Bosun Higgs
N/A
It's probably against some H&S rule but these days so is living. Does anyone do it? If so where did they get the nozzle? Any tips or hints? Calor or Camping gas?
refilling gas bottles at the garage lpg pump
- Thread starter Bosun Higgs
- Start date
sailorman
Well-Known Member
you would need to weight the cylinder as you fill it is my guess otherwise its easy to overfill
Marsupial
Well-Known Member
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I believe it is illegal to refill a bottle on a garage forecourt. The site quoted by Marsupial refers to bottles installed in a vehicle. I have done this on my last two campers, using the kit supplied by Gaslow One way around the problem is to attach the filling nozzle directly to the bottle and put it in the boot of your car, again using Gaslow equipment.
Using their hoses and stuff you could connect to a propane bottle, although Calor would probably not be very keen on this. German campers come with refillable bottles, a service widely available in Germany and Holland, but not on forecourts.
However, one problem in your proposal is that LPG is propane, whereas Camping Gaz is butane. Not an insurmountable problem but something else to consider.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I've seen a red calor bottle being filled on a garage forecourt, so it is possible.
NickRobinson
Well-Known Member
possible, but careful
My local independant autogas seller used to have an adapter-
Don't put propane in a butane bottle (red to blue), the regs run at diff pressures 11 and 14 wg and you'll overfuel.
Nick
ps- in this weather, for butane, just use a funnel and a bucket!
My local independant autogas seller used to have an adapter-
Don't put propane in a butane bottle (red to blue), the regs run at diff pressures 11 and 14 wg and you'll overfuel.
Nick
ps- in this weather, for butane, just use a funnel and a bucket!
Bosun Higgs
N/A
Long chat with a helpful man at Gaslow who was clearly concerned about real safety risks as opposed to the H&S or legal risks. In particluar his view was that the small camping gas we mostly have is simply too small to fill safely ie leaving 20% free volume, and the consequences of over filling could be nasty on a boat.
Going to think about it but am currently feeling a bit less gung ho.
Going to think about it but am currently feeling a bit less gung ho.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
bottle test pressures also differ
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
What you can do, in the privacy of your home, is refill a smaller bottle of butane from a bigger one. Doing this is a considerable saving over buying bottles of Camping Gaz.
This topic usually starts a long thread of the 'oh no you can't' variety, but I assure you you can. You need high pressure connectors for each bottle, i.e. not with a regulator. Connect the two bottles together with some reinforced nylon tubing. Best double clipped but I've seen it done with single. Hang the larger bottle upside down above the smaller one, which is right way up. Liquid butane runs down and gas replaces it, so it's a slow process. You can monitor the flow easily through transparent tubing. Check weigh the smaller bottle to the value stamped on it.
Many of the replacement bottles sold in Spain and Greece are refilled like this, often in the back yard of the premises.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I had a friend who used to do this with bottles of nitrous oxide, for 'cheering up' his 1100cc suzuki.
Even he would suggest the privacy of the shed at the bottom of the garden rather than 'your own home'.
I think he used to cool the bottom bottle in ice and warm the top one.
Mind how you go!