Gas bits

[WellWornTraveller]

Hi All, I am planning a trip down through France to Spain and Portugal. I have at present, a two cylinder system for my gas. I intend to keep one of the English Cylinders and put a French one in the spare slot. I have heard that it is necessary to have a different attachment for these. If this is true can I buy one in this country? What is it called? Will it fit cylinders from all three countries? And of course, it anyone has got any other suggestions that are proper and legal I would be most grateful. I am looking at the LPG route but this will do for now. Thanks in anticipation.

 

[wineciccio]

it would help if you were a bit more specific, ie, how long are you going for and what time of year??? In the spring/summer months you will not be using gas for heating, so just for the fridge on stopovers and meals and brewing a cuppa, 2 6 kilos of LPG should last you 2/3 months, I have two gas low refillable(6 kilos each) and in 2 months in Spain and travelling there and back only use one bottle, again last year all the way to Sicily and back 2 and half months and I still had gas in one bottle(May/June). in winter obviously you will use more as heating will be required and that is what uses gas most:cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1:

 

[anjou]

I will most likely get shot down for this ! But in my house over here ive found that a French Butane bottle will fit an English regulator ,but if you buy a French Propane you will need a French regulator .
Like anywhere There are many shops over here and even the supermarkets like Super U and Intermarche sell the regulators you will need as well as the gas and its not expensive, so its easy to change over, Plus if you buy your bottles from Intermarche you can change them out of hours using a card automated system , very clever !

 

[phillybarbour]

If you intend touring a bit convert to refillable. You only buy once as you move it from van to van, highly recommend Gas It. Even just a one bottle system would be OK if you mainly use the van in warmer times.

 

[WellWornTraveller]

Gas Bits

Thanks Guys & Gals

Problem solved. Have decided to take two U.K. bottles and see how we go from there

 

[Seannachie]

Hi All, I am planning a trip down through France to Spain and Portugal. I have at present, a two cylinder system for my gas. I intend to keep one of the English Cylinders and put a French one in the spare slot. I have heard that it is necessary to have a different attachment for these. If this is true can I buy one in this country? What is it called? Will it fit cylinders from all three countries? And of course, it anyone has got any other suggestions that are proper and legal I would be most grateful. I am looking at the LPG route but this will do for now. Thanks in anticipation.

You don't give enough information. However, if you are usuing Calor Butane cylinders, then your pigtail already fits most French cylinders, either butane or propane (I use Intermarche's own brand as they're the cheapest with only €1 deposit on the first and no paperwork). If you are using Calor Propane, then you simply need a cheap adaptor to enable your POL fitting to connect to the French cylinder. Buy Part No. 21123 from BES Plumbing - see THIS PAGE of their online catalogue and the adaptor is approximately half-way down that page (page 55). My van holds 2 x 6KG Calor Propane but I finds that 1 Intermarche 9KG Propane fits in its place. There are over 1800 Intermarches throughout France, and most of them sell gas.

 

[pughed2]

Safety first

Whatever you do well worn, do what is legal and properly recommended. Don't try what someone is saying here to fit a French on a English etc. This is LPG you are dealing with, and unless you decided to meet your maker, stay safe.........Steve bristol

 

[Seannachie]

Whatever you do well worn, do what is legal and properly recommended. Don't try what someone is saying here to fit a French on a English etc. This is LPG you are dealing with, and unless you decided to meet your maker, stay safe.........Steve bristol

If that comment is directed at the advice I gave, it is completely misplaced and wrong. The part I linked to and described is sold by one of the UK's largest plumbing supply warehouses and is perfectly legal and safe if used correctly - i.e., the joins fully tightened - and is made specificaly for the purpose described.

In short, the OP would do well to completely ignore your uninformed comment, as would anyone else.

 

[Ironjaws]

You will not be able to exchange any French bottles in Spain or Portugal, a completely different fitting. You will find places in both Spain and Portugal which will re-fill your French or UK bottles but this is very unsafe. Last year I was caught out with a reputable dealer in Spain overfilling a bottle and similarly in Portugal. I ended up with liquid gas in the regulator and an explosion in the Truma boiler, fortunately no great damage caused.

When I came over to UK I changed to a Gas-It refillable bottle system, 2 x 11kg. well worth the expense, very helpful company, discount to full members and safely refillable anywhere in Europe - with the correct adaptors of course.

 

[anjou]

was that aimed at me ? I hope not ! There is nothing wrong with using an english butane regulator to a French Butane bottle,the regulators work at the same pressure and the French bottles have a built in sealing rung which makes them more gas tight than our English bottles .
If you ran out of gas overseas I think you would end up doing much the same to keep you going or spend a fortune on eating out !

Whatever you do well worn, do what is legal and properly recommended. Don't try what someone is saying here to fit a French on a English etc. This is LPG you are dealing with, and unless you decided to meet your maker, stay safe.........Steve bristol