Refillable LPG options?

barryd

barryd

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Current van has a single 11kg Gaslow with a 6kg Calor as backup. There is a filler for the gaslow on the side of the van. Proposed new van "appears" to have a gas locker that will take 2 x 6kg bottles (not sure if it will take a bigger bottle. What would be the best solution for an LPG system that allows for a Calor backup? I am a bit reluctant to put in a 6kg Gaslow and an 6kg Calor as ill be forever hunting for LPG stations. Are underslung tanks a good idea and if so would it be possible to incorporate a calor backup in the locker. I have been talking to Autogas 2000 in Thirsk but their 2 x 6kg Gaslow system is between £780 to £830 which seems a lot to me, underslung tanks probably more.

Any thoughts or recomendations?

This is the locker on the potential new van which is a Swift Esprit 496.





 
I suppose one option would be 2 x 6kg Gaslow and then stick a 6kg Calor in storage somewhere. Not ideal though.
 
After having had both refillable bottles, and now a underslung tank.
I would definitely go for bottles get the two biggest bottles you can in to the locker,
Just leave one bottle turned off until it runs out, then once you have turned the second bottle on you will know how long you have got to find gas.
When I had the two bottles I always managed to find gas well before the second one ran out
 
RichardHelen262 said:
After having had both refillable bottles, and now a underslung tank.
I would definitely go for bottles get the two biggest bottles you can in to the locker,
Just leave one bottle turned off until it runs out, then once you have turned the second bottle on you will know how long you have got to find gas.
When I had the two bottles I always managed to find gas well before the second one ran out
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Thanks. What dont you like about the underslung tank? I must admit I am a bit wary of a tank under the van. Just wondered how safe they are or if they are prone to damage.
 
Read a couple of posts from people who only found they had an impending problem with their underslung tank when they happened to be underneath the van. I kind of like the idea of them in respect to saving/freeing space up in lockers, but it does make me nervous at the same time.
As it happens, I have fitted exactly the same setup in my Autotrail as you currently have (11Kg Gaslow + 6Kg Calor + External Filling point) and like that flexibility, especially with all these reports of LPG stations being out of gas. I am less dependant on Gas than many however as have a Compressor Fridge and can use electric for Water Heating as well if the sun is shining.
 
Have a look at safefill bottles I have two bottles 10 kg and I have gaslow fitted to my van and I think the safefill are the way to go just use them like Calor bottles but you can fill them yourself and if you need to fit a Calor bottle it’s not a big deal. If I was doing my van again that’s the way I would go.

 
Wully said:
Have a look at safefill bottles I have two bottles 10 kg and I have gaslow fitted to my van and I think the safefill are the way to go just use them like Calor bottles but you can fill them yourself and if you need to fit a Calor bottle it’s not a big deal. If I was doing my van again that’s the way I would go.

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Trouble with that is it sounds like you have to remove the bottles to fill them. Ideally I would like a solution with the filler on the side of the van. I know it can be hard enough getting LPG both here and abroad now with many places refusing to fill cylinders. "Gas it" seem a bit cheaper than Gaslow and appear to be pretty much the same. It will be a PIA though having to have 2 x 6kg bottles and keeping a backup 6kg somewhere else in the van. Not ideal.
 
my bessacar would only take one 2x 6kg but would take 1x Alugas 14kg refillable 700x300 but a removable shroud helps when it’s tight and i managed to fit a 2.7 gaslo bottle as emergency reserve only gave that away a week ago as well
 
rugbyken said:
my bessacar would only take one 2x 6kg but would take 1x Alugas 14kg refillable 700x300 but a removable shroud helps when it’s tight and i managed to fit a 2.7 gaslo bottle as emergency reserve only gave that away a week ago as well
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I wish I had measured the blooming locker now. Does your locker resemble the one in the photos above at all?

I just had a quote from A1 Caravans to fit a GasIT system. 2 x 6kg. Kit is £470 and fitting at £50 per hour and they reckoned a couple of hours (ish). I asked them about a Calor backup and they said you would have to swap over the pigtails. Not entirely sure what that involves but they said its a simple job with a gas spanner.

I think for Europe I would just go without the Calor backup but I think you need one here in the UK
 
We have twin Gas It 11kg bottles and find them so convenient over here in the foreign. Just to give you an idea, if you have a gas fridge, gas cooking and gas water heater, you can expect the following,
In March we were using 2,4 litres per day, at a cost of 1.73 euros per day.
In April, as it got warmer, we were using 1.72 litres per day at a cost of 1.35 euros,
and now we are averaging 1.58l/day at a cost of 1.65 euros per day.
Well worth going down the refillable route for foreign gadabouts.
 
id rather have an uncontrolled leak from an under slung tank!

I’ve had both types fail. Both pipe not tank related.

With the under slung tank the pipework to the regulator let go. lpg just drained harmlessly away. Left no smell after 20 minutes. (A good reason to stay away from other vans when parked up).

The pigtail on our brand new 2007 Laika let go and it stank for months. Even 3 years later I always thought I could smell it as I did a walk round check.
 
MrRob said:
id rather have an uncontrolled leak from an under slung tank!

I’ve had both types fail. Both pipe not tank related.

With the under slung tank the pipework to the regulator let go. lpg just drained harmlessly away. Left no smell after 20 minutes. (A good reason to stay away from other vans when parked up).

The pigtail on our brand new 2007 Laika let go and it stank for months. Even 3 years later I always thought I could smell it as I did a walk round check.
Click to expand...
Why? The cylinder cupboard should be sealed from the habitation area?
 
barryd said:
I wish I had measured the blooming locker now. Does your locker resemble the one in the photos above at all?

I just had a quote from A1 Caravans to fit a GasIT system. 2 x 6kg. Kit is £470 and fitting at £50 per hour and they reckoned a couple of hours (ish). I asked them about a Calor backup and they said you would have to swap over the pigtails. Not entirely sure what that involves but they said its a simple job with a gas spanner.

I think for Europe I would just go without the Calor backup but I think you need one here in the UK
Click to expand...
It’s unusual for Charlie to be beaten on price Barry, you aren’t far from Thirsk so it’s worth going and seeing him.

Edit: unless you aren’t comparing like for like, it’s the GasIt Plus cylinders nearest to the Gaslow I believe but Charlie will tell you what’s what if you ask 👍
 
Nabsim said:
Why? The cylinder cupboard should be sealed from the habitation area?
Click to expand...
No idea why, but the smell just hung around. Like it had soaked into all the surfaces inside the locker and under the van. Inside the van was ok.
 
Just seems strange that it didn’t keep the smell from both types of tanks if it does it from either. Was it only when you opened the gas locker you could smell it?
 
My preference would be Gaslow as I have had fantastic use out of ours. 13 years now I think. Plus Gaslow have responded to my emails today and been quite helpful and I think they offer a 5 year warranty whereas Gasit is 1 yr I believe. Im open to either though.

However now I am somewhat confused. My plan was to get 2 x Gaslow or Gasit 6kg and a 6kg Calor backup so I emailed Gaslow with that requirement. It seems they do some fittings which allow you to connect a Calor to the actual filler point outside the van and it equalises with the Gaslow system but as far as I can tell does not fill the cylinders and they warn not to attempt to do this. This is less than ideal as it means having the Calor outsie.

Link here. https://www.gaslowdirect.com/gaslow-technical-section/ click the How to use a Reserve Cylinder Connection Hose 01-4500

and the parts needed

www.gaslowdirect.com

Gaslow Braided Local Gas Cylinder Connection Hose

The Gaslow Braided Local Cylinder Connection Hose simply screws into the Gaslow filler point and now you can connect any gas cylinder adapter that has a 21.8LH fitting to the Hose. Length 1.5 metres. When using this hose with an external bottle, you are drawing the vapourised contents through...
www.gaslowdirect.com www.gaslowdirect.com
www.gaslowdirect.com

Gaslow Easy-Fit Adapter

The Gaslow Easy-Fit Adapter 01-1674 is a UK POL LH male adapter with Easy-Fit hand wheel to convert 21.8LH regulators or regulator hoses to fit UK Propane cylinders.
www.gaslowdirect.com www.gaslowdirect.com

If any of you are using Calor backups with your gaslow or gasit systems how are you doing it please?

One thing I just realised is the dealer who is selling this van advertises Gaslow systems so I might be able to wangle a deal.
 
Another reply from Gaslow. I asked if I could remove one of the Cylinders for Uk use and replace it with a Calor so I would have 1 x 6kg Calor next to 1 x 6kg Gaslow. This is what they suggest.

"You can remove one of the Gaslow cylinders and put the Calor bottle in its place, you would have to disconnect the regulator hose from our cylinder and use the propane adapter in that hose for your Calor and you would also have to disconnect the linking fill hose between the cylinders and on our cylinder which is left in the locker you will place a filling blanking cap."
 
I note your locker space is limited.
Maybe an 11kg refillable and a 6kg calor will fit ? Or 11kg and 6kg refillables.
 
That would be ideal as its what we have now but I dont think the 11kg will fit and im kicking myself for not measuring the locker and cant find anything online. Unless Stephen from autogas 2000 who has been really helpful comes up with something else I reckon ill just fit 2 x 6kg and get all the necessary bits to swap one out for Calor when in the UK.
 
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