Calor gas, how does it work?

[TheDeckKing]

Picking up the new (to us) motorhome on Sunday. Saying we're excited is a huge understatement. Just realised that I've never dealt with gas cylinders before. The MoHo comes with a calor cylinder. Can I just take this to my nearest stockist for a refill when it runs out or do I need the original paperwork?

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I'd like to take all the credit for such a quality thread. It deserves a prize I think, maybe a free Gaslow system

Quite agree........ Just don't ask about the risk of being gassed with it

 

[DuxDeluxe]

The simple answer to this thread is stick with calor gas bottles, but as said, there are many other ways, and the ebay thingy mentioned works fine, as long as you use two bottles, and only fill a properly emptied one to 80% capacity. If you dont fully understand this, then stick with calor bottles, which can be found most anywhere....for a price.

Agree with Calor but strongly disagree with the refilling of your own using an adaptor, it is a danger to everyone as you do not know for sure when you reach 80%

 

[vwalan]

Agree with Calor but strongly disagree with the refilling of your own using an adaptor, it is a danger to everyone as you do not know for sure when you reach 80%

if the bottle is empty when you start you would . and calor state they put 80-90%in their bottles .

 

[DuxDeluxe]

You can do it if you want. I've dealt with liquid gases and petroleum for 45 years and still think that not having an adequate ullage space above the liquid is a significant risk. I wish I could show you the photos I had of a refrigerated LNG ship making exactly that mistake. The repair cost millions and the incident could have given a significant fire which would not have been possible to quench. Different gas, different size, same principle. The regulations on refilling your own non customer refillable LPG cylinders are there for a very good reason and not just to protect Calor/Flogas profits. Case rested.

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[vwalan]

but if its a 13 kg bottle then if empty put no more than 26 litres in it will have the space . or put 24 just to be sure .
after all you can fill a fuel tank with petrol or diesel and watch it expand in the heat then leak from the filler .
after seeing many 80% shut off valves fail on tanks and bottles i wouldnt put alot of faith in them .
i prefer the old 80%bleed off valve that shows liquid if at 80%. .

 

[TerryL]

In my opinion your best bet would be to get a second Calor cylinder - if there's room in your gas locker - then when your main cylinder runs out you just swap it over (easy enough to do). Maybe a smaller 6kg that you could use until you can get a refilled bottle. Once you've worked out how much gas you get through then you can decide if it suits you to get a refillable system (like we did but I ain't getting into THAT argument!)

 

[sdc77]

Yeah.. Your Calor will work fine.. (do try and get 2 bottles though).. Most people we meet.. And us.. Have Calor. Enjoy your van

 

[Stroppy Bird]

I second TerryLs logic, but then I'm biased cos that's exactly what we did.

Started off with 2 x 6kg calor bottles and 18months later decided that when one of the bottles ran out again we would take the plunge and order a refillable system. Decision based on our useage (most of our travels are out of season), travelling abroad, faff factor of changing bottles over etc. However we were lucky and already had 2 x 6kg calor so didn't have the initial rental charge to cover, and haven't lost out there.

It all comes down to personal preference really.

 

[TheDeckKing]

If you only have one bottle, keep an eye out for another, they are really hard to predict when they will empty, even with a gauge, the only sure thing is heavy rain or overnight are the most likely times to run out

if you don't have a spare bottle you will inevitably waste gas when you swap before you have run out

We're off tomorrow for a week away and want to pick up a second 6kg bottle before we go. Morrisons is our nearest stockist. Does anyone know how much they charge for a new bottle?

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[rangi]

South West Gas supplies here in Cornwall Opposite "Cornish Market World" on Par Road doesn't charge a deposit on Gas Bottles

 

[Gooney]

Unless you are wasteful and run the gas fire all day, I think you will be pleasantly surprised as to how long a gas bottle will actually last

 

[TheBig1]

We're off tomorrow for a week away and want to pick up a second 6kg bottle before we go. Morrisons is our nearest stockist. Does anyone know how much they charge for a new bottle?

go to the local tip, they will often give you an empty(or full) cylinder just to get rid of it

have picked a few part full cylinders like that over the years. if you lived nearer i would be able to sort you one out. you cant post used gas cylinders though

 

[vwalan]

my neighbour and me managed to pick two morocan bottles and regulators up at out local amenities site . plus three 907 bottles for a quid a bottle . the 907,s were empty the moroccan bottles full . the chap that took them in thought it might be dangerous to use foreign gas in uk. i,m sure it was ha ha .

 

[Cal54]

I only have calor bottles as my usage doesn't really justify a refillable system. I would stick with the bottles until you have assessed how much you use. A second bottle is essential to ensure you never run out, keep an eye out for anyone selling one, even if empty. If not already fitted make sure that the pigtail connection is one with the big plastic screw rather than one that needs a spanner: nothing worse than scraping your knuckles in the dark when changing over the bottles.

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[PORKSTER]

A gripe of mine is unless you keep original paper work for calorgas bottles. You cant get a refund on your bottle deposit I think that's wrong. For one if they gave any returnee of an empty bottle a refund you wouldn't see them dumped. They wouldn't lose so many bottles and it would give me some space back behind my garage lol.
However today I went and swapped a an empty patio has bottle for a full 13kg propane cost was £27 and a few pence. I noticed on the counter if you returned any empty bottle they will give £5 to an Alzheimer's charity.

 

[TheBig1]

plus the deposit paid back drops over time if you read the small print. pay £30ish deposit and after a couple of years next to nothing returned even with the paperwork. without the original paperwork, you get nothing at all. thats why theres a black market for empty calor cylinders.

 

[Badknee]

Our local recycling centre has a cage full of gas bottles from every company going.

 

[vwalan]

in uk i use flo gas . its almost as cheap as filling bottles but no expensive layout .some of their bottles are deposit free .

 

[PORKSTER]

in uk i use flo gas . its almost as cheap as filling bottles but no expensive layout .some of their bottles are deposit free .

I looked online because local garage does flow gas and it was pretty much same price for propane