Corky 8 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Hi,My friends are staying long term in France in their Caravan and now need to use French Propane,could anyone please tell me from experience if there is a connector that will go straight from the french cylinder to the UK fitted gas regulator and where it can be purchased,....TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 There is more than one kind of French cylinder connector, which will be dictated by the actual cylinder they buy. If they have a bulkhead mounted regulator the simplest and safest way, IMO, to connect, is to buy the appropriate pig-tail to match the cylinder connection, and screw that directly to the regulator. Adaptors introduce further joints, and it is usually the joints that leak. Their existing UK pattern propane connector can then be swapped in when required. If it helps, the common 13kg French propane cylinder connection is the same as the l/h threaded female UK butane connection. But, as above, not all French propane cylinders connect in this way, and many of the sub 13kg propane cylinders (Twiny, Le Cube, etc.) use clip-on type connectors for which specific pig-tails are, in any case, required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 The outlet of ‘traditional’ large metal French 13kg gas bottles (propane or butane) requires a gas-hose (pigtail) with an end-connector referred to as a “21.8LH” type (LH = left-hand thread). The French bottles' outlet is the same as the outlet of UK Calor 4.5kg BUTANE canisters. All of the small (5kg or 6kg, propane or butane) French gas containers have an outlet that requires a ‘clip-on’ connector. The pigtail is the same as used with the the large metal French 13kg bottles (ie. a pigtail with a 21.8LH end-connector) but an appropriate full-pressure clip-on adapter will need to be added to the pigtail to connect to the bottle’s outlet. There’s a photo of a pigtail and the clip-on adapter for a French “Le Cube” gas container in this 2015 forum thread. https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Connections-to-connect-a-Le-Cube-to-your-bulkhead-regulator/38670/ You should advise your friends VERY STRONGLY to seek advice from a French caravan/motorhome dealership on obtaining the correct pigtail and/or adapter, and NEVER look for help from DIY or supermarket stores. Despite being given what appeared (even with hindsight) to be adequate and straightforward information about connecting a UK motorhome to a French “Le Cube” gas-bottle, a forum-member had potentially catastrophic problems not once but twice due to relying on non-specialist personnel providing well-meaning but incompetent assistance. The incidents are described here: https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/French-gas/38479/ https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Warning-Gas/38630/ And for more light reading, try this... https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/GAS-IN-EUROPE/48534/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 One other point perhaps worth mentioning is that a French ‘pigtail’ has a differently-shaped nut at the gas-bottle end than its UK counterpart. So it’s best to use the right tool for tightening/undoing that nut. (Example here) https://www.castorama.fr/cle-pour-ecrou-de-bouteille-de-gaz-comap/3356776510913_CAFR.prd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Sorry for the Late response Brian, Thank you for your advice which as always is based on sound experience, I will pass on this to the party concerned,Thank you once more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Hello Derek, and again, sorry for my late response, I have copied your and Brian's advice and will pass them on to the Party concerned,I,m much obliged to both Stalwarts of this Great forum, Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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