HELP! Autogas filling problem in France

D

Divertrev

Joined
Dec 3, 2013
Posts
55
Likes collected
27
Location
Dundee
Funster No
29,257
MH
Burstner
Exp
since 2011
I’m having a problem getting my new Gaslow to fill in France.
1.I’ve registered my card in the machine and it’s authorised for the fill.
2. The machine doesn’t zero. Query with cashier, says will when you press the button.
3. Bottle tap off
4. Connect knozzle with filing adapter
5. Squeeze trigger and clip engaged
6. Yes it zeros but no gas.

I’ve tried a couple of pumps but essentially the same problem. Am I doing something stupidly wrong or have I a problem with my system. Filled ok in the U.K. but didn’t need an adapter.
I hope it’s the former!
Thanks in advance for any help.
Trevor
 
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Basildog said:
Have you been on the wine gums or been smoking something you shouldn’t 🤔🤬😂
Great explanation but completely inaccurate ⚠️
Click to expand...

Not sure about the 2 pipes inside the cylinder explanation but he is correct in that you hold the button until it slows or stops filling. Sometimes they don't actually stop completely. When I first got mine i filled at a garage where the pump didn't stop properly, just slowed down and I actually overfilled it. I spoke to Gaslow and they said this can happen and to stop filling when the gas filling slows down - or it will overfill.
 
Upvote 0
ChrisL said:
It can take quite a while before the gas starts flowing, also when you're filling you'll find that gas goes in quite quickly and then slows to a trickle it then becomes a situation of when is it full? because you will get bored holding the button down. What happens is inside the cylinder the delivery pipe has 2 holes one above the other, as the cylinder starts to fill both of those holes are allowing liquid lpg into the cylinder, as it fills a float lifts a valve inside the fill tube blocking the lower hole, this reduces the flow rate to a trickle so keep the button pressed until it stops completely or until you get fed up with pressing the button whichever happens first.
Click to expand...
You should always release the button directly the fill rate slows otherwise there is a high risk of over filling the cylinder.
 
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VXman said:
Not sure about the 2 pipes inside the cylinder explanation but he is correct in that you hold the button until it slows or stops filling. Sometimes they don't actually stop completely. When I first got mine i filled at a garage where the pump didn't stop properly, just slowed down and I actually overfilled it. I spoke to Gaslow and they said this can happen and to stop filling when the gas filling slows down - or it will overfill.
Click to expand...
Definitely not 2 pipes inside but yes it’s possible to overfill a cylinder with LPG eventually.
You wouldn’t believe the lies we get told about what’s been going on 😂
Then finally an admission that they spent anything from 20 minutes to 45 minutes on the pump pressing the button 🤬⚠️
I am bored after 30 seconds.
 
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Basildog said:
Definitely not 2 pipes inside but yes it’s possible to overfill a cylinder with LPG eventually.
You wouldn’t believe the lies we get told about what’s been going on 😂
Then finally an admission that they spent anything from 20 minutes to 45 minutes on the pump pressing the button 🤬⚠️
I am bored after 30 seconds.
Click to expand...
well yes - I would have giving up and driven somewhere else after a few tries.

It is possible the OP's bottle was already full?

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VXman said:
well yes - I would have giving up and driven somewhere else after a few tries.

It is possible the OP's bottle was already full?
Click to expand...
That’s what I was thinking…in fact I have an embarrassing story on MHF somewhere simply because I was trying to fill tanks that were already full.
 
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claude et maude said:
That’s what I was thinking…in fact I have an embarrassing story on MHF somewhere simply because I was trying to fill tanks that were already full.
Click to expand...
We get plenty of them 🤬😂
Very often because of regulator failure so the presumption is no gas .
Very often a failing regulator will work with a totally full cylinder so here starts a vicious circle.
Then we get the phone call telling us that both cylinders are empty and won’t refill 😂
Some of the stories are actually very convincing but with perseverance they eventually confess , get it off their chest, come clean, they feel so much better afterwards though 😂
Forgiveness takes a little longer so we rag them mercilessly but this will subside in a few years or so 😂🤬🤔
 
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Basildog said:
Then finally an admission that they spent anything from 20 minutes to 45 minutes on the pump pressing the button
Click to expand...
Spent 20 min filling up at the BP garage at Patcham Brighton, and gave up at 40 Litres, Taxi driver behind me said it's been like that for a week.
 
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Lenny HB said:
You should always release the button directly the fill rate slows otherwise there is a high risk of over filling the cylinder.
Click to expand...
An empty 11kg cylinder holds approximately 22 ltrs of lpg, check how much has gone in when the pump slows down it won't be anywhere near that. I remembered the filling system slightly wrong but the jist was correct, check out the animation.

 
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Might be best if you post a photo of your gaslow set up.

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Hi OP

I will assume that you do know what to do to fill and have done it before.

I have had this exact problem several times in France. You can’t fix it. Just go to another filling station/pump. I naturally tried everything I could think of the first couple of times it happened, remove, replace, reset, again, etc. The cashier always knows nothing “it sometimes does that”…

Sometimes you might get a Euro worth of gas, sometimes nothing.

I came to the conclusion that the pressure sensors/flow regulators that these systems depend on needed recalibration. It doesn’t take much for the pressure sensors to drift and begin to react as if your tanks are already full, hence the system will not dispense anything. It then needs a technician to come and make adjustment.

It seems to be happening more often as the number of LPG stations and their use is ramping down, the stations still operating LPG pumps are perhaps struggling to have them checked/serviced as often as they evidently need. Couple this problem with the holiday season and there’s your issue.

I once visited two in a row with the same issue, the third one, found a day later worked. Finding LPG ain’t getting any easier, the Dordogne/Perigord region is one of the worst.

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Last edited:
Upvote 0
VXman said:
Not sure about the 2 pipes inside the cylinder explanation but he is correct in that you hold the button until it slows or stops filling. Sometimes they don't actually stop completely. When I first got mine i filled at a garage where the pump didn't stop properly, just slowed down and I actually overfilled it. I spoke to Gaslow and they said this can happen and to stop filling when the gas filling slows down - or it will overfill.
Click to expand...
Where about did you have the pump problem? Will be looking for a fill up as one of two cylinders now empty
 
Upvote 0
I had this same problem in Benidorm, a guy came out and said if you’re not quick enough to get the connection done before pressing the button, then it resets and you have to start again. He took the connection off replaced it in the pump, then re-connected pressed the button and away it went. So it’s only giving you a few seconds to connect and press the delivery button, if your too slow it will cancel the pump.
 
Upvote 0
Divertrev said:
I’m having a problem getting my new Gaslow to fill in France.
1.I’ve registered my card in the machine and it’s authorised for the fill.
2. The machine doesn’t zero. Query with cashier, says will when you press the button.
3. Bottle tap off
4. Connect knozzle with filing adapter
5. Squeeze trigger and clip engaged
6. Yes it zeros but no gas.

I’ve tried a couple of pumps but essentially the same problem. Am I doing something stupidly wrong or have I a problem with my system. Filled ok in the U.K. but didn’t need an adapter.
I hope it’s the former!
Thanks in advance for any help.
Trevor
Click to expand...
Bottle tap off, connect adapter, turn bottle tap ON, press and hold button.
 
Upvote 0
My local lpg place (Thanet) is really tricky, the latching on the connector has broken. Therefore it is necessary to hold the lever with one hand and press the button with the other.
 
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Whitebirdyman said:
My local lpg place (Thanet) is really tricky, the latching on the connector has broken. Therefore it is necessary to hold the lever with one hand and press the button with the other.
Click to expand...
It shouldn't be in use if it is unserviceable. :(

Cheers,

Jock. :)

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bigtree said:
I’m just wondering if you have any idea who Basildog is. 🤔
Click to expand...
I know he's a gas professional, but you'll notice he gave the Gaslow animation the thumbs up and if you read my description which was from memory and watch the animation you'll see my description was pretty accurate.

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ChrisL said:
See the animation above, no wine gums were consumed in the making of it. :giggle:
Click to expand...
Having watched that animation on a loop for days sat a time I do understand how the fill stop valve operates 😂
Here’s a picture of one , main outlet is obvious now find the other .
The shutting off process happens in seconds it’s not a prolonged time.
1692559724061.png
 
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