Calor Gas bottle refilling

[sarabande]

Grrrrr!


I have been through the forum archives. Last year I bought from a local gas LPG man an adapter to fill from a 47Kg propane bottle (the big tall one) to a 4.5 Calor butane one (small blue one). The adapter has corroded from battery acid accidentally spilled on it.

Said LPG man has now become a solar panel installer.


Calor - definitely , Sir we are not allowed to sell you the adapters.

BES - definitely, Guv, we are not allowed ....

GasLow - definitely, Squire, no way...


Just who sells the adapters please, without trying to sell me an integrated refillable selfchecking automated turnoff aluminium glasssfibre reinforced stabilised bottle in four different colurs for 150 squids, please ?

 

[Roberto]

If you can find an adaptor used with gas solders, or grass burners, just attach a hose with the connector for the bigger bottle and you have your filling adaptor: these fittings are open, two-way, and of course do not regulate pressure.

If the adaptor alone is not available, a full solder torch (adaptor + hose + burner) is available for 10-15 euro, just cut through the hose and fit the bigger bottle regulator on the other side

I did so for a camping gaz, but in principle there should be no difference with a Calor Gas ?

 

[VicS]

Grrrrr!


I have been through the forum archives. Last year I bought from a local gas LPG man an adapter to fill from a 47Kg propane bottle (the big tall one) to a 4.5 Calor butane one (small blue one). The adapter has corroded from battery acid accidentally spilled on it.

Said LPG man has now become a solar panel installer.


Calor - definitely , Sir we are not allowed to sell you the adapters.

BES - definitely, Guv, we are not allowed ....

GasLow - definitely, Squire, no way...


Just who sells the adapters please, without trying to sell me an integrated refillable selfchecking automated turnoff aluminium glasssfibre reinforced stabilised bottle in four different colurs for 150 squids, please ?

Does THIS THREAD help at all

 

[Chi34]

I understand that 'Propane' is mostly a propane/butane blend that varies according to the climate of the country it is sold in - to control the pressure.
But, I see Camping Gaz and Calor Gas are also blends. (I thought they were butane, but I've just read the Wiki.)
Does anyone know more about this?
Does 'Butane' vary by country?
Is Camping Gaz a similar blend to Calor?
Etc, etc

 

[sarabande]

thanks Vic for the pointer to Rig A Mattress's post - I'd seen it as part of my research.


The point is that none of the quoted suppliers were (today) in any mood to sell anything which could connect bottle A to bottle B.

It's a supplier name in the SW I need.

 

[Cymrogwyllt]

I understand that 'Propane' is mostly a propane/butane blend that varies according to the climate of the country it is sold in - to control the pressure.
But, I see Camping Gaz and Calor Gas are also blends. (I thought they were butane, but I've just read the Wiki.)
Does anyone know more about this?
Does 'Butane' vary by country?
Is Camping Gaz a similar blend to Calor?
Etc, etc

One way is to look at the flame. Someone many years ago took a Bunsen burner from stock (mains gas) and lit it for a demo. The snag was thet the temp place was supplied with lpg. The kids were amused by the near yard long flame.

 

[Bru]

I understand that 'Propane' is mostly a propane/butane blend that varies according to the climate of the country it is sold in - to control the pressure.
But, I see Camping Gaz and Calor Gas are also blends. (I thought they were butane, but I've just read the Wiki.)
Does anyone know more about this?
Does 'Butane' vary by country?
Is Camping Gaz a similar blend to Calor?
Etc, etc

What's the link to the relevant Wiki? I can't find it

To my knowledge, and as far as I can ascertain from the manufacturers websites ...

The smaller Campingaz and other similar plug in/throw away cartridges
are a propane/butane blend but the bigger Campingaz refillable cylinders are butane

Calor supply both propane and butane and I've never heard of either being a blend (at least not in the UK)

LPG, as sold on petrol station forecourts, is a blend though - mostly butane but with enough propane to make the stuff work at below -2 degrees C

 

[LadyInBed]

bes.co.uk Camping-Gaz-Cylinder-Valve is this the sort of thing you are after?

 

[VicMallows]

bes.co.uk Camping-Gaz-Cylinder-Valve is this the sort of thing you are after?

Doesn't anyone read the original question? Sarabande wants to refill a 4.5kg Calor BUTANE cylinder from a large PROPANE cylinder. Both fittings are readily available so physically it is easy to do. I also understand that Calor 4.5 butane cylinders are essentially the same as Calor 3.7kg propane apart from the valves, so the higher stored pressure should not be an issue.

What would bother me is you now must use a regulator suitable for propane with your 'butane' cylinder. Quite possible .... but imagine if some unsuspecting sole steals your propane-filled-butane bottle.

Vic

 

[exfinnsailor]

So are we bothered if some tea leaf nicks it

 

[maxi77]

Calor butane and propane cylinder fittings with hose and cannector are available in most caravan shops for connecting cylinders to fixed regulators fittied to new vans these days. As I suspect the end fitting for the regulator is BSP it should be relatively easy to connect two tails together.

 

[VicS]

Quite possible .... but imagine if some unsuspecting sole steals your propane-filled-butane bottle.

And what are you suggesting will be the likely consequence.

 

[VicMallows]

So are we bothered if some tea leaf nicks it

Sadly, assuming he recovers from his burns, he will amazingly 'remember' where he nicked it from ... with the help of a no-win-no-fee lawyer.

Vic

 

[VicS]

Sadly, assuming he recovers from his burns, he will amazingly 'remember' where he nicked it from ... with the help of a no-win-no-fee lawyer.

Vic

Why will he suffer burns?

 

[sarabande]

yes, it's the propane that is important as if we have another cold winter, I don't want the 4.5 Kg bottles (with butane) to freeze as they did last year. I resorted to pouring warm water on them - and a very musical tinkling sound is generated from the bottle. !

I'm getting there with the usual magical help from the forum.


thanks

 

[Steve_N]

maxi777 - the regulator end will be M20 x 1.5 not BSP.

Anyway, what the OP needs (if he really wants to put the wrong gas in the cylinder..) is a propane-to-propane hose with male POL connectors at each end, available from many sources, and a 'Bullfinch propane POL to butane adapter' which screws onto the POL connector on one end of the hose and converts it to a 21.8LH butane nut:

hose:
http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_20__Propane_Gas_Pigtail_POL_x_POL.html
adapter:
http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatalog/Propane_Pol_to_Butane_Adaptor.html

 

[gravygraham]

Forgive me for butting in here folks but speaking as a former CORGI registered installer with an LPG endorsement, please Sara, don't do this. I can't understand why you'd want to decant propane into a butane cylinder? This is a highly dangerous activity, and, I'd wager my house (and boat) that the cylinder supplying company would take you to the cleaners if they discovered you doing this.

 

[VicMallows]

And what are you suggesting will be the likely consequence.

I am speculating that he may use it (or pass it on to someone) with a (quite possibly old) butane regulator which cannot sustain the stored propane input pressure. The regulator diaphragm could rupture allowing excess pressure to the appliance.

But then maybe it would fail safe? ... I'll have to lie awake thinking about that one. Then again, he (thief) might be using the gas for soldering without a regulator ..... or even with his high-pressure camping stove

Vic

 

[sailorman]

Forgive me for butting in here folks but speaking as a former CORGI registered installer with an LPG endorsement, please Sara, don't do this. I can't understand why you'd want to decant propane into a butane cylinder? This is a highly dangerous activity, and, I'd wager my house (and boat) that the cylinder supplying company would take you to the cleaners if they discovered you doing this.

calor butane & propane are put into the same bottles arnt they

 

[sarabande]

OK. guys, so it was a nice technical dream, but blowing up the hen house is not exactly a priority.

What about the baby 3.9 Kg propane cylinder ? Does that pose an easier solution with a common internal thread (POL) to both ?

(Means I have to buy/ acquire/ dig up a couple of small cylinders, and buy two regulators.... )