Filling US Propane gas bottles

[Petronella]

Petronella had two large propane gas bottles fitted when she was in the Caribbean to run a propane cooker. She is now back in Portugal and the bottles are close to empty and need refilling. Does anyone know if it is possible to buy an adapter to allow these bottles to be filled in European countries. I believe I should be able to get them filled at petrol stations that provide fuel for cars that run on propane.

As far as I can measure the (reverse) threads on the bottle have a diameter of 20mm and there are about 6 threads per 10mm though I guess being US threads I should really really be be quoting threads per inch! What does the 'filling end' need to look like?

 

[LadyJessie]

I think you have three basic options:

1. Yes, most countries will have a service to fill almost any gas bottle. The problem is that it has to be sent off to the 'gas company' to have it done. That means that you might be stuck in a harbour just waiting for your gas bottles to come back.

2. Switch to the local gas bottle system of whatever country you are in. This is a good idea if you are planning to stay for a longer period. The benefits are that the switch is cheap; you only need to buy a new regulator which is typically only around 10 euros (plus the deposit on the bottle, which is refundable). Then you can easily exchange bottles anywhere.

3. If you are planning to cruise around the Med; you can get a regulator for the 'Camping Gas' system. These bottles are easily available all around the Med. They will be more expensive than the local system, but it will save you changing regulators the whole time.

 

[Petronella]

Thanks. I understood that since the cooker is a 'propane cooker' it is preferable or even necessary to use propane rather than camping gas or butane to run it. You post suggests that my understanding is not correct?

 

[AndrewB]

Nearly all boat cookers, eg Force 10, Plastimo, can run on either propane or butane, with the correct regulator of course. I would just go ahead, but if you really have doubts you could contact the manufacturer.

I have no experience of filling propane in European gas (petrol) stations. However in Spain and Portugal gas depots will refill for you, the fitting used on your bottles is universal so you do not need an adaptor. Most large towns have a depot, ask in your marina where it is.

In England and France it is not permitted to refill your own bottles. There you will have to join a proprietry cylinder exchange scheme, such as Camping Gas or Calor Gas. You can get back what you pay for the bottle when you leave. As butane is much more widely available than propane in these countries, it would be advisable to switch to this. (PS Camping Gas is simply butane).

If you do get European bottles and regulator, there will be an issue in connecting the regulator to your US yacht's gas system, as the European type is designed just to push into 3/8" gas hose. You probably need to have a spare hose screw-fitting to cope with this.

 

[Guest]

The US fitting is not compatible with the UK fitting. They look the same. Even the tails you buy have BSPT as opposed to NPT threads on the other end.

I failed completely in filling a bottle in the UK. I believe there is one depot in the Southampton area that has the fittings and will fill the wonderful Aluminium US bottles.

Google it, there are sailing sites explaining it.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have had German and Spanish gas bottles refilled at petrol stations in Portugal. The operation seemed to be somewhat uncontrolled but nobody seems to have the least concern about it. In most countries, including UK, France and Spain, it is illegal to refill a stand-alone bottle on a forecourt. Fixed systems in camper vans are a different matter. Gaslow (www.gaslow.co.uk) supply a wealth of adapters for all sorts of bottles, although I don't know whether this extends to US fittings.

 

[freedom44]

I have the aluminium american propane bottles. In Portugal I refilled them at the car wash place which has a baloon of an elephant for its logo. They refill motorhomes and did not bat an eylid when I arrived with the cylinders. They have lots of different attachments,.

 

[Capn Pugwash]

[ QUOTE ]
The US fitting is not compatible with the UK fitting. They look the same. Even the tails you buy have BSPT as opposed to NPT threads on the other end.

I failed completely in filling a bottle in the UK. I believe there is one depot in the Southampton area that has the fittings and will fill the wonderful Aluminium US bottles.

Google it, there are sailing sites explaining it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bought my yacht in the US and on landing in UK found the propane connectors totally matched to UK (red) propane bottles! Where in Southampton can you get the US bottles filled? I have 3 of the bugg%$s still in my locker!!