French & Spanish Gas

[Scallywag]

I'm planning to take my boat for an extended trip to France and Spain.

Someone has mentioned that the gas cylinders in France and Spain are different to those in the UK and that I will need to get an adaptor so that the French and Spanish ones will work.

Can anyone post a link to the adaptor I will need? Are the French and Spanish ones the same?
Is it just a matter of the fitting or will I also need to do something to the cooker on the boat.
Are there other considerations?

Thanks.

 

[Thepipdoc]

Unless you have a bottle to exchange you'll have to pay for the gas as well as the bottle.
Could be expensive!
It all depends how long you're away and how much gas you use of course!

 

[Scallywag]

I'll be at least from April until October and might keep the boat down there for next year too. So, I don't want to rely just on what supply I take. What adaptor is needed?

 

[sailorman]

I'll be at least from April until October and might keep the boat down there for next year too. So, I don't want to rely just on what supply I take. What adaptor is needed?

buy them locally with the gas

 

[TQA]

I'm planning to take my boat for an extended trip to France and Spain.

Someone has mentioned that the gas cylinders in France and Spain are different to those in the UK and that I will need to get an adaptor so that the French and Spanish ones will work.

Can anyone post a link to the adaptor I will need? Are the French and Spanish ones the same?
Is it just a matter of the fitting or will I also need to do something to the cooker on the boat.
Are there other considerations?

Thanks.

In France Camping Gas is the norm and it is REALLY hard to get other cylinders filled.

I have had blue and red Calor cylinders filled in Spain.

This http://www.socal.co.uk/toolbox/regu...arine-universal-gas-cylinder-adaptor-kit.html is another option.

Marine Universal Gas Cylinder Adaptor Kit
We supply a comprehensive range of gas bottle adapters to fit all the common bottle types found around the world.
These adapters are designed to be used with the universal bulkhead regulator 4006.
Each adaptor will fit a different common bottle type and can then be connected to the regulator using a length of high pressure hose (M20 x M20).
M20xM20 connecting hoses can be purchased separately
The Kit is supplied in a tough plastic box for easy storage.
Kit Includes
1x Screw on Adaptor to fit Camping Gaz cylinders 901, 904, 907
1 x Screw on adapter to fit Primus cylinders
1x Screw on adapter to fit Propane Bottle - POL (BSP)
1x Screw on Adapter to Left Hand EU / G4 Cylinders
1x Screw on adapter for USA / Australasia / Scandinavia / Iceland - (NPT POL)
1x Clip on adapter to fit 21 mm cylinders (Calor Gas 15kg & 7Kg)
1x Clip on adapter to fit 20 mm cylinders (French TWINY, ELFI and MALICE)
1 x Clip on adapter to fit 27 mm cylinders (LE CUBE, Calor PATIO GAS and some Portuguese cylinders)
2x stainless steel spanners which fit the bottle adapters and regulators

I might get a Camping Gas bottle and regulator and a standard Spanish bottle and regulator though in your position.

 

[Cloven]

Keep it simple. Just change to Camping Gas cylinders with a Camping Gas regulator which you can get from any caravan store.

We are based in France and we can get exchange bottles at almost every Supermarket or DIY store as well as marinas although the former are cheaper.

Yes its more expensive than Calor but you simply won't get Calor or similar there. However, for all you are likely to use, its not that much. We spend approx 4/5 months in France every season and probably go through about 2 bottles a season at most.

 

[nigelmercier]

the gas cylinders in France and Spain are different to those in the UK ...

No, they are the same: Campingaz. However, Spain is going over to a new type, but the old bottles will be around for a long time.

 

[Mistroma]

I'll probably be making a similar trip and following rough notes are a work in progress just pasted in. I haven't come to a final solution yet. However, campinggaz looks v. expensive based on figures I've obtained. Might not be accurate of course as it's difficult to get prices and Campingaz might be OK if actual prices are lower than my current guess.

Starting point:
I can't get UK style cyls. similar to the 4.5kgs butane ones I use.
Tend to use one cyl. every 4-6 weeks at around £16 each.
Summer cost: 20-30 kgs gas at £70 - £100 per 6 months in UK
Gas locker: (H)450mm but ~490mm up to lid (Diam.) 260mm

Options:

1) Buy one refillable cylinder (e.g. Gaslow)
Cost is approx. £130 for 6kgs. May get 4.5kgs size elsewhere for ~£80
Many stories of petrol stations refusing to fill any of these. Campervan guys seem to hide the fact by having external filler. Not pursuing this option as it doesn't sound promising.

2) Buy an adapter and use Campingaz 904 Cylinder (I have a spare cyl. already so won't need to buy one).
Only holds 2.72kgs fairly expensive in France (prob. Spain as well).
20-30kgs. means 7-11 cyls. each summer costing £180 - £270 if £25/cyl. refill
Cheap regulator available £8-£10 but need to work out connection.
Useful backup option but expensive for normal use.

3) Buy adapters for France & Spain then use local bottles
Issues with local bottles:
i) Need to buy cylinders (Variety to choose from)
ii) Different in France & Spain (even different option within each country)
iii) I think refund often only applies if taken back to same place where purchased (so probably discard eventually).
iV) Don't think they will fit into gas locker

France: Le Cube looks like best bet Butagaz. Propane 5Kgs, Butane 6kgs, Le Cube (French Supermarkets exchange for around 20 Euro

Euros. Contract paperwork allows buyback by any French Butagaz retailer in France. Deposit 25 euros
Dimensions: Le Cube 355(H)x282(W)x282(L) mm Ht. OK but too wide to fit locker
Cost per 6 months around £55-£80 for 20-30kgs assuming bottle can be returned. Worst case £100 if it can't

Spain:
Similar problems with French cyls. but poss. cheaper.

so need adapers with extension hose. Connect inside locker and connect to local cyl. on stern when required.
Nuisance and need to shade cyl. from sun.

4) Find a cyl. that can be refilled in France & Spain
Sounds unlikely but I did hear that I might get UK Propane cyls. filled in France or Spain.
Cheapest option as I have one spare Propane cyl. at home and can exchange a Butane one.
Need to confirm that this is a reasonable solution and sort out suitable regulator.


Still work to do but option 4 is best for me IF I can def. confirm that UK Propane cyls. are available in France & Spain.

Sounds unlikely though.

Only other option is to stick with butane buy a few adapters and a long pig-tail.
1) Campingaz regulator as backup
2) Jumbo style regulator for Ireland, Spain & Portugal
3) 27mm clip on regulator for France
4) Long pigtail with POL connector on one end and method of connecting to all regulators on other.

 

[vikinglish]

No, they are the same: Campingaz. However, Spain is going over to a new type, but the old bottles will be around for a long time.

Im based in spain and know nothing about a change from standard camping gaz and associated adaptor. Do you mind me asking where you got that nugget of info from Nigel. I find it a bit surprising.

 

[Blue5]

Camping gas is readily available in France, Spain and Portugal and the cost is cheaper outside UK.

UK £23
Portugal 12euros

 

[haydude]

I'm planning to take my boat for an extended trip to France and Spain.

Someone has mentioned that the gas cylinders in France and Spain are different to those in the UK and that I will need to get an adaptor so that the French and Spanish ones will work.

Can anyone post a link to the adaptor I will need? Are the French and Spanish ones the same?
Is it just a matter of the fitting or will I also need to do something to the cooker on the boat.
Are there other considerations?

Thanks.

If you have Camping Gaz blue bottles they are standard everywhere in EU

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Tend to use one cyl. every 4-6 weeks at around £16 each.
.

Thats a lot of gas. We never remotely used that much when based in Spain and with a gas powered water heater too. Sure you dont have a leak?

Anyway, you will find you eat out a lot more over there. Camping Gas is freely available and there are adapters for those who have a Calor system. Yours will be Camping Gas since the boat is French and French companies stick together.

Gas is much cheaper in Spain than in France which in turn is cheaper than the UK. We kept it simple and used Camping Gas with an adapter.

 

[Mistroma]

Pretty certain there aren't any leaks. We turn off gas at cylinder after each use and then turn off at cooker and internal stop valve. We've been doing that for 30+ years and always give confirmation that gas is off followed by feedback from other end that cooker & valve are off. Never any smell of gas in the gas locker except when swapping cylinders.

I based my figures on living aboard in Scotland and assumed that they would be lower in Spain. However, I assumed that any reduction might be offset by fact that we might have more guests and boil more water for washing etc. if spending more time at anchor.

I suppose that we might eat out a bit more in in a town instead of anchorages. So good to get advice from someone spending the whole season aboard in that area. Many thanks.

It would seem that I've seen incorrect information regarding Campingaz 907 as comments indicate that it is cheaper than UK. If 907 only cost 12 Euro that changes my earlier calcs. Costs would be similar to current cost of Calor in UK (i.e. 20-30 kgs gas would be ~£75 - £110 per 6 months).

So my best option would be to buy a campingaz adapter and screw that to my current flexible connector for 4.5kg. Calor cylinder.

Gaslow do one at £8.40
01-1665 Europe Camping Gas adaptor


If Campingaz did turn out to be as expensive as I'd heard then following would allow me to use a local bottle stored on the sugar scoop.

01-1673T France Le Cube 27mm Top-Connection clip on adaptor £10
01-1671 Jumbo Adaptor for Spain, parts of Portugal, Southern Ireland and Norway £15
01-6030 21.8 LH Butane 1.0 metre hose £15

 

[steveallan]

Camping Gas

Get the cylinders from your local council tip/site before you leave.

 

[Cloven]

Camping gas is readily available in France, Spain and Portugal and the cost is cheaper outside UK.

UK £23
Portugal 12euros

France approx 20euros

 

[Mistroma]

Get the cylinders from your local council tip/site before you leave.

Snap. My wife just mentioned that the only old Campingaz cyl. we have is a smaller size han 907. We'd been to dispose of some junk recently and both remembered seeing some Campingaz cyls. lying around the re-cycle area. Looks like a quick trip back tomorrow.

 

[nigelmercier]

Im based in spain and know nothing about a change from standard camping gaz and associated adaptor. Do you mind me asking where you got that nugget of info from Nigel. I find it a bit surprising.

It's from the new pilot book: Atlantic Islands. It may only be the Canary Islands that have a change planned.

 

[LadyInBed]

I'm planning to take my boat for an extended trip to France and Spain.

I have two calor cylinders plumbed in and carry a camping gaz cylinder and adaptor. When I go my strategy will be to use the camping gaz and when it runs out temporally switch to the calor, though if I can find the space then I may carry two camping gaz.

 

[Ludd]

In Jumbo supermarket in Faro,Campinggaz is €14.3 for 907 refill.

 

[Mistroma]

At prices that have been mentioned it only looks about 25% more than running on 4.5kg Calor Butane in the UK. So not worth getting lots of adapters and using local cylinders in France/Spain.

Vikinglish was kind enough to pm me some more detail on specifics. So it seem reasonable to expect 907 refills in 11-15 euro range.

Thanks for all the advice I've seen here. I'm going to get an adapter and take 2 Campingaz 907s with me. If I get 2 empty freebies I'll just leave one Calor cyl. onboard and get CampingGaz refils when that runs out. I can store the empty in a locker once all excess gas exhausted from the cylinder (so no chance of a gas leak).

I'll need to get used to changing cyls. more frequently as 2x907s only hold 20% more than one of my Calor cylinders.