Gaslow refillable system

[vanfan]

Hi funsters
Hoping for some experience/ advice regarding a gas low refillable system.
Just read 2019 thread but still confused!
Chatting with our dealer today ( we expect delivery of our new 6m PVC end of June )
He showed us the gas low kit and it had 2 11kg bottles. I said surely if it’s refillable we only need 1 bottle? IE less weight and hopefully a bit of extra room for careful storage. He said he advises 2 incase we run out!
Doesn’t this defeat the object?
We will only use gas for cooking ( 2 burners, no oven or grill) and heating water when on aires. We are not really into cold weather motorhoming, so do not expect to need heating all that much and besides we intend to keep the bottle topped up regularly. Am I missing something?

 

[Mark1965]

Only the safefill ones where you fill directly to the bottle, if you have a filler on the side of the van then you will be OK.

Yes that's what I said..( I think )...

 

[Gellyneck]

Exactly! You don't have two diesel tanks on a vehicle, the second one just incase you forget to fill the first one. One refillable LPG tank with good management should never run out.

Way back in the day father (joiner) drove the works VW T2 van and it had an "emergency petrol tank" fitted.
If, and it happened once, you drained the main tank you pulled a knob on the dashboard and off you went to the nearest garage. Think it was around a gallon it held.

It might have been just giving you access to the bottom of the tank where all the crud collected, right enough!

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Most motorcycles used to have a reserve, though today it seems less so as they come with fuel gauges
Mike.

 

[enark]

Older landrovers always had two tanks, both under the front seats!!

Many trucks do, certainly Oskosh…

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[Lenny HB]

Just bought a 6kg calor last weekend. £47

How much!
Less than £12 for LPG.

 

[Mark1965]

Most motorcycles used to have a reserve, though today it seems less so as they come with fuel gauges
Mike.

All modern bikes have fuel guages or a low fuel warning light.
The days are gone where I used to rotate the fuel tap to reserve when the Bike started to cough and splutter..

 

[DT]

Older landrovers always had two tanks, both under the front seats!!

Many trucks do, certainly Oskosh…

Presume that's the purchase of the bottle as well as the gas.

 

[Mark1965]

Presume that's the purchase of the bottle as well as the gas.

It's usually a straight swap . Does seem expensive though. I just paid £36 at my local gas dealers/ plant hire shop.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

How much!
Less than £12 for LPG.

Andy's may be the cost of the extra cylinder contract, as well as the gas contents. However, yes once the initial outlay has been stumped up the gas refill is markedly cheaper. I've not done just a cylinder swap for a while so don't know what the cost of that is.
Mike.

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[Nanniemate]

Andy's may be the cost of the extra cylinder contract, as well as the gas contents. However, yes once the initial outlay has been stumped up the gas refill is markedly cheaper. I've not done just a cylinder swap for a while so don't know what the cost of that is.
Mike.

My last cylinder swap for a 3.9kg was about £25.00 and it leaked

My average top up now is less than £10 and I use it to heat water and the van in the cold the van is used all year. Yes the initial fitting cost of 2 x 6kg was eye watering but I chose to have the 2nd bottle Basildog fitted it and commented I should never run out as I was overgassed for the vehicle size and use.
Nearly a year down the line topped up twice £18 in all one bottle is empty now as it ran out last week I'll top up on my way to Coleford on the weekend or on my way back.or the following week ....no rush I have loads

 

[vanfan]

Morning all
I think I read on a previous thread that filling up from the outside of the van is fine, not sure whether our fill point will be on the same side as the diesel filler point but if it is we will do one or the other when we fill up to save any confusion, especially if we need any help!

 

[Nanniemate]

Morning all
I think I read on a previous thread that filling up from the outside of the van is fine, not sure whether our fill point will be on the same side as the diesel filler point but if it is we will do one or the other when we fill up to save any confusion, especially if we need any help!

Mines on the back bit of a bigger when the bikes on but nothing major. Most of the time the operator fills the guys in carmarthern were great

 

[TrudeandDall]

Mines on the back bit of a bigger when the bikes on but nothing major. Most of the time the operator fills the guys in carmarthern were great

Same here.. mine is attached to the towbar structure and It's good being on the rear of the van as I can fill up from either side or reverse up to LPG pumps that a in a restricted or daft location. I usually just go for gas or diesel, I have never really bothered trying to get both.
BTW Vanfan, you will not get confused between a LPG gun and a diesel gun. You will see what I mean as and when you go for your first fill up.

 

[hja]

Same here.. mine is attached to the towbar structure and It's good being on the rear of the van as I can fill up from either side or reverse up to LPG pumps that a in a restricted or daft location. I usually just go for gas or diesel, I have never really bothered trying to get both.
BTW Vanfan, you will not get confused between a LPG gun and a diesel gun. You will see what I mean as and when you go for your first fill up.

We have got both at the same time. We tend to do the diesel first, pay for it, and then do the lpg.

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[enark]

Presume that's the purchase of the bottle as well as the gas.

No wouldnt get either for free just for the price of gas??

 

[Teetime]

Yes you do need to be careful on 6 amp when using a fridge. I think mine uses about 4amps. I just switch the fridge off when boiling a kettle for example or heating the water.

Our Dometic 8 series fridge uses about 0.8 amps which works out approx 3 a 3.5 kWh per day
The thermal heater for the fridge freezer on 220v is 190w

 

[TheMachMan]

Been interested in doing something similar but having been quoted nearly £600 for a single 11kg system will park the idea for now.

 

[Nanniemate]

Been interested in doing something similar but having been quoted nearly £600 for a single 11kg system will park the idea for now.

Give Basildog call can't fault the service

 

[TrudeandDall]

Been interested in doing something similar but having been quoted nearly £600 for a single 11kg system will park the idea for now.

Buy the bits and fit yourself, it's not difficult and you will save £300.

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[Landy Andy]

Andy's may be the cost of the extra cylinder contract, as well as the gas contents. However, yes once the initial outlay has been stumped up the gas refill is markedly cheaper. I've not done just a cylinder swap for a while so don't know what the cost of that is.
Mike.

Nope. That is a cylinder swap. Not new contract, or new cylinder

 

[TheMachMan]

Buy the bits and fit yourself, it's not difficult and you will save £300.

Thought about it, but not confident about fitting the external filler point.

 

[Orion]

Morning all
I think I read on a previous thread that filling up from the outside of the van is fine, not sure whether our fill point will be on the same side as the diesel filler point but if it is we will do one or the other when we fill up to save any confusion, especially if we need any help!

Don’t overthink it. The vast majority of filling places will be fine. I’ve just done the ‘3 way pump shuffle’ (diesel, LPG and Adblue) without issue.

 

[vanfan]

Don’t overthink it. The vast majority of filling places will be fine. I’ve just done the ‘3 way pump shuffle’ (diesel, LPG and Adblue) without issue.

Thank you
That’s reassuring to know

 

[PlymBob]

We have 1 x 11kg and 1 x 6kg. We have two burner hob and are more than often on non hook up sites or pitches. We have a compressor fridge. Somewhere along the way we have been told not to use the 6 kg just for back up but to make sure it is used to ensure no valves stick. We don’t winter camp but do camp March and October when we are likely to want some heating. Even if on hook up I often start water or heating on gas and then move to electric because it heats quicker on gas.
We are camping in the uk, have always been able to fill up, probably fill up once or twice a year. Problem is that it seems, in uk, some outlets, particularly non fuel stations, are wanting to put minimum charge on sales so frequently filling one cylinder could fall foul of this. After all it only costs about £10 to fill our two, not totally empty.

Can I ask where you have the refill point on your Summit Prime?

I'm planning to have refillable on 11kg and Campingaz 907 as backup that is universally available.

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[BikerGraham]

Most motorcycles used to have a reserve, though today it seems less so as they come with fuel gauges
Mike.

that's true, with a manual operated valve just below at the side that you had to feel for as the main tank would always run out when hammering along the outside lane of a dual carriageway. So it was a handy to know where to "feel" for the valve.

the important thing was to remember to reset the valve next on refuelling. Otherwise....... oops

 

[hja]

Can I ask where you have the refill point on your Summit Prime?

I'm planning to have refillable on 11kg and Campingaz 907 as backup that is universally available.

Refill point is on the side wall of the van towards the rear, essentially straight out of the gas locker.

 

[PlymBob]

Refill point is on the side wall of the van towards the rear, essentially straight out of the gas locker.

I've been told that might introduce rust or corrosion to the metal sides of the PVC. Have you had any problems?
BTW who did you get to fit it?

 

[Puddleduck]

I have a pvc with a compressor fridge and only a gas hob and truma 6Kw heating ( which gets used a lot in winter) running of the gas. I started with 2x 11kg Gaslow and lugged the second one around for a year, never using it at all. I sold the second one and now run with just 1 x 11kg. Never had range anxiety, and always fill up well before it gets low. If I am going to somewhere where there is no gas, such as a month in the Orkney's, then I just take a 6kg calor along for redundancy - but never needed the calor either.
On the continent - refillable is the best option!

You can get calor in the Orkney Islands here:

Gas

www.orkagg.co.uk

 

[hja]

I've been told that might introduce rust or corrosion to the metal sides of the PVC. Have you had any problems?
BTW who did you get to fit it?

Been there for three years with no apparent problems. We had it installed by the dealer when we bought the van (SMC Motorhomes, Newark)

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[treblid]

I've been told that might introduce rust or corrosion to the metal sides of the PVC. Have you had any problems?
BTW who did you get to fit it?

No different to any other accessories where holes are cut; water filler, heater exhaust vent, cassette hatch, roof lights..... Just needs to be done properly.