Refillable gas bottle purchase, advise please

[lennyhb]

From your last post it sounds like you are running at 37mb so no problem.

 

The info below is before the edit I didn't read your post correctly.

 

Have a look at the data plate on your fridge & hob it should state the operating pressure if it is 30mb you need to run the system at 30mb. If they are 28mb butane,37mb propane just use a 37mb propane regulator.

 

The change to 30mb took place in 2004.

 

If you are set up for 30mb, as a stop gap you could use a butane 28mb regulator it will screw straight onto a refillable bottle, then next time over the water get the correct one.

 

 

[crinklystarfish]

I have a pathological hatred of bulkhead mounted 30mbar regulators and instead specced POL take-offs on my Stakos to which I attach a pair of 37mbar on-bottle regulators. They are cheap, reliable, and easy to replace. Everything bulkhead mounted post 2004 regulators aren't.

 

I've used this setup across three mororhomes now over the last 8 years or so. They were a 2003 (pre-changeover) a 2007 (post-changeover), and the current truck (with brand new gas appliances).

 

All appliances have worked, and do work, perfectly well.

 

Forecourt LPG is a mixture of propane and butane the quantities of which vary across countries and times of year. It would seem from my experience that running this mix at 37mbar keeps old and new appliances quite happy.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

I must confess the more I read about this whole issue, the more I wonder does anyone in the industry know what they are talking about when it comes to using autogas.

 

Advice to mount regulators higher than the bottles, the need to use expensive stainless steel pipes to minimize plasticizers leaching out and causing blockages, fridges sooting up in some cases after very little use,with Dometics advice not to use autogas, and now a rather expensive filter coming to market that seems to imply the problem IS autogas, begs the question will folks who shelled out for those expensive stainless connection pipes get their money back, mmmmmmm

 

But I'm with you, I'll stick to a cheap and cheerful bottle reg, and just change it every season.

[rupert123]

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 8:52 AM

 

I must confess the more I read about this whole issue, the more I wonder does anyone in the industry know what they are talking about when it comes to using autogas.

 

Advice to mount regulators higher than the bottles, the need to use expensive stainless steel pipes to minimize plasticizers leaching out and causing blockages, fridges sooting up in some cases after very little use,with Dometics advice not to use autogas, and now a rather expensive filter coming to market that seems to imply the problem IS autogas, begs the question will folks who shelled out for those expensive stainless connection pipes get their money back, mmmmmmm

 

But I'm with you, I'll stick to a cheap and cheerful bottle reg, and just change it every season.

Mike, Gasit did not recommend stainless pipes, although they sell them they say waste of money. I have used autogas for five years now and had no problems with it, I do always fill in the UK first as our autogas is propane. I have though used autogas from France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria with no problems. I may have been lucky but never had a regulator problem either.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

rupert123 - 2013-07-16 12:29 PM

 

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 8:52 AM

 

I must confess the more I read about this whole issue, the more I wonder does anyone in the industry know what they are talking about when it comes to using autogas.

 

Advice to mount regulators higher than the bottles, the need to use expensive stainless steel pipes to minimize plasticizers leaching out and causing blockages, fridges sooting up in some cases after very little use,with Dometics advice not to use autogas, and now a rather expensive filter coming to market that seems to imply the problem IS autogas, begs the question will folks who shelled out for those expensive stainless connection pipes get their money back, mmmmmmm

 

But I'm with you, I'll stick to a cheap and cheerful bottle reg, and just change it every season.

Mike, Gasit did not recommend stainless pipes, although they sell them they say waste of money. I have used autogas for five years now and had no problems with it, I do always fill in the UK first as our autogas is propane. I have though used autogas from France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria with no problems. I may have been lucky but never had a regulator problem either.

 

No I did not specifically say Gasit did recommend special pipes, but I'm aware that there was conjecture that conventional fill pipes were leading to residue problems, and stainless was touted by some suppliers as the answer, now there seems a consensus that the oily residues are in the gas itself, hence I guess the marketing by Truma of a new special filter. At the end of the day I'm hoping that any info on this thread will be of help not only to myself to avoid grief, but anyone else contemplating a refillable system. ;-)

 

Just out of curiosity where is your nearest auto gas stockist, I've just discovered they are very thin on the ground around my neck of the woods, only one listed on the Calor autogas website, and that is miles away.

:-( or are there numerous different suppliers, cannot seem to find a comprehensive website giving all of them,

Edit...............

I wonder if anyone knows of a POI download site for all the outlets, as I now discover there are supposed to be 1400+ :-S

[rupert123]

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 12:42 PM

 

rupert123 - 2013-07-16 12:29 PM

 

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 8:52 AM

 

.

 

No I did not specifically say Gasit did recommend special pipes,

Just out of curiosity where is your nearest auto gas stockist, I've just discovered they are very thin on the ground around my neck of the woods, only one listed on the Calor autogas website, and that is miles away.

:-( or are there numerous different suppliers, cannot seem to find a comprehensive website giving all of them,

 

I know you did not say this, just pointing it out.

My nearest is Llandudno Junction, about thirty miles away, but never use them. If heading for Dover always fill at a place on the A5, if heading North fill on the A55, plenty of places en route so do not bother their is not one local to me.

[pepe63xnotuse]

Are you Gwynedd 1foot'?..

 

I don't know how current these are?

 

http://www.getlpg.org.uk/stations/gwynedd

 

(..although I found that when I've tentatively looked a refillables in the past,some of these websites were showing garages/outlets in my area that I a knew for a fact had shut up shop years ago..?! )

[lennyhb]

Most Motorway services have LPG and often it's not at rip of prices like petrol & diesel, came across some on the M6 that was about 5p below local garage prices.

When heading for the ferry always top up at Dover the first BP garage as you come down the hill on the A20, don't think the one in the town centre stocks it.

[Guest pelmetman]

I wouldn't worry to much about having a local filling point Mike ;-) ......................If your gas use is anything like ours, then I'll be surprised if you need to top up more than a couple of times a year with a single bottle B-).......

 

So far I have refilled it 3 times since the initial fit and fill in 2011..............although we do use a local bottle when on site in Spain in the winter.............which still has gas left :D........

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

pepe63 - 2013-07-16 1:28 PM

 

Are you Gwynedd 1foot'?..

 

I don't know how current these are?

 

http://www.getlpg.org.uk/stations/gwynedd

 

(..although I found that when I've tentatively looked a refillables in the past,some of these websites were showing garages/outlets in my area that I a knew for a fact had shut up shop years ago..?! )

 

Yes we are, first one I tried on the list, "the number you have dialled has not been recognised, second on the list, no answer, still too late now to worry, just ordered my kit from Gasit, thanks for the link though. ;-)

 

And Dave you don't know what cold arses we are, don't forget we've been toting four 6 kg bottles with us for a while now, normally get through one every two/three weeks when we are Aireing it. :D and no we haven't got a LEAK. :D

 

Good tip about the motorways fueling points though,from Lennyhb, even though the nearest is about 70 miles away from us,we could fill up on our way, and it's somewhere I would normally avoid like the plague...........for anything.

[pepe63xnotuse]

pelmetman - 2013-07-16 1:44 PM

 

I wouldn't worry to much about having a local filling point Mike ;-) ......................If your gas use is anything like ours, then I'll be surprised if you need to top up more than a couple of times a year with a single bottle B-).......

 

So far I have refilled it 3 times since the initial fit and fill in 2011..............although we do use a local bottle when on site in Spain in the winter.............which still has gas left :D........

 

...if that's the case, it does make you wonder what all the fuss is about?...

What with all this talk of "..not having to wrestles bottles about.." etc, I was getting the impression that folk had been exchanging their bottles every other weekend!?.... ;-)

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Perhaps Dave rubs sticks together to keep warm, and Spain can be bloody cold especially at night in the winter, but perhaps he's on hookup :D we've always been heavy users of gas, anything much below 25 and I feel the cold, and don't get me started about the missus and her showers and hair washing, and it was particularly cold in most of Europe this May:-S

 

Anyway the deed is done, we can look forward to being not the least bit energy conscious now. :-D

[pepe63xnotuse]

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 2:05 PM

 

Anyway the deed is done, we can look forward to being not the least bit energy conscious now. :-D

 

...and if you can get a decent amount back for your Calorlites(..even if you do keep one back "just in case"),then all the better. ;-)

 

(..are there any campsite shops local to you, that'd let you put ad' in their window?)

[Guest pelmetman]

Oh yeah I forgot :D................you don't use sites, and have one of those cold PVC (pneumonia van conversions) ;-)..............you wanna get a proper coachbuilt Mike >:-).........

[pepe63xnotuse]

..A bit late now..but this may've been a cheaper option... (lol)

 

http://www.longjohns.org.uk/

[Robinhood]

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 1:53 PM

 

pepe63 - 2013-07-16 1:28 PM

 

Are you Gwynedd 1foot'?..

 

I don't know how current these are?

 

http://www.getlpg.org.uk/stations/gwynedd

 

(..although I found that when I've tentatively looked a refillables in the past,some of these websites were showing garages/outlets in my area that I a knew for a fact had shut up shop years ago..?! )

 

 

Cam Gas in Aberystwyth may be just about your closest. :-|

 

http://www.cam-gas.co.uk/autogas.htm

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Robinhood - 2013-07-16 2:59 PM

 

1footinthegrave - 2013-07-16 1:53 PM

 

pepe63 - 2013-07-16 1:28 PM

 

Are you Gwynedd 1foot'?..

 

I don't know how current these are?

 

http://www.getlpg.org.uk/stations/gwynedd

 

(..although I found that when I've tentatively looked a refillables in the past,some of these websites were showing garages/outlets in my area that I a knew for a fact had shut up shop years ago..?! )

 

 

Cam Gas in Aberystwyth may be just about your closest. :-|

 

http://www.cam-gas.co.uk/autogas.htm

 

Yes many thanks for that, but just this afternoon I've been told our local coal merchant we used to use some years ago has an autogas facility,just 10 miles from us, result, for those passing this way may be worth a note,

 

J H Jones

Pantperthog Mill

Pantperthog

Machynlleth

SY20 9AU

[Deemac57]

I have an Alugas 11kg bottle with gauge and a filling point fitted inside the gas locker. There is also another Calor bottle (not connected) in the locked as a backup. I recently spent 8 weeks in France and Italy and had v cold weather at the beginning so we had to use heating. I topped up the cylinder once at a cost of 7 Euro and when I got home its still showing 3/4 full. The whole system was very easy to fit and prevents filling the cylinder to over 80%. I'm thinking of getting another Alugas bottle, although you could work perfectly well on one. Its a brilliant system and very easy to use. I wouldn't go back to the old ways.

[Mel B]

We have a Gaslow bottle which we've had for over 4 years and in 3 motorhomes now. We have always had an 'in locker' fill point and have never had a problem being allowed to fill it at petrol stations, both here and abroad.

 

I've just checked my 'spreadsheet' (yes I like to know what we're using etc!) and to date we've topped it up 17 times since we got it, ranging from 3.11 litres to 15.0 litres, with a total of 174.08 litres and an average of 10.24 litres; total cost £121.56, average cost per litre 70p.

 

One thing I would consider though, if I wanted an external fill point, is one of these as they are more discrete than the larger Gaslow filler and can be mounted under a rear bumper if required to alleviate the need to cut a hole at all.

 

http://leisurelines.net/gas-it-in-locker-angled-bracket-remote-fill-system-3995-p.asp

 

http://leisurelines.net/gas-it-in-locker-angled-bracket-remote-fill-system-3995-p.asp

 

http://leisurelines.net/gas-it-refillable-bottles-168-c.asp

[Guest pelmetman]

Deemac57 - 2013-07-16 7:51 PM

 

I have an Alugas 11kg bottle with gauge and a filling point fitted inside the gas locker. There is also another Calor bottle (not connected) in the locked as a backup. I recently spent 8 weeks in France and Italy and had v cold weather at the beginning so we had to use heating. I topped up the cylinder once at a cost of 7 Euro and when I got home its still showing 3/4 full. The whole system was very easy to fit and prevents filling the cylinder to over 80%. I'm thinking of getting another Alugas bottle, although you could work perfectly well on one. Its a brilliant system and very easy to use. I wouldn't go back to the old ways.

 

There you go Mike another vote from a tightwad/ normal user :D.................like me :-D .................except I'm loud and proud and do it on the outside B-)