# Uk / Continental Gas Bottles



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

We have the [bog standard] UK 'calor gas' cylinder in our van but if we do [finally] decide to go to Spain or Portugal for a month or so we will obviously need a 'continental' type of gas cylinder, as we don't have one to exchange for a full one is it necessary to first 'purchase' a bottle ? . . sometimes our local refuse recycling centre has various 'dumped' ones - is there a particular make / type I should try to get hold of ?


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## 89122 (May 14, 2005)

Have a look at My Pictures
Their is a French and a Spanish Bottle on show.
I still have them but now use refillable ones.

Eddie


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

Hi Vicdicdoc. I have the same problem in only having room for 1 gas bottle.
There is a firm at Crewe that will fit a refillable bottle with outside filler for £225 plus £75 fitting.
Cheers Sid


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Ouch - for that kind of money we'll eat cold food for a month :lol:


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## 94664 (May 1, 2005)

My UK gas cylinder lasted 20 months.Mostly used on our visits to Spain.Kept a small back up,(just in case).Cooked most of our food in microwave when on hook up.Only used gas heating when again not on hook up.Use their power as much as possible.Youve paid for it.


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## 88974 (May 11, 2005)

The first time to France for seven weeks we brought three full gas cylinders as we thought that we would need that amount. Came home with 2 full ones. Gone since for the same amount of time and have never gone into the second bottle. I do try and use as much items on electricity as possible. Electric Kettle, toaster, small heater, We also bring a microwave which we store on the back bed when travelling. I reckon that you should get away with just the one bottle. YOu can get a indicator for the outside of the bottle, which will let you know how much gas you have left, doesn't cost much.


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## craigy (Aug 29, 2005)

*gas cylinders in spain*

Did you go to Spain in winter or summer? We are going in Jan/Feb for 6 weeks and I am concerned that our 2 x 6kgs bottles won't last. Do you have a microwave with low wattage? I thought a microwave would be too much for hook-ups in Spain. Any advise would be appreciated as it is first time and I'm getting quite nervous about it.

craigy


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Why not take -or buy in Europe- a Camping Gaz bottle as a top up for Calor. These are readily available in France and Spain.


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## nobbythehobby (May 9, 2005)

Hi,

Would recommend anybody going to Spain for any length of time in the colder months (it can get cold at nights there!) to try and obtain a Spanish propane cylinder which will work with the 'Jumbo' connecter unit. 

They can be obtained free (recommend somebody tries to relieve Eddie of his) or from the supplier in Spain by giving a campsite address. Initial supply of a full bottle and 'Jumbo' is about £20.

The main advantage of Spanish gas is the price of a refill. I paid about a fiver (7 euro's and a bit) for a 11kg Repsol refill there about 6 weeks ago. This is just about the best value for gas anywhere in Europe. These are used widespread for domestic use, hence the low price and can be purloined off the many domestic delivery supply pick-up's seen around the streets. Butane can also be obtained and is even better value if cold weather isn't a factor.

Nobby


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

If, like me, you have the new gas system with a 30 mbar regulator fixed to the van and an internal gas storage locker then its is impossible to put the larger UK and continental bottles inside the small gas bottle compartment.

What do you do under these circumstances?


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## nobbythehobby (May 9, 2005)

Hi,

It does of course depend upon the capacity of your locker. Many vans with a fixed regulator can still get two 11kg cylinders into their locker and sometimes larger still.

I have seen many overwinterers in Spain who only have a small locker use a larger bottle and stand it outside on the ground and connect up with a longer hose. High pressure hoses for the 30mb fixed regulator can be obtained up to 1.5 metres long and (like most things) are quite cheap over there.

Nobby


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## 88845 (May 9, 2005)

Hi djchapple

We have a mounted regulator and bought a Le Cube 6kg gas bottle in France(available in most supermarket fuel stations for around 12 euros--initial set up contract about 25 euros including first bottle) but you need a particular hose connection .Make sure you get this from www.gaslow.co.uk before you go,as I could not find one in France.
So we now carry a 6kg Calor bottle and a Le Cube ,one we change when in Uk and the other in France.
Regard 
John


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

*Gas and Safety*

From this (and other correspondence on the forum) I've gathered that obtaining a propane cylinder filled with gas in Spain as a top up for your extended stay is relatively easy.

What about the issue of carrying the spare, nearly empty UK-type cylinder within the van (eg in a locker or garage) and the risk of gas leaking from this into the living area comprising a fire and asphyxiation risk?

If carrying the spare cylinder outside the vehilce (eg the roof) is not an option do we just take car to tighten the cylinder gas tap and accept the minimised risk to health?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Regarding high pressure pigtails being available up to 1.5m long, I believe the gas regulations EN 1949 state a maximum of 0.45m. If so, irrespective of whether longer ones are less safe, if the worst happened there may be insurance implications that are worth factoring into your eventual gas solution.

As posted elsewhere, I can't see anything untoward with another 30mb regulator at the large outside cylinder, feeding low pressure gas to a simply T-piece inserted in the low pressure line after the inboard 30mb regulator.

Dave


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## RobMD (May 9, 2005)

Morning Guys!

If you are travelling through France and don't intend taking more than a week or so before enterin Spain, then 2 UK 6kg. botttles will last you. We used 1 bottle travelling down in Sept. and back in Nov.

In you intend staying in one place for a while, you may be able to buy a full bottle from the campsite, then return it to them when you leave.
I haven't seen any 6kg. bottles in Spain, and there is no way I could carry a 12kg bottle around, so I would have to return it and write off any remaining gas - annoying, but not really expensive when taken in context with the trip cost, a meal ot etc.
One one site, a German woman was querying the price of a bottle of gas which was being charged at €12.50, the site owner said they were charged more by the supplier???? so if buying from a site be prepared for a mark-up on the normal price.

Th suggestion of carrying one Le Cube bottle is a good one, I may see if I can obtain one next time across.
Many of the people on site used a 12 kg. bottle placed outside on the ground.


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Hi

Once in Spain you will have no problems getting empty bottles from any of the regular market/boot sales that you will find all over the place......nearly every village and certainly city have these every week.

A couple of weeks ago I bought 10 empties at 10 euro each, regulators were 5 euro [new] each and the exchange for refill cost 9 euro each..............so _you _could be up and running in no time for around 23/25 euro.....


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## nobbythehobby (May 9, 2005)

Hi,
Interesting what you say about pigtail lengths Dave and I have no wish to argue with what you say as I personally have the shortest length fitted inside my locker anyway and have no axe to grind. I personally have no knowledge of the fine details of EN 1949 so am not in a position to discuss it any further anyway but presume it must have safety implications..

However, I did notice the other day that Gaslow themselves do supply high pressure pigtails up to 1.5m in length and when Leisure Gas Services fitted a Gaslow setup in my neighbours van, they supplied a 1m high pressure pigtail. That being the case, it occurs to me that there may be a fair few users with a pigtail in excess of .45m. If what you say is correct, then they may have potential insurance invalidity issues and may wish to check on that by contacting Leisure Gas or Gaslow.
I would be surprised to learn that such companies are supplying non-regulation products. I will mention this to my neighbour and he will no doubt wish to contact Leisure Gas himself. If he does so, then I'll post back.

Nobby


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Nobby,

That's reassuring, as Richard at Gaslow is on a gas standards committee and knows his stuff. Unfortunately I can't get chapter and verse on the regs as it seems you have to buy them, but this quote from a dealer certainly still leaves it as a question to be answered if were considering purchasing a 1.5m high pressure pigtail.

http://www.touringandtenting.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t1125.html

Dave
(Extract below)

"These new gas regulations certainly have raised some questions. Amongst them the short length of the gas tails and the feasibility of retrofitting the new 30mb regulator to previous year models.

The main problem I can see with adapting the new 30mb gas regulator is the soundness check. All 2004 vans are checked for gas soundness at PDI using a new style pressure gauge. As per new regulations due in (yes even more!! ) the system is checked for gas soundness at 150mb. The test is being implemented at this pressure over the next year and is due to become standard by Sept. 2004.

The problem is that with some older vans the seals on the gas appliances are vulnerable at this pressure and could be blown. If you have a pre-2004 van I would stick to the method of attaching your own regulator to the length of gas hose supplied.

The original gas tail was only 400mm long! After consultation the length was increased to a maximum length of 450mm. Some manufacturers have had to re-design their gas lockers to ensure the gas tail can reach both bottles.

FD"


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## 96180 (Aug 31, 2005)

No mention so far on what sort of gas available in Germany anyone know?
We have a new type regualtor and two 6kg propane bottles - will tend to use gas for cooking and fridge but will two full bottles be enough for three weeks?


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## 97978 (Mar 5, 2006)

Spotted this on another site relating to yatching. I haven't tried it nor do I know anyone who has, so it is posted for information only. It may well be dangerous, or if carried out correctly it may be OK- I don't know.

Contents of this post shown below.

_If you find it impossible to get your own bottles refilled Nigel Calder's excellent book explains how to refill your own bottles from a local bottle. (borrowed or rented?) Looks simple enough to me but have never tried it. Basically you invert the full one above the empty, connect them with a hose with suitable adaptors leaving the lower valve loose (ish) Crack the top valve to purge air then snug up the bottom valve, open both valves wide and wait! Takes a while. _


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## cairngorm (Nov 10, 2005)

*The big question*



FERDINAND said:


> Hi djchapple
> 
> We have a mounted regulator and bought a Le Cube 6kg gas bottle in France(available in most supermarket fuel stations for around 12 euros--initial set up contract about 25 euros including first bottle) but you need a particular hose connection .Make sure you get this from www.gaslow.co.uk before you go,as I could not find one in France.
> So we now carry a 6kg Calor bottle and a Le Cube ,one we change when in Uk and the other in France.
> ...


Can you get the Le Cube in Spain or am I being naive.Cairngorm


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## cairngorm (Nov 10, 2005)

*Can you get the Le Cube in Spain*



cairngorm said:


> FERDINAND said:
> 
> 
> > Hi djchapple
> ...


Perhaps no one knows if the Le Cube is available in Spain. Cairngorm


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