parkmoy Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I'm thinking of replacing my gas bottles with 2 refillable ones. I know Gaslow and MTH Gas systems supply them and they can arrange for fitting but is there anyone else and does anyone have any comments as to service, value for money, safety etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 We had 2 MTH bottles fitted last autumn. They were the new alu lightweight versions. They are very light indeed. The job was done in less than 2 hours. Professional instalation. Competitve price. £100 less than Gaslow quoted me.If you are confident with DIY. It is much cheaper again to buy all the bits seperately from Gaslow agents and fit them yourself. I don't do any plumbing or gas or even DIY if i can help it DIY Dont Involve Yourself Chief Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hi, I fitted two cylinders from gas-low last year, great system easy to fit with few tools needed. look up gas low on this site and you will find lots of information on this system and some details of DIY fitting. terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hi parkmoy, As you will no doubt have read on previous occasions, I am a Gaslow enthusiast! If you can change your own Calor cylinder (does anyone get someone else to do it??) then you can install a Gaslow system particularly if yours is a modern van with the later reg with pigtails. However to make the installation cost effective and reduce the payback time, if that is a consideration, rather than installing two cylinders I would only install one and use one of your existing Calors for back up. Also I would use a manual change over valve as this prompts you to refill the Gaslow. In practise the Calor will be used rarely and you will know from experience when the Gaslow is sufficiently low to warrant a fill up but still having the Calor for emergency use. I have twin cylinders but only have one fitted at present (11kg size) as I thought that I would get my moneys worth out of my full 6kg Calors, five of them, before outing them however I am still on the first Calor for the reasons previously stated and the second cylinder (a 6kg size) is awaiting install after three years. The cost of our system, including the unused second cylinder, has been recouped already and we are now in profit. With regard to safety, providing you check all your joints for soundness as you would when installing a replacement Calor cylinder on your system then there is no safety issue fitting them. In use they are, according to the Gaslow sales literature, the only EU approved cylinders and have the required safety controls fitted. If I had any complaint it is the fact that they don't have any accurate means of measuring what LPG remains in them, which some others have to a greater or lesser degree, but be aware the Gaslow level guage is no such thing and is only good for testing for leaks down stream, not a bad use anyway! I found Gaslow very helpful and would recommend them. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 parkmoy - 2008-03-03 3:12 PM I'm thinking of replacing my gas bottles with 2 refillable ones. I know Gaslow and MTH Gas systems supply them and they can arrange for fitting but is there anyone else and does anyone have any comments as to service, value for money, safety etc.? I have two Gaslow bottles which were fitted last year togther with automatic change over, cannot remember cost but was not expensive. Great system when one runs out the changeover switch indicates this and switches to new bottle. You just have to remember to look on occasion, it becomes automatic every time you open locker to turn bottles on, the system works exactly the same as the one you would use at home if you had lpg central heating. Why anyone bothers with gas cylinders you have to lug around and get new ones for europe beats me. It is also easy to change to a new van, I am collecting new one next month and supplier is going to fit my system to this f.o.c. just needs a new exterior filler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norma Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 We have had a single cylinder from Autogas 2000 (Thirsk, N Yorkshire) for a number of years. It wasn't 'cheap' but the convienence far outways the cost. We estimated something like 200 fillings to cover the outlay (when gas was somewhat cheaper!) but so, so convienent. We manage perfectly happily with one cylinder and don't even carry the small back up as we did at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkmoy Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thanks for all the advice folks. It seems that gaslow is the most popular system or perhaps mth system owners are more shy!( except for Chief of course). I've spoken to Gaslow and they now fit the filler onto a bracket inside the gas locker so it's even easier to transfer the system to another van and of course it avoids a hole in the side of your van. Since it is in effect a one off purchase, no matter how many vans you buy, I think I'll go for the 2 bottles and auto changeover set up. I'll probably chicken out of fitting it myself though = I don't want any sleepless nights waiting for the bang :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Just do be aware of the perils of an auto change over system. If you use a lot of gas, when very cold for instance, you run the risk of running out if you do forget to check and top up the bottles regularly. On the other hand if you do check and refill you don't run the risk of a bottle running out at 2.00 am on a frosty night and you will always be able to get an early morning cuppa tea without a trip outside in your PJs to change the bottles over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 To avoid running out of gas, you can just top them up anytime you are passing a LPG filling station, or say every month on pay day! You can guess roughly the amount of gas you are using depending on the weather, on or off hook up and the amount of cooking done in your van and top up accordingly. I think they are fantastic and have just had mine removed from my existing van ready to swap on to the new one when it comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 The convenience and saving in weight of a system like Gaslow appeal to me. However, an installer recently quoted more than £370 for an installation of a single 11kg Gaslow cylinder in a new van. This seems very expensive to me and much more than the people at the Gaslow stand at Birmingham had indicated. The salesman was surprised when I said I wanted just a single cylinder but I can't see the pointing of buying two if it is easy to top them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 parkmoy - 2008-03-04 1:52 PM Thanks for all the advice folks. It seems that gaslow is the most popular system or perhaps mth system owners are more shy!( except for Chief of course). I've spoken to Gaslow and they now fit the filler onto a bracket inside the gas locker so it's even easier to transfer the system to another van and of course it avoids a hole in the side of your van. Since it is in effect a one off purchase, no matter how many vans you buy, I think I'll go for the 2 bottles and auto changeover set up. I'll probably chicken out of fitting it myself though = I don't want any sleepless nights waiting for the bang :D Would think twice about having filller inside locker. Two reasons, one you fill with bottles closed so if filler on outside you do not have to mess around opening the locker, two although I personally have never experienced it have read in various places of people being stopped from filling bottles, if on outside no one takes any notice. When you change vans just leave filler in place and buy another for new van, this is what I have just done. My filler is actually in the locker door so simple to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 I know everyone raves about the gaslow refillables, but consider the alternative. I had a 55lt LPG tank fitted to the chassis, complete with standard autogas filler, manual/auto shutoff switch in cab, all for £300.00 Not only does it mean I can fill up virtually anywhere, it also gave me the locker where the original bottles were kept for other uses. The tank is out of sight and is plumbed in to the original gas line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 I'm with Donna on this one. Have a look at http://www.motts.dsl.pipex.com/GASKIT.htm to see it. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkmoy Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 I know everyone raves about the gaslow refillables, but consider the alternative. I had a 55lt LPG tank fitted to the chassis, complete with standard autogas filler, manual/auto shutoff switch in cab, all for £300.00 Not only does it mean I can fill up virtually anywhere, it also gave me the locker where the original bottles were kept for other uses. The tank is out of sight and is plumbed in to the original gas line. I can see the advantages and if I had a new MH I would consider it, but to me the ability to transfer the system easily between vehicles gives my vote to the bottle system. That way it's a one off expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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