Madmaggott Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Other than just buying bottled water, if the aires have the water turned off and the MH dumps your water at -5 or so degrees, how do folks ensure that they have adequate supplies for the winter journey to sunnier (hopefully) climes? Oh, and I've just been told by OH that, he thinks, the heating is based on water too; does that mean we have to keep the heating on at all times? Which brings to mind the question of PLG (lpg) supplies in Spain. I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it. Is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 That is the trouble with technology..................My Camping-car is gas warm air heated but that being said the dump valve for the water heater is adjacent to the water heater and in normal use is at a similar temperature to that in the van ie 20°C or higher. Now if your van is on a storage site I would recommend that you bring it home for a few days, hook up the mains lead and plug in an electric heater to chase the cold away. Flush the water tank, fill with fresh and turn your heating system on.On the way down check out the facilities offered by the Municipal Camp sites, if you are worried about running out of water. Once in a frost free area you should be OK My understanding is that Spanish gas cylinders have a different regulator from those at 'home' many experienced travelers tell that they are able to buy a regulator in Spain and 'find' a gas bottle on a recycle area so that you can exchange it for a full one at a filling station. If you have a bulkhead mounted regulator then you should be able to buy a Spanish tail to replace one of your UK ones once in Spain, to connect your Spanish bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 If you get the Spain aires book from Vicarious Books you'll find a list of LPG stations. When travelling to Spain in winter we've always managed to top up the water at motorway picnic aires. Some are turned off but we always find one that's working, especially as you go farther south. A watering can is essential for filling up and if I need to empty the waste I just get the wheels up on a grass verge and dump it in the vegetation. It's only grey waste after all. Finally, I've never had my water dump itself as I find that the temperature stays high enough in between the switch on periods. My hot tank is well insulated and it seems to stay warm for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 It is surprising on just how little water you can survive for a day or two when you need to so perhaps to take a couple of cases of Tesco Value bottled water or even wash out and refill a few empty 4 litre milk containers with Tapoline as they can be stowed easily and dumped when no longer needed. I use a length of flexible curtain wire fixed to the floor to hold the dump valve closed and that worked OK nevertheless as fresh water is never guaranteed out of season we still take some of our own just in case and even if you do run out bottled water is readily available at any supermarket. Gas - what size bottles do you currently use and how long do they usually last for your style of camping when it is not very warm outside? If you don't have enough there are several choices - get an extra spare bottle from a car boot sale and stow it securely - assuming you have the spare payload? Get a refillable bottle but be aware that supplies in Spain can be few are far between - but you can still also carry two full Calor if you wish. Get a local bottle when you get there if you need it but you will also need a suitable pigtail or adapter. Don't worry about it - it's all part of the adventure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Some handy tips there, thank you. We have a gaslow 11kg and a lightweight refillable. Past use isn't much of an indicator because in the past we have only 'good weathered' on the continent where we use aires etc. In colder weather we've either been on friend's drives or on site with EHU so haven't used the gas for heating. Hadn't thought of checking out the motorway aires for water and had assumed that the municipal sites would be just a likely to be closed for the winter months as private ones. I don't like the thought of dumping even grey waste on the roadside but presumably even aires with the water turned off can be used for this purpose? In the distant past I remember on the way to Crufts we were overnighting on the carpark at Crickhowell and I woke to the sound of running water. When I had finally persuaded the OH that I wasn't imagining it he used a clothes peg on the valve. There was a skating rink outside the next morning but we still had some water in the tank. That was in our very first MH. I think we will need to obtain a spanish bottle and gubbins just in case we can't fill the gaslow as I expect the heating will empty the bottle pretty quickly. I just wish I was the sort who 'just does it' rather than having to think it through in all directions first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Once you have decided where you are going to be in Spain, for how long, and how long the journeys each way will take it should be easy enough to ascertain where the lpg pumps are that are close to your route and sites. LPG is very easy to find in France and almost all main road and motorway services seem to have it so you should be able to enter Spain with two full bottles. Personally I would not bother with getting a local bottle but if you have the space taking a spare Calor - even a tiny 3.9 kg sealed and tucked away in a locker - would give you some peace of mind. I think you might find that many who seem to 'just do it' give it a lot of thought and research behind the scenes before they 'just do it' so there is nothing wrong at all with covering all the angles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 LPG not as readily available in Spain but situation is getting better. Look online and download free POI's to your sat nags. just check that you have the right adapters. always managed with water but remember reading on here graveyards always have an operational tap and can ask at garages as well..may have to give them a drink if on meter.... your not going to be hanging around in winter getting down there are you....And yes of course its worth going! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-08-25 5:42 PM LPG not as readily available in Spain but situation is getting better. Look online and download free POI's to your sat nags. just check that you have the right adapters. always managed with water but remember reading on here graveyards always have an operational tap and can ask at garages as well..may have to give them a drink if on meter.... Good points for both water and lpg filling adaptors you will need one if you need to buy any in France and another for Spain as being a common market we all use different systems! If you need to know I can post links to which ones - just say? Bear in mind that not all water in garages and graveyards is drinking water. A good but not infallible guide is water pressure - if it is high there is a better, but not certain, chance it will be drinkable or if a sign says 'potable' it should be OK but you might need a variety of water tap adapters and quite a long hose to be able to connect and fill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 What time of the year are you travelling down and do you intend to drive over the top of the Pyrenees? I refilled at Alicante with LPG but came prepared with adapter. Look for a cemetery and you will always get water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 cemetery POI http://lgn1391080240.site-fusion.co.uk/cemetery-poi-gps-positions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 We have all the lpg adapters, bought when we got the gaslow cylinder and we always travel with a good length of water hose and various adapters so should be ok there. I will try to get the lpg stations onto the snooper, not sure how yet but will find out from them. We do use the water straight from the tank since we've had the new van but always used to take 1/2 doz 4ltr milk containers with the previous vans, don't have the storage space now really but can always make use of the shower cubicle for that whilst en-route. I'm sure all will work out ok, I was in a tizzy before we had our 1st long term stay in France and now we don't worry about it at all. It's just you hear so many tales, myths and legends about Spain; most of which we take with at least a pince of salt. We both have the nouse to take a bit of care about where we bed down and keep our wits about us regardless of where we are. Can't rely on the dog; after dark she clocks off duty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I think most points have been covered in the above but the following points from our own experience may also help. I purchased a Spanish bottle and regulator on Ebay in the UK and travel with it empty both ways. I have two BBQ points one on each side of the van, one "gas in" via the regulator the other out to my awning and any appliances we use. We have never had a problem emptying all our waste on the Aires. We travel with a full fresh water tank and last time refilled at the Hendaye Plage Aire opposit the rail station prior to crossing into Spain. Gas, well we are a bit soft and use the heating as required, that means she puts it on every time we stop. We went down and back in January/February on less than one 6Kg refillable bottle and as we use a Spanish bottle on site gas was never a problem. Once you have done it you will wonder what all the fuss was about. This year we are going down second week of Jan (chunnel booked already) our paths may cross. One final thought I understand that purchasing a new bottle in Spain is difficult, lots of paperwork, but the secret is go to a car-boot sale, so I'm told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Is the bottled lpg the same in Spain as in France? A friend of ours bought a bottle and fixings in France last autumn I'm sure he would lend it but if Spanish is different there's not much point because we'll be ok with the gaslow in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Dont think so..thats why we have refillable LPG systems! stick to bottled water in france and Spain for drinking, large 5/10 litre containers cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Madmaggott - 2014-08-25 7:29 PM Is the bottled lpg the same in Spain as in France? A friend of ours bought a bottle and fixings in France last autumn I'm sure he would lend it but if Spanish is different there's not much point because we'll be ok with the gaslow in France. Sorry, not sure if it's the same in France, I think the bottle may be the same but I'm sure someone will be along with the answer soon enough. Forgot to mention we were turned away from the gas at a service station North of the Spanish border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I have Gaslow cylinders and the adapters are different in France and Spain. Edit I have assumed refillable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Sorry, not sure if it's the same in France, I think the bottle may be the same but I'm sure someone will be along with the answer soon enough.Forgot to mention we were turned away from the gas at a service station North of the Spanish border. Where's your filler Terry? Ours is on the outside of the van as we previously had problems with the filler in the locker, not turned away but in narrow isles between pumps our locker door, hinged from the top wouldn't open, so since then we have had an external one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Our filler is on the outside next to the door. We connected up ok with our nice new adapter but the attendant wouldn't turn the pump on and came out to send us on our way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Madmaggott - 2014-08-25 7:29 PM Is the bottled lpg the same in Spain as in France? A friend of ours bought a bottle and fixings in France last autumn I'm sure he would lend it but if Spanish is different there's not much point because we'll be ok with the gaslow in France. No. The only countries of which I am aware where cylinders of the same make are sold are Spain and Portugal. I don't know if they can be swapped across the border, but I'm sure someone will be able to confirm. France has its own suppliers, as has Spain, and cylinders cannot be "bought" in one country and exchanged in the other. Only Camping Gaz caters for this: small, expensive, butane cylinders, so not a practical option. However, apart from acquiring a collection of cylinders, the only thing that is needed to connect the various types and makes of cylinder is a different "pigtail" connector to suit the cylinder connection type. If your gas locker will take two 13kg cylinders, and you will keep moving across France on the way down, why not take one full UK cylinder and add a Spanish one after you arrive? I also understand that, as said above, it is difficult for a non-resident to get a new contract, but that you should be able to pick up an empty cylinder at the proverbial boot sale/flea market and that can then readily be swapped for a full one. You may also find you can get an empty from someone on site who no longer requires it, or may be able to get Spanish cylinders on some sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomag Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Hi Brian both Spain AND Portugal sell Repsol gas but they are different bottles so they cannot be swapped across borders and also different regulaters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 But OP already has a refillable LPG system,why would they need to worry about bottles ....they will be fine if they ID stations in the areas they intend to visit. LPG available everywhere. I think OP has been unlucky as it's pretty unusual to be refused filling with an external filler. Have had refillable for seven years without any filling issues.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Interesting stuff. I'd never heard of anyone being refused lpg on an external filler before! I think then that we will just wait until we get into Spain and just see how we get on with finding gas stations with lpg to refill. Thanks everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Sorry I though you had been refused previously....it is rare and not worth worrying about. We go to Benidorm and when wife flys over and I pick her up at airport, there is a garage with LPG nearbye. There is now a new station just outside Benidorm. Maps and downloads available on line.... If you know where your going pretty easy to plan ahead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonMac46 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Just an FYI. Ireland uses the same bottles as Spain for butane, and you can get propane in them too if you ask the dealer in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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