# Thankful for safefill bottles



## CarlandHels (Nov 22, 2019)

Broke down nearly 3 weeks ago and since then we've been living outside the garage waiting for it to get repaird. With us living in it 24/7 we do use a bit of gas.  Thankfully we have  2 x10kg safefill bottles which made life easier, we could just through them in the boot of a car which the garage gave us to use as we needed and pop up to Morrisons to refill. 
Glad we chose these Instead of getting a system installed. As we'd of been out of gas before we could leave.
Also having the cheap Chinese diesel heater installed has made a great difference saved gas and keeps the van snug....
Highly recommended these Safefill bottles definitely worth buying in our opinion..


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## CarlandHels (Nov 23, 2019)

runnach said:


> Totally agree with Safefil (SF) sentiment. When I need a top up, I take SF tank to local gas fill point. Same when at house in France, tank in car, then local supermarket for a top up.
> 
> I also like the fact you can specifically view gas content, rather than relying on a content gauge that could be reading off. Also very light weight tank.


Light weight for sure. Even the Mrs can carry them both at same time full.. Where as she couldn't lift the 13kg propane bottle when empty..


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## CarlandHels (Nov 23, 2019)

runnach said:


> I forgot to add, I hope you guys get back on the road real soon!!


Thanks Runnach. 
We got back on the road yesterday.. Cost a small fortune, but it's worth it, specially when it's home.. Was so nice to sleep at the forest again...


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 23, 2019)

OH NO !...
Broken down AGAIN !.
What’s happened now ?.
That vehicle is REALLY testing you isn’t it, But look at these Trying times as ‘Character Building’....
Hope you both ok & Little Fury thing is bringing you a Smile, As well as the occasional random Stick, Ball, Bone & Muddy paw prints In to keep you busy .
Yeah Safefill bottles are good & Convenient aren’t they, AS WELL as saving a few quid ,
How much was the two bottles?.
How much gas a week do you use ?.
Stay safe Both


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## maingate (Nov 23, 2019)

Sounds like the Safefill bottles are handy in your respect but there is something I should point out in respect of transporting gas bottles.

I use a refillable bottle with a standard Energas bottle as backup. I get the exchange Energas bottle from a local Energas depot and they will not sell me a bottle unless I can show them that the bottle can be safely transported in my car. As it happens, I have lashing points in the car and can secure it in an upright position. The company say they have a Legal responsibility to insist on this.


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## trevskoda (Nov 23, 2019)

maingate said:


> Sounds like the Safefill bottles are handy in your respect but there is something I should point out in respect of transporting gas bottles.
> 
> I use a refillable bottle with a standard Energas bottle as backup. I get the exchange Energas bottle from a local Energas depot and they will not sell me a bottle unless I can show them that the bottle can be safely transported in my car. As it happens, I have lashing points in the car and can secure it in an upright position. The company say they have a Legal responsibility to insist on this.


They could only do so within the property.


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 23, 2019)

maingate said:


> Sounds like the Safefill bottles are handy in your respect but there is something I should point out in respect of transporting gas bottles.
> 
> I use a refillable bottle with a standard Energas bottle as backup. I get the exchange Energas bottle from a local Energas depot and they will not sell me a bottle unless I can show them that the bottle can be safely transported in my car. As it happens, I have lashing points in the car and can secure it in an upright position. The company say they have a Legal responsibility to insist on this.


Oooooo ,
THATS a new one on me !.
Not saying it’s wrong,,,,Just not come across that one before ...


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## maingate (Nov 23, 2019)

runnach said:


> Agreed Jim.
> 
> BCGA codes of practice, see point 8.
> 
> ...



Strangely, there is a similar thread on OAL at the moment and those bcga codes were put forward.


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 23, 2019)

runnach said:


> Agreed Jim.
> 
> BCGA codes of practice, see point 8.
> 
> ...


Hi ya Runnach,
I read that as -
‘Information’
As it says at the top of the page,,,,
Not really any kinda enforceable practice by self appointed ‘Gas Police’ by whomever sells a bottle!.


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## CarlandHels (Nov 23, 2019)

Nesting Zombie said:


> OH NO !...
> Broken down AGAIN !.
> What’s happened now ?.
> That vehicle is REALLY testing you isn’t it, But look at these Trying times as ‘Character Building’....
> ...



Hi buddy, yeah the vans rebuilt my character over and over, don't even remember who I was to start with now lol...
She went onto 3 pots just out the blue. Thought it was an injector. It wasn't. So we eventually found that the injectors electrics wasn't getting the pulse on now 2 injectors. Tested wires all seemed OK, followed up to ECU  which appeared to be the issue. Sent it away, only to have them return it a week later showing no faults at all.!!! Was advised that it's an earthing problem so re wired that part of loom, hey presto 4 pots running. Until put under load and it died, lacking fuel symptoms. So checking all air tight and leak off pipes all seems OK. But found to be pulling alot of air into it from somewhere. Eventually found that 2 leak off pipes were seeping very slightly. So replaced the 2. Now running smooth. Took out for a longer test drive and returned limping back surging at low revs. So thinking about every thing we've had done to this so called low milage Transit which if you remember had 30k on the Clock when we bought it. Its now had 1 remanufactured engine, which failed after 14k miles due to timing tensioner and only being 12 weeks out of warranty (£4k down the pan as they wasn't interested in helping to sort the issue) so we bought a brand new engine direct from Ford, all new injectors new fuel pump etc etc. The only thing really to replace was the leak off pipes. So changed them yesterday. She has only done 57k now so still not alot of milage for a transit, compared to the one we gave our son, that's done 200k now and still runs perfect.. 
But she's back up and running now. It's been a bad buy has this van but we enjoy living in it but sometimes living in the house seems a cheaper option lol.. (we really don't like the idea of being back in bricks and mortar) 
So sadly yet again we won't be going as we planned to Scotland for Xmas as the damn van has sucked our savings dry again. Lol not to mention the car they loaned us, 2.0l petrol in the short time we used it cost £260 in fuel. The van is cheaper to run than a petrol car!!! 
Still we are on the road again and all be it in a testing mode to make sure all's 100% with it. 
We have lost trust in it and considered selling it but after all we have had done to it we think we'd be selling someone a good van as we have done everything to it. Then we'd probably buy someone else's problems. So we're sticking with it for the time being..
Hope all is good with you matey and lucking forward to meeting up again sometime in the future...


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 23, 2019)

BLINKING HELL how Maddening ,,,!.
You’re van is just making sure that YOU’RE a keeper .

NEXT year is going to be a good one for you .


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## Wully (Nov 23, 2019)

Got a warning  from vosa about 10 years ago for transporting unsecured gas bottles in my works van already had a warning from same guy about a year before he was gonna fine me and confiscate the van on the spot until I found a way to secure them


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## witzend (Nov 23, 2019)

maingate said:


> I should point out in respect of transporting gas bottles I get the Energas bottle from a local Energas depot and they will not sell me a bottle unless I can show them that the bottle can be safely transported in my car.


So collecting it on a push bike would be a no no then.


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## Wully (Nov 23, 2019)

I like the idea of these safefil bottles for the house barbecue and the patio heaters.


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## phillybarbour (Nov 23, 2019)

Good to hear your back on the road.


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## trevskoda (Nov 23, 2019)

I owned a jago kit jeep which had a x flow & 4 speed escort box,in about 5 years i had 3 engines 2 g boxes and 4 diffs,never did any of the engines and one was a gold seal make it past 40.ooo miles,its laying in my back yard 30 years .


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## tripper (Nov 24, 2019)

Hi, Having recently bought a replacement 3.9kg propane bottle from a C&CC site near Charmouth for £20.99, I'm seriously thinking about buying the 5kg size Safefill bottle, ( can't go any bigger because the gas cupboard is small ).  Any ideas if the 5kg Safefill bottle is much bigger than the 3.9kg Calor bottle?  I've found two different measurements on t'interweb so I'm hoping someone on here can help.
Regards,
Ken.


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## Wooie1958 (Nov 24, 2019)

I would imagine the official Safefill site has the correct measurements, *396mm X 310mm* http://www.safefill.co.uk/our-cylinders.html


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## tripper (Nov 24, 2019)

Many thanks for the link, I've been on so many sites I don't know if I looked on that one, that's one of the measurements I found.
Regards,
Ken.


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## Wooie1958 (Nov 24, 2019)

No worries, been there done that                  then you don`t know what you`ve seen and what you`ve not seen or even what day it is


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 24, 2019)

Wooie1958 said:


> I would imagine the official Safefill site has the correct measurements, *396mm X 310mm* http://www.safefill.co.uk/our-cylinders.html


Yeah I would recon that’s a safe bet Wooie,,,,
& Just a note to that Tripper -
Allow for getting not only the bottle ‘’IN’ But the Reg hose & the Fill hose !.


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 24, 2019)

runnach said:


> NZ, reg and reg hose sit below flush of top of tank. There is no fill hose, tank is removed for filling. Although I do believe a member has hard plumbed in tank to an external fill point?


Ahhhh, Yeah Of corse .
I was comparing it to Gasit systems,,,,


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## tripper (Nov 24, 2019)

Thankyou NZ and Runnoch, if the bottle will fit in my gas cupboard I'll be taking it out to fill it.
Ken.


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## trevskoda (Nov 24, 2019)

runnach said:


> No problem, your welcome.
> 
> I note from their website, company not taking online orders, appears you can only purchase through their dealer network. Hopefully there is one near to you?
> 
> ...


As normal not one over here,though a firm in Bangor Co Down do steel refillable bottles.


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## tripper (Nov 24, 2019)

Thankyou Runnoch, it doesn't look as if there any dealers near me, so I'll more than likely get one from ebay.
Ken.


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## runnach (Nov 25, 2019)

What sort of saving can you expect over calor ? There must be some sort of break even point .

When I worked for holiday break Plc we used our own vehicles but they insured for business use we were told for insurance reasons and industry regs we were allowed to carry to thirteens and must be secured


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## harrow (Nov 25, 2019)

channa said:


> What sort of saving can you expect over calor ? There must be some sort of break even point .
> 
> When I worked for holiday break Plc we used our own vehicles but they insured for business use we were told for insurance reasons and industry regs we were allowed to carry to thirteens and must be secured


Yes there is a good saving IF you have a local place to refill them.


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## CarlandHels (Nov 25, 2019)

channa said:


> What sort of saving can you expect over calor ? There must be some sort of break even point .
> 
> When I worked for holiday break Plc we used our own vehicles but they insured for business use we were told for insurance reasons and industry regs we were allowed to carry to thirteens and must be secured


It costs us about £15 to fill our 10kg Safefill. (not exact price but around that) I priced up a 13kg propane and it was about £36. Plus the fact that you never give gas back once you have Safefill..


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## trevskoda (Nov 25, 2019)

I have just found out a LPG station is about 2/3 miles from me on shore rd into Belfast,happy days.


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## peter palance (Nov 26, 2019)

Wully said:


> I like the idea of these safefil bottles for the house barbecue and the patio heaters.


your just a gas,  ok pj


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## Nesting Zombie (Nov 26, 2019)

I don’t think that there’s any doubt in that a ‘Refillable Bottle’ of some kind saves absolutely Shed loads of cash over time.
I just think that the refilling points are few & far between & Getting even less !.
If you use a lot of gas, a £400 investment in a Refillable system of some kind or another ‘Could’ pay for itself in say two years !.
Yep I’ve got a Refillable system (22lt Gas it Plus).
Cheap to refill, Had a bit of a Problem when traveling in Scotland, & A LOT of a problem on her islands, but luckily I really don’t use that much gas, I probably only use say 40 lt A YEAR !.
Is it worth it 
Yep I really do think so, especially if you factor in the convenience. EVEN BETTER IF You’ve got a duo system like me (22 Lt Gas it Plus & 6Kg standard Calor bottle as reserve ) for best of both words.


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## Millie Master (Nov 26, 2019)

yorkshireCPLE said:


> It costs us about £15 to fill our 10kg Safefill. (not exact price but around that) I priced up a 13kg propane and it was about £36. Plus the fact that you never give gas back once you have Safefill..



They must have seen you coming as I pay a fraction of that to refill my SafeFill.  Only last month I filled my cylinder from nearly empty and it cost an eye watering £7.59


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## Biggarmac (Nov 27, 2019)

At Morrisons last week my system took 17.87 litres @55.9p per litre. Say 9kg for £10. When you get a 13kg calor that is about the amount of gas you get. Even comparing refillables with 13kg calor its a big saving.


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## tripper (Dec 8, 2019)

Hi all,  After much deliberation and measuring I finally bit the bullet and purchased a 5kg Safefill bottle from Cannock Caravan Accessories via Ebay.  Very impressed with speed of delivery.  Bearing in mind I measured my triangular gas bottle cupboard 47 times, when I tried it, it wouldn't fit.  The upper shelf was high enough, but the step at the bottom wouldn't allow enough tilt, so out came the shelf with much splintering ( I'd forgotten about the hidden screw at the back of the shelf ) doh!  It's bound to fit now after all my measuring-Nope- the bulge in the sides of the bottle won't allow the base of the bottle to sit on the floor.  I can't cut the bottom step of the cupdoard away 'cos there'll be a gap at the bottom of the door.  Out with the router and shave 10mm from the inside walls (the cupboard unit is made from 15mm laminated ply)  the bottle still won't sit on the floor!!!  Out with the multi-tool cut 10mm from the inside of the step.  Success the bottle sits on the floor of the cupboard and I can shut the door.  So with success of the bottle now fitting in the cupboard, off I went to find an LPG supplier.  Loaded the App for fillLpg onto my smart phone, it kept coming up with suppliers in the forest of dean,  I live outside Cardiff for Christ's sake I don't live in the Forest.  Back to t'interweb in the house, found Asda's at junction 30 / M4 at 52.7 per litre, great it's only 12 miles, off I went.  Found the pump, fitted the nozzle, read instuctions on pump, press and hold nozzle, press trigger on nozzle, nothing happens, then there's an almighty cloud of gas, let go of trigger, WTF!!! okay read the pump try again! how hard can this be, still no gas, another cloud of gas fills the van, it must be me, people are doing this every day, try again press button ( white light suddenly goes off in my head open the valve on the bottle 'cos otherwise nothing can in, eejit!!! )  Now we're cutting coal- filled the bottle,pump cut off, check visual display on pump £4.64p Yeah Result! 5kg bottle full of gas compared to the last bottle I bought 3.9kg for £20.99p.  Got to clean all the dust out from the routing now.
Thankyou to all the contributors on here re: the Sfafefill bottles.  
So the conclusion I have come to is- no matter how many times I measure and how many times I read the pump instructions, I still get it wrong.  
Regards,
Ken.


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## CarlandHels (Dec 8, 2019)

Hi Ken.
With all that messing about fitting it, I'm sure you are sitting back now and thinking of the coin this will save you and how much it was worth it..


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## tripper (Dec 8, 2019)

At the moment I can't think, I'm in a darkened room with a funny jacket on.
Lol.
Ken


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## trevskoda (Dec 8, 2019)

Got mine fitted last week and alls working just fine,just have to learn how to cook on a gas open flame.


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## CarlandHels (Dec 9, 2019)

trevskoda said:


> Got mine fitted last week and alls working just fine,just have to learn how to cook on a gas open flame.


Take it ya mean gas fitted not a funny jacket..


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## trevskoda (Dec 9, 2019)

yorkshireCPLE said:


> Take it ya mean gas fitted not a funny jacket..


Funny you say that as was going to cook jacket potatoes but was unsure about melting there buttons.


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## REC (Dec 10, 2019)

trevskoda said:


> Funny you say that as was going to cook jacket potatoes but was unsure about melting there buttons.


How come yours has buttons? Mine has sleeves which tie it up!


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## trevskoda (Dec 10, 2019)

REC said:


> How come yours has buttons? Mine has sleeves which tie it up!


Where did you get them ,BARKING.


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## Millie Master (Dec 10, 2019)

tripper said:


> Hi all,  After much deliberation and measuring I finally bit the bullet and purchased a 5kg Safefill bottle from Cannock Caravan Accessories via Ebay.
> Regards,
> Ken.



Ken, I went through exactly the same brain numbing exercise when I first filled my SafeFill tank!!!!

Even with my modification which allows me to fill the cylinder from a filling point fitted to the outer skin of my van, each and every season when I fill it up for the first time I have to admit that the grey cells have forgotten some of the filling process and as such I have to take my brain box (never forgets anything) most beloved along to remind me what I am doing wrong.

Phil


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## Millie Master (Dec 12, 2019)

runnach said:


> MM, I'm sure I have asked before? Can you post up details of what you used for external fill point, and where you purchased, please.
> Thanks in advance.



I had a chat with the boss at Gasit tanks (https://www.gasit.co.uk/) and together we came up with a safe way of achieving my objective.

If my memory serves me correctly, I purchased from them an external filling point, two right angle connectors, a 1 mtr. length of heavy duty black gas hose, an inline lever on/off valve plus a couple of other small items, in total the cost came to close on £100..... ouch!

I only fitted this modification because I regularly travel to France where filling stations can be more than a bit iffy about filling loose cylinders and of course I can now fill up anywhere selling LPG in the UK.

It is a bit of a faff to do so, but when I know I am going to be filling up with gas, all I have to do is disconnect the orange outlet pipe and then connect the black pipe from the filling point.  I then open the cylinders gas outlet as well as opening the in-line valve, job done ready to fill.  Then when I have filled the tank and I am well away from the filling station, I simply close the in-line valve and the cylinders valve and swap the pipes over.

Phil


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## trevskoda (Dec 12, 2019)

You require this bit of kit,longer hoses can be bought.DONT BUY A FIXED fill point as you may want to change ends for eu places.


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## runnach (Dec 12, 2019)

I have taken the plunge bought a safe fill off kenmore caravans this morning 10 kg capacity .i have be station that will fill 800 yds away so hopefully sorted 

I shall keep a record out of interest to see how quick I recover the initial investment and if folk are interested post my findings


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## Millie Master (Dec 13, 2019)

channa said:


> I shall keep a record out of interest to see how quick I recover the initial investment and if folk are interested post my findings



After almost 5 years of touring I am now several hundred £'s in pocket, or should that be the dreaded €'s !!

However as I have decided not to tour Europe any more I will be continuing to save countless £'s and might even consider installing LPG heating at my next home!!

Phil


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## vwalan (Dec 13, 2019)

still lots of bottle filling adaptors on ebay. 
save a fortune . 
mind if going to spain better have one of their bottles cheaper than filling up at the garages pumps.


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## Nabsim (Dec 13, 2019)

If you are going to pipe them up to external fill why go for SafeFill bottles? Am I right in thinking they are only certified for 5 years rather than 10 on steel? Then again SafeFill May have a set up to pressure test unlike steel bottle manufacturers lol


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## trevskoda (Dec 13, 2019)

Millie Master said:


> After almost 5 years of touring I am now several hundred £'s in pocket, or should that be the dreaded €'s !!
> 
> However as I have decided not to tour Europe any more I will be continuing to save countless £'s and might even consider installing LPG heating at my next home!!
> 
> Phil


Oil is more ifc at 1.5%,plus you can fix it yourself,gas you can not put one finger on it.


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## CarlandHels (Dec 13, 2019)

Nabsim said:


> If you are going to pipe them up to external fill why go for SafeFill bottles? Am I right in thinking they are only certified for 5 years rather than 10 on steel? Then again SafeFill May have a set up to pressure test unlike steel bottle manufacturers lol


10 years on these too.


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## Nabsim (Dec 13, 2019)

yorkshireCPLE said:


> 10 years on these too.


Thanks for clearing that one up


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## witzend (Dec 13, 2019)

I see safefill are still out of stock an alternative here  https://www.lpgshop.co.uk/10kg-24-5l-refillable-composite-gas-bottle-uk/


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## Millie Master (Dec 14, 2019)

witzend said:


> I see safefill are still out of stock an alternative here  https://www.lpgshop.co.uk/10kg-24-5l-refillable-composite-gas-bottle-uk/



I have just read through the blurb about those cylinders and pick up on one utterly bonkers claim it being "_Explosion proof in fire_", what a total complete and utter load of sphericals!
What does it become, a ruddy great baloon?


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## witzend (Dec 14, 2019)

Millie Master said:


> I have just read through the blurb about those cylinders and pick up on one utterly bonkers claim it being "_Explosion proof in fire_", what a total complete and utter load of sphericals!
> What does it become, a ruddy great baloon?


I'd have thought that like any of those plastic cylinders it would melt in a fire before exploding


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## CarlandHels (Dec 14, 2019)

witzend said:


> I'd have thought that like any of those plastic cylinders it would melt in a fire before exploding


Having spoken to the top bloke at Safefill, he told me that they rupture and the gas burns off. Unlike the steel ones that build up pressure and go boom..


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## tripper (Jan 20, 2020)

Topped up our Safefill bottle on saturday, after 12 days wild camping in Cornwall, using the oven or grill at least once every day, making porrage every morning and boiling water umpteen times a day.  It cost the grand total of £2.21p ( at 52.7p per litre ).  Well pleased with that result.
Ken.


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## Sharpie (Jan 22, 2020)

ISTM that the problem with a Safefill is that filling and emptying happens through the same valve.

Whereas on every other system AFAIK there is one valve to fill, and another to empty.

The whole point for me is not to have to muck about disconnecting the pigtail, taking out, filling, putting back in, reconnecting, testing for leaks (I do that every time the pigtail is disturbed).

I just open my gas locker, connect the nozzle to the direct fill adaptor on my R67 Gaslow, no extra pipes or plumbing or holes cut in the van.

If I chose to I could also lift it out and fill it up on the forecourt, just the same as a Safefill. And the direct fill thing is threaded to take all the other continental adapters, unscrew the UK bayonet, screw on a dish, or an Acme, or a Euronozzle,, not sure how that works for the Safefill, can it be done ?

10% more capacity, 15 year lifetime, accurate contents gauge easily readable, not trying to peer through a murky piece of fibreglass using a torch whilst sloshing it about to see it (I used to have a BP gaslight, same construction), and it's made of steel in which I have more confidence, has a sophisticated multivalve incorporating excess flow device so I can use it in motion as well as an integral contaminant filter.

Also a thorough system available, want an external fill point, want to run two or more, want a remote level monitor, everything you can think of is available.

Some stats:

Gaslow £167, 540mm tall, 304mm wide, weight 11.5 kg, capacity 11 kilos, recertify after 15 years

Safefill £180, 583mm tall, 310mm wide, weight 5 kg, capacity 10 kilos, recertify after 10 years.

Not sure what "recertification" costs or involves, I don't think either have been on the market long enough for that to be required yet.

I'm prepared to carry another 6.5 kg for the other advantages, as I see them. Sorry if that sounds like a downer on Safefill, It's not meant to be, each have their pros and cons.

Not sure how far you might get taking out a Safefill and trying to refill it on the forecourt in France or other countries, they might not like that, some UK ones won't allow it either.

Technically in France my R67 cylinder is not correct, it should be bolted into the gas locker and connected to an external fill point, but that's never been an issue in practice.


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## Nabsim (Jan 22, 2020)

The early Gaslow bottles were 15 years but that was changed to 10 years a while back. Recertification of Gaslow bottles is exchanging for a new bottle but I couldn’t say the cost.
I also believe that the certification isn’t important if it’s private use but happy to be corrected on that one.


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## runnach (Jan 22, 2020)

runnach said:


> I have all the Continental adaptors for my safefill tank.
> 
> Never had any issues here or in France to top up on garage forecourts. Nor do I *"trying to peer through a murky piece of fibreglass using a torch whilst sloshing it about to see it". *It is very easy to view contents without use of a torch, unless it is dark, of course.
> 
> Main point is, you are happy with your setup, I am delighted with my Safefill setup.


My safefill gave the game away on Monday terry a perfect ice ring around the bottle. I didn’t even have to help with a glass of water


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## runnach (Jan 22, 2020)

I was referring to the fact my bottle had ice around it at the gas liquid level when I checked on Monday.

In my case with the wobble box in tow I am glad it can be easily removed, I wouldn’t fancy towing a van through the forecourt of my local filling station


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## Sharpie (Jan 22, 2020)

Hmm, all that I could discover was https://www.gaslowdirect.com/Cylinders/Further-Information/Does-the-cylinder-need-to-be-recertified

Which refers to "an inspection". Which I had thought might actually be an inspection, maybe replace some o-rings or any other parts required to re-life it, then give you back your own cylinder with a new date on it, not just scrap it and sell you a new one with a small discount.

Much as e.g Calor and CampingGaz do behind the scenes with theirs when they are returned, I've seen ones many decades old, which have been refurbished, maybe a new valve and paint, and a new aluminium disc stamped with that date.

With CampingGaz in say Spain and Portugal you need to be wary, if it doesn't have an unbroken factory seal that looks correct, maybe badly rusty and dinged up, it has probably been re-filled locally repeatedly for pennies then sold at full price. Maybe correctly, maybe not, underfilled not so bad, overfilled, easily done, could be quite bad. I've come across that several times and walked away.

Still, even the earliest Gaslows weren't going to expire until 2019, so maybe they haven't thought it through and don't actually have a procedure in place, nor intend to. Do any of the others ? Is it a legal requirement for private ownership ? Or may I just keep on using it with fingers crossed until I pop my clogs then pass it down to my inheritors ? Or should I flog it on Ebay to some unsuspecting punter after ten years and use the cash to buy a new one ?

How long does a fibreglass bottle last, not just in theory but in reality, and it can degrade. BP dumped their fibreglass cylinders some years ago and sold them off to Flogas. I wonder why, perhaps they were simply getting old and needed replacing, rather than re-lifeing like a steel one.

I do know that my steel scuba cylinders can last indefinitely with good care and the required regular inspections, but the one small fibreglass/carbon one has a definite lifetime.

Even Calor got it wrong with the early 6kg Lites, all were recalled early on, that must have cost them, and they have since de-emphasised them, no longer a current product but there are still some around for exchange, I'm guessing that they weren't proving durable.






						CalorLite Gas Bottles | LPG Gas Cylinders | Calor Shop
					

CalorLite gas bottles have limited refill stock available through our network of retailers. Click here to find out more.




					www.calor.co.uk
				




As for underslung lpg tanks, I wonder what the rules are, they have to live in far more harsh conditions, ok it might have been given a lick of underseal but that might also just conceal problems developing beneath. I think the theory is that most vehicles reach end of life at ten years and are then scrapped, along with the tank, which hopefully is designed to last at least that long.

Another interesting Gaslow statement, https://www.gaslowdirect.com/R67-Statement

Specifically the bit about valve shrouds. I merely observe that GasIt now fit shrouds (they don't have the chunky multivalve used by Gaslow and Alugas that has apparently undergone special R67 impact tests as a system together with the cylinder, and does not require the shroud), but say that the user may unscrew the shroud if the installation requires it. As with an Alugas. And are disparaging about the R67 standard, but then they don't have it.  Hmm again.


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## Millie Master (Jan 23, 2020)

Now this is naughty, but it has saved me a lot of money since I first started doing it.

Because of the modification I made to my SafeFill installation whereby I have an external filling point attached to a length of high pressure hose, an in line valve and then a pigtail I am also able to refill normal steel gas cylinders that I hve first calculated their 80% capacity.

Not that it will concern many of you, but at one of my houses I have a LPG fuelled cooking range and hob which uses normal every day steel gas cylinders which used to cost me zillions£££££ to replace each time, but these days when the cylinder needs replacing, I make absolutely certain that it is empty (and I do mean empty, having left it at the bottom of the garden with the valve fully open) and then pop it into 'Millie' strapped securely into position and go off to the filling station and fill it to the 80% limit.  Each time I do this it saves me a significant amount of dosh!!


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## Nabsim (Jan 23, 2020)

I don’t think it really matters which cylinders you have if they work okay for you. Lifting and carrying cylinders is a problem for me so fixed are just the job. I am a low user so don’t need regular refilling but as the van is in constant use I will still get a fairly quick payback on the purchase as well.
I saw the SafeFill cylinders last week and yes they are light but still wouldn’t be the answer for me. More importantly they wouldn’t fit in my gas locker so I would have to reduce the amount I carry and get smaller capacity.
Most systems have some sort of advantage so check what fits and get what works best for you.


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