Filling propane Gas Bottles?

[ProDave]

literally all they need to do is a cylinder amnesty. I bet a lot of people would return them for free, but offer £10 to return them and problem solved.

OR be more flexible with cylinder exchange.

I have a small propane and a small butane and would love to swap one (or even both) of them for a 47kg Propane (and pay for the gas obviously) but they say no, I would have to pay full hire charge on the 47k and get nothing back on the old ones. THAT is why there are lots of cylinders sitting about doing nothing.

 

[lustyd]

It is funny that they act like their business is cylinder hire and forget their main income is the gas inside. Must be nice to be a monopoly!

 

[Lucy52]

Have you a link for the Safefill bottle? Is it a direct replacement for the blue butane 4.5 kg Calor bottle?

Thanks,
Ink

Our Cylinders | Safefill

I doubt if there is a direct replacement for any Calor bottle.

 

[ProDave]

It is funny that they act like their business is cylinder hire and forget their main income is the gas inside. Must be nice to be a monopoly!

They are NOT. My solution to Calor's refusal to budge and swap an unwanted small cylinder for a 47kg one was to go and get 2 47kg cylinders from FloGas with no hire charge, and slightly cheaper gas.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I'm assuming for use in a marina /shorepower only?

Ink

No, we live on anchor most of the time, avoid marinas, too noise, crowded, and the boat doesn't feel as comfortable, trussed up like turkey. We prefer swinging head to wind in a nice quiet Loch, up north where marinas as few and far between.

We do have a 5kVA generator, 410 amp hours of LiFePO4 batteries, and 200 watts of solar, so we could go electric. Something I intend to have a closer look at this winter.

 

[Kelpie]

We've only recently become aware of this shortage. As we are heading to the continent we are switching over to Camping Gaz anyway, although supplies of that aren't great either, and it's shockingly expensive, at least here in Ireland.

Feeling fairly smug though as we also have a small induction hob (2*800w) and a Remoska oven thingy (500w). For now we've been using them mostly on shore power but the other day I did a test run and cooked dinner using the lithium battery pack. Took about 50Ah IIRC. Once we're somewhere a bit sunnier I expect to be cooking on solar power a lot of the time, which should stretch the gas supply.

 

[harvey38]

Have you a link for the Safefill bottle? Is it a direct replacement for the blue butane 4.5kg Calor bottle?

Thanks
Ink

Safefill | Safe and easy to refill LPG Gas Cylinders

 

[ghostlymoron]

Why not call Calor Gas and ask their advice?

They'll tell you not to do it,

 

[ghostlymoron]

Exactly, I've emailed Calor, and got a call from Calor Aberdeen, they don't have stock of propane 3.9kg, no idea when they will get stock, which is telling in its own right. "Shortage of cylinders", Covid 19, all the usual excuses. We've had covid restrictions for approximately 2 years now, it's time Calor faced reality and upped their game.
I'm currently researching an electric oven (doesn’t need to be gimbled), and a DIY gimbled hob, I have a 5kVA generator installed, so be able to get something going over the winter, and get rid of gas all together.
Any links to suppliers of an appropriate hose?
or
Suggestions for a search term, I've tried "Calor propane to propane high pressure hose" and similar term with an luck so far.

I've got two 3.9kg cylinders in my garage which I'd trade in but the silly system with 'hiring' them means I don't actually own them and them have no trade in value after the first few fills (although there's no record of this).

 

[Steve_N]

Has anyone come across a company who will supply a 13kg to 3.9kg high pressure hose which is pressure tested?
I could make one up from the components, but buying one ready made reduces one of the risks.

There's no need to make anything up from components as the orange Calor propane cylinders all have female POL connections.
All you need is a ready-made high pressure straight-through male POL to male POL pigtail such as:
BES.co.uk | Next Day Delivery On 15,000 + Plumbing Supplies

 

[Scotsailor]

If anyone is thinking of doing this refilling thing then please do it far away from me. Or my family

 

[lustyd]

If anyone is thinking of doing this refilling thing then please do it far away from me. Or my family

It's literally just decanting liquid from one container to another. There's a chance of a leak but you'd spot that immediately and close the tap. Probably less dangerous than topping up the outboard on your tender.

 

[Scotsailor]

It's literally just decanting liquid from one container to another. There's a chance of a leak but you'd spot that immediately and close the tap. Probably less dangerous than topping up the outboard on your tender.

Yeah. Right

 

[Scotsailor]

Very dangerous practice. Completely illegal.

 

[Lucy52]

It is most certainly outside your contract with Calor, who are unable to supply a refill.

Which particular, “law,” prohibits the refilling of gas cylinders.

 

[Scotsailor]

Wel

It is most certainly outside your contract with Calor, who are unable to supply a refill.

Which particular, “law,” prohibits the refilling of gas cylinders.

please Don’t do it near me.

 

[Scotsailor]

It isn’t legal.

 

[jdc]

I suspect it's only in breach of a civil contract between the original 'hirer' of the gas bottle and Calor ltd. It most certainly is not a criminal matter.

And, imho, a court would not be terribly impressed by Calor's record of failure to supply, so it's v unlikely that Calor would actually pursue anybody in the civil courts as:
1. The damages would be tiny compared to their costs - not in their shareholders interest, and
2. If they did so pursue someone and lose - not a zero probability - it would open the floodgates and establish a precedent not in their shareholders interest.

 

[Scotsailor]

I suspect it's only in breach of a civil contract between the original 'hirer' of the gas bottle and Calor ltd. It most certainly is not a criminal matter.

Really

 

[Lucy52]

It isn’t legal.

I'm not certain, my query concerned the remark, “completely legal.”

There are regulations concerning:

Commercial work,
Domestic Work,
Inland Waterways.

You would have to show competence, safe working, PPE etc., and bits of the HSAW regulations might apply regarding the cylinders, hoses, and competence.

Just because you are doing it for yourself doesn't mean you don't have to demonstrate safe practice.

I quite understand the breach of contract, it underpins their business model.

The stale board of Calor must consist of brand managers, lawyers, and bean counters, customer service seems to be alien to them.
Shortage of cylinders is a ridiculous excuse, it is unbelievable that they can't be bothered to invest in some more to meet the demand.

Switch to another brand.