Is LPG being phased out? (1 Viewer)

[LeahRose]

Hi all

Thanks for the heads up about the very disappointing news that Calor is discontinuing the 3.9kg & 4.5kg bottles, having finally managed to get hold of 2 for my Ducato Expedition 66.

So now I need to find an alternative asap. The gas locker is too small for a 6kg bottle and as the van is less than a year old I really don’t want to start modifying anything inside.

Having done some more searching on my, go to ‘font of all motorhoming knowledge’ aka Motorhome Funsters forum (you have no idea how much I have learnt from you guys ) I found a thread about underslung LPG tanks and although expensive it looks like it might be the best option for my van. I’ve since emailed and chatted to the guys at Autogas they sound great, thanks again for the recommendation.

I’ve also however read that LPG is due to be phased out at filling stations in 2024. I was wondering if any of you guys know if that means it will be phased out completely or will we still be able to fill tanks? Obviously I don’t want to spend all that money if I’m unable to use it in 2 years.

I’d be really grateful for any advice. Thanks

 

[Spriddler]

I think it's only the small blue Butane bottles that are going.The Red Propane are still available.

From the Calor website. Note that it's only the 6kg Calor LITE being discontinued, not the normal steel cylinders.

 

[Barti Ddu]

Phasing out LPG when so many rural communities rely on it would be difficult.

LPG itself won't be phased out anytime soon. However propane for heating and cooking in rural communities is based around bulk tanks or 47kg cylinders, not the tiny cylinders that the leisure market uses, nor autogas from filling stations.

 

[Lenny HB]

Most refillable have a removable collar that is why you can often get a 6kg in a locker designed for 3.9kg.

I find it very strange a Motorhome can be designed to only take 3.9kg bottles, you would be changing/filling bottles every day in the winter. Even 6kg is too small for normal use.

 

[mikebeaches]

View attachment 709923

That's a particularly handy and informative list of what smaller gas bottles are available. I'd forgotten there is a 2.7 kg Gaslow system.

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[nicholsong]

Autogas is definitely getting harder to find in the UK as filling stations remove the dispensers due to lack of mainstream demand. When was the last time you saw a car fill up with LPG here?

It's becoming a niche product for motorhomes, so hopefully more motorhome dealers and campsites will install pumps to meet our demand.

However, on the continent Autogas is still very easy to get hold of. Recently in France and Spain I had to wait several times for a car to fill up before I could fill myself. Renault and Dacia in particular seem to have really pushed into the LPG car market.

In Poland I estimate that 75% of filling stations sell LPG.

I think that BEV are not very popular here - getting most Polish people to part with the sort of money they cost is not easy. The 4 Tesla electric chargers in the LeClerc S/Market CP opposite us are hardly used.

 

[Nanniemate]

I found a lump hammer helped me get an 11kg Gaslow bottle into a locker in my then PVC which was only meant to take 6kg ones.

Most refillable have a removable collar that is why you can often get a 6kg in a locker designed for 3.9kg.

I find it very strange a Motorhome can be designed to only take 3.9kg bottles, you would be changing/filling bottles every day in the winter. Even 6kg is too small for normal use.

Lenny you a man if you dont understand why a man would design it that way how on earth would we

 

[Lenny HB]

Lenny you a man if you dont understand why a man would design it that way how on earth would we

The designer could have been a woman, being such a ridiculous thing to do they probably were.

 

[Spriddler]

Lenny you a man if you dont understand why a man would design it that way how on earth would we

Women have a secret skill as all the ones I've known could get an entire Boots cosmetics counter into a handbag.

 

[Leakylunar]

We use 3.9 propane as it’s the largest that’s fits our locker. We’ll go back to camping gaz as it’s only for cooking. Looked at re fillable but at £160 not worth it for us.

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[Nanniemate]

The designer could have been a woman, being such a ridiculous thing to do they probably were.

more likely a man thought 3.9 was far bigger than it really is ........................................naughty

 

[Just smiffy]

Most refillable have a removable collar that is why you can often get a 6kg in a locker designed for 3.9kg.

I find it very strange a Motorhome can be designed to only take 3.9kg bottles, you would be changing/filling bottles every day in the winter. Even 6kg is too small for normal use.

Lenny you a man if you dont understand why a man would design it that way how on earth would we

Probably designed by someone who has never been away in a motorhome or camper…..

 

[Lenny HB]

Probably designed by someone who has never been away in a motorhome or camper…..

But they are all designed like that.

 

[Just smiffy]

But they are all designed like that.

Funnily enough, I like shoes, when I’m with someone who is looking at shoes then so do I, I imagine what ones I would buy…
I could definitely be a shoe designer….

 

[enark]

Hopefully not as I’ve just ordered an 11kg Gaslow bottle and associated tails etc from Hamilton Gas Products….

so decided to run on one refillable and carry the garden bbq 6kg conventional flogas bottle as back up, in the unlikely event we run out..

this comes out at less than half the quote from a main dealer to fit the one 11kg bottle…

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[enark]

Wow, ordered at 3 on Friday, from Hamilton Gas Products, County Down, arrived this morning, how’s that for superb service.

bottle fitted, 70MM hole cut, and hoses all connected, off to fill up soon….got to say that’s about as easy as abc….doddle, glad I didn’t pay a dealer £750 for same result.

 

[tonyidle]

But they are all designed like that.

It's a valve guard - only really needed when they're regularly transported / handled.

 

[dna]

Does anyone know the investment needed to install a commercial LPG system Also, what sort of legal licencing / training / certification is needed?

Im asking as the Caravan club and the CCC club do refurbish / develop their campsites and maybe they could be persuaded to include an LPG pump as part of the development, especially as it would be a revenue generator! Most sites seem to already have LPG systems to power/heat the amenities blocks and also sell/swap filled cylinders so LPG would not be a totally new thing on the sites

 

[enark]

Does anyone know the investment needed to install a commercial LPG system Also, what sort of legal licencing / training / certification is needed?

Im asking as the Caravan club and the CCC club do refurbish / develop their campsites and maybe they could be persuaded to include an LPG pump as part of the development, especially as it would be a revenue generator! Most sites seem to already have LPG systems to power/heat the amenities blocks and also sell/swap filled cylinders so LPG would not be a totally new thing on the sites

That would be a great convenience, and possibly reduce their electric bill, as we may happily use more gas?

 

[Lenny HB]

It's a valve guard - only really needed when they're regularly transported / handled.

You mis read that I was talking about Motorhome designers.

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[OutTheOffice]

That would be a great convenience, and possibly reduce their electric bill, as we may happily use more gas?

At least one commercial site in Mid Beds has realised this is an opportunity https://www.henlowbridgelakes.co.uk/post/life-s-a-gas-baby would be great to see others follow this lead.

 

[Niall B]

Does anyone know the investment needed to install a commercial LPG system Also, what sort of legal licencing / training / certification is needed?

Im asking as the Caravan club and the CCC club do refurbish / develop their campsites and maybe they could be persuaded to include an LPG pump as part of the development, especially as it would be a revenue generator! Most sites seem to already have LPG systems to power/heat the amenities blocks and also sell/swap filled cylinders so LPG would not be a totally new thing on the sites

Can you imagine the rules the Caravan and Motorhome club would put in place though, you'd probably only be allowed to fill up between 09:23 and 09:46 on every third Wednesday, while wearing a jacket and tie, with your habitation door facing west.

 

[enark]

Can you imagine the rules the Caravan and Motorhome club would put in place though, you'd probably only be allowed to fill up between 09:23 and 09:46 on every third Wednesday, while wearing a jacket and tie, with your habitation door facing west.

Great I have a jacket and tie, and MH has 4 hab doors, facing NSEW….will have to get in the queue….

 

[2x2camper]

At least one commercial site in Mid Beds has realised this is an opportunity https://www.henlowbridgelakes.co.uk/post/life-s-a-gas-baby would be great to see others follow this lead.

They have recognised that small fill ups are not worth it by having a £10 minimum charge.

 

[Lenny HB]

They have recognised that small fill ups are not worth it by having a £10 minimum charge.

That's only 10 Lt we normally put in 30 to 40 lt, normally only fill after one gas bottle is empty which is 28 lt for us.

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[eddie]

Does anyone know the investment needed to install a commercial LPG system Also, what sort of legal licencing / training / certification is needed?

Im asking as the Caravan club and the CCC club do refurbish / develop their campsites and maybe they could be persuaded to include an LPG pump as part of the development, especially as it would be a revenue generator! Most sites seem to already have LPG systems to power/heat the amenities blocks and also sell/swap filled cylinders so LPG would not be a totally new thing on the sites

It’s not worth it.
We stopped selling LPG this was a typical’sale’

Someone comes in to the office wanting LPG so out we go to the pump “

Where’s your van?”

”Over on the campsite”

”Do you want to go and get it then”

Wait ten minutes, before going back into the office just as the van turns up

”Where is your filler?”

”Oh, the other side, will your hose reach?”

”No, can you turn the Van round please ”

Another ten minutes whilst the man and his co pilot make a 37 point turn (in a huge car park)

”Is everything turned off?

”Yes except the fridge and the water heater”

”Can you turn everything off please”

Another five minute wait

”Four litres? FOUR LITRES!

”Yes I just wanted to top it up”

”That’s £2.20 please”

So I banned it lol

 

[Kannon Fodda]

My underslung takes 20l max. The gauge is hopelessly inaccurate, can be red at anything from 3/4 full to empty. A 10 litre refill is the norm even though at that amount it's still quite embarrassing to walk up to the pay desk.

The point being that most LPG sites aren't going to be viable just to be run for motorhomers and other leisure users, most of us just don't have the capacity to make it worthwhile for the supplier who needs bulk sales to have any margin. Are we really expecting that campsites or whoever are going to pay to install the extra pump infrastructure, keep it serviced, and then have staff available to open up at random times for someone paying a fiver?

As the UK never really adopted LPG for motive power, current garages will, as their kit ages inevitably take a decision to remove. Supply points will dwindle, simple economics. There will remain some specialist locations, but they will be few and far between.

 

[headlight]

I've actually just got off the phone to Vanbitz pricing up a Gaslow install.
This thread is making me think that for my low gas usage, 6 x 6kg Calor bottles last year and probably 8 or 9 Calor this year, it is probably not worth the cost of having it installed coupled with reducing filling options.
I only use the van in the UK also.

 

[enark]

I've actually just got off the phone to Vanbitz pricing up a Gaslow install.
This thread is making me think that for my low gas usage, 6 x 6kg Calor bottles last year and probably 8 or 9 Calor this year, it is probably not worth the cost of having it installed coupled with reducing filling options.
I only use the van in the UK also.

It’s cost me £305 for one 11kg plus ancillary hoses and filler cap, given an 11kg is now £44 to exchange with Flogas, I think I will soon recoup the cost as well as the added convenience.

 

[headlight]

It’s cost me £305 for one 11kg plus ancillary hoses and filler cap, given an 11kg is now £44 to exchange with Flogas, I think I will soon recoup the cost as well as the added convenience.

I was quoted £840 for a 2 x 6kg Gaslow system fitted with auto switch over and external filler point.
From what I can see LPG is about £1.30kg compared to £6 per kg of Calor, so £4.70 cheaper per kg.
So the saving on my annual 48kgs of gas is £225.
It will take the bast part of 4 years to recoup.
I'm undecided.

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[Just smiffy]

I was quoted £840 for a 2 x 6kg Gaslow system fitted with auto switch over and external filler point.
From what I can see LPG is about £1.30kg compared to £6 per kg of Calor, so £4.70 cheaper per kg.
So the saving on my annual 48kgs of gas is £225.
It will take the bast part of 4 years to recoup.
I'm undecided.

So much cheaper to do it yourself, it’s not too difficult….