Changing from Camping Gaz to Calor. Thoughts?

[ianfr]

I recently swapped out 2 907 bottles for 2 Propane ones. The local convenience store exchanged both with no charge.
A new regulator, and we are back in business. Refills are about half the cost even for marina prices.

Ian

 

[jdc]

Calor gas has a pressure of 37mb and Camping gaz 27 mb and Propane burns hotter. Check the cooker can handle both gases and as you said use different regulators.

This is obsolete nowadays. New regulators and new devices like cookers (by new, it's not that new, it's been so for more than 10 years) are designed (or perhaps just tested) to run either butane or propane at the same pressure of 30mbar.

Gasboat, http://www.whayward.com/Details.cfm?ProdID=519, as was recommended in VicS's post above, is generally considered best practice I believe.

As far as the bottle itself is concerned, if you have room for them the ones I like most are composite bottles of the type which used to be sold under the BP brand name (but actually are manufactured in Norway by Aga). Various garage forecourts and Homebase

stock them. They come in 5kg or 10kg sizes; 5kg is what we have. Never rust, really quick to change over, very light and you can see the level of gas. I checked with the BSS people and they are perfectly acceptable.

Probably hopeless to get re-filled in the Med, but easy in the UK and pretty much universal in Norway and Iceland, should you be going that way...

 

[chrishscorp]

A good source of used gas bottles were local recycling centres, however last time i enquired in Hampshire i was politely told NO. Ebay is always a good source if the local centre says no. If i wanted to use a boat during the winter months or in colder climes I would be swapping over to Propane Orange bottles as they will not freeze, they also have a higher calorific value so burn hotter ( will boil the kettle a lot quicker ).......if you change to Propane you must check that anything that will run on the gas system can run on propane ( most should, but CHECK ).

If you do any work on the gas system you should have it checked...Elf n Safety by a Gas safe bod.

Speaking from personal experience having had a 47KG bottle delivered to site which was LEAKING, we now as standard take a cup of warm soapy water and use a paint brush to brush it all over the valve body in the gas bottle, the regulator and hose connection. ( dont laugh, but washing up liquid is considered too aggressive for brass and copper so dont use it was what CORGI said.....)

 

[vyv_cox]

If you do any work on the gas system you should have it checked...Elf n Safety by a Gas safe bod.

It's just plumbing. Nobody other than me checks any other plumbing I do so why should gas be any different? I agree that extra vigilance may be necessary but pay some bloke who probably has less experience than I do to check? No thanks.

[QUOTE( dont laugh, but washing up liquid is considered too aggressive for brass and copper so dont use it was what CORGI said.....)[/QUOTE]

Washing up liquid is thickened by adding salt. Presumably CORGI don't expect gas fittings to be used at sea!

 

[dgadee]

As far as the bottle itself is concerned, if you have room for them the ones I like most are composite bottles of the type which used to be sold under the BP brand name (but actually are manufactured in Norway by Aga). Various garage forecourts and Homebase

stock them. They come in 5kg or 10kg sizes; 5kg is what we have. Never rust, really quick to change over, very light and you can see the level of gas. I checked with the BSS people and they are perfectly acceptable.

Probably hopeless to get re-filled in the Med, but easy in the UK and pretty much universal in Norway and Iceland, should you be going that way...

I have just done a quick search and these seem to be becoming available in various countries - perhaps Spain, too. I have Camping Gaz and was planning to replace with Calor Propane, but these seem like a very good idea indeed. Of course, not yet come to NI.

 

[VicMallows]

It's just plumbing. Nobody other than me checks any other plumbing I do so why should gas be any different?!

The pressure is also FAR less, and any leaks (why should there be any anyway?) much easier to detect than a tiny water weep.

Be vigilante though for ALL 'Trade Associations' with vested interests. I recall that as far back as 1980 only 'licensed' plumbers were allowed to work on domestic WATER in New York State. These things have a habit of creeping in through the back door when you are not watching.

(Don't dare get me started on 'Part P' ).

 

[chrishscorp]

I completely understand your viewpoint Vyv and personally that's the view I have. Just aware there will be those reading this thread with varying practical abilities, just tried to cover most bases