UK availability of LPG

[fat haggis]

As a slight aside, I am thinking of getting a couple of refillable tanks and I was wondering are the lpg pumps generally sited to fill just one side of a van (offside or nearside) or will the hose reach either side? I know there is a pump at our local Morrisons but I haven't checked which side it will reach, it is not possible to come at the pump from the other direction.

No the hose won’t fit other side. So it’s drive in on side filler is located

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

No the hose won’t fit other side. So it’s drive in on side filler is located

Sorry to be a nuisance again but which is the preferred side (if there is one)?

 

[Kybod]

As a slight aside, I am thinking of getting a couple of refillable tanks and I was wondering are the lpg pumps generally sited to fill just one side of a van (offside or nearside) or will the hose reach either side? I know there is a pump at our local Morrisons but I haven't checked which side it will reach, it is not possible to come at the pump from the other direction.

The LPG pump I used yesterday at a Morrisons near Hull had hoses on both sides of the pump island.
Mike

 

[Lenny HB]

Sorry to be a nuisance again but which is the preferred side (if there is one)?

Same side as your fuel filler, makes it easy to top up both.

 

[Riverbankannie]

As a slight aside, I am thinking of getting a couple of refillable tanks and I was wondering are the lpg pumps generally sited to fill just one side of a van (offside or nearside) or will the hose reach either side? I know there is a pump at our local Morrisons but I haven't checked which side it will reach, it is not possible to come at the pump from the other direction.

Our filler is on same side as fuel filler - on nearside, we use Morrisons and generally it saves a lot of shuffling around filling both without moving.

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[hja]

Garage we filled up the other day, only one Mosley but it stretched to the other side of the pump. Not other side of the van.

 

[nickq]

Mine is "offside" (right hand side when pointing forwards!), opposite side to the fuel filler and never had a problem.

 

[Dall]

Sorry to be a nuisance again but which is the preferred side (if there is one)?

Mine is a pvc with an integral gas locker at the rear. So to keep my filler hose neat, my fillpoint is on the rear end attached to the towbar assembly. It doesn’t really matter which side the pump is as I’ve never seen a hose that will not reach the center of the rear of my van. I’ve even been in a few sites where you have to reverse into a awkwardly sited pump and if the filler was on the side it may be a stretch to get the hose to it.

 

[nick.theboatman]

From what I have read, most uk filling stations will phase out LPG by 2024. It’s already getting hard to find places that sell LPG particularly in Scotland. My van’s heating /hot water, hob and fridge are all gas fed by an underslung tank . We haven’t ever bothered with hook up as don’t need it.

If anyone is else is in this situation, what will you do? Are there alternatives that can use the tank? Or do I need to somehow move to bottled gas?

Sorry if this is a bit after the event... I live on a boat (and travel with a van as well but that is something else) - we rely on LPG to fill up certain orange bottles with a gadget (as you do)... so LPG is core to what we do. Buying certain orange bottles from a depot is 2.5 times the cost of filling with LPG and I have bought this to the attention of the OFT (as was) - and the cost of 47kg bottles dropped to approx that of mains gas. 13kg (that boaters always use - it's connected to boat safety certification requirements) stayed very expensive.
As I understand it (from one orange bottle supplier) in 2023 Calor (that owns Autogas) started shutting down the Autogas contracts at renewal time unless the retailer agreed to horrible new terms - so many pulled out. Some retailers then promptly switched to an alternative supplier and in particular several I have come across started getting their bulk tanks filled directly from Immingham (as in so f**k you Calor). Typical market manipulation.
So it is not "LPG being phased out" as "retail pipeline issue". I have to say that I welcome the prospect of a non-fossil version being used to replace LPG - sooner the better - but in the meantime the App and www.filllpg.co.uk are invaluable.

 

[Lenny HB]

we rely on LPG to fill up certain orange bottles with a gadget (as you do)... so LPG is core to what we do

Flipping dangerous and illegal.

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[Dall]

Sorry if this is a bit after the event... I live on a boat (and travel with a van as well but that is something else) - we rely on LPG to fill up certain orange bottles with a gadget (as you do)... so LPG is core to what we do. Buying certain orange bottles from a depot is 2.5 times the cost of filling with LPG and I have bought this to the attention of the OFT (as was) - and the cost of 47kg bottles dropped to approx that of mains gas. 13kg (that boaters always use - it's connected to boat safety certification requirements) stayed very expensive.
As I understand it (from one orange bottle supplier) in 2023 Calor (that owns Autogas) started shutting down the Autogas contracts at renewal time unless the retailer agreed to horrible new terms - so many pulled out. Some retailers then promptly switched to an alternative supplier and in particular several I have come across started getting their bulk tanks filled directly from Immingham (as in so f**k you Calor). Typical market manipulation.
So it is not "LPG being phased out" as "retail pipeline issue". I have to say that I welcome the prospect of a non-fossil version being used to replace LPG - sooner the better - but in the meantime the App and www.filllpg.co.uk are invaluable.

In the UK, what you are doing is an act which is unlawful! That is - for the LPG suppliers, to fill or allow the public to fill gas bottles that are not designed and manufactured for re-filling by the public.
Why is it unlawful - exactly as Lenny points out, as it is a dangerous act!
This forum members fully understand the cost implications of Calor bottles and that is why I and many members of this forum have invested in purpose made safe re-filling systems for our vans.
My advice to you is to invest in the correct re-fillable bottles, such as Gaslow, Alugas or Safefill (the clue is in the name) and then you can carry on as you do now - BUT in a safe and lawful manner.

 

[olley]

I believe he's talking about LPG for the boat, isn't he?

 

[Lenny HB]

I believe he's talking about LPG for the boat, isn't he?

He is saying he refills Calor bottles which is a big no, no.

 

[Pausim]

Perhaps the Boat Safety Scheme should include producing receipts for the previous year to prove that the LPG purchased has been sourced appropriately for the type of bottle being used. I saw a boat go up in flames near Brixham, I have no idea what caused the fire or whether the Lifeboat got there in time to save the lives.

Edit. LPG needs to be treated with respect and it is particularly important on boats because being heavier than air it collects in the bilges. At least on a motorhome if the safety valve blows for overpressure there are floor vents to let it out from the sealed locker.

 

[pandas]

All the Morrisons close to me have large LPC tanks and have just invested in and installed new pumps, so I doubt that they would be doing that if they were planning on ripping them out in the near future.

I can observe the pumps from my coffee shop table and they have a lot of motorhome customers.

What happened at the Morrisons forecourt refirb in Littlehampton - gas or no gas?

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[Lenny HB]

What happened at the Morrisons forecourt refirb in Littlehampton - gas or no gas?

Nothing, LPG was still in use on 8th Feb.

 

[Basildog]

Sorry if this is a bit after the event... I live on a boat (and travel with a van as well but that is something else) - we rely on LPG to fill up certain orange bottles with a gadget (as you do)... so LPG is core to what we do. Buying certain orange bottles from a depot is 2.5 times the cost of filling with LPG and I have bought this to the attention of the OFT (as was) - and the cost of 47kg bottles dropped to approx that of mains gas. 13kg (that boaters always use - it's connected to boat safety certification requirements) stayed very expensive.
As I understand it (from one orange bottle supplier) in 2023 Calor (that owns Autogas) started shutting down the Autogas contracts at renewal time unless the retailer agreed to horrible new terms - so many pulled out. Some retailers then promptly switched to an alternative supplier and in particular several I have come across started getting their bulk tanks filled directly from Immingham (as in so f**k you Calor). Typical market manipulation.
So it is not "LPG being phased out" as "retail pipeline issue". I have to say that I welcome the prospect of a non-fossil version being used to replace LPG - sooner the better - but in the meantime the App and www.filllpg.co.uk are invaluable.

Autogas was a joint venture owned by Shell and Calor, it was wound up in 2021 after all the Autogas operated pumps / tanks were removed by the end of 2020 .
47kg cylinder prices have always been much lower than the small predominantly Leisure cylinders for obvious reasons.
The last filling station to be set on fire was caused by someone trying to be clever and filling cylinders as you stated

 

[enark]

I believe he's talking about LPG for the boat, isn't he?

TBH all the more reason to be ultra cautious

A boat has a watertight hull - therefore air/gas tight. LPG been heavier than air would fill the hull if a leak occurred, leading to death by either suffocation or explosion.

At least a motorhome leaks!!