Help Confused - Gaslow / Calor or Dual SYstem?

[jumar]

Firstly...no issues experienced with filling, topping up as you pass an LPG outlet is a winner.
Gaslow with external filler...would be my choice....the system we used currently...
With so much on-board gas, filling isn't a very regular requirement..for me, every 3 or 4 weeks is the norm....Fridge on gas 100% Cadac through external outlet....little cooking inside van....

 

[Spriddler]

Horrible, I keep hitting the kerb, peddles offset to the left and closer together than in a LHD, haven't got a drivers door, handbrake on the wrong side.

In the late 70's I bought a new r/h/d Renault 5 which also had left-offset pedals. The w/screen wipers gave the passenger a lovely clear view but the driver had only a partially swept sector and the heater ducting prioritised the passenger's feet.

 

[bigtwin]

Generally I agree about lugging a calor around alongside a Gaslow 11kg. However if you travel for longer than your Gaslow bottle would last out, in some of the remote parts of the UK where there is no Autogas at all, such as the Orkney Islands - then there is absolutely logic in having a 6Kg Calor to use once your Gaslow is getting low. You can exchange the readily available calor on the islands as and when needed.......

Agreed, but as an Orcadian, if you have the space for a second cylinder, the risk of running out is incredibly low (even if you were to spend a month, or two, in Orkney in the winter) and I’d rather have two refillables than one of each.

Ian

 

[TrudeandDall]

Agreed, but as an Orcadian, if you have the space for a second cylinder, the risk of running out is incredibly low (even if you were to spend a month, or two, in Orkney in the winter) and I’d rather have two refillables than one of each.

Ian

That's all true Ian. I do have space for two 11kg Gaslow, in fact I had two 11kg gaslow, but I sold one as I was just lugging the second one around and never using it. I managed on one cylinder the last time we spent 4 weeks in the Orkneys, I filled up near Inverness before going over and again at ASDA in Aberdeen on the way south. But, next time I would take a 6kg calor as well "just incase".....

 

[bigtwin]

I managed on one cylinder the last time we spent 4 weeks in the Orkneys

Tut tut! It’s Orkney.

Have you ever been to The Channels?

Ian

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[Johnhc]

Tut tut! It’s Orkney.

Have you ever been to The Channels?

Ian

Fitted a gas-it 11kg some years ago partnered with a 6kg exchangeable, which is still full after 10 years. Fitted the system myself, very easy to do and have moved the system once in to new moho. Never had a problem filling anywhere, even Italy and my refill point is inside the gas locker.

 

[guy b]

Hi All,

Not sure what to do so looking for advice from the experienced and experts among you all please. Due to pick up MH this coming weekend and still stuck on what to do with regards to the gas system.

Our options are as follows:

• We can source Flogas propane 2 x 6KG bottles for ~£120 (initial fill and hire charge included)
• Dealer will supply 2 x 6KG Calor for ~£200 or a single 11KG for £185
• One or Two Gaslow for either £410 or £725 – internal filling point (we read of potential refusal to fill at forecourts if you don’t have an external filling point)
• A dual Gaslow/Calor system (best of both which we like) with an 11KG Gaslow and 6KG Calor – total cost £510

Concerns are:

• More and more forecourts appear to be stopping selling LPG via fuel pumps
• Refusal to fill if we have to open the locker door
• £510 appears expensive when an 11KG Gaslow bottle can be had for ~£280 but I’m not sure how complex it is to install and I’m not a gas expert so don’t want to be messing about with it myself unless the steps are simple)

So, I guess my questions are:

• Would people tempted at £510 as LPG appears to be a fair bit cheaper?
• Could I safely do a self-install of a dual system for far less than the quoted £510?
• Have people on here experienced issues an internal Gaslow system at a forecourt?
• Is the wise decision to initially go with the £120 2 x 6KG propane as a starter?

Considerations:

• We will have four of us in the MH mainly – 2 x adults and 2 x young adults 18/19 so I imagine gas use will be fairly high
• Will use a Cadac or similar on the external gas point.
• We plan to take the MH abroad next year and will tour Scotland this year.

Any words of wisdom or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Had two motorhomes and have fitted Gaslow system to both. Very easy to do if at all reasonably competent at diy. Worst bit is taking a hole saw to your new pride and joy to fit the filler.
Travelled extensively throughout most of Europe on a three months on three off basis for the last 8 years and never ever had any issues.
The system works really well with two bottles and with an auto changeover does so seamlessly.
Not sure about the demise of filling stations as we have never struggled to find a filing point. Mainly travel aboard so this may be a uk issue. Saying that we went to Scotland a few years ago and didn’t have an issue there. Just had to fill on Skye before going to the outer Hebrides

 

[bigtwin]

Fitted a gas-it 11kg some years ago partnered with a 6kg exchangeable, which is still full after 10 years.

That’s another vote then for the futility of retaining an exchangeable bottle.

The pertinent point here really is that it’s the experience of those that went down the route of having one of each that’s demonstrating that it’s a questionable strategy.

Ian

 

[Jerrywh]

I just bought an 11Kg Gaslow cylinder to replace the Calor that was there when I got the van. I have the Calor cylinder somewhere but have never felt the need to have it in the van as the Gaslow gauge is so good.
I did have one refilling issue, Shrewsbury motorway services would not allow refilling. However the Autogas app. directed me to a farm only a mile away that filled it for me. 75p/l against 99p and his meter was not working right so he charged me £5 for what I reckon was about 16l!
I would quite like to have external filling capability but haven't the heart to make a new hole in the bodywork and never had a problem otherwise, in UK, France or Spain...

 

[Lazyboy]

Two refillable every time. App. available to show availability in UK and mainland Europe. I have had refillable since 2007 and it is one of the best thing we have done. You do not have to wait until any or both bottles are empty so you can plan to fill if you are going somewhere "remote". No heavy bottles to trap your fingers and skin your knuckles. External filler point. I have never been refused in UK, France (inc. Total filling stations), Italy Germany Holland or Portugal. I always ensure that I do not have to open the locker door when filling so make sure the bottles are turned off (closed) before I get to the filling station.

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[Minxy]

We have an internal filling point, as we were advised by dealer that as and when we trade moho in, then any dealer would remove Gaslow system. No tell tale sign of external modification.

That's tosh by the dealer, all that happens is they'd leave it and just advertise it as a free extra!

 

[Minxy]

We had refillables since 2009, just a single 11kg at first, then added a 6kg which I got cheap at a show, then changed that for a nearly new 11kg I got cheaply locally, so we have 2 x 11kg ones. It means that we don't have to worry about running out with just a single cylinder especially since if we like a spot we might not move for a few days which happened on our last holiday so we just swapped to the other cylinder. Also just filled up in Belgium at 56c a litre!

I suggest starting with a single refillable 11kg Gasit/Gaslow/Alugas on it's own and see how you get on, it's easy to add another at a later date if required.

I've moved our cylinders from each of our MHs/PVCs ever since, it's not difficult to do (putting the external filler in is the most stressful bit) so unless you are very un-DIY you should be able to do it.

 

[VXman]

There is no logic that I can see where this should ever be an option. Why compromise your system by having a calor bottle?

Ian

Personally I only need one Gaslow for 99% of the time. I take along a calor that I already had as a back up should I ever run out on my Gaslow. This has only happened 2 times in 3 years - just due to my ineptness at keeping an eye on the Gaslow gauge. I don't see the point in spending £200 (or whatever) on an additional bottle I don't really need. There are plenty of garages around. I don't have 2 petrol tanks in my car.

 

[bigtwin]

Personally I only need one Gaslow for 99% of the time.

Agreed, two is a luxury but I’d never plan a system that has one of each.

I don't have 2 petrol tanks in my car.

Nope, two tanks aren’t really necessary.

Ian

 

[Peregrinator]

Hi All,

Not sure what to do so looking for advice from the experienced and experts among you all please. Due to pick up MH this coming weekend and still stuck on what to do with regards to the gas system.

Our options are as follows:

• We can source Flogas propane 2 x 6KG bottles for ~£120 (initial fill and hire charge included)
• Dealer will supply 2 x 6KG Calor for ~£200 or a single 11KG for £185
• One or Two Gaslow for either £410 or £725 – internal filling point (we read of potential refusal to fill at forecourts if you don’t have an external filling point)
• A dual Gaslow/Calor system (best of both which we like) with an 11KG Gaslow and 6KG Calor – total cost £510

Concerns are:

• More and more forecourts appear to be stopping selling LPG via fuel pumps
• Refusal to fill if we have to open the locker door
• £510 appears expensive when an 11KG Gaslow bottle can be had for ~£280 but I’m not sure how complex it is to install and I’m not a gas expert so don’t want to be messing about with it myself unless the steps are simple)

So, I guess my questions are:

• Would people tempted at £510 as LPG appears to be a fair bit cheaper?
• Could I safely do a self-install of a dual system for far less than the quoted £510?
• Have people on here experienced issues an internal Gaslow system at a forecourt?
• Is the wise decision to initially go with the £120 2 x 6KG propane as a starter?

Considerations:

• We will have four of us in the MH mainly – 2 x adults and 2 x young adults 18/19 so I imagine gas use will be fairly high
• Will use a Cadac or similar on the external gas point.
• We plan to take the MH abroad next year and will tour Scotland this year.

Any words of wisdom or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

At this web site twin-kit-refillable-gas-rv-bottles for £410.99 : https://lpgshop.co.uk/gasit-11kg-twin-kit-refillable-gas-rv-bottles

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[Rockpool]

We installed 2No 11kg GASIT bottles when we got our van about 4 years ago haven’t looked back. Yes you have a bigger outlay for purchase but it was an easy self install including the external fill point but overall it has paid for itself. We use our van more or less all year round and travel to France at least once a year for 3 months and find we a bottle usually last us 4weeks, it’s our large fridge that uses up majority of the gas and we very rarely on EHU so if you think at the moment to fill one of our 11kg bottles is £21 based on £1 a litre but usually a lot cheaper where as a calor bottle is around £56 a bottle it doesn’t take long for the system to pay for itself In our case. We have always found somewhere in the uk to fill up, you just have to plan your trip around lpg pumps but we know we can go 8 weeks between fill ups.
Do your homework and if an lpg system works for you definitely go for it especially if you plan to tour Europe.

 

[ED O'DARAC]

I have just DIY fitted an ultra-lightweight refillable dual 11kg system with external filler point .
I got it from LPG shop online from Loughborough. You can choose kevlar bottles as well.
Inexpensive and good service. About £500 all in.
I only changed from SafeFill as I wanted external fill point .
My fill point is in the aluminium side skirt.

 

[ED O'DARAC]

At this web site twin-kit-refillable-gas-rv-bottles for £410.99 : https://lpgshop.co.uk/gasit-11kg-twin-kit-refillable-gas-rv-bottles

That's the one I have fitted.

 

[Peregrinator]

We have gasit, we have not had a problem on filling our bottles in UK or Europe, and the money you save is Hugh, costs us between £9.00 to £16.00 to fill-up, in UK we use an app to find LPG/GPL stations, and when ever we are filling up with fuel, if they have LPG/GPL, then fill that too even if we have over half in each tank.

 

[Darthnog]

If it were to come with a nut / spanner required pigtail I would swap it over for one of these as much easier to disconnect the cylinder.

.5Mt Overbraided Handwheel Pol X W20 Nrv Pigtail Caravan Propane Gas Hose - Huddersfield Gas

OVERBRAIDED HANDWHEEL NO SPANNER NEEDED .5m (20″) POL x W20 standard hose this hose conforms to the new EN16436-1:2014 code High quality 20 inch POL x W20 LPG hosing designed for use with Manual & Auto changeover gas Regulators and wall blocks. For Caravanning & Home use FITTED WITH NON RETURN VALVE

www.huddersfieldgas.co.uk

Just replaced one in five minutes as it was coming up for 6 years old.

Hi, does that hose fit between the regulator and bottle and do you know if I could swap between calor bottle and gaslow bottle. Thanks Steve.

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[Gellyneck]

Hi, does that hose fit between the regulator and bottle and do you know if I could swap between calor bottle and gaslow bottle. Thanks Steve.

Handwheel end to the cylinder and nut end to regulator.
Not sure on Gaslow fitting size but guess the same.
ps a Funster has a 0.75m one for sale in Classifieds.

 

[Darthnog]

Handwheel end to the cylinder and nut end to regulator.
Not sure on Gaslow fitting size but guess the same.
ps a Funster has a 0.75m one for sale in Classifieds.

Thanks

 

[Spara4042]

Have a look at Autogas 2000, the owner @Basildog is a member here. They supply Gaslow, Alugas and a couple of other makes of refillable bottles and do fitting.
If you pay your subs as a Funster you will get a discount.

Wish I'd known that when I had my system installed, over 5 years ago

Still, it's one of the best investments I've made & it certainly makes it easier travelling around Europe

 

[jumar]

At some time my Gaslow system will need a overall...looking at the prices in the UK, I'll definitely be arranging it there...self installation is well within my range of skills...and as I have a current system in place ..even easier..