Gaslow bottles

[Derek Uzzell]

There’s a long Gaslow FAQ webpage

 

https://www.gaslowdirect.com/gaslow-technical-area/

 

that includes a “Where can I fill a Direct Fill cylinder?” entry with a UK map.

 

This advice may also be useful when filling in the UK

 

https://www.gaslowdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Filling-Gaslow-Cylinders-with-LPG-GasDoc004.pdf

 

and this (old) Gaslow leaflet may be handy for anyone considering DIYing an installation.

 

http://www.dicklanemotorhomes.co.uk/pdfs/gaslow-filling-instructions.pdf

 

Regarding a Gaslow bottle’s LPG filler inlet joint, this 2017 forum thread may be of interest

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Tightening-gas-filler-hoses/46554/#M525948

 

It’s to be hoped that Gaslow filler hoses and their Direct Fill adaptor are manufactured so that they satisfactorily seal to a Gaslow bottle’s LPG filler inlet without tape or sealant being needed at the joint (though obviously tape/sealant could be used if so wished).

 

The Gaslow Direct Fill adaptor is ’straight through’ with no integrated non-return-valve (NRV) and, even if there were a tiny leak at the adaptor-to-filler-inlet joint when filling the bottle, that should not much matter. But when a remote filling-point is fitted the filling-point has a NRV and, when filling has been completed, the hose will be full of liquid LPG. Now, if the hose-to-filler-inlet joint leaks, a significant amount of gas will leak into the gas locker - which ain’t so good!

[Accipiter Nisus]

Thank's for the links Derek, it's very useful to have the information. Over all I'm pleased with system so far and I just have to hope LPG will be reasonably easy to obtain into the future. There are rumblings about its decline.

 

I did have one frightening moment on my first ever fill up which was not self service. The pump stopped almost imediately and the attendant went off to seek advice. The second man reconnected and it filled without trouble. Whether it was the connection at fault or the bottle I shall only find out as I go on. I'll keep my Flogas bottles as backup, but I think now might be a good time to put my Calor bottles on Gumtree!

[Derek Uzzell]

Calor will pay £7.50 for each ‘no paperwork’ Calor gas bottle that is returned to a Calor Centre.

 

https://www.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/advice/returns#gas-bottle-returns

 

There’s list of Calor Centres here

 

https://www.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/calor-centres

 

but note the COVID-19 caveat.

 

(Obviously you know that - however you’ve acquired your Calor bottles - they are not yours to dispose of outside the Calor network.)

[AP11JEM]

If you are going to fit a refillable then you should really fit an outside fixed filling point, it needed be very expensive, I have done it myself now on two motorhomes. It will avoid any possible problems both here and in Europe, too many people (usually travellers) have been attempting to fill ordinary cylinders and some filling stations wont allow any "loose bottle" to be filled. You don't want to feel furtive every time you want gas or try and hide the fact that you are opening the locker door. Rather than drill a large hole in the locker door or worse, the sidewall of your moho, I simply fitted one of the steel brackets you can buy cheaply under the locker and it was a fairly simple matter to route the filling hose in through the floor of the locker. It is IMO within the scope of any competent diyer but obviously when dealing with gas you do need to make sure you do a careful job. I thoroughly recommend going down the refillable route as the gas is often well less than half that of Calor (about 58p per litre at Morrisons), 2 litres of Autogas (propane) weighs about 1 kg so a 6kg(12litre) bottle will cost about £7 to fill. One word of warning Autogas filling stations are few and far between so you need to either fit two large cylinders or be prepared to have one refillable and one exchange to hedge your bets.

[AP11JEM]

Hopefully the more vans that convert to refillable the more likely that Autogas will continue to be available and even make a bit of a comeback. It is encouraging that many van conversions are now being fitted from new with fixed underslung tank systems. Morrisons are to be congratulated for committing to continue with autogas perhaps because they know that increasing numbers of motorhome owners will not only use their forecourts but will no doubt use the "pitstop" to shop in the adjacent Morrisons Supermarket.

[Accipiter Nisus]

Thanks AP11GEM but at present I'm happy with my current arrangement. I can always fit an outside filler later if necessary. With regards to motorhomes extending the life of Autogas by converting to refillables, dream on. I doubt many motorhomes would use more than 150 litres of gas in a year, but a car running on LPG at 30mpg over 20,000 miles would get through nearly 3,000 litres of the stuff!