# Bottled gas in Spain



## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

can anyone please advise on the availability of bottled gas in Spain?
We have just spent 6 1/2 weeks in France and are about to venture into Spain for the first time.
Having become used to seeing about 6 different brands of gas available in most supermarket petrol stations we wonder if it will be as easy to find in Spain.
Also our 3 year old caravan Club continental touring guide says you must have a Spanish gas safety certificate to buy gas bottles in Spain. so the vehicle may have to be inspected, does anyone know if this is true, we are on an extended trip so the van is quite qell packed, don't fancy having to unpack bits to allow access to gas lines ( our van is double floored).
Thanks for your advice/help.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi I can't help but would be very interested in any advice regarding this as we intend to travel through France and Spain possibly Portugal after Xmas.

My Husband was talking to someone he knew the other day who was saying how hard it is to get gas etc etc


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

I have not heard about the gas certificate but I am told it is hard to initially buy a bottle, you need a residence in Spain. I have managed to get two bottles from people who had returned to the UK and then had tanks built into their vans. I have heard it is possible to buy an origonal tank from the many boot fayres the ex-pats hold in Spain.

Hopefully someone who has travelled in Spain and has first hand experience will advise you


stew


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## slaphead (May 14, 2005)

*gas in spain*

i'm in spain at the moment, we are on site using leccy as we've paid for it,but we have seen gas bottles for sale at car boot fayres here...go for about 20 to 30 euros empty....as for filling , it,s hit and miss ,the spanish seem to be relaxing now, best bet is to stop a gas truck driver and slip him a few euro's....apparently! :wink:


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## capitanjohn (Nov 16, 2006)

I was in the same situation a couple of years ago when I ran out of gas and had trouble obtaining a Spanish bottle, fortunately a guy on the site knew a Spanish shopkeeper that sold bottles and I am sure there must be a lot of them.
Once I had my bottle I realised that I had to buy a valve that attaches to the top of the bottle and a lenght of hose all of these freely available, but then you have to undo your gas pipe after the regulator and attach the hose with a jublee clip. This is not really legal but needs must and if your carefull it works a treat and once you have a bottle you can change it anywhere with no questions.

Regards John.


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

You can buy gas bottles, without paperwork, almost anywhere. Just look for tool/farm/animal feed style shops. Petrol stations in general will not sell bottle. 

I bought two full lightweight ali bottles last evening for a client @ 53 euro each [bottle 40.00., gas 12.30..........reg was 9 euro.....no paperwork needed!

.


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## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

Thanks for the information guys
At present we have one lightweight french butane and one English Propane bottle - the french are trying to encourage their domestic customers to switch to the lightweight bottles so we bought a new one complete with regulator at the LeClerc hypermarket in Anscenis - cost us 25 euro ( 10Kg bottle) The regulator has a screw in adaptor supplied so you can push fit a gas hose and secure with a jubilee clip if necessary- our camper is pre 2004 so we have this type of arrangement anyway.
We are currently house sitting for friends in Provence while they have a long weekend in Germany, he has been through Spain on the way to North Africa to do desert trips in Landrovers and reckons that in the past he has had English cylinders refilled in Spain.
What sort of gas do they sell in Gibraltar English or Spanish?


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

marionandrob said:


> What sort of gas do they sell in Gibraltar English or Spanish?


Spanish.............


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## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Speaking personally*

I found out the hard way this past January, when in Spain and needing gas.
Mt propane cyls had nearly run out (third one ready to put inline) and was on campsite in Bennidorm.
Shop sells the "CEPSA" brand cyls, much bigger than our calor sizes, but found need for cylinder control valve and piece of rubber tube, which the shop also sells, fortunately.
Then the hassles. 
The rubber gas pipe will not fit UK standard regulator.
After much butchering of UK reinforced hose, left the threaded connector intact, cut through near to cylinder connector, insertd piece of rigid plastic as a sleeve, to slide inside piece of plastic water hose, with lots of superglue over pieces, clamped together with jubilee clips and left to harden, forming a connector between CEPSA valve and regulator.
Had there been an inspection, I think it would have failed.
I checked it for leaks by the soapy water and brush method and it passed.
So, holiday completed, safely. Retained CEPSA cyl, just in case, and bought an adaptor marketed through GASLOW, so ready for Spain again, properly equipped this time.


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Gas is a problem of advice we often have with those joining our tours and starting with UK bottles.........then onward, after time too Morocco.

Purchase in Spain has been covered on this post and Morocco is no problem with a full bottle in Morocco being about £10.00 [£4.00 a re-fill].

Most with the newer vans just plug into BBQ outlet..... :lol:


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

_£4.00 a re-fill_ send some over Ray, Calor have gone upto £19.30 for a 13kg refil

stew


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

artona said:


> Hi
> 
> _£4.00 a re-fill_ send some over Ray, Calor have gone upto £19.30 for a 13kg refil
> 
> stew


Stew, as a fulltimer you should be on big bottles for the winter .. :wink:

I get 19kg propane delivered by local company.... £18


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi can I just ask if we buy a Gasglow would that solve any probs I have seen them advertised somewhere ? thanks


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## skratt (May 1, 2005)

Yes Gaslow solves everything 

info here http://www.gaslow.co.uk/pages/home.htm

cheers, Skratt :lol:


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## 107990 (Oct 30, 2007)

If you should happen to find yourself in Estepona there is a shop called "Holland Yachting" in the parade of shops looking over the marina who will sell you refills of your UK bottles. Not the cheapest but not over the top either. If you go on to the industrial estate in Estepona there is a Repsol depot there. If you pick a quiet moment the chap there will give you an orange bottle in exchange for 20 euro plus the gas price, but you won't get a receipt.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

skratt said:


> Yes Gaslow solves everything


A rather broad statement which needs qualifying ..

LPG refilling is not widely available in Spain and non existent in Morocco.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Thanks folks as always brilliant on here for info appreciated.


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## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

DollarYen said:


> If you should happen to find yourself in Estepona there is a shop called "Holland Yachting" in the parade of shops looking over the marina who will sell you refills of your UK bottles. Not the cheapest but not over the top either. If you go on to the industrial estate in Estepona there is a Repsol depot there. If you pick a quiet moment the chap there will give you an orange bottle in exchange for 20 euro plus the gas price, but you won't get a receipt.


wow! thanks for that DollarYen - we will probably be passing through Estepona on our way to Gibraltar - Rob needs to spend some time there researching his family history as his mother was born there.
Is the industrial estate easy to find?


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

I must correct the Gaslow solves everything remark because it does not in Spain. Spanish gas is about the same cost as filling Gaslow so they dont bother with refills or have many filling stations. I bought two empty Cepsa ali bottles at Punta Prima market last sunday for 10 euros each empty. I refilled both for 25 euros therefore each bottle cost 22.5 euros for purchase and fill. There is always a chance of buying them at markets over here. The options are Cepsa and Repsol. On the Aire that I am currently visiting the owner can get Repsol bottles from the Repsol lorry man who passes the site to deliver to local homes. Fittings can be bought in some ferreterias as I have previously said for 10.4 euros which will allow connection straight to a bulkhead truma type regulator. Take note of this supplier. Just after passing Guardamar travelling south turn right for Los Montisinos. On the straight road after the garden centre and before Los Montisinos there is a large ferreteria (hardware DIY etc.) on the RH side. They sell all the fitting you may need over the plumbing counter. They also sell and refill camping gaz 907 . Refills of these emergency bottles 8 euros.


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi

We have just arrived in Spain (our first visit) a week ago. Before we left England we bought a flexy hose adaptor from a caravan shop which fits the incoming side of the fixed regulator. When we got down to Vilanova we found out that on the campsite where we are staying you can buy a Spanish bottle (filled) for 72€. This is 60€ returnable deposit and 12€ for the gas. This is for a 12.1/2kg bottle. You can buy the gas regulators from most supermarket shops on the big sites or from large DIY shops called ADI the price of these range from 10 - 14€ and also buy a short length of gas hose and connect the Spanish gas pipe and regulator to the ingoing side of your fixed van regulator. This works fine. We did find many helpful people on the site who are all willing to advise you about most things. You can buy empty bottles freely on the campsite without any gas ceertificates and then get them exchanged easily. We also have a lightweight ali Spanish bottle that you cannot get refilled until your come out of the provence of Cataluna. For some reason they do not refill them in this provence but we understand you can get them refilled in the rest of Spain. We have yet to find this out.

Hope this helps a bit.

Steve & Ann - teensvan


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## 107990 (Oct 30, 2007)

Hello marionandrob. You can't miss the Poligino Industrial. If you stay on the main national road and not the peage around Estepona you will see it on your left, you can actually see the Repsol depot from the road. If you are going down to Gib be careful where you park in La Linea. The policia local have been giving motorhomes a hard time for some reason only known to themselves. They claim you are parked illeagly, tow you away and charge about 250 euro to get your van back. If you park on the west side of the frontier and put a couple of euro in the parking ticket machine you will be ok.


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## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

Thanks to both teensvan and dollaryen for the information.
We have a spanish regulator and length of hose that we bought in the UK.
As our van is 2002 vintage we don't have the fixed regulator which is why we were a bit concerned about safety checks.Not sure the soapy water bubble test and my acute sense of smell would cut it with the authorities! :lol: we may convert when we get back to the U.K as it seems to make things a bit easier.
Does anyone know if you can park a camper in Gibraltar? Rob is planning some family research ( his mother was from Gibraltar) so we are weighing up staying on a campsite on the Spanish side and possibly hiring a motorcycle or car for a week or two or renting an apartment in Gibraltar somewhere we can park the van nearby ( have seen this done in Lanzarote as you are not allowed to sleep in campers there)


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

DollarYen said:


> If you are going down to Gib be careful where you park in La Linea. The policia local have been giving motorhomes a hard time for some reason only known to themselves. They claim you are parked illeagly,.


 tow you away and charge about 250 euro to get your van back.

_Yes, they are getting fed up with the "Wildcampers" parking along the seafront for weeks on end in some cases........_

If you park on the west side of the frontier and put a couple of euro in the parking ticket machine you will be ok

_Or use the carpark next to [east] border......secure with man on gate......._


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*Gas in spain*

The facts. SPAIN LIVES ON GAS, forget all the stories its very easy to otain gas its sold everywhere. 2 types Cepsa and Repsol - this is the one you want orange bottle ! cepsa is a stainless steel bottle which you will need to pay a deposit for bottles and gas, can cost upto 80E. Repsol bottles can be found at car boots /markets for 25euro. but if you are on a campsite you can obtain a full one and return it when used, 2 types valve for these bottles which are a sussie type fitting ? one is a normal govenor and one is a streight through valve ie just an on and off , if you have the German type regulator or you used french gas bottles this fits the On and off valve you can buy them in all Repsol depots or supermarkets about 10 euro. gas is now about 12e 30,


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## 107990 (Oct 30, 2007)

You can take the van into Gibraltar but you are not allowed to stay in it overnight. I don't know if the van is allowed to stay without you in it, i would guess that would be ok. The roads in Gib can be a bit of a squeeze if you go off the main through routes. I would suggest going in, going to Morrisons and filling up with cheap fuel there and getting any shopping. They have a huge car park but they limit you to staying a couple of hours. There are a couple of places you can pay to park but i would suggest scouting them out on foot before trying to just drive round and find them.


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

Silvasurfa The going price for a Cepsa bottle filled straght from the Cepsa lorries is no more than 45euros. Cepsa have not been in the market as long as Repsol but I never seem to have a problem finding a petrol station with the cage full of the silver bottles wherever I have been in spain. I am up above benidorm at oliva right now and looking at some in a shell station Repsol or Cepsa its all fine . I think the silver bottles are lighter. Its all a lot cheaper than Calor thats for sure. I would be interested to hear Ray (detourers) views on availability of Cepsa refills in his area


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

I "purchased" a CEPSA propane bottle for €30 plus €12.50 for the gas from the camp site at Santa Pola and the fittings at a local ferreteria. Worked fine while we were staying on the site (5 weeks). However, it proved impossible to replace it at any CEPSA garage, all of which seemed to stock only Butane. We changed it for a Repsol and, lo and behold, no problem - propane freely available.


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

A very interesting post. We have never needed propane. We have used butane all the time without any problem. We used propane in the UK of course but down here its not been cold enough to need it. I have two full calor bottles still in stock so can use these if I encounter really cold weather. I will then get a repsol propane bottle. There was one at punta prima boot sale last sunday 25 euros filled


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

C7KEN said:


> I would be interested to hear Ray (detourers) views on availability of Cepsa refills in his area


Nearly every garage sells gas here in the Malaga area [Andalucia], most stock both types. I bought another Cepsa bottle today, full, .....for 53 euro.


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

Can I just endorse what the many have been saying as I have just travelled down the coast, almost to Malaga.

1. Spain is awash with LPG bottles of both types. The CEPSA ones are very lightweight and are to be preferred if you can get them at a decent price *provided* that they will fit in your van. They are just two tall for mine so I'm using Repsol.

2. Gaslow is not the total answer as it's difficult to get filled. However the MHF database has details of locations and I have used it with success.

3. The simplest answer is to make sure you have an external barbacue point and you can back feed.

4. If not (my position) stand by for some fun and games with separate regulators and different sizes of hose. I must confess that I wasn't totally confident in my bodging so spent £50 at the Hymer agent in Murcia so I now have 1 Repsol cylinder and 1 Gaslow.

Ian


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## marionandrob (May 14, 2005)

Thank you very much to everyone for all the helpful information, we are now far more relaxed about getting gas in Spain
Anyone coming across to France may find the following useful
Butagaz and Antargaz are running a promotion on their lightweight bottles however these are currently only available filled with Butane The bottles are very similar in weight to the BP Viseo (visio?) ones in the U.K.

Butagaz - to commission a new bottle ( including regulator) 28 euro then 18 euro per refill Like the new visio bottle in the UK you can see the liquid gas level in this one

Antargaz- 25 euro to comission ( including regulator the 14 euro per refill
Can see the gas in this one if you hold a bright light behind it, not as easy to see as the Butagaz ones
Both are 20l bottles

Large Intermarche/Hypermache and Le Clerc Hypermarkets are doing both offers at their petrol stations, a lot of the smaller ones have the bottles but can only do exchange
We now have two Antargaz calypso bottles, the regulators are the clip on type, psush them down onto the top of the bottle, flick the switch to On and press the button to get the gas flowing, the regulator has a screw fitting to connact the hose but is also supplied with a connector that screws onto the port for push fit hoses. Spare fittings, gas hose and gas washers available at Mr Bricolage and Bricomarche stores


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## 108533 (Nov 30, 2007)

*Bottled Gas in Spain*

I am presently in Nerja and having a problem with gas bottles.
Can anybody offer any suggestions?
I have used one 6kgs Calor bottle travelling here and have just fitted the other.
Before I left the UK, I purchased a Spanish fitting and hose from Gaslow and on arrival bought a Cepsa bottle from a delivery driver.
The only problem is the 12.5kg bottle will not fit through the gas cupboard door opening by about 0.5 inch. I have looked at Repsol bottles and the small one is too bulbous.
Any ideas would be appreciated


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

Harbat
If you have an external BBQ point on your van connect your Cepsa bottle to this. Sit the Cepsa bottle outside the van , connect directly with a bottle top regulator with a hose going in to the gas locker. It is the same as you would connect the wheel around gas heaters that are widely used over here Other than that I'm stuck for ideas. My van takes the Cepsa bottle with ease. You could use camping gaz but you need to get a bottle cheaply from somewhere. The refills although dearer at 8.5 euros at least would solve your immediate problem. This is why I am always advising members to get a cheap gaz 907 cylinder before leaving the UK
Ken


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*Gas in SPAIN*

I have posted many post on this subject, Spain lives on gas .we cook on it we heat our casa's with it. It can be bought at garages. Repsol depots . Repsol are the main supplier ! orange bottle .you can get cepsa light weight s/steel bottles. but you wont find these on sale second hand. if you have used a french bottle then your regulator will fit a spanish freeflow valve this you can buy in repsol depot or camping dept in supermarket. this looks just like a normal regulator. or you look out for a bottle at a local street market 25€ going price . exchange bottle is now 12.30€ .

IF in France and you want a bottle (empty) look out for Emaus this a charity .they have shops and depots all over France. you will get a bottle for 5€, French bottle will fit the German reg? on the older hymer vans


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## slaphead (May 14, 2005)

*spanish gas*

having made some enquiries...here's an update.
if you are on a camp site,just get a note from reception to say you are resident on site..(headed notepaper)..take it to a cepsa/repsol or other gas depot and had over €32....go to a ferreteria(DIY)shop purchase pigtail/regulator...bobs ya uncle. :lol:


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## 108533 (Nov 30, 2007)

I have now resolved my gas problem thanks to a guy in Estapona called Dirk who has various bottles of different types available. If anybody else has a gas bottle problem he can be contacted on his mobile 616 969 496 or by email-Dirkvandendriessche at hotmail.com


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