Gaslow or Gasit?

[Wensco]

Could anyone give me some advice on fitting a re-fillable gas system. Is there much difference between the systems. I was looking at either Gaslow or Gasit systems. Any advice would be appreciated thanks.

[keninpalamos]

Both seem very good and gasit seem to have a better product range just looking at both web sites. There is also the option of Safefill who do light weight refillable bottles one of which I have. The reason I chose it was simply because the small bottle they do fits in the gas locker of my small pop top camper. Plus the added bonus of being of light weight construction. Just a practical reason. I don't think they supply a "system" so maybe not suitable. If you are thinking of touring in Europe it might be worth considering having one refillable and getting an exchange bottle if staying in one country for an extended period as I and many do in Spain (but not in my pop top camper)

[david lloyd]

Wensco - 2017-05-03 10:50 PM

 

Could anyone give me some advice on fitting a re-fillable gas system. Is there much difference between the systems. I was looking at either Gaslow or Gasit systems. Any advice would be appreciated thanks.

 

I have two 13kg refillable a from Autodas 2000 at Thirsk. They have a good range, including Alugas cylinders and under slung tanks with heavy duty fixing straps.

 

David

[Robbo]

Lots of useful information on Gasit on this website http://www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/shopuk/gasit_systems.htm

 

The more accurate gas level gauge can be found on the 4 hole cylinder although more difficult to read, as mentioned in the description.

 

The Gaslow (4 hole) R67 cylinder on the other hand has a raised level gauge so can be read from the side. See here:

http://www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/shopuk/gaslow_refillables.htm

[Derek Uzzell]

These two earlier discussions may be worth reading

 

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Which-Refillable-LPG-system/46745/

 

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Safefill-gas-cylinder-remote-filler/45939/

 

The GAS IT and Gaslow products are shown here

 

https://www.gasit.co.uk/leisure-gas-refillable-products/1-refillable-gas-bottles-gas-it.html

 

http://www.gaslowdirect.com/epages/cyujrhdmmu67.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/cyujrhdmmu67/Categories/Gaslow_Refillables

 

It needs emphasising that the 6kg and 11kg GAS IT gas bottles are basic ‘2-hole’ design with the type of magnetically-operated contents-gauge that has earned a reputuation for unreliability and inaccuracy. The Gaslow R67 containers are more sophisticated, with an accurate mechanically-operated gauge. For a similar level of sophistication/quality it would be necessary to select the much dearer GAS IT Plus ‘4 valve’ range of canisters.

 

I believe Wensco may not yet own a motorhome but (in another thread)

 

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/40-watt-solar-panel-any-good-/46482/

 

said

 

"We want to use the motorhome all year round and we want to go abroad skiing. We plan to go abroad and holiday in this country as well....I have thought about fitting the Gaslow system which would sort the gas situation out.”

 

Skiing plans suggest carrying as much onboard gas as practicable (so probably a 2 x 11kg bottle system) and then it will be a matter of how much Wensco is prepared to pay for the bottles/components and whether the system is to be DIYed or installed professionally. Using ‘basic’ GAS IT products should be cheapest, but that would not be my choice.

[plwsm2000]

Just a word of caution about DIY fitting. Although it is very easy to do and there is no LEGAL reason why you cannot DIY (unless it is your permanent home or will be hired out), check the small print in your insurance policy.

 

I am with Comfort insurance and there is an exclusion in section 1 of the policy that reads -

"Damage resulting from fire or explosion in connection with the on-board domestic gas supply to privately converted vehicles where the supply is not fitted or serviced in accordance with the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998."

 

I phoned Comfort to check and they said that the installation must be "professionally installed" (but not necessarily by a "Gas Safe" approved installer).

 

Phil

[BruceM]

The insurance implications is a good point – as always with insurance the devil’s in the detail. In this specific case it will depend on whether their policy wording refers to ‘installed to a professional standard’ (in which case anyone can do it as long as it’s done correctly) or ‘installed by an individual with an appropriate professional qualification’. Every insurer will have their own conditions – usually weighted in their own favour to give their Claims Department a chance of reducing claims (I used to work in the industry).

[Keithl]

 

I am with Comfort insurance and there is an exclusion in section 1 of the policy that reads -

"Damage resulting from fire or explosion in connection with the on-board domestic gas supply to privately converted vehicles where the supply is not fitted or serviced in accordance with the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998."

 

 

Now I read this entirely differently.

 

To me the phrase "privately converted vehicles" meant a Self Build and NOT a professional conversion.

 

It may be worth clarifying with Comfort if you have any doubts as to the meaning of their wording.

 

Keith.

[harry the horse]

Both systems are as good as each other. Just make sure you have a remote fill fitted. Seen a Brit turned away at a Repsol filling station ñr Alacante trying to fill direct into gas locker. I had no problem.

 

H.

[Matrix Meanderer]

harry the horse - 2017-05-07 4:05 PM

 

Both systems are as good as each other. Just make sure you have a remote fill fitted. Seen a Brit turned away at a Repsol filling station ñr Alacante trying to fill direct into gas locker. I had no problem.

 

H.

 

Must be a rarity as we've used an internal filler in our gas locker for our Gaslow for 7 years and never had a single incident with a member of staff at any garage in UK, France or Spain or indeed Italy.

 

In fact we've even had garage kiosk staff come out and help us occasionally when the Spanish filler adaptor would not work properly. 8-)

[Derek Uzzell]

harry the horse - 2017-05-07 4:05 PM

 

Both systems are as good as each other...

 

H.

 

No they aren’t...

 

A GAS IT system that includes their low-cost 2-hole bottles will be technically inferior to a Gaslow system using their R67 bottles. Conversely, a GAS IT system that uses their (much more expensive) 4-hole “Plus” bottles might be considered superior to a Gaslow system with R67 bottles. Then there are the gas-hoses, that may be’rubber’ (GAS IT) or stainless-steel (Gaslow).

 

Comparison of gas systems simply by name is like comparing cars on the same basis. Is every Skoda irrespective of model, specification or price superior or inferior to any Ford irrespective of model, specification or price? The comparison is meaningless unless some distinct selection criteria are defined.

 

About all that can be said for certain regarding a simple GAS IT/Gaslow comparison is that it ought to be possible to obtain a GAS IT system for less money than a Gaslow one. But the cheaper GAS IT system will definitely not be as ‘good’ as the Gaslow one.

 

It’s perhaps worth adding that GAS IT and Gaslow are not the only potential suppliers of user-refillable LPG bottles/systems

 

http://www.autogasshop.co.uk/refillable-motorhome-gas-bottles-20-c.asp

[AndyLou]

Hi

Where one system is referred to as superior to another I am not sure I understand why.

 

What I am looking for is a system that will allow me to refill with gas every time I leave home or pop into a garage if I away for a long time. Pretty much the same as I do with fuel.

Currently we go through a 6kg bottle in about 3 or 5 days (it has been cold recently so heating has been on a lot).

I am planning to get a 11kg bottle fitted which I think will last at least 2 if not 3 weeks in one place.

I am unlikely to take the MH skiing or to be away for long periods during the coldest part of winter.

The one that has taken my fancy is the Prakto Refillable 21.0 ltr Single Steel Gas Bottle Kit £212.64 from ALUGAS. This bottle has valves that have a safety feature so that you can drive with the bottle switched on.

The fitting does not look hard as it is just screwing threaded things together.

The hard part would be fitting the external filler does anybody have experience of how easy this is and what sort of tools I might require.

 

I would be interested to hear from anybody who thinks a different system would be better or worse.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

 

[starvin marvin]

Andy&Lou - 2017-05-11 12:34 PM

 

Hi

Where one system is referred to as superior to another I am not sure I understand why.

 

What I am looking for is a system that will allow me to refill with gas every time I leave home or pop into a garage if I away for a long time. Pretty much the same as I do with fuel.

Currently we go through a 6kg bottle in about 3 or 5 days (it has been cold recently so heating has been on a lot).

I am planning to get a 11kg bottle fitted which I think will last at least 2 if not 3 weeks in one place.

I am unlikely to take the MH skiing or to be away for long periods during the coldest part of winter.

The one that has taken my fancy is the Prakto Refillable 21.0 ltr Single Steel Gas Bottle Kit £212.64 from ALUGAS. This bottle has valves that have a safety feature so that you can drive with the bottle switched on.

The fitting does not look hard as it is just screwing threaded things together.

The hard part would be fitting the external filler does anybody have experience of how easy this is and what sort of tools I might require.

 

I would be interested to hear from anybody who thinks a different system would be better or worse.

 

Thanks

 

Andyz

 

What we do, for what it's worth is one refillable bottle 11kg, with one "local" cylinder 11kg. We find when free camping they, ie each cylinder lasts 3 weeks. Simples.

[Derek Uzzell]

Andy&Lou - 2017-05-11 12:34 PM

 

...The one that has taken my fancy is the Prakto Refillable 21.0 ltr Single Steel Gas Bottle Kit £212.64 from ALUGAS...

 

Andy

 

The kit you refer to is marketed by the Autogas 2000 Ltd company. It includes one of the several products offered by that company that include “Alugas” user-refillable canisters.

 

The Prakto containers are made in Belgium

 

http://www.prakto.be/

 

and described here

 

http://www.autogasleisure.co.uk/gasbottle_prakto.html

 

They are ‘4-hole’ bottles and the contents-gauge, being mechanically-operated, should be accurate.

 

Regarding ‘superiority’, the Prakto containers are technically superior to 2-hole refillable-bottles (eg. the red “RV” containers advertised by Autogas 2000) though the bargain-buy (if it would fit in a motorhome’s gas-locker) is probably the 15kg GZWM 4-hole canister.

 

The “Alugas” containers marketed by Autogas 2000 (and others) are constructed from aluminium and , consequently, their empty weight is lower that that of steel-bottle equivalents. Their central 'multi-valve’ concept is similar to that of Gaslow’s R67 bottles, but “Alugas” containers are significantly more expensive.

 

When it comes to kits, the overall cost will include the cost of the bottle(s) plus the cost of the fittings provided. A Gaslow kit should be expected to cost a good deal more than an Autogas 2000 ‘kit’, because the Gaslow gas-hoses will be in braided stainless-steel rather than ‘rubber’. I regard braided stainless-steel hoses as ‘superior’ to rubber hoses, but that’s a subjective view and I’ve no reason to believe rubber gas-hoses would be inadequate or unsafe.

 

The following links should help with installation whatever system you choose

 

http://www.dicklanemotorhomes.co.uk/pdfs/gaslow-filling-instructions.pdf

 

http://ourtour.co.uk/home/installing-a-gasit-self-refillable-lpg-system/

[lennyhb]

Gas low or Gasit (Stako) both made in the same factory in Poland I prefer the Alugas bottles made in Germany also they do 14kg bottles which are useful if you can fit them in. Pay your money and take your choice not a lot in it.

[nige118]

Hello Wensco if I was you I would go for the Gasit kit. There service is second to none I ordered the 2 x11kg full kit and it's half the price to Gaslow I fitted it from drilling the fill up hole getting the drill bit from B&Q to completion within one and a half hours.

Ordered from Gasit on the dinner time full kit arrived 9am the next day.

Hope this helps , ps had it installed now 2 years all is well.

[Derek Uzzell]

lennyhb - 2017-05-11 7:04 PM

 

Gas low or Gasit (Stako) both made in the same factory in Poland...

 

STAKO bottles are indeed made in Poland

 

http://stako.pl/index.php?lang=en

 

but where have you got the information from that Gaslow bottles are made in the same Polish factory, please?

 

Received wisdom seems to be that the original Gaslow 2-hole bottles and the 2-hole bottles marketed by GAS-IT and Autogas 2000 were all made in the same factory in Portugal, but I bellieve Gaslow’s current R67 canisters are not made there.