Changing gas bottles / connectors for Europe (1 Viewer)

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
Hi
We have bought a 20 year old A class to go round Europe for 12 months, leaving uk in September, and selling it when we return. We have only been out 4 nights so far and have no idea what to do with the gas in the UK let alone anywhere else. We know you cannot exchange gas bottles and as only have calor bottles we don't know what we will need or where we must get it. We will not know which countries we will run out of gas in as we already have a third of 11kg and a full 6kg left, and don't want to shell out £300 for refillable such as Gaslow or Gasit systems as it seems a huge expense for 12 months which we couldn't recoup.
If we ran out in Spain or Portugal, as we will over winter there, can we get the right attachments here in the uk before we leave? Our unit has a regulator attached to it, but thats all I know. The bottles are red. As well as Spain, Portugal and possibly Marocco we intend to be spending most of the time in Germany and France, but will spend 3 months or so wandering through Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Serbia and Romania with possibly Greece squeezed in, the latter countries being shorter visits than the first ones.
Has anybody any advice on which connectors and where to get them in the uk for the western european countries we intend to spend time in?
Aand then, in case we run out in Eastern Europe - any experience there? Or is it super easy to get the right fittings on the road? I have read things about pigtails, left threads, right threads etc but it makes no sense to us yet.
Thanks to anyone who 'knows'!!
 

Zigisla

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 24, 2015
2,575
3,099
Gosport, Hants
Funster No
39,738
MH
Sunlight A72
Exp
Getting better month by month.
I am by no means a gas expert and I only have info gleened from this site. I do know that calor is not available abroad. Many of the European countries seem to have their own bottle and it doesnt appear that you can just change adaptor / regulator for each country. If you can DIY confidently you can get second hand refillables at much cheapness and then get a set of adaptors and this would appear to be the better option as I see it. I am very sure the "experts" will be along very shortly. Good luck with your venture and hope you keep us posted on the site.
 
Upvote 0

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
don't want to shell out £300 for refillable such as Gaslow or Gasit systems as it seems a huge expense for 12 months which we couldn't recoup.!

I think you'll change your mind soon enough. Gas is a nightmare and LPG is the only common supply across Europe.

Take Spain, their law prevents you buying a tank unless you can produce a Spanish gas test certificate. So you'll be scrabbling around markets looking for second hand.

When you return you can sell the Gaslow easily. Look on ebay etc for a second hand kit. DIY is not difficult, almost as easy as fitting a full Calor gas.


Example.....

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
L

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
Thank you!
Yes we are expecting to have to buy or rent bottles when we are in any run-out-of-gas situation, so anyone with an idea of prices of these would be helpful, but no, we have no DIY skills.
So the query is really trying to understand what fittings we will need to buy and where in the UK to buy them. Never been camping, touring or even road tripping before, so possibly a bit over cautious!
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
L

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
Oh crikey.
As we can't do DIY this will really come down to £s. Any motorhome tutors out there? With Gaslow and Gasit bottles, can you fill up before its empty? And get by with one bottle? We only have room for a 11 and a 6kg. Could we just get a 11kg refillable - and can we refill in Morrocco and Spain with LPG? I read there wasn't much refillable availability in Spain.
 
Upvote 0
Jul 13, 2008
3,723
3,651
Funster No
3,275
MH
Low profile
Exp
Since 2007
Yep, one 11kg should be fine, more lpg filling stations in Spain now.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Apr 27, 2016
6,803
7,847
Manchester
Funster No
42,762
MH
A class Hymer
Exp
Since the 80s
can you fill up before its empty?
Yes, it's just like filling your fuel tank. If you know you are going to stay a long time in one place, you can top up on the way.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
but you can any gas bottle just weigh it . work out whats inside . the tare is on the bottle . its not hard .
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
L

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
This is really helpful, thank you!
But I still need to know - can you fill up LPG in the UK and Morrocco? And can you fill it up before its empty, like a petrol tank?

Thanks
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
L

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
Sorry Autorouter - just saw your reference to my repeated question! Thanks.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
in morocco its very cheap to get one of there bottles . 100 dirham will probably get a bottle charge and be full then about 45 dirham to exchange . about 6 quid . and 3 quid to exchange . depends on exchange rate .
they use regs like our old butane left hand thread w20 . ideally if you have bottle top regs buy the reg there for about 2 quid .
there are alot more garages with pumps in spain now . but morocco dont think there are any at all in garages.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
OP
OP
L

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
Sorry if someone has already said but I have a regulator in the van, and I can't work out - does Morrocco do LPG or only the normal bottles?
thanks!
 
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
as far as i know there are no lpg at garages . some of the main gas filling depots have in the past filled foreign bottles but charge alot . you will need a pig tail to w20 thread same as some german /french bottles .
if i know i,m going to spain and morocco i have a spanish and a moroccan bottle that i take with me . always leave morocco with a full bottle . this year in spain a cepsa exchange was about 12 euro.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
L

Lindan

Free Member
Apr 24, 2016
38
2
London
Funster No
42,690
MH
A Class
Exp
We're newbies
Thanks!
It sounds like I need an 11kg LPG for Europe and a 6KG Moroccan one. This is more complicated than I thought. Can I buy one in Morrocco with the correct pigtails or can I get these things in the UK, does anobody know?
 
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
in morocco i would take a camping gas .or get one there . i forgot you only have a small gas locker . so use camping gas in morocco. its about a quid to exchange a 907 bottle . the moroccan bottles are about the size of our 13 kg bottles .
i might say use camping gas in spain but its as expensive there as there own 12 kg bottles .
its a hard one .
you could get a lpg gas bottle filling adaptor from ebay . but dont tell anyone on here .
they are handy if you need to fill a bottle .
unfortunately you do end up with a vast gas bottle collection . french /moroccan . spanish /portugese if you get a repsol bottle . german bottle etc . if you are going to travel to some countries often then take their bottles around .
there is no perfect answer.
 
Upvote 0
Apr 27, 2016
6,803
7,847
Manchester
Funster No
42,762
MH
A class Hymer
Exp
Since the 80s
can you fill up LPG in the UK and Morrocco?
UK: yes, if you have the right adapter. There are four types of filling gun in UK/Europe, and you'll need an adapter for each one, to fit whatever filling point you have on your refillable. GasIt do a set in a neat yellow bag, but double check that it will fit your filling point.

UK one has two pins sticking out sideways, French one is cup-shaped, Spanish is knob-shaped, and the older coarse thread type you'll need for the Capellen station in Luxembourg where everyone fills up and there's always a queue even in the early hours.

Can't help with Morocco, I wasn't there long enough to need a refill.
 
Upvote 0

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top