Calor Cylinder weight

[BrianR]

I am sure that this has already been covered in an earlier post, but searching hasn't found it. Does anyone know what the approximate empty weight of a Calor 6kg propane cylinder is? The Calor site says it is given on the neck collar, but mine only has 19 00 in two of the quadrants and Test Code 16 in the other two.

[John H]

Hi Brian,

 

I weighed a full one last week and it was 14.50 kgs so the bottle must be 8.50 kgs.

 

John.

[Derek Uzzell]

BrianR:

 

There's a useful list in the Caravan Club's Sites Directory/Handbook (page 627 of 2007/2008 issue) giving dimensions and (average) weights for the UK LPG canisters most likely to be used in leisure vehicles:

 

For Calor propane containers the weights given are:

 

3.9kg capacity cylinder ---- Total weight of filled cylinder = 9.6kg

 

6.0kg capacity cylinder ---- Total weight of filled cylinder = 14.0kg

 

13.0kg capacity cylinder --- Total weight of filled cylinder = 28.7kg

 

The obscure historical reasons the Calor bottle's 'neck collar' provides the cylinder's weight-empty in Imperial pounds/ounces, so your 19 00 would equate to 8.36kg - midway between the CC's 8.0kg (14kg - 6kg) figure and John's 8.50kg. It's worth noting that manufacturing variations (steel thickness, etc.) can cause bottle empty-weights to differ by more than one might perhaps expect.

 

This has come up before, but you'd be lucky to find it with a forum Search. See the following link:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=6381&posts=25

[libby]

The cost of the liquid gas per litre (from a 6kg bottle) is approx twice the cost of the same gas from a 13kg bottle.

 

LB

[BrianR]

Thanks for those useful replies. The gas locker on my Talisman will only take the 6kg size Calor bottle, unfortunately. Whilst in France, which is where I do most of my mileage (kilometreage?) I use a 5kg Le Cube, which currently costs 13€, say £3.30/kg

[Derek Uzzell]

So true - the smaller the capacity of a UK exchange-only LPG canister, the higher the cost per kg of the gas it contains.

 

Official Calor bottle-exchange prices are listed on:

 

https://secure.calor.co.uk/ordercalorcylinders/default.asp?PageType=propane

 

To save forum members' tired old brains ;-) Calor's price per kg of gas is (to 2 decimal places) currently

 

3.9kg bottle ---- £3.41

6.0kg bottle ---- £2.68

13.0kg bottle -- £1.65

[John H]

Derek Uzzell - 2008-08-17 10:00 AM

 

BrianR:

 

There's a useful list in the Caravan Club's Sites Directory/Handbook (page 627 of 2007/2008 issue) giving dimensions and (average) weights for the UK LPG canisters most likely to be used in leisure vehicles:

 

For Calor propane containers the weights given are:

 

3.9kg capacity cylinder ---- Total weight of filled cylinder = 9.6kg

 

6.0kg capacity cylinder ---- Total weight of filled cylinder = 14.0kg

 

13.0kg capacity cylinder --- Total weight of filled cylinder = 28.7kg

 

The obscure historical reasons the Calor bottle's 'neck collar' provides the cylinder's weight-empty in Imperial pounds/ounces, so your 19 00 would equate to 8.36kg - midway between the CC's 8.0kg (14kg - 6kg) figure and John's 8.50kg. It's worth noting that manufacturing variations (steel thickness, etc.) can cause bottle empty-weights to differ by more than one might perhaps expect.

 

This has come up before, but you'd be lucky to find it with a forum Search. See the following link:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=6381&posts=25

 

Hi Derek,

 

I always use 2.204 at work, when I'm converting pounds to kilos and visa versa. This would make 19lbs, 8.62 kgs. Not that 0.26 kgs makes much difference. :-D

 

John.

[Derek Uzzell]

19lbs = 8.61825503kg, but I can't handle mental arithmetic beyond 1 decimal place nowadays.

[Uncle Bulgaria]

The new lightweight 6Kg Calor Propane Cylinder weighs in at around 10Kg when full. A useful saving of 8 Kg for two compared with the older types and easier to lift and manouver within the confines of the cylinder locker. Price is the downside at up to £18.55 for exchange!.

 

Richard.

[myshell]

I thought that it would be a good idea to change over from the steel Calor gas cylinders to the new plastic lightweight type, mainly for ease of lifting them into and out of the gas bottle locker, when I asked at my local Calor gas depot how much it would cost me to change over to the plastic ones ie. rental deposit etc; they assured me that there was no extra charge I just swapped the steel ones for plastic, O.K. said I, I'll have 2 - 6kg propane cylinders please, they then tried to charge me £2:30 more for each cylinder, when I asked them if there was more gas in the lightweight cylinders than in the steel ones I was told "NO exactly the same, 6kg," that works out at approx 38 pence per kg more for the same amount of gas, just in a lighter container, needless to say I stuck with the steel ones, the wife will just have to keep on lifting the extra weight! >:-)

[Derek Uzzell]

myshell:

 

If you are referring to the recently-introduced CalorLite 6kg propane canisters, then these are also made from steel - the weight reduction comes from the type of steel used and the overall design changes. See:

 

http://www.calorlite.co.uk/further-information.htm

 

This is a premium product and, because the new container is more easily handled than the standard 6kg bottle and also has a level gauge, it doesn't seem unreasonable to me that Calor should have decided to set the exchange cost higher.

 

There are 'plastic' exchange-only gas containers available in the UK, but these are marketed by BP under the brand-name "BP Gas Light". See:

 

http://www.bp.com/marketingsection.do?categoryId=5095&contentId=7044242

[myshell]

Sorry Derek! I stand corrected, I was referring to the new Calor-lite cylinders. I was having a senior moment when I called them plastic, but I still object to paying more money for the same amount of gas just because it comes in a lighter container, no doubt you also would object to paying more for 250g of coffee in a plastic container than you pay for 250g of the same brand of coffee in a glass jar ?

 

Regards

Phil

[Derek Uzzell]

Phil:

 

If the weight of the glass coffee jar made it difficult for me (or my wife!) to lift, while the plastic equivalent was significantly lighter and could be handled more easily, and the glass container was opaque so one couldn't tell how much coffee remained in it, while the plastic jar had a built-in means to reveal its contents-level, then I'd consider the plastic jar technically superior and I'd prefer it to the glass jar, and (being realistic) anticipate having to pay extra for the same coffee but stored in the superior container.

 

CalorLite's reduced weight and level-gauge will be attractive selling-points for many leisure-vehicle owners. If the price-per-kg of LPG dominates one's thinking, then clearly the 'heavy' steel 6kg container would be the logical choice. But, if that's the case, why choose Calor in the first place, as it's likely that 6kg exchange-only bottles from other suppliers will be cheaper? But then, of course, one wouldn't be able to benefit from the UK's vast network of Calor agents. On the other hand Calor-Lite containers won't be as readily available as the heavier 'all purpose' 6kg bottles within the Calor distribution network, so that's a potential disincentive for opting for the lighter canisters. Swings and roundabouts... At least the Calor-Lite canister continues to employ the traditional UK propane POL connection and has the same dimensions as the heavier 6kg bottle. Unlike BP's Gas Light bottles that demand a modification to a leisure vehicle's gas system and may be too wide to fit in many motorhomes' gas lockers.

 

As you were initially keen on the Calor-Lite containers and clearly recognise their weight-saving advantages, you must use an awful lot of LPG in your motorhome if it's just the extra £0.38 per kg of gas that causes you to reject them.

[avongas]

Silly question probably, but these Calorlite thingy bobs seem just what I need. I have acquired an empty Calor Butane 7kg bottle, can I just change this to the 6kg lite efforts? (obviously, i'll have to pay)

[BrianR]

Yes, you can exchange the old cyliders for the new at no cost, but the new refills cost £2.30 more than the old refills. Effectively, you will be paying £2.30 more each time you exchange, for the benefit of a lighter cylinder and other small improvements on which you may or may not put a value.