Changing gas bottle size

[Becky]

Having just bought a MH which will take two of the 13kg cylinders, & finding that I had run out of one bottle of 6kg gas I decided to upgrade to the larger size. Southdowns MHs are the nearest gas supplier to me so I popped in expecting to just change the bottle and pay for the gas, as I had been lead to expect when buying my van.

 

Only to be told that on July 1st Calor had changed the rules and I would have to buy the 13 kg cylinder, & as I didn't have the original paperwork, I would only get £3 for my returned cylinder. So I paid over £60 for the new cylinder & gas.

 

But, while away up near Shrewsbury, I ran out on my other 6 kg cylinder, and visited a local supplier who changed the bottle and only charged me £21.40 for the new gas. A lot less than down south!

 

So, everyone which is correct?

 

I must admit to finding Southdowns very expensive for accessories and I wouldn't go there except it is the nearest by far.

[Peter42]

I was talking to a Calor agent recently about changing from a steel bottle of propane to a composite (Lighter) bottle and he mentioned, in passing, that he was considering not changing different sized bottles for free in future because of the paperwork this generated, for which Calor made no allowance. I think he mentioned that he would probably stop such exchanges from 1st August, and many other dealers were considering doing the same. perhaps your local dealer has already taken this action.

[njw]

tell them you will change to a refillable system than see what they say ,what they are proposing to do is not good for business at this time

[vindiboy]

Always expect to get ripped off by Calor in Hampshire, they are supplied by Calor Depot at Millbrook and bottles of gas cost on average £5 -7 pounds more than nearby Dorset whose Calor Depot is Poole.That's my experience anyway and i have receipts to prove it. *-) *-)

[rowley]

I use FloGas who seem to be cheaper than Calor. They have always been prepared to let me change the size of my gas bottles.

[Mr. Grumpy]

A year ago I fitted a Gaslow cylinder so no longer needed the second large Calor cylinder. A couple of months ago my local Calor agent swapped the large empty cylinder for a smaller full light weight Calor which we just keep as an emergency reserve. No hassle no extra charge over and above the normal for the gas.

[Ranger]

Always got my gas from local builders merchants, years ago local builders stopped using Calor, too dear, so my builders merchant changed to 'Handy Gas' which is actually B.P.. Bottles are free as I believe are 'Flogas' bottles. I have been told that Calor buy their gas from B.P. anyway so I just cut out the middle man, and save a lot of money.

[Derek Uzzell]

Exchanging gas-cylinders in the UK is a subject that's been discussed regularly on this forum.

 

Calor has a "Suitable Cylinder Exchange" policy that defines which bottles can be exchanged for which. The company also has a pricing policy.

 

Calor's website (www.calor.co.uk) suggests that their present exchange-policy allows most 'general purpose' cylinders to be exchanged irrespective of size or gas-type. The policy appears to permit a 6kg(propane) cylinder to be exchanged for a 13kg(propane), a 7kg(butane) for a 3.9kg(propane), a 15kg(butane) for a 6kg(propane), etc.

 

HOWEVER (as I've highlighted in the past), Calor's policies regarding bottle-exchange and pricing are guidelines only as far as Calor agents are concerned, and the latter can charge more (or less) than Calor's 'guide prices' and please themselves as to what they will accept when exchanging bottles.

 

Calor agents may well choose to exchange bottles on a strict like-for-like basis because it simplifies re-stocking or reduces bureaucracy, or they may be unaware of Calor's current exchange-policy (and this can suddenly alter). Either way, there's not a lot you can do about it, and I don't think Calor will much care if you complain.

 

Calor agents won't accept non-Calor bottles in exchange (there are some rare exceptions I believe) and, in principle, if you haven't got a suitable cylinder to exchange, you'll need to pay an additional fee for a bottle-hire contract. Historically, some Calor agents have been known to be flexible about this stipulation, but I think it's harder nowadays to avoid the Calor bottle-hire contract fee that, I'm told, goes wholly to Calor, not to the agent.

 

To the best of my knowledge, other gas suppliers (like Flogas) have a similar policy - they won't take Calor bottles in exchange and, if you haven't got a suitable cylinder to exchange, you should need to pay an additional fee for a bottle-hire contract. I know one local Flogas agent who takes a firm line on this and another who doesn't.

 

I've always managed to avoid bottle hire-contract fees - either by using my devastating charm or by scrounging dumped bottles from the local recycling centre.