# What size calor gas bottles for your Adria Twin?



## 107925

My Twin has two 6kg propane bottles fitted. I notice that these are extortionate to refill compared to the bigger sizes. I had an empty 15kg Calor propane bottle lying around and, just as a test, I managed to squeeze it in, to replace one of my 6kg bottles. I see that Calor propane comes in a slightly smaller 13kg size and wondered if anyone with a Twin has one of these fitted and, if so, whether there are any issues to be aware of.

Cheers,

Shaun


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## 107925

Come on fellow Twinnies - have you managed to squeeze that 13kg propane bottle into your van, or are you sticking with 2 x 6kg?

Shaun


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## ksebruce

I have a Burstner T595 which I used to run with 2 6kg's. I sw2apped these for 2 13kg's for two reasons. One as you say the gas is cheaper and two if I go to the continent I can run for ages on them. If weight is not a problem I'd go for the 13kg's.


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## maddie

Hi Shaun not got same van but would go for the bigger cly every time! perhaps 1 large and a small for back-up?if you cannot fit 2 large.
terry


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## 107925

Yes, bigger is undoubtedly best, but the cupboard space is the thing, which is why I need to know what people have managed to squeeze into their Twin.

Shaun


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## 107012

Hi there,
We have the Twin but have chosen the Gaslow system. We have just the 6KG in us at the moment and we are going to try 1x 6kg and 1x 11kg together. It will intresting to see what you end up going with.


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## ksebruce

Your manual should tell you what the gas locker is designed to take. Mine states 2 x 13kg.


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## cje1

*Calor Gas*

Interesting! Yesterday I was measuring the gas locker space to upgrade from 6kg to 13kg in my Knaus 708. The manual says they will fit and the measurements in the locker says yes - anyone tried it?

Incidentally the measurements for the 13kg bottle I got from Calor are

Height: 580mm
Diameter: 315mm

regards

Colin


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## b6x

HI Shaun,

From memory, we just have two 6kg propanes at the moment, mainly because we acquired them from the father-in-law. We've been away in the van for at least 40 nights now (over winter) and are still connected to the first 6kg. So, for us personally, I doubt we'll bother changing. Would prefer the extra locker space for wedges and the additional payload for wine. 

For the same reason, we've not gone for Gaslow as I don't think it will pay for itself in the time we own the van. Crude maths, with a few assumptions, works out:

I can get approx 25 refills for my £400 install fee. 
25x 40 days of camping = 1000 days
1000 days = 500 weekends = nearly 10 years!

Bear in mind, crude that it is, that that assumes current usage (winter) and does not include the cost of the LPG, just the inital install outlay.

BTW - I am happy to be proved wrong in my maths - I've been trying to convince myself to go Gaslow for months.

Regards,
Steve


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## tramp

*gas*

hi all. 
in our new style twin we have a 13kg propane at the back and a 6kg at he front for the barbecue but a 13 kg would fit no probs also the regulater is the secu motion one so you can use the gas for heting while on the move, we find it great for winter touring. BUT you can not use the auto change over gauges as the pressure drop when the bottle empties triggers the cut off button under the regulator . In the future we will have large gas low installed and probably have to change regulator so we have auto change over as in our old van.

tramp


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## b6x

*Re: gas*



tramp said:


> hi all.
> also the regulater is the secu motion one so you can use the gas for heting while on the move, we find it great for winter touring.
> 
> tramp


Russell,

I agree, the regulator *should* allow for that, but I can't see how it covers you for a rear-end smash that ruptures the lead between the gas bottle open/close valve and the regulator. Based on the location of the bottle (right at the rear end), I still feel safer turning the gas off at the bottle.

Regards,
Steve


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## 107925

Steve, I'm astonished - that long in winter and still on the same bottle. I'm assuming you're using gas for the heating, or are you switched off and sitting in fur coats! We've just been away for two nights and so concerned was I about running out of gas, that we took a cheap 2kw electric heater. It's a noisy bugger but I reckon that as we're paying for hook-up, it's better than just using the gas bottles for heating.

Whilst it's true that bigger bottles means cheaper gas, it's also a valid point that the cupboard is then pretty full. At the moment, with two 6kg bottles, there's still room in there for the hook-up cable, ramps and other bits and pieces. Hmmm, food for thought.

Shaun


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## b6x

guess we must be a bit miserly. Admittedly we also play the 2kW heater trick, but that's never left on overnight. The Truma is left on low setting throughout the night if it's chilly to avoid the valve opening and dumping water.

A typical day the gas is used for cooking (not too often as eat out where possible), *lots* of cups of tea, breakfast occasionally, background heat in the evening and then to keep the boiler ticking over at night if freezing.

We've not used the fridge on gas yet, and tend to use the electric element for hot water were possible. 

We've definately not changed the bottle yet, as I've not had the fun of shifting the bottles around (as our pipe to the regulator is not long enough to reach to the back). note to self: get pipe changed.


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## viator

The most IMPORTANT consideration is that the regulator MUST be above the bottle output. So larger bottles means taller bottles. The positioning of the regulator by the converter within the gas locker dictates the size of bottle(s) that can be safely used.
viator


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## bobandjane

If you cant get a 13kg calor bottle in try Flogas they do a 11kg one Height: 560mm approx Diameter: 310mm approx We take one to spain it fits in with our gaslow bottle good luck bobandjane.


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## 101723

Hi, I hope this isn't off topic but when we decided to buy our Twin I bought a 6 kg propane from an advert in our local paper (£5 full bottle), whilst on our way to collect our new van, we stopped off to run the dog on the banks of the river ribble, I found an empty 13kg bottle washed up on the river bank!
I took it in for a refill on the way and got a nice new shiny bottle, I have always believed in fate!

Now back to topic, I have recently swapped the 6kg for another 13kg it is a tight squeeze and does not leave much room for other bits in the locker, the hose is a bit tight to the back bottle, but the dealer was reluctant to change the hose as it may cause problems with the regulator, it is also a bit tricky changing the bottles, especially if you are changing the back bottle! but it does give you peace of mind to have extra gas when we were in snowdonia last week when it was -6 overnight!

Terrier


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## rowley

I am still using 2 x3.9Kg propane bottles which I had in my previous compact coachbuilt. I know that it is not the most cost effective route but it does mean that I can store my hook up lead and hose in the gas locker. And it is so easy to change the bottles. Has anyone thought about the difficult access to the light bulbs in that corner where Adria have located the locker?


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## 107925

OK, Terrier, I'm glad you can confirm that the 13kg bottle can be squeezed in. I'm tempted to do the same. However, Steve obviously has tardis-type 6kg bottles and has managed to keep them going for ages. Much as I like saving a few quid each fill up, that extra space in the locker for bits and bobs is very valuable. I think if I end up doing lots of camping in the winter, then the cheaper gas might outweigh the loss of locker space, but otherwise I think the need for space will take priority.

Shaun


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## 107925

Just as an update to this, four weeks later, I found the 6kg bottle lasted only 3 days, which was disappointing. I checked the Calor prices and thought it was crazy to pay £15.50 for a 6kg refill when the 13kg is only £20.17. 

I imagined that local retailers would charge no more than Calor's retail price. Not so - the 13kg was £25 from the first garage outlet I tried - nearly a fiver above retail.

I was then pleasantly surprised that when ordering via Calor's website, I was able to arrange delivery via a local Calor outlet for 2x6kg plus one 13kg bottle (ie, three bottles total), for a mere £2.50 above the standard refill prices. In other words, that two and half quid covers as many bottles to be delivered as you like. Cool.

So, forget the extra locker space for odds and sods - I've opted for more gas space. 

Shaun


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## rowley

Terrier, I have fitted a Gaslow propane easy fit pipe to reach the rear bottle. They come in two lengths, 0.75m and 0.45m. Both of my bottles are connected via a manual changeover gauge which connects directly on to the regulator.


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## TwinTravellers

I have been reading here all about the gas bottle size debate. Because our existing 6k orange only lasted a few days and really need to sort it out as we are going to Iceland in July and I don't want to end up in the situation I was in at Easter!! 
Can I fit two 13k orange bottles with regulator into the space of my new Adria Twin compartment or not? As you can see, I am not very technicallly minded! I don't want to go down and change them if they don't fit!!!!

I'm worn out, thinking about gas bottles!.

Ros.


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## 107925

Ros, just as a test I stuck a 15kg empty butane bottle into the back of the cupboard which, as you know is narrower than the front. It fitted in no problem, so the 13kg, being smaller, will easily go in. Also the existing rubber pipe from the regulator, stretched to the connector for the back bottle. I'll know for sure in a couple of days when I've had my 13kg bottle delivered. 

The only thing I would say is that with the big bottle in place at the back, the straps which go around it are hard to retrieve and it will be fiddly getting your arms into the cupboard to strap them around again. That said, the bottle at the front will do a good job of keeping the 13kg bottle at the back in place, if you have trouble strapping it in place. I'm also assuming it will be fiddly attaching the connector to the bottle, then using the spanner to tighten it up. Again, I'll let you know whether I achieved all of this after I've had delivery.

With the 13kg bottle in at the back, you'll have no problem with another 13kg at the front, because the cupboard is wider there. So, if you're prepared to sacrifice some of the space which you might have used for bits and bobs, you can achieve two 13kg bottles in that cupboard. Personally, I'm going with the 13kg in the back and a 6kg in the front. I then have another 6kg as a spare, which I'll keep at home until needed.

Shaun


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## TwinTravellers

Thats great, Shaun. I will wait to see how you get on. 

Ros.


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## griffly16

We have 2x7kg cylinders in our 2005 twin and don't think we could get any bigger in the locker as the 13kg are 85mm higher 

Also, to the poster saying that the regulator MUST be above the gas bottles, I'm afraid that it just isn't possible in some gas lockers. I wish it was but I've just gone for the gaslow stainless steel hose in the hope that will stop the regulator clogging up.

Griff


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## 101703

I have 2 x 13k in my Twin, they fit fine.

I dont bother trying to get the straps around them, they cant move very far anyway as the bottles almost fill the space.

I've just checked my van and the regulator is above the bottles. 

Also, at the weekend I had to swap the bottles from using the front bottle to the rear bottle. The hose on mine fits fine, just have to take the front bottle out to reach the back one, move the back one foward to tighten the hose then slide it to the back and put the empty one back at the front.


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## TwinTravellers

Thats great news, David3003. Now my big question is, I presumed that we ran out of gas at the w/end. I have just been out to the van and turned the gas on. Lit the hob and the gas stayed on for about a minute and faded away. When the bottle is empty, do you still get a certain amount of gas coming through?
I don't know how to check if something else is wrong, I don't think I could bear it!!!!!! Can somebody help me here?

Ros


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## tramp

*gvsrg*

hi twin traveller,
ven when the bottle is empty yes you still get a little gas coming out , BUT the new secu motion regulator will only work when the cut out button is in signaling you have no leak and adaquate pressure.

ref replacing light bulbs in rear units , i recently fitted my own bosal towbar and had to removeboth left/right lights.

passenger side remove small wooden cover then as drivers side you need a longtype socket to fit over the 2 securing nuts about 15mm I think then attach small ratcket and remove . the lens unit wll then fall out suspended on light cables. the nuts leave behind a small bolt head watch you dont cut your hand replacing is simole just push through hole with assistant holding lens in place then reattach nuts.

Its a hard job at first needing much degterity :roll: no cak handed people apply 

tramp


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## griffly16

I presume that everyone here saying they can fit 13kg bottles in their Twin has the new model? 'Cos unless I'm missing something I just can't see any way how any larger than 7kg bottles would fit in the 'old' model.

Cheers
Griff


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## TwinTravellers

Thanks to all of you for the advice. Just been out to the van and removed gas bottle. Light as a feather, EMPTY. I think now, we are going to go for two 13kg, Yes, ours is the new Twin! so from what members are saying, they will fit.

Cheers,

Ros.


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## rowley

griffly16 said:


> I presume that everyone here saying they can fit 13kg bottles in their Twin has the new model? 'Cos unless I'm missing something I just can't see any way how any larger than 7kg bottles would fit in the 'old' model.
> 
> Cheers
> Griff


The new Twin has a much better gas locker set up than the previous model.


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## 107925

Done. A 13kg bottle is in the back of the cupboard and a 6kg in the front. I managed to strap both bottles in and fit a few bits in as well.

For those who might be watching their payload, I weighed the full bottles. The 6kg is 14.5kg and the 13kg is 27.5kg.

Shaun


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## TwinTravellers

Ros again!

I have just had two 13k gas bottles fitted, No problems at all. Thanks one and all. Don't know what I would do without you!!!


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