Propane Calor Gas Refils?

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StitchUp

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We use two 6Kg (Orange) Calor gas bottles in our van. To refill locally costs £37, that is swap empty for full.

I notice on eBay there are these:
1689671539432.png


I'm unsure if it's easy to find refil stations - do you do it yourself - I'm told it's a lot cheaper or is it a no go?

The eBay fitting is circa £30

Any advice/comments?

Thanks
 
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steve69 said:
£15 refill or £35 bottle exchange. At the end of the day, you pays your money and takes takes your choice.
Don't condemn others for their decisions. You will at least have the satisfaction of saying "told you so" if and when anything happens.....Speaking of which, I haven't heard any anecdotal evidence of problems with self-filled gas bottles in this country yet.
Feel free to enlighten me.
Click to expand...
I don’t think You’ve fully read the thread! There is anecdotal evidence here!! 🤓👓
 
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It never fails to amaze me that people will spend considerable sums on buying a camper/Moho, then use the very dangerous and illigal method of refilling non-refillable bottles to provide gas in their expensive pride and joy. The cost of a gaslow or similar system, is extremely small when compared to the cost of the van... 😉
 
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i think you are all being wound up, bread crumbs have been thrown on the water, a nice fat worm on the hook and time to be careful not to take the bait

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Upvote 0
TrudeandDall said:
It never fails to amaze me that people will spend considerable sums on buying a camper/Moho, then use the very dangerous and illigal method of refilling non-refillable bottles to provide gas in their expensive pride and joy. The cost of a gaslow or similar system, is extremely small when compared to the cost of the van... 😉
Click to expand...

But, but there are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to do it, so it must be okay? Oh, wait a minute! :unsure:
 
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Dolmen said:
i think you are all being wound up, bread crumbs have been thrown on the water, a nice fat worm on the hook and time to be careful not to take the bait
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Having spent 30 years in the petroleum distribution industry, the last 10 as a safety specialist. I don't see any bait - I see people with no idea of the hazards and consequences of this subject. I see no bait - just reality through experienced eyes.
Unfortunately the inexperienced may well park their van next to mine tonight....
 
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One example of issues with an overfilled cylinder ...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Refilling non-refillable bottles ... A warning

Today we helped another couple in their MH, they are Belgian and have a Cepsa bottle with top mounted reg and rubber pipe going from it to the copper pipe that went into the MH which had been disconnected from the bulkhead reg (ie the reg was bypassed). This was working fine but they wanted to...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
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TonyEmm said:
I don’t think You’ve fully read the thread! There is anecdotal evidence here!! 🤓👓
Click to expand...
I am referring to Calor gas bottles specifically - which are frequently refilled by Calor themselves.
 
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TrudeandDall said:
Having spent 30 years in the petroleum distribution industry, the last 10 as a safety specialist. I don't see any bait - I see people with no idea of the hazards and consequences of this subject. I see no bait - just reality through experienced eyes.
Unfortunately the inexperienced may well park their van next to mine tonight....
Click to expand...
High risk of BLEVE coming from an incorrectly fitted SOG unit.
 
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Dolmen said:
i think you are all being wound up, bread crumbs have been thrown on the water, a nice fat worm on the hook and time to be careful not to take the bait
Click to expand...
If we are just being wound up then it is a dangerous wind up. If I did not spot it neither will someone who doesn’t know any better. That someone might become the next serious victim. Who knows, perhaps the person who was burnt and destroyed their motorhome recently at Morrisons had read postings on a site like this and thought why not. Of course none of us know but staying quiet when someone appears to be advocating a potentially dangerous practice is not something I am comfortable with.

Wind ups are supposed to be fun, tempting someone into risking burning themself and their motorhome does’t amuse me in the slightest.
 
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Refillable bottles have a cut off valve to prevent overfilling Calor bottles do not, over fill and you could get liquid propane instead of gaseous, which if ignited would as Michel Cain said 'blow the bloody doors off' so to try and refill is irresponsible in the extreme, also when you originally purchase a Calor bottle you sign a contract and somewhere in there it will say do not refill so you are breaking your contract with Calor.
Calor will always be more expensive because you are paying to transport the empty back to Calor, someonw gets paid wages to refill it for you and then transport it to a retailer who then wants his profit also its an expensive way of doing business but convenient.
To even consider messing about with something as flammable as petrol and under very high pressure is idiotic.

Maybe we should have signs on the side of motorhomes 'If you refil your own Calor bottles DO NOT park next to me' 🫣
 
Upvote 1
Fragle said:
Being in Spain atm for the first time I find it quite strange that even the fuel pump has attended service and 2 lpg fills have both been serviced fills obviously they won’t fill if it’s not right.
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I live in Spain and yes the attended service for fuel has never extended to bulk lpg fills anywhere I have ever filled? One on the A23 I had to ask where the pump was? Turned out nearly 100m away .on the occasions I have filled in the UK it has been exactly the same.no assistance.

Charlie57 said:
also when you originally purchase a Calor bottle you sign a contract and somewhere in there it will say do not refill s
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I've just bought a new propane over the phone ,delivered. If anyone signed anything it wasn't me ?
 
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I think it's more prevalent due to the high cost of Calor gas compared to how much it is in other countries like Spain where Cepsa and Repsol is under €20.

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Charlie57 said:
Its a non refillable bottle Oh Please!, of course you can buy a cheap gizmo from our Chinese 'friends' I'm sure Calor use something more sophisticated, he should be prosecuted if for nothing else but gross stupidity.
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Nothing cheap about my "gizmo"... machined in Blighty.

To me, the stupidity goes to folk who don't understand what they are doing.

Calor have got many folk brainwashed.


JJ :cool:
 
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JJ said:
Nothing cheap about my "gizmo"... machined in Blighty.

To me, the stupidity goes to folk who don't understand what they are doing.

Calor have got many folk brainwashed.


JJ :cool:
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It's not Calor JJ. They and all the other LPG retailers have legal duties under UK H and S Regulations. Please read the attached. Eventually the HSE will significantly prosecute the likes of Morrisons for failing to discharge their H and S duties, which in turn will lead to the supplier stopping the filling of any kind of gas cylinders. Work the rest out for yourself....
 

Attachments

Upvote 0
JJ said:
Nothing cheap about my "gizmo"... machined in Blighty.

To me, the stupidity goes to folk who don't understand what they are doing.

Calor have got many folk brainwashed.


JJ :cool:
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So how do you control the refill to stop at 80% capacity
and ensure you, and your parked up innocent neighbours
are risk free from your practice

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Upvote 0
Charlie57 said:
Its a non refillable bottle Oh Please!, of course you can buy a cheap gizmo from our Chinese 'friends' I'm sure Calor use something more sophisticated, he should be prosecuted if for nothing else but gross stupidity.
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Some people brand anything that is cheap or low quality as Chinese. Other people find this slur as
distasteful.
 
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sweetie said:
And how does that work if the bottle is not completely empty and don’t know how much in it
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A chap I met in Portugal used this system. He said typically a 13kg bottle must be COMPLETELY empty. Leave the bottle valve open for a while to be sure. Only then can you put in 11-12kg measured at the pump into the bottle.
 
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Not that I would ever try and refill my Calor or Flogas bottles they certainly are refillable by definition because they get refilled by those respective companies.

I’m not sure of the processes but at one time I could take my Flogass bottle back to their local depot and they could refill it for me and give me it back, they cannot do that now for whatever reason.

I know a site in Spain with a big refilling tank and the ‘man’ there will also refill Calor bottles, not that I ever need any whilst away. I only ever have used less than 2kg in my whole 2 month trips in Europe.

There must be some safety issues if not using the Forrest equipment though and gave the necessary skills to do it.
 
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royandsharont said:
Not that I would ever try and refill my Calor or Flogas bottles they certainly are refillable by definition because they get refilled by those respective companies.

I’m not sure of the processes but at one time I could take my Flogass bottle back to their local depot and they could refill it for me and give me it back, they cannot do that now for whatever reason.

I know a site in Spain with a big refilling tank and the ‘man’ there will also refill Calor bottles, not that I ever need any whilst away. I only ever have used less than 2kg in my whole 2 month trips in Europe.

There must be some safety issues if not using the Forrest equipment though and gave the necessary skills to do it.
Click to expand...
Speaks volumes for some peoples concerns not only for themselves
but also for other people in close proximity,
Think Perhaps Jim would contact calor
and ask about the legality and associated hazards with this practice
and if the practice is illegal
then surely supplying the necessary equipment to perform the action
should also be illegal
none of us would have any way of knowing if your pleasant neighbour
parked next to you is a danger himself you and others close by,
 
Upvote 0
Jofang said:
A chap I met in Portugal used this system. He said typically a 13kg bottle must be COMPLETELY empty. Leave the bottle valve open for a while to be sure. Only then can you put in 11-12kg measured at the pump into the bottle.
Click to expand...
Oh that is ok then a chap in Portugal said so.

p.s. it is bad form to comment on spelling, we all make mistakes, some of us even think filling cylinders without an 80% cut off is safe.
 
Upvote 0
Clive Beeza said:
So how do you control the refill to stop at 80% capacity
and ensure you, and your parked up innocent neighbours
are risk free from your practice
Click to expand...

I fill based on 2 litres per kilo...

13 kilo cylinder = 26 litres.

Okay?

JJ :cool:

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Upvote 0
TrudeandDall said:
It's not Calor JJ. They and all the other LPG retailers have legal duties under UK H and S Regulations. Please read the attached. Eventually the HSE will significantly prosecute the likes of Morrisons for failing to discharge their H and S duties, which in turn will lead to the supplier stopping the filling of any kind of gas cylinders. Work the rest out for yourself....
Click to expand...

Oh please...

Calor has a virtual monopoly on bottled LPG in Blighty...

I am pretty sure H & S regs state you should have a trained person holding the bottom of the ladder before you climb up it...

...guess what... :whistle2:

JJ :cool:
 
Upvote 0

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