The French Fuel Company 'Total' place ban on filling LPG tanks on their forecourts in France.

[DumfriesDik]

What this means in practice is on a long run if we stop for a break, 15 mins later you hear the 'woomph' of the gas firing up and the fridge trying to freeze everything down again before we move off.

We turn the gas off before driving - and after parking for 15 minutes we get an alarm to say the fridge has no power or gas.

 

[pandas]

On average for an 8 week trip to Europe mid April - mid May we start off full and fill up only when back and we have on average used under £5 worth of gas. Would always travel with the gas on as when we stop for a view, lunch or whatever the gas then kicks in after 20min or so. Plus we have a 'crash' gismo on our gas set up which shuts the supply off - not sure how that works though. In the UK in winter we would use about the same amount in 1 week, have 2 x 11 kg cylinders.

 

[dunnah01]

8 week trip to Europe mid April - mid May

I thought French weeks were the same length as UK weeks - every day is a school day

 

[jongood]

We travel through Italy every year en route to Greece and have never been able to fill up with lpg there. Apparently They aren’t allowed to sell it for domestic use, just for propulsion and most if not all keep the pumps in locked cages. I think that rule is the same for all Eu countries but most filling stations in France, Spain, Greece etc have thus far turned a blind eye. It’s why we put an external filling point in the skirt of the van when we changed it to Gaslow from Calor when we bought it, to give the impression we’re filling a tank rather than bottles. We’ve never been refused in France or Spain and only once in Greece.

I try and avoid buying fuel in Italy anyway, very expensive. Happily with twin diesel tanks and a 100 litre gas tank I should be able to do what I want to do anyway

 

[62272]

We travel through Italy every year en route to Greece and have never been able to fill up with lpg there. Apparently They aren’t allowed to sell it for domestic use, just for propulsion and most if not all keep the pumps in locked cages. I think that rule is the same for all Eu countries but most filling stations in France, Spain, Greece etc have thus far turned a blind eye. It’s why we put an external filling point in the skirt of the van when we changed it to Gaslow from Calor when we bought it, to give the impression we’re filling a tank rather than bottles. We’ve never been refused in France or Spain and only once in Greece.

We had no problem filling at a service station in Italy on one of the main motorway service stations. Filled up with diesel first then drove around to the lpg pump and paid for both fuels in one transaction. Looking at this thread we must have just been lucky

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[Sharkfighter]

I’ve read the article and Totals response and it doesn’t make sense if you ask me. You know what the French are like, there’ll be rioting in the streets next…..​

Total's response​

We sent Régine Travelle's letter to the Communication department of Total and received the following response which has the merit of clarity.

I can confirm that only vehicles equipped with a LPG tank are authorized to use the pump and that recharging for any use other than mobility is strictly prohibited. A motorhome equipped with a LPG tank is therefore entirely authorized to use the pump, on the other hand it will not be able to fill its gas cylinder, for example. The installations of Total service stations are strictly intended to supply “gas” mobility energy to vehicles running on LPG-C. The evocation that you make of a tank which is certainly approved but "supplying household appliances" could be a possible answer, in the absence of more specific information on the specific case that you mention in Mont-de-Marsan and Nîmes. The safety of our customers and staff is our priority and any other use of these facilities involves a risk to use. After several events linked to a use other than the mobility of the vehicle and which gave rise to risky situations, in particular fire, we were forced for safety reasons to prohibit these unintended uses.

 

[busby]

Simple isn't it,,don't use Total..BUSBY.

 

[gpat]

Simple isn't it,,don't use Total..BUSBY.

Or just say its for mobility

 

[poppycamper]

Or just say its for mobility

My fridge..oven..hob.. heater can all be mobile.....SO does qualify as mobility...
Tried reading the above Total statement and it made my head hurt..

 

[tonyidle]

Lots of buses & lorries run on LPG & natural gas in Thailand.

Perhaps the correct statement is that compression ignition engines can't run on gas.

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[Lenny HB]

Perhaps the correct statement is that compression ignition engines can't run on gas.

They are diesel engines that have been converted, so technically I suppose no longer a compression engine once converted.

 

[nicholsong]

Our MH is parked on a Greek island until we return in 2 weeks.

The Gaslow cylinder is nearly empty. There is no LPG pump on the island and no depot for refilling cylinders - all gas cylinders arrive on the island full.

Fortunately we still have a Calor cylinder, bought with the MH 12 years ago - hope it still works, or we will have to buy a local cylinder.

Geoff

 

[Puddleduck]

It is a retailer's 'Right' to determine who they do or do not supply. They are under no legal obligation to supply. Refusal can be challenged, say on the basis of racial discrimination, but I wouldn't want to argue in Court that motorhomers are a race.

I'm part Roma ..... sorted

We travel through Italy every year en route to Greece and have never been able to fill up with lpg there. Apparently They aren’t allowed to sell it for domestic use, just for propulsion and most if not all keep the pumps in locked cages. I think that rule is the same for all Eu countries but most filling stations in France, Spain, Greece etc have thus far turned a blind eye. It’s why we put an external filling point in the skirt of the van when we changed it to Gaslow from Calor when we bought it, to give the impression we’re filling a tank rather than bottles. We’ve never been refused in France or Spain and only once in Greece.

We had no problem filling at a service station in Italy on one of the main motorway service stations. Filled up with diesel first then drove around to the lpg pump and paid for both fuels in one transaction. Looking at this thread we must have just been lucky

We also filled up in Italy on the motorway but only the LPG not diesel. Our filler is in the skirt and it was an attended site - they looked at the filler and turned on the pump. I think we were lucky as well.

 

[Gaston aires]

I just say its for my engine. Tank helps the argument rather than bottles.

That works but when you only pay 10/20 € eyebrows are raised
Sometimes I wish I could put more in ours.
Phil

 

[sallylillian]

That works but when you only pay 10/20 € eyebrows are raised
Sometimes I wish I could put more in ours.
Phil

But you have filled up by then! Not an issue now for me with a 120l tank, have yet to fill it after 2 years! Of course Covid has helped

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[Guigsy]

But you have filled up by then! Not an issue now for me with a 120l tank, have yet to fill it after 2 years! Of course Covid has helped

120 litres of gas?!? Isn't that too much to take on the Eurotunnel?

 

[Lenny HB]

120 litres of gas?!? Isn't that too much to take on the Eurotunnel?

And Ferries.
Oh dear Michael, stuck in the UK.

 

[sallylillian]

And Ferries.
Oh dear Michael, stuck in the UK.

"The quantity of gas is limited to 47kg (or approximately 93 litres) maximum for a single container and to 50kg (or approximately 99 litres) maximum in the case of several containers. Each container must be no more than 80% full." Tank will not fill more than 80% so 96 litres actual if full to brim. My tank was checked on Eurotunnel the last time I used the train. It was why I did not take the 150 litre option amongst other reasons. Admittedly on the limit of the rules.

 

[Lenny HB]

"The quantity of gas is limited to 47kg (or approximately 93 litres) maximum for a single container and to 50kg (or approximately 99 litres) maximum in the case of several containers. Each container must be no more than 80% full." Tank will not fill more than 80% so 96 litres actual if full to brim. My tank was checked on Eurotunnel the last time I used the train. It was why I did not take the 150 litre option amongst other reasons. Admittedly on the limit of the rules.

I thought the tank size was to the 80% level, thats how cylinders are quoted (just don't tell Eurotunnel).

 

[iandsm]

Phew thank Fiddlesticks...thought your heading was Total ban on filling lpg tanks in France!!

Well is was a headline as you might see in the polar press, designed to ensnare the reader until they read actual content of the story which rather different and does not support it

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[sallylillian]

I thought the tank size was to the 80% lever, thats how cylinders are quoted (just don't tell Eurotunnel).

Interesting, my tank is rated in litres not kg. It states "capacity 120 litre". "Max fill 80%".
I was told by the Germans that the tank geometric capacity was the 120 litre but that it can only be filled to 80% so theoretically 96 litres. At the time Eurotunnel had a limit of 99 litres of gas if I remember my research.

 

[Barryh]

Thankfully we’ve never really. had a problem filling when needed, even in Italy. However, we’ve had raised eyebrows there from attended pumps when the bloke doing the filling makes a “to the top” type gesture and only about €8 worth goes in. And once in France we couldn’t get the pump to work, eventually some kind French lady told us the exasperated shouting from the tannoy was the cashier wanting us to prepay before turning on the pump.

 

[Guigsy]

Thankfully we’ve never really. had a problem filling when needed, even in Italy. However, we’ve had raised eyebrows there from attended pumps when the bloke doing the filling makes a “to the top” type gesture and only about €8 worth goes in.

We had the same. I think he thought he was filling the fuel tank. Then he twigged that it wasn't when less than €10 went in. But as his English was non-existent and my Italian is limited to coffee, beer and nights of camping, he figured the best thing was to just let me pay and go...

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Perhaps the correct statement is that compression ignition engines can't run on gas.

Diesel engines can run on gas but not fully we have large generators That run on duel fuel we have to start them on diesel till at working temperature then very slowly feed in gas though separate jets while shedding diesel off till its running at 10% diesel and 90% gas
they can’t run on full gas as it needs diesel to compress ignite the fuel mix
some hospitals run them as combined heat and power using Ruston RK 16 engines
(same engine as fitted in the old deltic train)
That have been specially converted biggest problem is the power generates will only run at 90% max power on gas

leeds LGI have 4 sets where they run on town gas and control room is like a ships bridge constantly watching price on gas oil town gas or grid for cheapest options
all clever stuff

 

[Barryh]

We had the same. I think he thought he was filling the fuel tank. Then he twigged that it wasn't when less than €10 went in. But as his English was non-existent and my Italian is limited to coffee, beer and nights of camping, he figured the best thing was to just let me pay and go...

Of course once it’s in they can’t take it out!

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[pandas]

I thought French weeks were the same length as UK weeks - every day is a school day

Oops yes anyhow 8 weeks