watsoa Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I have been informed that it is possible on Ebay to buy filling adapters for red propane gas bottles - do any of the forum members have any experience (or information) of using these. Seems a lot cheaper than buying a Gaslow system.Alan W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Hi Watsoa, Not sure what you are getting at - I use the standard Calor Gas Propane gas regulators with an Gaslow adaptor to fit onto a Gaslow cylinders. I always take a spare regulator with me (they are very cheap) when touring in europe as you cannot get calor gas regulators there, or at least I have never seen one. Just re-read your message - It looks as if you are asking if the standard calor gas cylinders can be filled at filling stations from LPG pumps - sorry the answer is negative, can not be done. The Gaslow cylinder has cut off valve so the cylinder cannot be overfilled, it's filled to 80% to allow for expansion and gives an area for gassing off. If neat liquid gas got into your gas pipes, the MH would likely explode when you try to light one of the appliances. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Do you propose filling a Calor bottle from a lpg supply in a garage? If so, personally, I would not think it a good idea. How will you judge when to stop filling at the 80% recommended level to allow for expansion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I've just had a look at the filling adaptors you're on about. I can see why it would be tempting, however, I offer the following concerns: 1) Whilst the sellers give the amount of gas each of the bottles would need filling up with to the 80% limit, what you can't know is how much gas is actually left in the cylinder before you start to refill it, therefore you have no way of knowing for sure that the amount you are putting in does NOT take you over the limit. 2) These bottles are not meant to be refilled by the public. Take Calor bottles as an example - when they are exchanged for a full bottle, the old bottles go through some stringent checks for safety, soundness etc before they are refilled with gas, this is every time they go back in, not once in a blue moon - if Calor do it, ask yourself why? Could you do this? The answer is no. You cannot know, therefore, if, eg, the Calor bottle you have is safe to use in this way. The bottles that are specifically made for this purpose (Gaslow etc) haven't been dragged all over the place in lorries numerous times, bashed around in yards, etc, etc. 3) The procedure for filling seems a bit dicey! Plus, there seems to be problems being able to fill some of the genuine (public) refillable bottles at garages etc so how would you go on with an obviously 'non-refillable' (by the public) bottle! If I really wanted to have a refillable bottle I'd much rather get a 'proper' one and have the knowledge that it is meant to be refilled by the public and therefore has been designed with that in mind. You cannot mess about with gas safety. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Another thought ... I wonder what the insurance situation would be if there was an 'accident' caused by a problem with the 'refilled' no-refillable cylinder? I wouldn't like to try to make that claim .... I would suspect it would get thrown out as it was down to improper use so you could end up with no motorhome and no insurance payout or even worse ... someone could get seriously hurt or killed :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 From my experience I think the comments about difficulties refilling "proper" refillable bottles is a MH myth. I've not come across this anywhere. I guess like lots of people who have travelled to the third world and eastern europe will have seen all sorts of practices with regards to refilling gas cylinders that would give our H&S inspectors heart attacks! Whilst we are governed very cautiously we have fewer accidents and fatalities. On the fringes of europe you can just about get any gas bottle refilled, some countries run on bottled gas and there is a very different view on what is acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 starvin marvin - 2008-06-19 10:00 AM From my experience I think the comments about difficulties refilling "proper" refillable bottles is a MH myth. I've not come across this anywhere. I guess like lots of people who have travelled to the third world and eastern europe will have seen all sorts of practices with regards to refilling gas cylinders that would give our H&S inspectors heart attacks! Whilst we are governed very cautiously we have fewer accidents and fatalities. On the fringes of europe you can just about get any gas bottle refilled, some countries run on bottled gas and there is a very different view on what is acceptable. I think your third world/Eastern Europe experience may well be misleading, when applied to Western Europe. It is in Western Europe, surely, that whatsoa will spend most of his/her time, and it is there that illicit filling of cylinders will cause trouble. Remember, you only hire the cylinder on condition you observe the hirer's conditions of use, and many filling stations do appear to prevent the filling of single cylinders with Autogas. Far better, in my opinion, to get a re-fillable installation designed from the outset to be re-filled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEEANDEM Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hi I use this adapter with very little problems I put in 12Ltr in a 6 Kg bottle this is the amount recomended by the adapter suppliers. Any problems you can get me on the phone Derrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norma Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 One accident with one of these adapters, I'm sure, would get the legal bottles banned too! Afterall Calor already think we don't have the intelligence to refill bottles, by trying to ban them and only the informed that can fill cars! Regardless whether these adapters are safe or not, surely the correct procedure is to have the filling point fixed. I know I'm not making sense (!)but what I mean is, that our filling point has been fixed to the side of the van as the bottle is permantly installed and cannot be removed from the van. It is a bottle, not a tank. Aye well, each to his own! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champstar Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Met a tugger a couple of weeks back who was proudly showing all his adaptor....thought it might be a bit risky but hes said he had been doing it for a while with no probs and not paying £19 for a new propane bottle. makes you think..but although tempted..I am erring on the side of caution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Having seen a few LPG bottles of various sizes explode in 31 years in the fire service, I can't think of a more spectacular way to commit suicide! Not only will you completely decimate your own van and the people in it, you will also take out everyone else on the forecourt if you are filling it, or if you are on a site everyone within 200 yards will suffer from death to serious shrapnel wounds. If you are going to indulge in this stupid thoughtless practice, please have the decency to advertise on this forum where you are going to camp then we can all go somewhere else! >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 DEEANDEM - 2008-06-19 2:01 PM Hi I use this adapter with very little problems I put in 12Ltr in a 6 Kg bottle this is the amount recomended by the adapter suppliers. Any problems you can get me on the phone Derrick Interesting one this. I have just looked in our motorhome diary, we have two 6kg Gaslow bottles and intial fill was 21 ltrs total. Since then I try to fill as soon as the changeover valve turns red and on average take 10ltrs a fill. So either my bottles are not filling to 80% or you are putting to much in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I have a manual change over tap on my twin 6Kg gaslow cylinder installation, I found like you the first fill up was around 21 litres, subsequent fill ups where less. I think you will find that as the autogas is not 100% propane, there will always be a little unusable gas left in the cylinder, when the auto changover operates because of low pressure. I find that each empty gas cylinder will run the P3002 gas convector fire on its lowest setting for around 4 or 5 days before they are truly empty, afterwards refilling with autogas will take 20 plus litres. It would probably pay to remove the cylinders annually, take off the regulator and upend the cylinder to remove all the crud inside. PS I also found that some automatic pump shutdowns are a bit premature, holding the trigger for another 10-20 secs (seems a long time) will restart the pump - then when it doesn't stop when you expect it to - is a bit nerve racking. Regards Terry :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate1881 Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I whole heartidly agree with Tomo, let us know where you are going so we can avoid parking next to you ! REMEMBER SAFETY NEVER TAKES A DAY OFF !! Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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