# New Safe Gas Refill adapter



## wildman

Why pay £16 for a 6kg gas bottle when you can do it yourself for around £6. Gas refill adapters have been around for a few years, now you can get one with overfill protection thereby answering all the major objections voiced in the past

*<Link to Gas refill adapter on eBay>*

needless to say I have no connection with the firm at all.
Check it out and start saving money right away.


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## ianmorgan

wildman said:


> Why pay £16 for a 6kg gas bottle when you can do it yourself for around £6. Gas refill adapters have been around for a few years, now you can get one with overfill protection thereby answering all the major objections voiced in the past
> 
> *<Link to Gas refill adapter on eBay>*
> 
> needless to say I have no connection with the firm at all.
> Check it out and start saving money right away.


are they easy to use


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## wildman

I use one without to overfill protection, it is clearly marked with the 80% fill rate for an empty bottle so you cannot go wrong. I have been using one of those for years, you just have to remember what you are doing, open and close valve at the right time, common sense and comes with full instructions.If you are unsure about following simple instructions don't get one. Simple as that.


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## peppers

ianmorgan said:


> are they easy to use



very easy just use a bit of noddle


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## maureenandtom

I agree fully.   No system is safe without a bit of common  I use the Gaslow system but I'd have no qualms about using an adapter like this.    As far as I can see this adapter still doesn't cut off filling automatically but there is a gauge of some kind which must be a pressure gauge rather than a measure of volume.   So overfilling still possible but you'll know you're doing it.  I'd love to see just how it works.

The link does say, however, "WILL FILL PARTIALLY FULL BOTTLES" which I think is the main problem with the original adapter Wildman told us about.   This implies an automatic shut off or somehow calculating capacity by volume.  The original adapters would have problems filling partially full bottles to capacity in safety.  You'd want to start with an empty bottle.

I first saw adapters being used by a Belgian campervanner in France quite a few years ago.  Leo, not you?   His adapters, he used two of them, he had had made up by his Blacksmith boyfriend.   I tried not to react especially as his wife didn't seem concerned but I couldn't help questioning him a little and found out it was just a little language difficulty.  His adapters had been made by a friend who was a man and who was also a blacksmith.   I wanted such adapters for myself but, not having a boyfriend who was a blacksmith, I had to wait for Gaslow.

Tom


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## TWS

This may be a silly question, but where would one fill up a propane bottle ? I just paid just under £17.00 for a 6KG bottle up in Fort William from a local garage on Sunday.

Thanks Tom


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## tresrikay

AT YOUR PERIL, Gas at these pressures are a time bomb and your M/H is ground zero.
Without scales you will not know when you are 80% full and if you over fill......... It is also illegal to fill a bootle not classed and certified with an overfil protector so should the worst happen your insurance will be void........ Gaslow somehow does not seem that expensive when you consider the alternative.  One mans common sense is another mans misadventure.


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## mick noe

maureenandtom said:


> I agree fully.   No system is safe without a bit of common  I use the Gaslow system but I'd have no qualms about using an adapter like this.    As far as I can see this adapter still doesn't cut off filling automatically but there is a gauge of some kind which must be a pressure gauge rather than a measure of volume.   So overfilling still possible but you'll know you're doing it.  I'd love to see just how it works.
> 
> The link does say, however, "WILL FILL PARTIALLY FULL BOTTLES" which I think is the main problem with the original adapter Wildman told us about.   This implies an automatic shut off or somehow calculating capacity by volume.  The original adapters would have problems filling partially full bottles to capacity in safety.  You'd want to start with an empty bottle.
> 
> I first saw adapters being used by a Belgian campervanner in France quite a few years ago.  Leo, not you?   His adapters, he used two of them, he had had made up by his Blacksmith boyfriend.   I tried not to react especially as his wife didn't seem concerned but I couldn't help questioning him a little and found out it was just a little language difficulty.  His adapters had been made by a friend who was a man and who was also a blacksmith.   I wanted such adapters for myself but, not having a boyfriend who was a blacksmith, I had to wait for Gaslow.
> 
> Tom



sorry to be asking a stupid question..... but are we talking about filling standard gas bottles not exchanging them? If so would garages be ok with this. and what would be the consequences of overfilling


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## Deleted member 775

to me if you want to refill a gas bottle then a purpose built one as per gas low ok, but as for refilling a standard exchange one is asking for trouble. ok quite a few companies refill the red bottles on fork trucks from a large storage tank  but they have all the equipment to do so safely. also when you refill a bottle do you remember to discharge any static from the van or bottle that may have built up. gas is worse than petrol the least little mistake and night night you may save a few quid but what price safety. lots of things are for sale on ebay but it dont mean they are safe or legal


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## maureenandtom

tresrikay said:


> It is also illegal to fill a bootle not classed and certified with an overfil protector so should the worst happen your insurance will be void...




Well that solves that then.   It's illegal.  Don't use them.

However, I've searched and can't find a reference to illegality.   Source please.

Tom


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## maureenandtom

mick noe said:


> sorry to be asking a stupid question..... but are we talking about filling standard gas bottles not exchanging them? If so would garages be ok with this. and what would be the consequences of overfilling



Not a stupid question at all.   Both very sensible.  Yes, we're talking about refilling not exchanging.

Legality of filling gas bottles.   I truly don't know.   Some say that it is illegal but I've never found any source that confirms this.  Experience, however, and logic tell me that re-filling gas bottles must be legal.   For example, my van runs on LPG and I know of one other regular contributor here who also uses LPG as motor fuel.   For the most part,however. our vans are petrol or diesel fuelled and any motor caravan filling up with LPG is likely to be filling bottles.   I've never been challenged at any filling station though a fair number of attendants must have suspected that I was filling bottles.   Of course, many times I am filling a fuel tank and bottles too.   I think it must be legal and I do believe that the bottles I use are completely legal.

Consequences of Overfilling.   Could be catastrophic.   The problem as I understand it is that there must be a space in the bottle sufficient to contain any expansion of the liquid due to a rise in temperature.   A rise in temperature will make the liquid expand and possibly vent from the bottle through a safety device or even deliver liquid gas to your fridge or cooker.   Gas, as a gas, is hugely greater in volume than as a liquid and you could have a pretty spectacular fireball.   It gets worse.   An escape of gas into the van will possibly explode.   Those with knowledge have calculated that if a container is filled to only 80& of its capacity there will always be enough room in the container for expansion.   A cut off valve will be actuated by a float just like in your lavatory at home and it will be impossible to fill a bottle to more than 80%.

You have to be aware of risks and do your research into them.   Mainly your safety is otherwise taken care of by sealing off your gas locker from the van living area and venting any escaping gas to the outside.  This vent will be in the base of your locker since the gases we use are heavier than air and will sink.   

I've made it look dire because it is.   Most people will agree with me.  Where I begin to disagree with many is that I believe in the innate intelligence of people, many others do not and prefer legislation to minimise risks.   

My solution is to use tanks with an inbuilt cut off valve (the Gaslow system) and I trust these valves to work.   Most people will trust bottles like this, some will not.   There must be a failure rate but I haven't heard of a valve not working.

The problem is overfilling.   There is a potential solution to this problem.   I've never seen one but I've heard that there are modern bottles which are see-through.  You can see see the level of liquid in the bottle.   So mark a line at 80% and fill this far and no more.   Is the problem now solved?   I think it is but I'd like to hear from the doubters.

Tom


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## walkers

If you read the bottle it clearly states that it should not be filled by anyone other than the suppliers or their agents. That warning would instantly negate your insurance if you filled it yourself.  Don't think you will find many refuelling stations that would be happy to allow you to either go with a properly designed sysstem with shut off  valves fitted to prevent over filling or just buy the refills at an authorised outlet ITS YOUR SAFETY AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO OTHER ROAD USERS AND CAMPERS.


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## wildman

how many I wonder have READ THE ORIGINAL POST. the adaptor that I gave details of *has a pressure cut off valve, you cannot overfill.* I use one without and only fill empty bottles. I can work out 80% of total contents even though it is marked on the bottle adaptor. LPG (which is propane) is available in most service stations. The firms that fill their fork lift truck bottles from a larger tank use a similar adaptor. Many years ago I saw a gas bottle in use laid on its side under a motorhome, and come to think of it forklift trucks use standard propane bottles on their side, so the safety issue is not on of liquid gas getting in the line, the regulator takes care of that. It is more a case of the designed safety factor of the bottle. Those who have an absolute horror of refilling bottles obviously are incapable of reading, understanding and following simple instructions, yet they would fill an LPG car tank or a gaslow bottle, no sense in that at all. These adaptors are made to a standard, do not contain ferrous metals that could cause a spark. And are safe to use, if they were not we would have heard about it by now. I suspect the people who throw up their hands in horror, actually have shares in calor gas, gaslow, or some other financial reason to put you off. I have no connection with anyone, I am just another satisfied customer who hates living in a rip off society.


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## wildman

walkers said:


> If you read the bottle it clearly states that it should not be filled by anyone other than the suppliers or their agents. That warning would instantly negate your insurance if you filled it yourself. Don't think you will find many refuelling stations that would be happy to allow you to either go with a properly designed sysstem with shut off valves fitted to prevent over filling or just buy the refills at an authorised outlet ITS YOUR SAFETY AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO OTHER ROAD USERS AND CAMPERS.


 
Bottles used for bottled water also carry the same warning. Never head of anyone having an acident refilling a bottle EVER, so the insurance problem does not arise, many other things invalidate your insurance, like overloading, dodgy tyres, carrying too much spare fuel in cans onboard. Why not shout about those as well.* Further more these do have an overfillcutoff protection built in. *How it works I don't know but then I don't understand how a lot of things work, doesn't stop me using them.
I have had my say and will not post on this matter again. The original post was for information only for those enlightened enough to understand how to use such a thing, for those who have no need to cut costs, why bother anyway. And those who just like to argue, well so be it.


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## orian

Well said Roger. You brought this info to us and it is our own choice whether we take up the offer. I hate to see people shooting the messenger!


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## maureenandtom

Yes, I agree with Orian.   Thank you Wildman for the information.   

It's a British disease very common among jobsworth petty officials.   Always looking for a way of not doing things rather than looking for ways of doing things.

Walkers, you're echoing a parking attendant (in Ilfracombe of all places, Wildman) who quite seriously said about my potentially overnight parking on Oxford Grove Car Park in the town ITS YOUR SAFETY AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO OTHER ROAD USERS.   If those weren't the words exactly, he spoke words very like them.   He spoke in capitals and he also told me that my insurance would be invalid because the council clearly stated that camping, cooking, sleeping wasn't allowed.

The trouble is that as soon as somebody says "IT'S SAFETY" we're now geared up to listen and introducing a debate somehow makes us unsafe people.  Not so, this thread should simply be a debate about an issue and should never be used to give opinions as though they are facts.  

Tom


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## bigtrev8xl

wildman said:


> how many I wonder have READ THE ORIGINAL POST. the adaptor that I gave details of *has a pressure cut off valve, you cannot overfill.* I use one without and only fill empty bottles. I can work out 80% of total contents even though it is marked on the bottle adaptor. LPG (which is propane) is available in most service stations. The firms that fill their fork lift truck bottles from a larger tank use a similar adaptor. Many years ago I saw a gas bottle in use laid on its side under a motorhome, and come to think of it forklift trucks use standard propane bottles on their side, so the safety issue is not on of liquid gas getting in the line, the regulator takes care of that. It is more a case of the designed safety factor of the bottle. Those who have an absolute horror of refilling bottles obviously are incapable of reading, understanding and following simple instructions, yet they would fill an LPG car tank or a gaslow bottle, no sense in that at all. These adaptors are made to a standard, do not contain ferrous metals that could cause a spark. And are safe to use, if they were not we would have heard about it by now. I suspect the people who throw up their hands in horror, actually have shares in calor gas, gaslow, or some other financial reason to put you off. I have no connection with anyone, I am just another satisfied customer who hates living in a rip off society.



Hi Roger 
_“Many years ago I saw a gas bottle in use laid on its side under a motorhome, and come to think of it forklift trucks use standard propane bottles on their side, so the safety issue is not on of liquid gas getting in the line, the regulator takes care of that”_

The gas bottles used on forklifts are not the same as the ones used for camping, the pick up tube has a 90 degree bend on it, when you fit a gas bottle to a forklift there’s an arrow on it indicating up. Because forklifts use liquid take off, where as camping appliances use vapour take off. If you lay a camping gas bottle on its side if it’s more than about half full you’ll get liquid coming out instead of gas vapour, gas appliances in motorhomes etc don’t like it, and bloody dangerous.

Cheers Big Trev.


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## andytheplumber

bigtrev8xl said:


> Hi Roger
> _“Many years ago I saw a gas bottle in use laid on its side under a motorhome, and come to think of it forklift trucks use standard propane bottles on their side, so the safety issue is not on of liquid gas getting in the line, the regulator takes care of that”_
> 
> The gas bottles used on forklifts are not the same as the ones used for camping, the pick up tube has a 90 degree bend on it, when you fit a gas bottle to a forklift there’s an arrow on it indicating up. Because forklifts use liquid take off, where as camping appliances use vapour take off. If you lay a camping gas bottle on its side if it’s more than about half full you’ll get liquid coming out instead of gas vapour, gas appliances in motorhomes etc don’t like it, and bloody dangerous.
> 
> Cheers Big Trev.


Totally agree,Although theres alot of debate here,i agree theres a 80percent fill theres also 7bar of gas there.you will find the spec of any gas carry part in the bs standards,if the part hasnt got the stamp it aint ok.If I was going to do it I would be using scales untill I knew how much litres of gas a EMPTY bottle would hold.


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## wildman

maureenandtom said:


> Yes, I agree with Orian. Thank you Wildman for the information.
> 
> It's a British disease very common among jobsworth petty officials. Always looking for a way of not doing things rather than looking for ways of doing things.
> 
> Walkers, you're echoing a parking attendant (in Ilfracombe of all places, Wildman) who quite seriously said about my potentially overnight parking on Oxford Grove Car Park in the town ITS YOUR SAFETY AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO OTHER ROAD USERS. If those weren't the words exactly, he spoke words very like them. He spoke in capitals and he also told me that my insurance would be invalid because the council clearly stated that camping, cooking, sleeping wasn't allowed.
> 
> The trouble is that as soon as somebody says "IT'S SAFETY" we're now geared up to listen and introducing a debate somehow makes us unsafe people. Not so, this thread should simply be a debate about an issue and should never be used to give opinions as though they are facts.
> 
> Tom


wonderful quote,using a motorhome for what its designed for will invaladate your insurance just because someone says you can't park here, what utter twaddle. as a matter of interest I've spoken to several of the parking attendants in Ilfracombe about overnighting in various carparks, most  said it is a council problem not under their duristriction, if someone complains to the council, the council will get the police to move you on. The police said they would not take action unless asked by the council, traffic wardens have this year moved from being a sub dept of the police force to being a sub department of the local council so possibly what I was originally told has now changed. In any case there are plenty of secluded laybyes just outside of the town where you would not be bothered.


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## maureenandtom

wildman said:


> ... as a matter of interest I've spoken to several of the parking attendants in Ilfracombe about overnighting in various carparks, most  said it is a council problem not under their duristriction, if someone complains to the council, the council will get the police to move you on. .... In any case there are plenty of secluded laybyes just outside of the town where you would not be bothered.




Wildman,

Forgive not staying on topic but this could be of interest to some.

It might have been me who caused the council to drop their worrying about people parking overnight on their car parks.   I got a ticket.   Woke up to find a ticket on the driver's window, camping, cooking, sleeping.

I didn't pay it.

I accused them of creeping round in the middle of the night targetting just ME.   I said I would prove that in court because I'd ask them to produce overtime records for the parking attendants and see if it was routine to provide parking patrols in the middle of the night.

Then I said that they would have to prove that I was sleeping in the van because they'd obviously not knocked on the door – or maybe they had knocked on the door and there was no answer because I wasn't there.

The final thing was that I used this  http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/977180.council_powerless_to_ban_camper_vans/ as an example of councils telling fibs about what powers they had to control overnight parking, and that I couldn't understand why councils had to lie to council tax payers.  I would make them prove in court they truly did have the power to give me a ticket - they call it an excess charge notice.

They tried to get me to pay the fine while they looked at the circumstances again warning me that the fine would be greater if I didn't pay within so many days.   I told them that there was no chance of me giving them an interest free loan and I would tell the court about their intimidation.  However, I did pay online by credit card quoting only the notice serial number and not putting my name on it.

All this done by email from Ilfracombe High Street.

The fine was cancelled, but they didn't tell me why, and they did notice that I had paid because the fine was refunded to my credit card.   I was desperate to know why they had cancelled it but we were on our way to France and by the time we got back I couldn't be bothered.

But, there you are, the more relaxed attitude could have been down to me.   We'll be in Ilfracombe again some time this year.   There's a carpark part way up the hill out of Hele Bay towards Combe Martin looks a good place to stay, yes?

Tom


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## walkers

wildman said:


> Bottles used for bottled water also carry the same warning. Never head of anyone having an acident refilling a bottle EVER, so the insurance problem does not arise, many other things invalidate your insurance, like overloading, dodgy tyres, carrying too much spare fuel in cans onboard. Why not shout about those as well.* Further more these do have an overfillcutoff protection built in. *How it works I don't know but then I don't understand how a lot of things work, doesn't stop me using them.
> I have had my say and will not post on this matter again. The original post was for information only for those enlightened enough to understand how to use such a thing, for those who have no need to cut costs, why bother anyway. And those who just like to argue, well so be it.


 water is not a flammable gas under pressure, you know the risks and you think they are negligable it is your choice.


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## Deleted member 775

maureenandtom said:


> Wildman,
> 
> Forgive not staying on topic but this could be of interest to some.
> 
> It might have been me who caused the council to drop their worrying about people parking overnight on their car parks.   I got a ticket.   Woke up to find a ticket on the driver's window, camping, cooking, sleeping.
> 
> I didn't pay it.
> 
> I accused them of creeping round in the middle of the night targetting just ME.   I said I would prove that in court because I'd ask them to produce overtime records for the parking attendants and see if it was routine to provide parking patrols in the middle of the night.
> 
> Then I said that they would have to prove that I was sleeping in the van because they'd obviously not knocked on the door – or maybe they had knocked on the door and there was no answer because I wasn't there.
> 
> The final thing was that I used this  http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/977180.council_powerless_to_ban_camper_vans/ as an example of councils telling fibs about what powers they had to control overnight parking, and that I couldn't understand why councils had to lie to council tax payers.  I would make them prove in court they truly did have the power to give me a ticket - they call it an excess charge notice.
> 
> They tried to get me to pay the fine while they looked at the circumstances again warning me that the fine would be greater if I didn't pay within so many days.   I told them that there was no chance of me giving them an interest free loan and I would tell the court about their intimidation.  However, I did pay online by credit card quoting only the notice serial number and not putting my name on it.
> 
> All this done by email from Ilfracombe High Street.
> 
> The fine was cancelled, but they didn't tell me why, and they did notice that I had paid because the fine was refunded to my credit card.   I was desperate to know why they had cancelled it but we were on our way to France and by the time we got back I couldn't be bothered.
> 
> But, there you are, the more relaxed attitude could have been down to me.   We'll be in Ilfracombe again some time this year.   There's a carpark part way up the hill out of Hele Bay towards Combe Martin looks a good place to stay, yes?
> 
> Tom


good on you the more people that act as you do then mabey the british people will be listened to instead of local and national government after all it is us that pay there wages and give them the right to govern so why dont we have the last say


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## Tony Lee

I assume this adaptor is for refilling the bottle next to an autogas dispenser.

Best check would be to go in and tell the attendand what you are doing and see how they react.

Someone mentioned a pressure gauge to get an idea how full the bottle is. Doesn't work because the gas pressure is a function of the temperature of the liquid and is essentially independant of how much or how little liquid is in the bottle. Only reliable way is a probe or float system similar to what is in your fuel tank.



> it is clearly marked with the 80% fill rate for an empty bottle so you cannot go wrong.



I assume this is one of the transparent bottles.

Worth repeating again - you *CAN"T* measure LPG liquid volume by measuring gas pressure.


That ebay device does not incorporate an 80% indicator. Works on pressure only


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## tommy0121

*gas refills and parking up*

i was interested in wildmans comments about gas refills, firstly, whatever subject comes up, any topic, what comes across clearly is a distinct lack of bloody common sense, i see it all the time,

as for gas refills, i was on cannock chase a couple of years ago when i ran out of gas, a friendly camper directed me to to a refill station just outside of penkridge, up i pulled and the guy came out looking for the filler cap, it dawned on me after a bit and the guy said, oh ok, pulled the 13lb bottle out put a adaptor on and filled it saying they didnt normally fill fill bottles but would do it,--nothing about being illegal, --and i wernt gonna ask,. after the fill i asked how much he knew how to fill it? simple, he just put in the required amount, -regulated,-that was good enough for me, as for insurance??? well if i was asked?-if- i would just use my comman sense and keep my mouth shut,.

2, as for camping in ilfracombe,, when i lived down there peaple used to park overnight down on the harbour car park, 24 hour parking, quite legal, and many did it, in the winter we would take our boats out and store them up for the winter, maybe its changed, but again, if i hit a strange town, i have a look around, ask a local official, parking attendant etc, and they generally point me in the right direction,--for one or two nights,--

now for my question,, im of to  france, into spain and down into morroco in the next few days, do,s anyone know the stuation for gas refills there?? i know there are gas stations, im just hoping they will have adaptors,. cheers


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## t&s

i think it would be an idea to take a selection of your own adaptors 
and even then you might have to by one en route 
i have no proof  but be prepared  just incase


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## t&s

AT YOUR PERRIL
it is possible to fill small bottles from a 47 kg 
just connect the two bottles with the 47 kg inverted and above the one you are filling and open the taps wait a while and job done
the pressure will remain the same as none escapes or is added 
this it totaly ilegal and dangerous 
but i do know of people who have been doing it for years 
and they are still here to tell the tale


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## italiano

We people in general are like monkeys ie, see, do, copy or mimic, whilst on holiday in southern Italy, Puglia to be exact, not far from the camp site entrance there was a garage with coffee bar and a little shop, in the morning i used to go there for a little expresso, and sitting outside i could watch the world go by and the petrol attendant filling up all sorts of gas bottles with what i found out later a home made pipe/screw on adapter, anyhow one morning i happened to have a conversation with the bloke, and i asked him how did know when the bottle was full? Well he gave me a s trange look as though i was a martian then slowly he told me, ie. if a bottle holds 12 kilos of gas then you just fill it with 10 or 11 kilos this equates to 20 or 22 litres of gas, this he emphasised on ie. you must leave at least 2 to 4 litres safety gap as expansion safety well thats the way the Italians do it!!!


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## tresrikay

I used to run adventure coach camping tours around Euope in the 80's and of course we used to have to refill our bottles of gas. We always found a gas bottle filling company to use, sometimes travelling many miles to find one.
Even then they had specific safety procedures to fill the bottles, using calibrated scales.
I have no shares in Gaslow but what I do have is a sound certificated education in health and safety.
Wildman has an appropriate name and his safety is in his own hands and the consequences are also in his hands. 
however to come on to this forum, encouraging people to use an unsound, unested and unverified adaptor is in my opinion reckless and should under no way be acted upon by any one with any regard to their own health and safety.
As telstar has pointed out , calor or any other merchants bottles must only be fiilled by the company.......... if you dont and the worst happens....... YOU are not insured.
If you adapt or in any way convert that companies device......... you are negating your insurance.
If you fill a non recognized device in a filling station and the worst was to happen you would be liable to the consequences of all the carnage that would follow both financially and criminally and would probably face a very long term in prison.


My horror is that I might innocently be filling up next to one of these irrisponsibles when their D.I.Y penny pinching twiddling results in ARMAGEDON.


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## walkers

When the fire investigator finds your 'diy' refilling device amongst the remains of your motorhome, that is when you will find your insurance company walking away from your claim.


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## bevo

*refilling gas bottles*

hi 
   i was looking at a gas refill adapter on e bay, on the adapter it states how much gas ( in litres) to put into empty bottles of various sizes, to conform to the 80% refill rule, seems straight forward to me, and if i used a lot of gas i would go down this road.
  you just have to make sure the bottles are empty.

live long and prosper


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## Deleted member 207

Just to bite into this debate. Usual disclaimer applies as I will have missed something important.

There are a whole range of methods of achieving safe fill of gas bottles and cylinders.

The simplest is the BBQ bottle which has a bleed valve/screw connected to a tube which stops at the safe fill liquid mark, gas is allowed to escape until liquid appears, the bottle is then at safe fill water capacity. Only one type of gas can be filled into the bottle as the safe fill varies slighlty from gas to gas. Filling is usually done from a large cylinder and no pump is involved.

Weighing is very risky unless the bottle is known to be completely empty or someone has the time to compare the Tare weight of the bottle to actual and then do the calculation of what can be put into the bottle.

The next is a dial guage used on larger storage tanks, it has a bleed valve. A tube can be rotated inside the tank to establish the liquid level and read off a scale, again it uses the escape of gas and then liquid to establish the level of liquid gas in the tank. These guages can cope with multiple gases and usually large and have pumps attached.

The next is a simple dial guage which shows the liquid level with no escape of gas or liquid whilst filling which is now the preferred method as no gas is lost. BUT only one type of gas can be put into a bottle as the safe fill level is determined by the gas and will vary from Propane, Butane and Propane/Butane/Butadienne (Autogas mixture). Larger dial guages can be used which will show safe fill for different gases, but are usually only fitted onto refinery storage tanks.

Additionally now all service station filling pumps (should???) will have a back pressure cut out so that when the pressure inside the bottle/cylinder reaches the pressure for the gas to remain liquid it turns off - remember the only reason you can put liquid into the tank is that the gas can be compressed. When the gas pressure inside the cylinder reaches the pressure that the liquid cannot revert to gas then the bottle is at its safe fill - as long as the design engineers have done their job on the bottles. The design pressure of a gas bottle is way above the pressure required to keep the gas as a liquid.

The next issue is that the appliances will jetted for a certain type of gas, using Autogas in a Propane or Butane system is potentially dangerous as they can burn incorrectly and produce too much carbon monoxide - say the gas companies, but I'm not so sure about that.

Universal appliances designed to operate on Autogas generally dont have problems, but have to run at higher pressure (50mBar) versus the the Propane/Butane systems which run at 30mBar.


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