Composite/Fibre Gas Bottles

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Gadget257

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Why don’t we yachties use composite/ fibreglass gas bottles? Their benefits seem a no brainier of being rust free, non marking, lighter weight, visible gas level, and seemingly better availability since the outdoor heater fad - a recent delivery trip from Scotland to Iceland the composite seemed far more ubiquitous and would have saved a lot of leg work. What I am missing with the steel bottles?
 
It very much depends on the gas locker size, we can only just fit a 4.5kg and that’s after cutting bottom off and lowering, it was designed for camping gaz, no way I could get a composite bottle to fit
 
I use the BP Gaslight (now taken over by Flogas) green and grey 5kg propane bottles. Normal 27mm clip-on connector. Much lighter than metal(1), you can see the level and it doesn't rust. I'm likewise amazed that so few seem to do the same, but it is fatter than the 4.5/3.9kg Calor bottles so it is a bit of a tight fit in the locker.

(1) 3.8kg tare for 5kg of content rather than ~6kg tare for 3.9kg of content.
 
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Local 14kg or there abouts fibre cylinder securely stowed fishing boat style on deck outside galley with very short pipe run through bulkhead to cooker. May not be 'yachtie' but well ventilated. Full weight about the same as empty Calor gas steel equivalent. Boat came with dubious locker and Camping gaz cylinders, but switched to larger Calor cylinder on deck as Camping gaz most expensive way to buy butane in UK and we were long term cruising.
 
LadyInBed said:
That is the issue. Gas lockers are built to house a specific type of bottle so it doesn't rattle around, if it's built to hold Campingaz Calor won't fit.
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Just need an external stowage as used by geem or ourselves. Not too difficult and can accept different sizes as needed.
 
Mudisox said:
Get some from French supermarket. Butagas or the blue one. Much cheaper and fully grp with all the advantages.
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For us, the Safefill bottle has advantage that the numpties that like to overfill them here in the Caribbean can't. The valve automatically cuts off. Hence, Safefill name. We got a camping gas bottle back once. Grossly overfilled and leaking!
 
Another vote for Safefill.

Even if you open the valve, gas won't escape until you insert the regulator due to the internal safety cutoff valve.
 
geem said:
For us, the Safefill bottle has advantage that the numpties that like to overfill them ... can't. The valve automatically cuts off. Hence, Safefill name. We got a camping gas bottle back once. Grossly overfilled and leaking!
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Same experience in Suriname. Their technique was to put the recipient cylinder into the freezer for an hour, and then it's easy to fill. But on the way back to the boat the cylinders warmed up and began blowing the over-pressure relief valves. I stopped the car, dragged out the cylinders and vented liquid gas out. A bit scary and a salutary lesson.
 
Thank you for your replies. I‘m interested in the Safefill bottle. Is there any forecourts in the Solent area that allows refills? Safefill partner Morrisons doesn’t seem to have any LPG petrol stations in the area.
 
Gadget257 said:
Thank you for your replies. I‘m interested in the Safefill bottle. Is there any forecourts in the Solent area that allows refills? Safefill partner Morrisons doesn’t seem to have any LPG petrol stations in the area.
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If you do some homework and call those who supply bottled gas, they should be able to tell you who will refill them, most independent auto LPG suppliers will fill them, motorhome and caravan suppliers should also be able to assist locating an outlet as some owners opt to have a permanent LPG tank fitted.

I was told there was no-one near me who could/would fill mine, after a bit of digging, it transpires there are two suppliers within 8 miles of my home!
 
I’ve a friend who has camper-van with built in tanks and is finding it increasingly difficult to get refilled, many forecourts seem to be removing lpg pumps
 
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