# Where has all the Calor Gas gone?



## Guff666 (Sep 21, 2020)

No 6kg bottles to be had in SW England or South Wales. Managed to get a 3.9kg in Ilfracombe but that’s all.


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## trevskoda (Sep 21, 2020)

Thought this was going to be a sing along.


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## Val54 (Sep 21, 2020)

They’ve been hit by a perfect storm, Covid has reduced production, the earlier hot weather and growth in caravan and motor home sales led to a 45% increase in demand, bbq’s etc. This forced them to stop selling to new customers and they  are still struggling to meet demand from existing customers in some areas.


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## GeoffL (Sep 21, 2020)

Depending on what you mean by SW England. My two usual suppliers in SE Cornwall have stocks of Calorlite and standard 6kg propane, but I guess that's too far south for you?


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 21, 2020)

We have a local plant nursery/log supplier/garden centre type place couple miles up the road that supplies calor.
Got our second bottle from them about 2 months back.

I'll check in with them when I get a chance and see what's happening.

This is in North Durham, btw.


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## r4dent (Sep 21, 2020)

It is more widespread than just the South.  I went to two suppliers on a Yorkshire road trip both sold out.  
On return to the correct side of the Pennines I phoned a local tool hire centre.  They had one left, I was there in under 5 minutes to collect.


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## Sharon the Cat (Sep 21, 2020)

We were in a marina in Emsworth a couple of weeks ago & got their last 6kg. Pity 'cos it was cheap!


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## AvalonAdventurers (Sep 21, 2020)

Same on Galloway coast in Scotland. 
Three suppliers with none and eventually managed to get last 13kg,with no sixes available. 
All suppliers I rang did not expect any in the near future.


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## Guff666 (Sep 21, 2020)

Since posting, we’ve moved on to Mid Wales and the situation is unchanged. Stopped at 3 Calor stockists on way and all were sold out. highbridge caravans even had a custom sign up outside.

two places in Newport and Raglan had none, but the latter did have 1 3.9 so we took it.


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## Guff666 (Sep 21, 2020)

GeoffL said:


> Depending on what you mean by SW England. My two usual suppliers in SE Cornwall have stocks of Calorlite and standard 6kg propane, but I guess that's too far south for you?


Buy them then: if they really do have stock.


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## GeoffL (Sep 21, 2020)

Guff666 said:


> Buy them then: if they really do have stock.


Why would I do that? I have two 6kg 'lite' cylinders. One that I only bought two weeks ago from one of those suppliers and a full one in reserve. I checked whether they had stock in case the info might be of use to members in the region. I phoned one and the other lists both types of 6kg propane cylinders in stock on their website. HE Goldworthy of Liskeard delivers to SE Cornwall only, but South West Fuels of Trerulefoot, Saltash claims to serve the whole of South West England and so might be of use to you.


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 21, 2020)

I suspect a lot more items will become scarce in the coming months.

Just tried sourcing and buying a long handled bulb planter, always wanted one so though I'd go for it.
Hardly any around, out of stock on Amazon, apart from the really expensive 100 quid jobbies(!)
Thought I'd found a decent one on eBay today at a reasonable price - still more expensive than a few months ago - but got a message back and refund almost straight away to say they are out of stock and not sure when or if new supplies will arrive.

So many things have been affected by this virus and are in very short supply or have already vanished.

Trouble is, I can't think what else any of us might need that is useful and could soon disappear, possibly for good?

Maybe it's worth starting a thread with a list of interesting possibilities so those who need to can do a bit of 'prep' just in case?
(for 'prep' read 'stash').

Sounds like those 6kg gas cylinders may already be on the list.


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## witzend (Sep 21, 2020)

May be a bit more to this our local supplier has had a run on all bottled gas with people bringing back part full ones to exchange for a full one could be like the run on toilet rolls earlier this year. He's now selling the part full ones to people who he says are desperate for gas


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 21, 2020)

witzend said:


> May be a bit more to this our local supplier has had a run on all bottled gas with people bringing back part full ones to exchange for a full one could be like the run on toilet rolls earlier this year. He's now selling the part full ones to people who he says are desperate for gas



Interesting...


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## Fazerloz (Sep 21, 2020)

How to cause panic buying. Post on tintereweb there is a shortage.


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## mistericeman (Sep 21, 2020)

Keep your calor..... 

I filled up our refillables less than 1/4 of a mile away from home.... 

6 and a bit kilos for £7..... 

Calor can go.......


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 21, 2020)

Fazerloz said:


> How to cause panic buying. Post on tintereweb there is a shortage.



Well, I certainly don't expect the whole world to be panic buying long handled bulb planters, Faz!    

Joking aside, the potential shortages could be more serious in the longer term.
Supply chains already interrupted, businesses going bust, nothing replacing the products that are not being manufactured... ?


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## Fazerloz (Sep 21, 2020)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Well, I certainly don't expect the whole world to be panic buying long handled bulb planters, Faz!
> 
> Joking aside, the potential shortages could be more serious in the longer term.
> Supply chains already interrupted, businesses going bust, nothing replacing the products that are not being manufactured... ?


You missed the long handled bulb planter boat. They all sold out to the aged gardeners at the start of lock down. A new supply boat should be arriving soon from China with long handled planters and maybe other surprises.


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## st3v3 (Sep 21, 2020)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Well, I certainly don't expect the whole world to be panic buying long handled bulb planters, Faz!



The long handled whatsit reserves were tiny because a tad of demand and a smidge of supply, and then many short bending people were stuck at home bored.

Why is a shortage a surprise? Lol


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## witzend (Sep 21, 2020)

mariesnowgoose said:


> I suspect a lot more items will become scarce in the coming months. Maybe it's worth starting a thread with a list of interesting possibilities so those who need to can do a bit of 'prep' just in case?  Sounds like those 6kg gas cylinders may already be on the list.


Put deep freezer on the list took us 6 weeks to get a reasonable priced one ours wasn't big enough so though we'd get a bigger one none available when we where notified of stock we missed them twice only got this one when text came during night they had 5 by 8 am they again had none


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## Markd (Sep 21, 2020)

Just wait till January if you want to see shortages 
Start stocking up now while you can - fill that new freezer


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## Wully (Sep 22, 2020)

If you want to create a supply and demand problem. You hold back your Product wait until there’s demand and inflate the price. Sorry but I think we are going to see a lot of this. Companies capitalising on what’s happening to recover there loses due to the lockdowns.I’ve found my materials creeping up every week especially timber and plastic goods Probably 30% since January. Somebody’s getting rich !


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

Our trip down to Derbyshire first week in August... friend we saw, son had been in middle of doing up a house a couple months before, needed plaster.
None to be had anywhere nearby, shelves bare at every DIY and builder's merchants.

Nearest to be had was a builders merchants down in Somerset.
Told him they had 300 bags in stock.

He drove down the next morning - yes, Derbyshire to Somerset for plaster! - and got what he needed to finish his job - lucky, because by the time he got there they only had 30 bags left.

Also the price. Through the roof. At beginning of lockdown the paster bags were around £7 a pop I heard? They were up to £40 as soon as there was a shortage.

The pullout catalogue jobbies selling big toe mufflers, plastic gizmos etc. for folks to clutter the house with?
Well I flicked through a plant catalogue from the weekend and the prices are eyewatering! Fair made me bum squeak... 

I just don't believe the hike in prices for certain things is justified, imho.

You're right, @Wully. I know times are tough, but sometimes this appears to be out-and-out profiteering and proper big time.


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## harrow (Sep 22, 2020)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Our trip down to Derbyshire first week in August... friend we saw, son had been in middle of doing up a house a couple months before, needed plaster.
> None to be had anywhere nearby, shelves bare at every DIY and builder's merchants.
> 
> Nearest to be had was a builders merchants down on Somerset.
> ...



I have noticed it with supermarket shopping the cheaper items have disappeared.

The same thing with supermarket online shopping, look at the website you can find the things, go to order the items and only the more expensive versions are available.


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

harrow said:


> I have noticed it with supermarket shopping the cheaper items have disappeared.
> 
> The same thing with supermarket online shopping, look at the website you can find the things, *go to order the items and only the more expensive versions are available*.



Ian, I have a feeling that started happening early on, not too long after full lockdown?

I noticed it while I was having regular and repeated attempts to register every week on the various big supermarket sites for home delivery over a 3 month period as a 'specially vulnerable' category customer - but I mustn't go there! Never did manage to get picked up by their so-called 'systems' ... 

Think I said right at the beginning when full lockdown came in, I'd be happy to get through the pandemic alive and in one piece with enough food to eat and the roof over our heads.

There's plenty more that won't be so lucky, unfortunately


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## Markd (Sep 22, 2020)

Just getting us warmed up for January I guess?


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

Markd said:


> Just getting us warmed up for January I guess?



Yup, I reckon


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## Guff666 (Sep 22, 2020)

mistericeman said:


> Keep your calor.....
> 
> I filled up our refillables less than 1/4 of a mile away from home....
> 
> ...


If it hadn’t been for the shutdown we wouldn’t be using Calor at all. We had planned to have an underslung tank by now.


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## Markd (Sep 22, 2020)

I'd have thought they'd be operating again by now or is the wait time enormous?


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

Markd said:


> I'd have thought they'd be operating again by now or is the wait time enormous?



I'm having to wait weeks for a handbrake cable to be shortened by 20cm, so my guess is the current wait/lead time for lots of these jobs is big.

Our local garage can hardly move they currently have so much demand for vehicle maintenance.
Owner says he's never known anything like it in all the years it's been going, and that's just a run-of-the-mill garage, not motorhome specialists!


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## GeoffL (Sep 22, 2020)

I wonder whether this is something to do with the reduction in demand for other petroleum fuels. Until recently, the roads carried very little traffic other than delivery vehicles and the demand for petrol, diesel, etc. plummeted. I suspect that propane and butane are almost by-products of crude oil cracking and reduced production of road fuels means reduced production of those gasses -- the majority of which is probably required for industry and home heating, leaving little for refilling cylinders. This is a bit like the reduced production of beer meaning less yeast from which to make Marmite (which I haven't been able to buy for months!)


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

GeoffL said:


> I wonder whether this is something to do with the reduction in demand for other petroleum fuels. Until recently, the roads carried very little traffic other than delivery vehicles and the demand for petrol, diesel, etc. plummeted. I suspect that propane and butane are almost by-products of crude oil cracking and reduced production of road fuels means reduced production of those gasses -- the majority of which is probably required for industry and home heating, leaving little for refilling cylinders. This is a bit like the reduced production of beer meaning less yeast from which to make Marmite (which I haven't been able to buy for months!)



That sounds like a very plausible explanation


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## Markd (Sep 22, 2020)

I agree that there probably was a build up of repair work during lockdown as businesses furloughed staff now they are reaping the benefits - hopefully they will be able to carry on now they've worked out social distancing.


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## ricc (Sep 22, 2020)

ive got some full blue 15 kilo calor butane cylinders going spare in central somerset.


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## antiquesam (Sep 22, 2020)

I was very brave this morning and went shopping in TWO supermarkets because the range of products seem to have gone down. Where as I could normally find everything in Lidl's I had to go to Morrisons to buy the wife's Marigolds and my pies. I had to go myself because something bit her on the nose yesterday and she won't be seen out with a large, red, throbbing hooter.


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

antiquesam said:


> I was very brave this morning and went shopping in TWO supermarkets because the range of products seem to have gone down. Where as I could normally find everything in Lidl's I had to go to Morrisons to buy the wife's Marigolds and my pies. *I had to go myself because something bit her on the nose yesterday and she won't be seen out with a large, red, throbbing hooter*.



You need to get steaks that aren't so tough. Did you manage to retrieve your false teeth?


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## witzend (Sep 22, 2020)

Sainsburys getting ready for the lockdown









						Supermarket responds amid fears shoppers will 'panic buy' again
					

They addressed their customers concerns on Twitter




					www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk


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## TeamRienza (Sep 22, 2020)

A percentage of LPG now seems to be from renewable sources. These links are interesting.









						Reduce your carbon footprint with 100% renewable energy
					

BioLPG is a 100% renewable energy source from Calor Gas. Make your world greener.




					www.calorgas.ie
				












						It's time to put your carbon footprint down Futuria Liquid Gas, renewable energy without compromise
					

Our BioLPG is a sustainable heating solution made from a blend of waste, residues & sustainably sourced materials, to help reduce carbon emissions.




					www.calor.co.uk
				




Davy


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## wildebus (Sep 22, 2020)

Ref Calor Gas ... if you want to swap empty for full, does it usually have to be like-for-like? or can they be different sizes?
I have a 13Kg empty bottle but I would like a 6kg (7.5kg?) bottle in its place.


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## mistericeman (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> Ref Calor Gas ... if you want to swap empty for full, does it usually have to be like-for-like? or can they be different sizes?
> I have a 13Kg empty bottle but I would like a 6kg (7.5kg?) bottle in its place.



Never had a problem doing that.... 
They can be sniffy IF you wanted one of the lite bottles as I think they are in short supply generally.


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## harrow (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> Ref Calor Gas ... if you want to swap empty for full, does it usually have to be like-for-like? or can they be different sizes?
> I have a 13Kg empty bottle but I would like a 6kg (7.5kg?) bottle in its place.



They do have groups of bottles the will swap between, there are 5 gas bottle groups.









						Return your gas bottle
					

Do you have an empty or unwanted Calor gas bottle? Get a minimum of £7.50 cashback for each Calor gas bottle returned to one of our 50 Calor Centres. Read more here.




					www.calor.co.uk


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## witzend (Sep 22, 2020)

Markd said:


> Just wait till January if you want to see shortages
> Start stocking up now while you can - fill that new freezer


Friends son is a manager for Tesco he says they are in trouble with stock now run started on toilet rolls already


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## wildebus (Sep 22, 2020)

harrow said:


> They do have groups of bottles the will swap between, there are 5 gas bottle groups.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Bit confused ... are those Refill prices?  or the bottle price and then you pay a gas charge on top?  or just a "new" Full Bottle with no exchange? (seem odd that a 3.9Kg Bottle and a 13Kg bottle are the same price?)


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## mistericeman (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> Bit confused ... are those Refill prices?  or the bottle price and then you pay a gas charge on top?  (seem odd that a 3.9Kg Bottle and a 13Kg bottle are the same price?)



Think its the 'bounty' on unwanted bottles.... 

The deposit you pay when you take out a rental agreement is subject to all sorts of paperwork if you want it returned.... 

However every now and again calor try to get unused/found bottles back by offering a paltry amount.


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## wildebus (Sep 22, 2020)

all very confusing.  £39 for 7.5kg (so 15L?) of gas is £2.60/Litre.  That's around 5 x the cost to refill the same size bottle?
I was going to keep one smaller calor gas bottle as a backup, but in two minds on that one now!


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## mistericeman (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> all very confusing.  £39 for 7.5kg (so 15L?) of gas is £2.60/Litre.  That's around 5 x the cost to refill the same size bottle?
> I was going to keep one smaller calor gas bottle as a backup, but in two minds on that one now!



It's pretty much legalised robbery..... As does the deposit charged IMHO... 

Never been so happy to rid the 2 calor 6kgs and swap for gas safe ones. 






I've also added 2 x Mopeka Bluetooth bottle monitors.


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## wildebus (Sep 22, 2020)

now my 13Kg is empty, I am half & half ...


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## Val54 (Sep 22, 2020)

£39 is the hire charge for a new bottle in the Calor small bottle range, a 6kg propane refill is around £25 ...


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## harrow (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> Bit confused ... are those Refill prices?  or the bottle price and then you pay a gas charge on top?  or just a "new" Full Bottle with no exchange? (seem odd that a 3.9Kg Bottle and a 13Kg bottle are the same price?)



That's the deposit if you don't have an exchange bottle


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## wildebus (Sep 22, 2020)

Val54 said:


> £39 is the hire charge for a new bottle in the Calor small bottle range, a 6kg propane refill is around £25 ...


so £39 does include a new FULL bottle? or is it £39 for the bottle and then £25 on top for a fill?

And I can get £7.50 back for just returning a 13Kg bottle as I have no hire agreement?

And if I return the new 6kg bottle that I paid £39 for within a year I will get 70% of that cost back?

(Sorry for seeming so thick.  I have only used Calor Gas once before for a portable room heater back in 1984 and no recollection if I ever changed the bottle)


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## trevskoda (Sep 22, 2020)

GeoffL said:


> I wonder whether this is something to do with the reduction in demand for other petroleum fuels. Until recently, the roads carried very little traffic other than delivery vehicles and the demand for petrol, diesel, etc. plummeted. I suspect that propane and butane are almost by-products of crude oil cracking and reduced production of road fuels means reduced production of those gasses -- the majority of which is probably required for industry and home heating, leaving little for refilling cylinders. This is a bit like the reduced production of beer meaning less yeast from which to make Marmite (which I haven't been able to buy for months!)


Thank heavens.


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## trevskoda (Sep 22, 2020)

antiquesam said:


> I was very brave this morning and went shopping in TWO supermarkets because the range of products seem to have gone down. Where as I could normally find everything in Lidl's I had to go to Morrisons to buy the wife's Marigolds and my pies. I had to go myself because something bit her on the nose yesterday and she won't be seen out with a large, red, throbbing hooter.


Dont tell us its got teeth,the spider you naughty thinking lot.


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## Robmac (Sep 22, 2020)

What no Marmite!

Thank heavens I have half a dozen large jars in the cupboard at the moment.


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## harrow (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> so £39 does include a new FULL bottle? or is it £39 for the bottle and then £25 on top for a fill?
> 
> And I can get £7.50 back for just returning a 13Kg bottle as I have no hire agreement?
> 
> ...







__





						Buy Gas Bottles | Patio Heaters & BBQ LPG Gas Bottles | Calor Shop
					

Browse Calor Gas online shop, offering a variety of propane and butane gas bottles for patio gas heaters, BBQs and more, directly delivered to your door.




					shop.calor.co.uk
				




It was just the deposit, some will swap any bottle but that's their rules





__





						Buy Gas Bottles | Patio Heaters & BBQ LPG Gas Bottles | Calor Shop
					

Browse Calor Gas online shop, offering a variety of propane and butane gas bottles for patio gas heaters, BBQs and more, directly delivered to your door.




					shop.calor.co.uk


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## trevskoda (Sep 22, 2020)

Robmac said:


> What no Marmite!
> 
> Thank heavens I have half a dozen large jars in the cupboard at the moment.


Dont hide them very few will want to rob you of them.


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## Robmac (Sep 22, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Dont hide them very few will want to rob you of them.



Many would Trev, you either love it or hate it.

Wonder which camp you're in?


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## mariesnowgoose (Sep 22, 2020)

wildebus said:


> now my 13Kg is empty, I am half & half ...
> View attachment 86792



I was wanting the exact same set up as in your pic when we got the new van beginning of this year!

Wish I had done now. Went for two calor gas instead.


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## harrow (Sep 22, 2020)

mariesnowgoose said:


> I was wanting the exact same set up as in your pic when we got the new van beginning of this year!
> 
> Wish I had done now. Went for two calor gas instead.



Two propane 47kg bottles will keep you going till after lockdown, just don't do any emergency stops


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## Markd (Sep 22, 2020)

mistericeman said:


> However every now and again calor try to get unused/found bottles back by offering a paltry amount


@wildebus 
You can always get £7.50 per bottle at Calor Centres without showing rental agreement.
When I realised that a couple of bottles I've had for decades from defunct companies had been taken over by Calor I took them in and got the money. No probs - but you do need to be passing for such small beer.


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## wildebus (Sep 22, 2020)

Markd said:


> @wildebus
> You can always get £7.50 per bottle at Calor Centres without showing rental agreement.
> When I realised that a couple of bottles I've had for decades from defunct companies had been taken over by Calor I took them in and got the money. No probs - but you do need to be passing for such small beer.


I've seen lots of listing on eBay for calor bottles with around £15 or £20 asked. Guess it makes sense to buy one of those to save the £40 rental cost if you have no bottleand want gas from what I have gleaned in this thread? maybe that is a better way to get a bit of extra money for them?
Going to nip into a couple of places tomorrow and see if I can get a swap to the smaller one using the big bottle (worth a shot  )


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## witzend (Sep 22, 2020)

witzend said:


> Friends son is a manager for Tesco he says they are in trouble with stock now run started on toilet rolls already


Now ASDA get yours now while you can https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hull-asda-panic-buying-toilet-4539399


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## Markd (Sep 23, 2020)

If they've got a small one then they may well swap it just depends on the outlet.
I suppose if the world stopped and Calor did a stock reconciliation with them they might have the wrong mix of bottles but is that likely?


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## wildebus (Sep 23, 2020)

Markd said:


> If they've got a small one then they may well swap it just depends on the outlet.
> I suppose if the world stopped and Calor did a stock reconciliation with them they might have the wrong mix of bottles but is that likely?


Just back from one of the local Calor Stockists.  They said the swaps are within the same groups (as per the Calor website info), then looked at the prices and said "well, same rental price so can't see why not" and gave (well, sold me) the 6Kg refill and took the 13Kg back.  Job Done.
I also went to a local flo-gas stockist and got a 6kg Bottle while I was out.  Happened to be £2 cheaper (£23 vs £25) and that chap didn't mind I didn't have a bottle to swap over - just asked me to bring it back when empty.
(I think they operate with a different mindset in the Borders compared to a lot of the 'cut and thrust', distrust and negativity that infects a lot of the Country)


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## Markd (Sep 23, 2020)

As you've got a refillable bottle with a bit of luck you'll never have to go back and pay £2 per litre for your gas!
To save potential fumbling in the dark and wet if my refillable runs out I have got my standby bottle plumbed into a tee before the regulator so all I have to do is turn it on.
Still might be worth considering as a retrofit?


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## Biggarmac (Sep 23, 2020)

Anybody want an empty 6kg calor propane bottle?  Free to anyone who can pick it up from near Biggar, Lanarkshire.


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## wildebus (Sep 23, 2020)

Markd said:


> As you've got a refillable bottle with a bit of luck you'll never have to go back and pay £2 per litre for your gas!
> To save potential fumbling in the dark and wet if my refillable runs out I have got my standby bottle plumbed into a tee before the regulator so all I have to do is turn it on.
> Still might be worth considering as a retrofit?


I think I have the pipework to do that in fact, so might do  but in one way I like the idea of it being separate as I do like to avoid single points of [potential] failure
I may have a refillable bottle, but I don't have a means to refill it!  (will have this afternoon though when DPD arrives  )


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## Markd (Sep 23, 2020)

FWIW this is my layout







I have refill point outside in the aluminium 'skirt'

The Tee is a bit fancy as it has 2 Male and 1 female.


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## Guff666 (Sep 24, 2020)

We finally found a garage in Brecon that had some 6kg bottles, so I handed over the empty 3.9 and the partially full 3.9 in exchange. That should keep us going until we get home next week.


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## wildebus (Sep 24, 2020)

Markd said:


> FWIW this is my layout
> ......
> I have refill point outside in the aluminium 'skirt'
> 
> The Tee is a bit fancy as it has 2 Male and 1 female.


I was going to fit the Filler Point in the door in fact.  But after looking in more detail at the locker and surrounding parts, I may well fit to one side instead.  (not least because I would have to drill through the "LPG" sign on the door and I know that would bug me forever more (touch of the OCDs I think))


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## Markd (Sep 25, 2020)

Also saves flexing on the joint when opening door.


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## trevskoda (Sep 25, 2020)

Robmac said:


> Many would Trev, you either love it or hate it.
> 
> Wonder which camp you're in?


Im not camp sweety pie.


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## in h (Sep 25, 2020)

wildebus said:


> I also went to a local flo-gas stockist and got a 6kg Bottle while I was out.  Happened to be £2 cheaper (£23 vs £25)


Ouch! £23 for 6kg of LPG? That's almost £4 per kilo. 28p per KWh.

I last filled up at Asda, where it is £1.05 per kg, and I though it was a shame I wasn't passing Birmingham where it's available for about 80p per kg if you know where to go.


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## wildebus (Sep 25, 2020)

in h said:


> Ouch! £23 for 6kg of LPG? That's almost £4 per kilo. 28p per KWh.
> 
> I last filled up at Asda, where it is £1.05 per kg, and I though it was a shame I wasn't passing Birmingham where it's available for about 80p per kg if you know where to go.


will they fill a Flo-gas or Calor gas bottle there at that rate?  If so, great.  If not, pointless reply.


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## in h (Sep 25, 2020)

No, you can fill your own refillable bottle there. That's why you should get one. You'd not use batteries that have to be sent back to be recharged...


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## wildebus (Sep 25, 2020)

in h said:


> No, you can fill your own refillable bottle there. That's why you should get one. You'd not use batteries that have to be sent back to be recharged...


That is why is was a pointless reply for anyone to choses to for whatever reason use exchangable gas bottles rather than refillables.

Also, most people also use far more batteries that cannot be recharged  than those that can be     (usually in AA and AAA size)


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## Markd (Sep 26, 2020)

wildebus said:


> will they fill a Flo-gas or Calor gas bottle there at that rate?  If so, great.  If not, pointless reply.


No reputable station will refill or allow to be refilled an exchange bottle - however one does see-hear of people doing so at unmanned places.
A decidedly risky business that is of course illegal.


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## wildebus (Sep 26, 2020)

Markd said:


> No reputable station will refill or allow to be refilled an exchange bottle - however one does see-hear of people doing so at unmanned places.
> A decidedly risky business that is of course illegal.


I do actually realise that  it was a deliberately silly question in response to an irrelvant post


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## in h (Sep 26, 2020)

wildebus said:


> I do actually realise that  it was a deliberately silly question in response to an irrelvant post


No, it was an insulting post to a comment giving you good advice.


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## Sharon the Cat (Sep 26, 2020)

Just bought a 6kg Calor at our village shop £22.99. I exchanged a Calor lite & she ran after me worried about the price difference. I said I didn't mind.
I could only see one more in the cage. Now our gas leak is fixed should last a while!


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## GeoffL (Sep 26, 2020)

in h said:


> No, you can fill your own refillable bottle there. That's why you should get one. You'd not use batteries that have to be sent back to be recharged...


AIUI, many filling stations won't allow refilling of portable containers, legally refillable or otherwise, and it would take a long time for those who have 'legacy' Calor, Flogas etc. cylinders to recoup of the cost of a fixed refillable system. For example, I have two Calor cylinders that have an 'exchange chain' going back to 2 small butane cylinders I bought in the mid-1980s. A Gaslite system to replace that would cost of the order of £300. Now, I use two cylinders on average a year at £25 a cylinder. 6 kg of propane is roughly 12 litres, which at 64p/l costs £7.68, so the difference per cylinder is £17.32. It would thus take about eight and a half years to recover the cost of installing a fixed refillable system, which is probably longer than I'll own the van and thus I wouldn't fully recoup the cost and a refillable system would actually work out more expensive. Add the reducing number of autogas stations to that and refillables don't make sense for me. However, I accept that it's different for someone starting out from fresh and that YMMV.


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## in h (Sep 26, 2020)

GeoffL said:


> Now, I use two cylinders on average a year at £25 a cylinder. 6 kg of propane is roughly 12 litres, which at 64p/l costs £7.68, so the difference per cylinder is £17.32. It would thus take about eight and a half years to recover the cost of installing a fixed refillable system, which is probably longer than I'll own the van and thus I wouldn't fully recoup the cost and a refillable system would actually work out more expensive.


You're missing the reason you have two bottles. It's so that you have a spare when one runs out. With a refillable, you'd never run out, so you'd only need one. Half the cost, half the weight.
As long as the refillable is in a gas locker with an external fill point, you'll never have a problem refilling. Sorry to hear that LPG is so expensive where you are, though. The answer is to top up every time you pass a cheap supplier. For you, that only seems to be two or three times a year.


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## in h (Sep 26, 2020)

wildebus said:


> That is why is was a pointless reply for anyone to choses to for whatever reason use exchangable gas bottles rather than refillables.
> 
> Also, most people also use far more batteries that cannot be recharged  than those that can be     (usually in AA and AAA size)


People who use a lot of AA and AAA probably use rechargeable ones.


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## wildebus (Sep 26, 2020)

in h said:


> People who use a lot of AA and AAA probably use rechargeable ones.


If you have one Leisure Battery and use 4 AA non-rechargable Batteries in a year, you are using 400% more non-rechargable.  that is a big difference in number of batteries   and over say 5 years, one rechargable and 20 non-rechargable.... even more so


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## GeoffL (Sep 26, 2020)

in h said:


> People who use a lot of AA and AAA probably use rechargeable ones.


Unfortunately, rechargeable batteries tend to be 1.2v compared with the 1.5v of alkalines etc. and the difference makes a difference. For example, I have several LED torches that won't work on rechargeables.


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## GeoffL (Sep 26, 2020)

in h said:


> You're missing the reason you have two bottles. It's so that you have a spare when one runs out. With a refillable, you'd never run out, so you'd only need one. Half the cost, half the weight.
> As long as the refillable is in a gas locker with an external fill point, you'll never have a problem refilling. Sorry to hear that LPG is so expensive where you are, though. The answer is to top up every time you pass a cheap supplier. For you, that only seems to be two or three times a year.


I was also missing that the GasIt pricing doesn't include the filling point, hoses, level indicator, etc. All that brings the cost of a single 6kg cylinder system to £274 and so it's still going to take 8 years for me to recoup the cost and thus refillables don't make sense for me. However, as before, I accept that it might for others with different circumstances and that YMMV.

Edited to add: FWIW, I got the price of LPG from GlobalPetrolPrices.com on the 'net and have no idea what it is 'near' me. Also, AFAICT there is nowhere within 15 miles to refuel.


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## shaunr68 (Sep 26, 2020)

For some, fitting refillable isn't solely a financial consideration about recouping the purchase cost over time.  I fitted a twin Gas-It system for a friend early this year.  He's 75 and commented that the system will "see him out".  He may never break even on the system versus bottled gas but for him the biggest benefit is not having to lug heavy bottles about as he gets older.  He also commented that you can't take it with you and he doesn't really care about the expense.  At his age, if he wants it and has the money, he will have it.


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## witzend (Sep 26, 2020)

GeoffL said:


> I was also missing that the GasIt pricing doesn't include the filling point, hoses, level indicator, etc. All that brings the cost of a single 6kg cylinder system to £274 and so it's still going to take 8 years for me to recoup the cost and thus refillables don't make sense for me. However, as before, I accept that it might for others with different circumstances and that YMMV.


And if you tour  in Europe there bottled gas is much cheaper in Spain cheaper than LPG at the pump and no large deposit in France just €1 and easily obtained every where


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## wildebus (Sep 26, 2020)

GeoffL said:


> AIUI, many filling stations won't allow refilling of portable containers, legally refillable or otherwise, and it would take a long time for those who have 'legacy' Calor, Flogas etc. cylinders to recoup of the cost of a fixed refillable system. For example, I have two Calor cylinders that have an 'exchange chain' going back to 2 small butane cylinders I bought in the mid-1980s. A Gaslite system to replace that would cost of the order of £300. Now, I use two cylinders on average a year at £25 a cylinder. 6 kg of propane is roughly 12 litres, which at 64p/l costs £7.68, so the difference per cylinder is £17.32. It would thus take about eight and a half years to recover the cost of installing a fixed refillable system, which is probably longer than I'll own the van and thus I wouldn't fully recoup the cost and a refillable system would actually work out more expensive. Add the reducing number of autogas stations to that and refillables don't make sense for me. However, I accept that it's different for someone starting out from fresh and that YMMV.


It is certainly not a clear-cut choice, that is for sure.

At two cylinders a year, on the pure maths side it would likely make sense to stick to exchangables.  Also, if you were to stick to the recommendations of not using refillable cylinders past a certain date without inspection or more likely replacement, once you have broken even on your usage after around 8 years, quite soon after that you would end up with an additional cost for a new bottle and the cycle restarts to a degree.

Ability to refill seems to be an issue which cannot be ignored either, especially if you have a limited size of bottle you can carry.  I think the nearest station I can refill at is 15 miles away?  The nearest largish town to me is 5 miles away and has 2 petrol stations;  That same town has at least 5 businesses that sell Bottled Gas.  If that pattern is typical, finding replacement bottles will almost aways be easier than refilling a bottle.

I am fitting a refillable system in my van as I hope I will be using it a fair bit and it should pay for itself I would think.  But that IS also based on buying a used (in date) Gaslow bottle and a Gaslow filler kit, so the cost of changing to a refillable will be around £150.
But I am also hedging my bets by keeping an Exchange bottle as the second one as a precaution based on the previous observation.


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## mistericeman (Sep 26, 2020)

shaunr68 said:


> For some, fitting refillable isn't solely a financial consideration about recouping the purchase cost over time.  I fitted a twin Gas-It system for a friend early this year.  He's 75 and commented that the system will "see him out".  He may never break even on the system versus bottled gas but for him the biggest benefit is not having to lug heavy bottles about as he gets older.  He also commented that you can't take it with you and he doesn't really care about the expense.  At his age, if he wants it and has the money, he will have it.



Same here.... 
Cost of the gas (58p a litre at my local place) was only part of my fitting... 

Convenience of not lugging bottles about OR the pfaff of connecting/disconnecting them... 
And being able to fill at convenience rather than waiting till bottle was, empty. 
I bought second hand still in date bottles and only needed a filler hose/fill point 
All in 2 x 6kg bottles and related pipework was less than £150. 

Our gas consumption will drop considerably when I fit a eberspacher D2 and swap the 3 way fridge for a 12v compressor type... 
BUT I'll still be delighted to have the refillables on board.


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## Markd (Sep 26, 2020)

I only have one refillable (11kg) and reckon to fill it up well before it runs out - I use 'FillLPG' app to identify locations and semi plan around them.
However I do have a back up calorlite cylinder 'just in case' which I haven't used in two years.
13kg cylinders weigh 28kg full so that's quite a lot to lift in and out and I'd have to carry two.
Whilst 5he locker is big enough I use the space saved to keep a water hose and a 5m length of grey waste pipe so I can get to semi remote drains.


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## wildebus (Sep 26, 2020)

mistericeman said:


> Same here....
> Cost of the gas (58p a litre at my local place) was only part of my fitting...
> 
> Convenience of not lugging bottles about OR the pfaff of connecting/disconnecting them...
> ...


When did you last refill?  just installed an app on  my phone with locations and prices and cheapest seems to be around 68p/l? at any place within 50 miles of me.


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## mistericeman (Sep 26, 2020)

wildebus said:


> When did you last refill?  just installed an app on  my phone with locations and prices and cheapest seems to be around 68p/l? at any place within 50 miles of me.



Couple of weeks back...






But was still same price when I walked the dog past there yesterday.


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## in h (Sep 26, 2020)

How many cells in your leisure battery? More than four?


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## in h (Sep 26, 2020)

Markd said:


> I only have one refillable (11kg) and reckon to fill it up well before it runs out - I use 'FillLPG' app to identify locations and semi plan around them.


The developer of the filllpg app has removed it from Play Store, but you can still download it (or a newer version) from his web site. 
He says he has no contact with the operators of the site it uses, and he worries that the site may close down. 
I'm hoping he can be persuaded to make a version of the app that can export its downloaded data to a new server if necessary.


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## in h (Sep 26, 2020)

wildebus said:


> ... cheapest seems to be around 68p/l? at any place within 50 miles of me.


In general, Asda are the best value if the local store sells LPG. At present, it's 52.7 per litre at all Asda sites.
Morrisons are competitive on price: they just about match local competitors, putting prices up where they can.
The likes of Shell and BP seem to charge like a wounded rhino, regardless of competition.
Other suppliers vary a lot.
It's worth having the capacity to top up whenever you pass a cheap source. I do have cheap suppliers near where I live, but I use LPG mostly when I'm nowhere near home.


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## Markd (Sep 26, 2020)

Yes Asda and Morrisons are by far the cheapest but I fear that they will leave the market before too long.


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## GinaRon (Sep 26, 2020)

Another site I have heard of is myLPG.eu it is an app and Ron just tried it, it seems Ok and gives recent reviews of people using it.


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## Ctcallow (Sep 27, 2020)

Guff666 said:


> No 6kg bottles to be had in SW England or South Wales. Managed to get a 3.9kg in Ilfracombe but that’s all.


I moved to two 7.5 kg safe-fill canisters from 6 kg calor a month or so ago.  They work fine and its nice getting cheaper gas.


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## mfw (Sep 27, 2020)

You may find roofing suppliers have propane bottles for sale probably 13kg being smallest but might be worth looking at


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