Finally I've bought an adapter to fill propane bottles

Firefox

Firefox

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I bought it off ebay for £28.00.

Having made a careful study, I decided there is no risk if you do it properly. Most of the hype and stories I think are fabricated so that Calor Gas can continue to rip off campers selling LPG/propane at twice the normal price. The thing that prompted this was the Caravan Club selling me a 6Kg propane cylinder for £29.00 this August. I said it was too much and they should be giving discounts to members, since I am a member of the CC. They just told me that was the price and it was cash or nothing as well.

I filled up that cylinder at an LPG pump today for £10.00. So already the adapter has saved me £19.00 on Caravan club site inflated prices.

The things to watch when filling up with an adapter is only fill a 6Kg cylinder with less than 12l of propane. Don't overfill under any circmstance. Then I checked on some scales later that the pump volume calibration was correct and I had just less than 6kg of gas in the bottle (by weighing the bottle full and subtracting the weight of the bottle empty). It did indeed come to just less than 6Kg. I get through maybe 8 cylinders a year. That's a saving of £160 a year.

If they had been half reasonable and sold exchange cylinders at £15.00 I wouldn't have bothered buying and learning to use an adapter. But because they were stupid they've now lost all future custom from me forever. That's a lot of cylinders!
 
nice one, i looked at one of those some time ago, and posted on here and got lots of people saying i was stupid to risk my life for a few quid.............
 
There's definitely a risk. But it can be controlled and negated if you are careful. There's probably no more risk than setting off a firework correctly. I was slightly sceptical before because there are a lot of scare stories going around and I had to read around quite a bit. If you post in some places about it, it gets moderated on safety grounds. A bit like on the magic forums, making your own flash paper out of tissue paper and acids used to get deleted as it can be quite dangerous if you don't follow all the precautions.

I think if the practice were widespread there would be problems, because many people are so used to filling their tanks to the brim at the garage, the only control being when they can't fit any more fuel in!
 
I've been looking at these and totally agree with you, that used as per instructions they're safe.

Trouble is, reading some of the posts, not everyone seems able to read and understand instructions.

Many things in life have an element of danger, especially if done incorrectly, sadly the nanny state has tried to rule everyone by the ability of the least capable.

When I was at school some 45 yrs a go, we used to make explosives. Used safely on old demolition sites they were fine as we used a lot of common sense and considerable fear of the consequences of getting it wrong.

Unfortunately, our recipe was given out to some moron who thought he could be better than us. He used to show how brave he was by holding a firework banger by the end while it popped. He made his own banger using a King Edward cigar tube made out of alloy. The did the same act of bravado by holding his own banger while it went off.


You've guessed it................................. it took off 3 fingers and nearly blinded him by shrapnel.


That's my only worry about these filling devices, used by someone who is perfectly capable of understanding what they are doing, they're safe, that is after all the same principle that calor use to refill their bottles. But give it to someone who tries to squeeze that little extra into the bottle, the potential for disaster is greatly increased, and as we all know, it only takes one idiot to spoil it for everyone.

I will be buying one in the near future, and because I have a great knowledge in engineering feel totally confident in using it.
 
I have seriosely thought about this for my bricks and mortar house cooking. after I saw an adapter on her a couple weeks ago. (Now cant find it)
But I do wonder if this takes off what the garages will do. One of my local ones have stopped people filling bottles on their fourcourt. I know they sell a well known bottled gas so wonder if this is just a one off so nthat the bottled gas sales didn't go down?
 
depends how much gas you use at home . i find it cheaper to have a tank at home. have had one here for years. as i normally go away in winter i did think about changing to big bottles . but working it out with the gas and the rental its better to have the tank . also dont have to spend out on dual gauges or swap over gear. and dont have to lug bottles etc. ask around your area . i use calor but do know afew places can beat them on price. 54.6p i was told this week . a litre.
 
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

There will always be a few who confuse ambition with capability, best not to give them ideas... :lol-053:
 
This was the one I bought:

LPG Propane Gas bottle filling adaptor autogas Standard | eBay

From seller higherfordbrooks. He sends them by second class post but I got mine within 3 days of ordering. £28.00 inc PandP. It is a bit pricey for a bit of turned brass, but it is well made and has a spring valve in it so you don't flood the place with LPG should you forget to close the bottle valve before you take off the gun.

I wouldn't fill the bottle on the forecourt. Just have it strapped inside the back doors with the adaptor on. Take the hose inside the back doors, lock the gun on, undo the bottle valve and go to the pump to fill 12l or less on a 6kg bottle. Before you use the bottle, you can check the weight to make sure it's right.
 
I would imagine that the main issue will be finding somewhere that will allow you to fill bottles from their LPG tank. If anyone knows of anywhere in Lancashire / Manchester I'd be interested to know.
 
Any garage with LPG will do. Don't fill the bottles on the forecourt. Do it inside the van, or strapped in the rack.
 
wints said:
The 'big' lorry stop / garage just outside Carnforth on the A6.

Allen
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Truckhaven is only 3 miles from home for me. Are you saying they will allow filling of bottles on the forecourt or do you employ the stealth method as referred to by Firefox?
 
hi ,there will be no more gas coming out when filling than using gaslow or anyother refillable bottles or tanks . in fact there should be no leaking while filling a bottle with the adaptors . but there is if using a 80percent valve that allows gas then liquid when the level is reached. some refillable bottles have this sort of fitting and some calor tanks. try going into the garage and say can i fill my gaslow bottles ,i bet most say no. bet you just fill up and say nothing. just like a ???bottle filler. even some gaslow have fillers inside the gas locker .try waving the bottles of any around and you will be told no.
 
hi. yes and imagine that same person filling alu gas .
no offence meant . i know of gas stations that will fill any bottle her in uk. bottle is a bottle . after all even calor have taken over other gas bottle companies and resprayed the bottles to look like theirs. i have calor tank here with the bleed off valve ,in fact two. one is 1200litre version. stinks after they have filled it .doesnt smell anywhere like it if i fill a normal bottle with an adaptor.
 
hi,if the boat was fuelled by gas it doesnt need the 80%.for engines use liquid not the vapour. but even so if a bottle tophad been knocked off then there would have been a problem. the instructor must have been very stupid to allow it anyway. shouldnt have been allowed around children if he couldnt see the danger or doing it. its folk like him that make life hard for all.
 
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The Gaslow system also comes with instructions (turn the gas off at the cylinders)...someone who cannot follow instructions is still at risk, even with Gaslow.

Having said that, I have Gaslow because then I have someone to blame and because it makes me feel safer and more secure. For someone who detests smoke alarms, I have a paranoid fear of blowing myself up...perhaps it comes from that time I lit a bonfire with petrol and singed my hair.
 
hi, its been said before even the 80% shut off valves on refillable bottles and tanks fail .and very frequently. the pumps are suposed to cu off at about 90%. its not criticle. i just had my big tank filled to 95% at least the gauge says it is . it holds 1200 ltr wasnt empty and had 1056 ltr put in. last time again not empty had 1117ltr put in it . both times the gauge was showing about 20%before the fill. so are the gauges reliable . i dont think so. do know as liquid comes out they shut the bleed off valve and add a bit more . so cant be that far out .
but yes always be carefull. using the weght theory .find somewhere in open air and if you have filled to completely full . let a bit out in safety . dont smoke while doing it . although have seen it done and i thought god help us . nothing happened but dont wish anyone to try it. this was in a gas factory abroad.
 
hi ***** . the gauge on my tank is a float gauge not pressure gauge. the tank for vehicles also is a float.
there is basic knowledge that some are definately missing . we arent allowed to put them down. adolf got into trouble for hinking he could . (different i know ,only joking ).them kids will never learn safety with teachers like that. a usefull lesson thrown away . they could have learnt alot doing that job. an oportunity wasted.
 
.find somewhere in open air and if you have filled to completely full . let a bit out in safety . dont smoke while doing it . although have seen it done and i thought god help us . nothing happened but dont wish anyone to try it. this was in a gas factory abroad.
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I have seen David Rock of Davids farm fame on You Tube use a propane bottle directly as a flame thrower to attack a bees nest in an old car.

I'm not saying you should try it but if you did smoke and ignite the jet, nothing would happen as long as you were out the way of the flame. The bottle wouldn't explode or anything. Same principle as lighting an aerosol stream and using it as a flame thrower. The gas under pressure keeps the flame out of the bottle.
 
Just to set the record straight on this, the operational crews were desperate to use equipment to rescue the woman but were ordered not to by senior managers. Equally appalling but don't blame the firemen.
 
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