the adjustment and repair of gas equipment.

Why is the transition to HBO relevant in our time?

The gas system has outperformed gasoline in many respects:

1. Switching to LPG will reduce fuel costs by 2.5 times
2. This type of fuel is recognized as eco-friendly
3. The anti-depletion number of the gas used is 102-108, and that of gasoline is only 98
4. Another important property of propane-butane is the creation of a two-phase liquid-vapor system. Thanks to this, gas can be stored in small volumes
5. Last on the list, but not the least important, is the fact that the car’s mileage before it needs refueling will increase by 2 times

Principle of operation

When the fuel system is switched by the control unit or valve switch, the opening of the gas cylinder valve is initiated, from here the gas flows through the multivalve and flow line to the solenoid valve, which passes it to the gearbox. Here the gas pressure is reduced and it is sent through the gas filter to the injectors. From here, as normal fuel, it is transferred to the combustion chamber of the engine and thereby powers its operation. This principle unites all modern gas equipment systems.

Poletron

And again a Polish company. Positions itself as a manufacturer of gas-cylinder automotive equipment.

The company has managed to gain trust and also create a good reputation in this segment. For about 10 years it has firmly held the leadership in the premium HBO segment. For each installed kit, the manufacturer provides a 3-year warranty, and this is a very solid and decent warranty period.

The systems are distinguished by a high service life, power reserve and mandatory quality certificates. Production is organized directly in Poland, in the city of Bialystok. The company has its own gas injection system. Available in 2 series - Standard and Premium. The first is created for 4-cylinder internal combustion engines, and the second is intended for cars with engines from 4 to 8 cylinders.

The Poles offer relatively cheap kits, but at the same time provide quality, reliability and ease of installation along with basic settings.

LPG Tech

A kit assembler from Poland who managed to create a good image and also gain the trust of consumers.

It’s worth noting right away that these are budget segment whales, aimed at not the most affluent consumers, but the price is pleasantly combined with good quality. Yes, this is not the same level as Lovato, but at the same time, the capabilities of the installed gas equipment are surprising.

The company uses components from other manufacturers. This is mainly Tomasetto, but also components from East Asia.

If it is not possible to invest a lot of money in engine processing, but at the same time you want to supply LPG of an adequate level of performance, LPG Tech may turn out to be a completely acceptable logical choice.

OMVL

While there is active debate about which generation of LPG is preferable and best installed on a car, statistics clearly demonstrate the unconditional leadership of 4th generation systems.

When choosing modern gas equipment, an impressive part of the driver audience chooses OMVL systems.

This is also an Italian company that has been on the market for several years. About 60-65% of produced kits go directly to car assembly lines. Among them are Russian brands.

Since 2010, equipment from OMVL has been installed on GAZelles complete with a dual-fuel power system. These units are also installed on General Motors and Ford vehicles aimed at the Australian market.

In 2022, it became known that a company from Italy is switching to the use of new MTM control units. Due to them, the reliability of gas-cylinder equipment has significantly increased. Moreover, this decision was a reaction to comments from car owners who had difficulties with the operation of old AEB units.

The main disadvantage of OMVL is that their equipment is designed only for engines with port injection. That is, for old carburetors and modern direct injection there are no solutions from this company.

Multivalve for HBO cylinder

The multivalve is installed in the LPG gas cylinder. The multivalve is the main component of the safety of gas equipment on a car. We recommend installing only original LPG multivalves manufactured in Europe, usually in Italy. It is recommended to install a multivalve for gas equipment only of class A. A multivalve for gas equipment of class A provides the following functions: – shuts off the gas supply when the gas cylinder is 80% full (check valve, filling valve); – ensures the release of gas when the gas pressure in the cylinder is too high (anti-explosion safety valve); – blocks the gas outlet from the gas cylinder if the gas consumption is too fast, for example, if the pipelines from the gas cylinder to the engine are destroyed (high-speed flow valve).

AG Centrum

This is unlikely to surprise anyone, but this company is also from Poland. It has been on the market for about 20 years. Engaged in the production of gas cylinder equipment, as well as the production of ready-to-install kits.

The range of gas equipment is based on 2nd and 4th generations. Moreover, the catalogs contain the most interesting kits and developments designed for diesel cars.

And once again to the question of which gas equipment is now better: Polish or Italian. So to speak. Italy offers higher level HBO. These are premium kits. And Poland mainly supplies inexpensive, but at the same time reliable and high-quality kits.

All presented manufacturers officially operate in Russia. Therefore, purchasing their kits, or ordering an individual set of components for re-equipping a car will not be difficult.

The only question is which brand you will choose and who will install the gas equipment.

What do you think about HBO? How profitable is it to install it in 2022? What company's equipment do you use? Was the investment in installing gas equipment justified?

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Selection of gas equipment according to the main criteria

When deciding which gas equipment is better, they pay attention not only to the generation, but also to the quality of the main components of the system.

Gearbox characteristics

When purchasing this element, take into account the technical characteristics of the motor and the structure of the gas equipment. Other important parameters are the dimensions and method of mounting the gearbox.

Gas injectors

The main function of these parts is dosed and timely gas supply. The correct choice of nozzles has a positive effect on the operation of the entire system. Often HBO does not function correctly due to the poor quality of these devices.

Kit or assembly by parts

If the equipment is already installed, individual parts may need to be replaced. They are purchased taking into account the engine operating parameters.

If it is necessary to purchase a complete set, select a manufacturer and a system suitable for the motor.

Selection and installation are difficult to complete without the help of an experienced technician.

HBO generation: selection features

Many people believe that the higher the indicator, the better the equipment. However, the generation number is only responsible for compliance with a particular type of engine. For example, HBO-2 is only suitable for carburetor cars.

The 4th generation system is designed for injection machines. Units marked with numbers 5 and 6 are designed for engines with direct injection.

Comparison of listed manufacturers

The characteristics of different brands of equipment can be studied using the table.

The best producers of HBO

The following list of the best manufacturers of gas cylinder equipment is based solely on the experience of car owners.

DIGITRONIC

Description. Today the concern specializes in the development of components for gas equipment.

Among them: electronic control units, injection rails, gas reducers, filters, copper tubes, rubber hoses, cylindrical and toroidal cylinders.

DIGITRONIC products are supplied to more than 30 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Turkey and Ukraine.

The quality of Polish gas equipment has been repeatedly assessed at exhibitions. The equipment is easy to install and meets all international quality standards.

Among the advantages of the installation, it is worth mentioning its versatility. LPG is mounted on cars and trucks. According to statistics, about 500 DIGITRONIC kits are installed daily.

The Polish company can boast of its own research laboratories, a large number of invented innovations and a closed production cycle. The brand's facilities are located in Poland and Italy.

Polish kits are easily combined with equipment from other companies and are mounted on internal combustion engines with direct or distributed injection.

Modern generations of HBO DIGITRONIC Max 2 and HBO DIGITRONIC IQ are controlled by Bluetooth wireless technologies. The kits include equipment for methane and propane.

Equipment. The DIGITRONIC gas treatment kit includes: electronics, injectors, reducer, vapor phase filter, toroidal cylinder, reducer temperature sensor, PVC pipes with diameters 6 and 8, multi-valve, 2 straight adapters 6 and 8 mm, 2 angled adapters 6 and 8 mm, LPG hoses with a diameter of 12 mm and 4 mm, vacuum and antifreeze sleeves, service book, installation disk, clamps, ties, electrical tape, antifreeze adapter.

Life time. Warranty service life - 100,000 km.

Advantages of DIGITRONIC

1. Easy gas/petrol switching.
2. No loss of internal combustion engine power.
3. Low fuel consumption.

Cons of DIGITRONIC

1. Problems starting at sub-zero temperatures.

BRC

Description. The units are suitable for vehicles with distributed and direct injection: FSI, GDI, Ecoboost, TSI and Earthdreams.

4th generation gas cylinder equipment is installed on 90% of engines. It uses a new propane injection system called Sequent Plug and Drive.

It is based on reinforced components such as a gearbox, a pressure and temperature sensor integrated into the fuel rail, injectors and a control unit with increased power.

Engine control software optimizes fuel dosage for each mode. The system is equipped with self-diagnosis, which is coordinated with the vehicle's internal self-diagnosis system.

Equipment. The BRC gas equipment kit includes the following components: control unit, nozzles, reducer, cylinder, multivalve, external filling device, line.

Life time. The warranty period is 200,000 km or 3 years.

Pros of BRC

1. Uninterrupted operation.
2. Completely sealed.
3. Less fuel consumption.

Cons of BRC

1. Heavy setup.

LOVATO

Description. The manufacturer began its work in 1958 and to this day specializes only in the development of gas equipment and its components.

The company's product range includes installations for all types of internal combustion engines. LOVATO controls product quality, which meets international standards and maintains an optimal price/quality ratio.

This is evidenced by the ISO 9001:2000 certificate.

The Italian concern does not allow defects in production. If even one defective element is detected, the parts are sent for recycling.

LOVATO gas pumps are suitable for 4, 6 and 8-cylinder engines. The advantage of such installations is their adaptability to bad roads and to work on gas of not the best quality.

The electronic module calculates the volume and time of fuel injection based on the gas composition and temperature conditions. LOVATO LPG units are compact in size, so they are easy to install even on cars with a small engine compartment.

Equipment. Includes: injectors, electronic control unit, gearbox, multi-valve with touch-sensitive fuel level sensor, 35/43 l spare cylinder. or 50 l cylindrical cylinder, gas hoses, filling valve.

Life time. The regulated resource is 100,000 km or 3 years.

Pros of LOVATO

1. Good engine performance.
2. Economical fuel consumption.
3. Excellent traction.

Cons of LOVATO

1. Smell of gas from the exhaust pipe.

ALPHA

Description. Let's consider the quality of this equipment using the example of the ALPHA-M-8 series. Such installations are suitable for gasoline engines equipped with an electronic distributed fuel injection system.

The equipment is installed on engines operating without air vacuum in the intake manifold, as well as on internal combustion engines with superchargers and turbines with a pressure of up to 1.7 atm.

LPG can be mounted on any units with a power of up to 550 hp. and the number of cylinders up to 8.

The metal housing of the ALPHA-M-8 is equipped with a central connector that is protected from moisture and splashes. This setting does not conflict with the OBD II/EOBD system.

The equipment runs on liquefied hydrocarbon gas: methane (LNG/CNG) or propane-butane (LPG/LPG). The installation can operate with the following injection systems:

1. Pair-parallel.
2. Parallel.
3. Sequential - asynchronous.
4. Sequential (phased).
5. Central (single injection).

The security system will turn off the gas supply and switch to gasoline in one of the cases: if the fuel in the cylinder runs out, the temperature or pressure sensor fails to work, a pressure leak in the working line is detected, the gas injector fails, the voltage in the on-board network decreases or stops engine.

Equipment. The ALPHA gas equipment kit includes the following elements: electronics, injectors, reducer, fine gas filter, electrical tape, universal injector disconnect cable, fuse, fuse block, terminals, plastic clamps, cylinder supports, 50 liter gas cylinder. 300x798 mm, fastening tape and corner, filling device, multi-valve set, corrugated hose 2 m, ventilation chamber, copper tubes 2 and 6 m, self-tapping press washers, copper tube fastening bracket, hoses 5,12 and 16 mm, antifreeze tee and kit clamps.

Life time. Warranty period - 2 years.

Pros of ALPHA

1. Free warranty repairs without any problems.
2. Smooth gas/petrol switching.
3. Quiet operation.

Cons of ALPHA

1. Paid computer program.

OMVL

Description. The company began developing gas equipment back in 1980. Active expansion of the product range began in 2010.

Products are supplied not only to the European market, but also to North America, Asia and Argentina. In addition, OMVL units are sent to the assembly lines of well-known automakers: Toyota, Peugeot, Hyundai, Citroen, Volkswagen.

The quality of the installations meets European and international requirements. The manufacturer designs all elements of gas equipment independently.

It is noteworthy that OMVL units use a vacuum reducer. The most popular was the 4th generation of gas equipment for injection engines. They are represented by the OMVL Saver and OMVL Dream XXI lines. Components for the systems can be sold under the REGO brand.

OMVL supports the transition to more environmentally friendly fuels. The brand’s equipment runs on liquefied petroleum gas (propane-butane) and natural methane. The manufacturer develops reliable LNG systems for cars and trucks.

The compact OMVL New DREAM-4 obd kit fits into a tight engine compartment and works on 4-cylinder engines. The DREAM controller is responsible for adjusting the injection rates into the injectors and the distribution of the gas mixture in the engine.

Equipment. The LPG kit includes a control unit with a program that communicates with a standard computer, temperature and pressure sensors, wires, terminals, fittings, instructions, an electromagnetic multivalve, additional valves, a cylinder, and a reducer.

Life time. The warranty period is 100,000 km or 3 years.

Pros of OMVL

1. Long service life without repair.
2. Uninterrupted operation.
3. Low fuel consumption.

Cons of OMVL

1. Failure due to poor quality fuel.

Features of selecting HBO 4 for a car

When selecting 4th generation HBO, you should take into account the possibility of choosing a system from two options:

• On propane-butane. The system is equipped with a propane reducer and works with any type of cylinders - toroidal (internal, external) or cylindrical.
• On methane. Supports work only with cylindrical cylinders and a methane reducer.

Most car repair shops offer to convert your car to run on propane-butane. Cylinders of this system are lightweight and compact. And it takes much less time to refuel a car compared to a methane-powered system. In addition, methane gas treatment is much more expensive.

You can learn more about the difference, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of methane/propane gas equipment from this article.

Based on the number of cylinders in a car engine, 3 types of LPG can be distinguished 4. For a 4-cylinder power unit, equipment with one rack and 4 injectors is used. For 6 cylinders you will need 2 racks with 3 injectors each. An 8-cylinder engine requires the use of equipment with 2 racks of 4 injectors. Also, nozzles can be installed individually. We wrote about this here. You can select HBO based on engine power. The higher the performance of the gas equipment gearbox, the more fuel is supplied to the power unit. A device that is not suitable for power will not be able to ensure normal operation of the motor. It is possible to choose a gearbox with a performance equal to the power of the car engine, but it is better to calculate with a margin.

You can select a system based on the overall dimensions of the components, as well as the reliability of their fastening. The need to place some equipment in the engine compartment requires the selection of compact options. And the mounting system, which differs for each type of gearbox, must have reliable brackets. This will provide stability and reduce vibration, increasing the service life of the system.

The methodology for choosing the right gas equipment must also take into account its manufacturer. It is recommended to give preference to products from well-known brands, the quality and resource of which are higher and the service life is longer. When choosing a system by car brand, you can focus on the cost of LPG. Budget models are suitable for small cars, as well as domestic vehicles, the middle class is intended for foreign cars of the BD class with engines up to 2 liters. Premium class equipment is produced for cars with powerful engines (2 liters or more).

Is it necessary to switch to gas?

It is important to understand that not all owners can easily switch to gas. At the same time, most drivers dream of such a purchase, because the gas mixture is much cheaper than gasoline or diesel fuel. This will significantly reduce a person's expenses, and the difference will be quite obvious.

However, it is important to understand that the installation of such equipment must be carried out by an experienced technician. In this case, funds will be required to purchase HBO. It is also important to understand that savings will begin only after the invention has paid for itself. Therefore, in order for the purchase to bring exceptional benefits, it is first recommended to carefully calculate the savings.

Calculation example

It’s worth noting right away that the example given is only close to reality; the exact value will be obtained if a person takes into account all the readings himself.

Let’s say that 5 times a week you need to go to work, which is located 10 km away, while the route is smooth and there are no traffic jams. Accordingly, a person travels 100 km per working week. If a vehicle consumes 10 liters per 100 km, then at the end of 5 days it will be necessary to replenish the spent fuel. The cost of AI-92 gasoline ranges from 39.20 to 45.17 rubles per liter, respectively, 392 or 451 rubles. It is important to understand that only 10 km are taken into account, and even then everything is in ideal conditions. In life, it may happen that work is 20 or even 50 km away, and the path lies through traffic lights and crossings.

To save money, you can switch to liquefied gas. Its cost varies from 18 to 23 rubles. Therefore, weekly expenses will be only 183 and 230 rubles. The savings are quite obvious. However, before LPG can truly start saving money, it is important that all the equipment pays for itself. On average, this will take about 5 years, if a person travels often, then less. The average cost of installation and purchase of gas equipment is 40,000 rubles.

Required Documentation

In 2016, more stringent rules for examining the installation of gas equipment were introduced. If previously it was possible not to register the alteration, now the traffic police inspector can check the presence of a mark on the conversion in the PTS.

When installing the equipment for the first time, the following method of concluding a contract is used:

1. Before installation, a technical examination of the vehicle is carried out, which helps to confirm the possibility of connecting gas equipment.
2. At the next stage, a permit for installation is issued to the traffic police. To do this, they submit an application in advance at the territorial inspection office, where they visit the technical supervision department. The employee puts a mark in the declaration. A photo of the car taken before the installation of the equipment is attached to the document.
3. They contact a car service center, where they perform installation work. The procedure lasts from 4 to 48 hours depending on the vehicle parameters and equipment configuration.
4. Draw up a diagnostic card. At this stage, they undergo a technical inspection again. The map indicates the fact of installation of gas equipment.
5. Receive a certificate of compliance of the vehicle parameters and changes made to the design with safety requirements. To continue registering the conversion, they re-apply to the territorial traffic police department. At the reception, they present their passport, documents for the car and the installed gas cylinder system.

Atiker

A company from Turkey, which appeared on the international scene not so long ago, but is rapidly developing and expanding its presence in the markets of different countries, including Russia, Ukraine and the CIS region.

Today Atiker almost completely supplies the Turkish market with gas equipment. But about 70% of all manufactured systems are exported to 50 countries. It uses innovative technologies and conducts developments in strict accordance with European standards.

Before being put on sale, each system undergoes thorough security control, which means the Turkish company is serious about conquering the market and attracting attention. Competitors should be careful. The car owners themselves, who have installed gas equipment from the Turkish company Atiker, note decent quality and adequate pricing policy.

Prins

A company from the Netherlands, which has been present on the gas equipment market for about 30 years. Over its entire period of existence, the company has won a large audience of clients, and has also become one of the most recognizable and elite brands.

The quality of HBO is at the highest level. But the price is appropriate. At the same time, Prins cannot be blamed for the overpriced equipment. The price fully corresponds to the quality.

The main feature is the use of an exclusive sequential injection system. The HBO kits themselves can be installed on cars with different engines with a volume of 0.7-6.0 liters.

Prins regularly offers new developments, works to improve existing systems, and also creates new projects.

Opinion of car owners

Studying reviews from users and specialists helps you understand what type of equipment you need to install on your car. The best in the mid-price category, according to car owners, are Digitronic devices.

All car service centers know how to work with them. Service centers are present in any, even the smallest, city. HBO is completely satisfactory for most users. They note the ease of installation and ease of use.

Among premium models, the Prins LPG is considered the best. The cylinders are made of metal-plastic, can withstand high pressure and do not explode. During combustion, the gas does not remove the oil film, which prevents premature wear of the pistons.

No shortcomings were identified with AEB brand equipment. Despite the fact that the cylinders are made of plastic, the device can withstand high loads.

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I’ll briefly go through the most popular options.

Valtek Type 30 . Very popular among installers, and this is easy to explain. The injectors have a simple and understandable design, can be easily repaired and are unpretentious to the quality of “our” gas, which is important. In addition, the price of such injectors is quite reasonable, so there are quite a lot of people who want to install such “forces”. The disadvantages include low accuracy, although to a large extent everything depends on the correct calibration and configuration of the entire gas equipment. Due to their popularity, these injectors are copied by all and sundry, so “clones” of Valtek Type 30 are also found in Alex, Mimgas and Rail.

Valtek Type 34 . These nozzles are no less popular compared to “Type 30”, but they have more disadvantages. The first and biggest drawback is that the injectors are not repairable. The second disadvantage is that they have a short resource, so be prepared to replace them after 50 thousand km.

OMVL . The injectors from this manufacturer have much better dosage accuracy than the “bestseller” Valtek Type 30, in addition, the plastic housing allows you not to take into account temperature and use these “forces” with electronics that do not take into account the temperature of the injectors.

Premium class

Barracuda . These injectors have excellent accuracy and reliability, they are not “afraid” of low-quality fuel, are resistant to contamination and are close in their characteristics to the market leader in injectors - Keihin. Another plus is that Barracuda injectors do not require calibration and have a long service life.

Keihin . Keihin injectors are rightfully considered the most accurate and temperature-independent. In addition, they work on any fuel, even the worst. The only drawback of these devices is their price. But, as you understand, you have to pay for everything.

Hana . Hana injectors are also quite good and belong more to the “premium” segment than to the mass market. Hana are an almost exact copy of Keihin injectors and have the same advantages as Keihin. The only difference is the price, it is more affordable.

Read in detail about how to choose the right LPG injectors in this article.

Cylinders are also usually selected according to two criteria: volume and type (toroidal or cylindrical). The most important thing when choosing a cylinder is to buy original products that have all the necessary certificates and have passed all tests.

The choice of gas equipment is a very important step, which should be taken no less seriously than the issue of installing this equipment. Even the most expensive and high-quality gas equipment installed with violations can cause a lot of troubles and inconveniences; in the end, you will overpay in vain, get a lot of problems and, most likely, will forever refuse to use gas as an alternative fuel. Weigh all the pros and cons, study the issue as thoroughly as possible and make your choice. If you are not sure that the selection of components will be correct, I advise you to buy a ready-made LPG kit, the components of which fit together perfectly and will not cause problems during operation. Monitor the quality and demand all the necessary certificates; there are often scammers on the market.

I have everything, write what you think about this, what in your opinion is better to buy and what do you think is the right way to choose LPG for a car. Thank you for your attention and see you again at HBOshnik. I would be extremely grateful if you repost this article on social media. networks, there are special buttons for this below. Thank you in advance, peace and goodness to everyone! Bye