Gas Bottles. This is the question, should one install a refillable system, or not?

[Solwaybuggier]

We went for two 11Kg bottles, on reflection I think an underslung tank might have been a better option.




Definitely go with external point, if you decide on bottles then go with a 6 and 11, run off 11 and use the 6 as reserve, just our two penneth.

Cheers
Red.

Agree 100% about external filler point. But whether you need 2 refillables may depend on how much gas you use. We have an 11 Gaslow and a 6 Calor. The Calor is only a reserve, only ever used if we run out of the Gaslow. Easy to top up a refillable bottle, so we use the Calor once in a blue moon.
But we are mostly on ehu- probably different for people with higher gas consumption.

 

[nicholsong]

I know this is an old thread but just in case anyone is visiting it anew I have a comment.

We fitted a single Gaslow 11kg some tears back, but kept the original 11kg Calor'.

We came close to having to use the Calor in the Pyrennese because of no LPG stations.

We are most certainly going to have to use the Calor on a Greek island as the Gaslow is almost empty and there is no LPG on the island and no re-filling station- all bottles arrive filled.

So my advice is that, if you intend to go anywhere remote, have one refillable and another bottle which can be replaced by buying locally if necessary.

If our Calor runs out, which it will not on this trip, we shall have to dump it and buy locally, maybe a smaller one as back-up.

Geoff

 

[MitchandJenny]

Fit a refillable 2 bottle system
Mitch

 

[cmcardle75]

Fit a refillable 2 bottle system
Mitch

The problem with 2 bottle systems is that they're actually quite expensive. And there's no advantage over having a single cylinder, except that you might be able to squeeze more capacity into the space available due to the available shapes and sizes of cylinders available. For larger capacity, underslung tanks become even more tempting, as the cost of the tank is much less proportional to size than increasing the number of cylinders.

For example, on lpgshop, a 100 litre (i.e. 40kg) underslung tank costs £349.99. Whilst a 30 litre one costs slightly more at £366.99 (go figure!). Basically, underslung tanks cost about the same, completely regardless of their size. (They even list a 120 litre tank for £322, but under some readings of the rules, they can't go on ferries/tunnel).

If you double the number of cylinders on a bottle based refillable setup, the second tank costs as much as the first AND you have to pay more for valvegear to combine the outlets and inlets. They can still make sense, though, if you have a double bottle shaped hole to fill and there's no room for an underslung.

At the moment, though, just getting hold of any stock is difficult. COVID has led to a massive increase in demand and a slight drop in supply.

 

[Minxy]

The problem with 2 bottle systems is that they're actually quite expensive. And there's no advantage over having a single cylinder, except that you might be able to squeeze more capacity into the space available due to the available shapes and sizes of cylinders available. For larger capacity, underslung tanks become even more tempting, as the cost of the tank is much less proportional to size than increasing the number of cylinders.

For example, on lpgshop, a 100 litre (i.e. 40kg) underslung tank costs £349.99. Whilst a 30 litre one costs slightly more at £366.99 (go figure!). Basically, underslung tanks cost about the same, completely regardless of their size. (They even list a 120 litre tank for £322, but under some readings of the rules, they can't go on ferries/tunnel).

If you double the number of cylinders on a bottle based refillable setup, the second tank costs as much as the first AND you have to pay more for valvegear to combine the outlets and inlets. They can still make sense, though, if you have a double bottle shaped hole to fill and there's no room for an underslung.

At the moment, though, just getting hold of any stock is difficult. COVID has led to a massive increase in demand and a slight drop in supply.

The advantage of a 2 bottle system is that you can easily move it to your next MH, not so easy with a tank, also a lot of MHs don't have space available underneath for anything other than a 28 litre tank which is no where near enough IMV.

As with everything, it's what suits each person's needs and the practicality of fitting that tends to determine what is the best set up.

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[MitchandJenny]

Going round the Pelleponese for 3 months
we were grateful for the 2nd bottle.
I fitted the system myself, “arse winky”cutting a 70 mm hole in the body skirt of a new van, but we’ll worth it.
Mitch.

 

[DDJC]

I know this is an old thread but just in case anyone is visiting it anew I have a comment.

We fitted a single Gaslow 11kg some tears back, but kept the original 11kg Calor'.

We came close to having to use the Calor in the Pyrennese because of no LPG stations.

We are most certainly going to have to use the Calor on a Greek island as the Gaslow is almost empty and there is no LPG on the island and no re-filling station- all bottles arrive filled.

So my advice is that, if you intend to go anywhere remote, have one refillable and another bottle which can be replaced by buying locally if necessary.

If our Calor runs out, which it will not on this trip, we shall have to dump it and buy locally, maybe a smaller one as back-up.

Geoff

Completely agree. We have the same system.