Is anybody worried about their gas bottles?

[Rachelle]

The reason I ask is that the Man and I were discussing the fact that the new boat's cooker doesn't come complete with a gas bottle - which surprised me. Clearly I was being a bit slow so the he explained how you go to the chandler and buy a first time gas bottle from for X amount of money and this is "entering into an agreement" with the supplier. Going forward you take the spent bottle back and exchange it for another at a cheaper price as this time you are only paying for the gas. (If I've got this wrong then I clearly stopped listening as some point!)

So I thought about this and wondered how well maintained the bottles are by the supplier - the ones I've seen look like pretty knocked about and of unknown age. Obviously wouldn't be too happy to have the new toy blow up on us.

Are you all happy/comfortable with this deal? Did any of you buy your own bottle and fill it yourself? Does anyone do soap tests on the seals to check for leakage? Am I just being completely mad?

x;o)

Rach

 

[graham]

Rachelle You are right to be concerned given the explosive nature of LPG however theres no cause for concern about the bottles themselves which are solidly constructed to withstand a long hard life.

If you are concerned about possible leaks when connecting the regulator to the bottle dont use soapy water as some soaps are actually slightly corrosive and could cause a leak.An aerosol can of gas leak detector spray can be found in any plumbers merchants for a couple of quid.

Spray it liberally over the joint let it soak in a moment and watch for bubbles forming which indicates a leak.

More importantly the bottle should be housed in a ventilated locker so any leakage drains safely out of the boat.LPG is heavier than air so will accumulate in the bilge if the bottle is inside the boat possibly with tragic results.

 

[billmacfarlane]

Not something I've worried about too much but I presume that the bottles are tested when they are refilled. You might want to have look at the thread on PBO about gas. For PBO it got quite entertaining - I never thought you could get worked up about a gas installation.

 

[Guest]

As others have told you the bottles are regularly inspected and tested.

What I have never understood is the "entering into an agreement" and "cough up £15 for your first bottle" bit.

After buying bottle number 1 about fifteen years ago I discovered that no-one ever asked me to show my "agreement" when I changed bottles. On this basis I bought empty bottles (4 of them) at the local flea market for £1 each and have successfully managed to change them out ever since.

Another tip is that as long as you stay with the same supplier you can change out Butane for Propane and "small" for "big" (and vice versa) if you wish.

Incidentally the gas is for the caravan and home use - I have a meths stove on the boat!

Best regards )

Ian D

 

[snowleopard]

Bottle tests

If you look at the neck of the bottle, you should see an aluminium disc, stamped with the date of the last test.

However, if you wan't to get it re-filled abroad, it's best to insist on a smart new-looking bottle from the UK dealer or you may be forced to pay for a pressure test over there.

 

[Rachelle]

Thanks Guys (nm)

nm

Rach

 

[Guest]

Old gas bottles

I recently exchanged a bottle I bought in 1978. The replacement looked just as scruffy and had exactly the same fitting.

The joint most likely to leak is the one between your gear and the supplier's bottle. Current regulations are right in their implicit assumption that this joint will leak and must be located in a separate self-draining compartment.