Gaslow system (1 Viewer)

plumbomb

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HI, we are going to the Manchester MH show tomorrow and are thinking of getting a gaslow system for our MH. This is our first MH (AutoTrail) it is new, we dont pick it up till march . In the long run will it be worth the initial cost also the availabity of the gas ? :thumb:
 
Dec 6, 2011
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i considered this and did some basic calcs.... as far as i can see unless you use " a lot" ! of gas each winter or spend much time out of uk and want convenience of fill up. then it will take some 5 - 8 years to come close to break even on outlay. ( thats fitting 1 bottle and keeping the other calor ).

others with the system already fitted may have a different view.
 

reader

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Last year was our 1st on a refillable system and I spent £44plus some pennies for the year on gas and recon I have over half a cylinder left (around 10/11 litres)
I havnt shopped around for the cheapest and know I could have saved a few bob by going to Morrisons.
Previously we used 3/4 6kg Calor lites a year and at £22/cylinder that would have been £88
Didnt go for a Gaslow system (on advice from this forum) and went for an 11kg GasIt cylinder, they are a lower in cost and not a bad outfit to deal with.
Cant remember how much the stuff cost me but it was below £150 so gas savings to date have covered just under a third of the outlay
Hope this info helps.
There are a lot of postings on Fun re this topic if you want further info

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magicsurfbus

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We had an 11kg Gaslow bottle fitted this year and kept a 6kg Calor as a reserve. We got it more for the convenience of being able to fill up from a pump when abroad, but we'll make savings along the way.

The system is transferable if you switch to another vehicle in the future, so you can look on it as a long term investment.

You can get SatNav POIs for Autogas stations in the UK and Europe.
 
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hilldweller

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In the long run will it be worth the initial cost also the availabity of the gas ? :thumb:

Forget cost, think availability abroad. It's the only way you can easily solve the gas problem in most of Europe. Spain is poor. But otherwise every country needs a different bottle/regulator.

Remember the golden rule of exhibitions, it's usually cheaper elsewhere.
 

GJH

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Our previous van could only fit two 6Kg cylinders in the locker and we thought the Gaslow price for such a system too high. Our current van, though, will take two 13 Kg Calor cylinders so one of the first jobs we had done was to have an 11Kg Alugas cylinder fitted. We ran with that and a 6 Kg Calor spare for a while but then had a second Alugas cylinder fitted.

Both systems (Alugas and Gaslow) are expensive outlays initially but so is a MH ::bigsmile: For us the convenience of being able to top up more or less when we like and not to have to change cylinders about makes the investment worthwhile, irrespective of gas usage - but I fully accept that others will have different views. Definitely a case of each to their own and no wrong answers.

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Mar 26, 2009
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Compare the Gaslow prices with this company Link Removed I've just bought the 2 * 6kg kit from them.

This purchase was prompted when I bought a 6kg propane bottle from the local supplier for £19.00 and a month later the price was £20.00:cry:

Plus (as has been said earlier) I can easily transfer the kit to another van.:thumb:
 
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MikeandCarolyn

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Forget cost, think availability abroad.

And then go one step further and install an underslung tank ::bigsmile:
The locker that used to hold 2 x 13kg bottles now holds my hookup leads,my hose pipe,the Cadac and a load of bottles of toilet fluid and grey waste freshener.

Yes,Spain is a bit difficult-you need to plan with LPG stations in mind,and,just in case, I'm going to have the gas plumbing modified so that I can attach a pigtail with a Spanish regulator on it.

Mike
 

Spatey

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Gaslow Systems

Hi We have had 11kg and 6kg refillables fitted in our Bessecarr E560. We had no problems in France and we have found it a hell of a lot cheaper than using propane. go for it. It'll pay for itself and it's more convenient when away.

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Jul 1, 2010
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Also check out Alugas, cylinders made of aluminium so considerable lighter than Gaslow or Gasit which are made of steel. Prices are very comparable with Gasit and less than Gaslow.
 

Roryboys Dad

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I've recently fitted a Gaslow system to my first MH.

The MH had only a 6kg Calor bottle when we bought it and I trawled through the threads on these forums to find the best, and cheapest, way of having enough gas for Continental touring.

The cost for an 11kg Gaslow bottle, refill kit and hose, bracket, filling kit and French adaptor came to £219.

It took me, a total amateur, less than 2 hours to fit the system - with the filling bracket inside the Gas locker.

And it will be cheaper filling abroad – France around €0.80 (65p) and UK around 80p a litre - my 11kg Gaslow bottle holds just over 20 litres.

Humping heavy bottles of gas, 11 or 13kg, is now a thing of the past - the clanging of dropped bottles as they hit the floor and the swearing as you trap your finger or drop them on your foot can be consigned to history.

You may not see any financial benefit for some time but ensuring your blood pressure remains stable is well worth the initial outlay.

You can, as mentioned earlier, transfer the system if you change MH or you could sell it separately if you find you don't need the system at a later date.
 

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Jul 17, 2012
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1 year on and loving it!
Pardon my ignorance, but do you just drive up to the gas pump in the garage and attach the nozzle to the side of your MH to fill the bottle up? How do you know when you've put enough in? Can you accidently overfill them?

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Jul 1, 2010
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Pardon my ignorance, but do you just drive up to the gas pump in the garage and attach the nozzle to the side of your MH to fill the bottle up? How do you know when you've put enough in? Can you accidently overfill them?

By law they cannot be filled beyond 80% of their capacity consequently each cylinder has a float operated cut of valve which stops the pump.:thumb:
 

DesRes

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I've recently fitted a Gaslow system to my first MH.

The MH had only a 6kg Calor bottle when we bought it and I trawled through the threads on these forums to find the best, and cheapest, way of having enough gas for Continental touring.

The cost for an 11kg Gaslow bottle, refill kit and hose, bracket, filling kit and French adaptor came to £219.

It took me, a total amateur, less than 2 hours to fit the system - with the filling bracket inside the Gas locker.

And it will be cheaper filling abroad – France around €0.80 (65p) and UK around 80p a litre - my 11kg Gaslow bottle holds just over 20 litres.

Humping heavy bottles of gas, 11 or 13kg, is now a thing of the past - the clanging of dropped bottles as they hit the floor and the swearing as you trap your finger or drop them on your foot can be consigned to history.

You may not see any financial benefit for some time but ensuring your blood pressure remains stable is well worth the initial outlay.

You can, as mentioned earlier, transfer the system if you change MH or you could sell it separately if you find you don't need the system at a later date.

Neat, simple system. I like it. This is one modification that does interest me. I really like the filling connection being inside the gas locker. :thumb:
 
Apr 27, 2008
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There have been reports of garages refusing to let you fill up if the filler is inside the gas locker, i.e. if you have to open the locker to fill it.

This is because garages sell LPG only as a road fuel, not for domestic use. I have seen notices to this effect in France, implying that your vehicle must be registered as LPG powered, though obviously they will only know this if you are French. An open gas locker is a bit of a give-away though.

My filler is fitted through the van wall adjacent to the locker and I have had no problem. Incidentally my kit is Alugas as this is lighter than Gaslow and a bit cheaper.

I got it for ease of supply abroad though it will pay for itself eventually.
 

hilldweller

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Pardon my ignorance, but do you just drive up to the gas pump in the garage and attach the nozzle to the side of your MH to fill the bottle up? How do you know when you've put enough in? Can you accidently overfill them?

Yes.
There is an automatic cut off when full enough.

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flatpackchicken

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I had the 2 x 11Kg Alugas cylinder system fitted to my m/h a couple of months ago, by http://www.davenewell.co.uk/ and the main advantages of this system is as follows.

1. Much lighter at less than half the weight of 2 normal 11kg bottles Brilliant when trying to keep the unladen weight down and gives you more payload, you can actually pick 1 x 11kg empty bottle up with 1 finger HONEST i done it and could not beleive how light it was, simples.
2. No broken backs or suffering for ages with a twisted back or muscles when trying to lift out and put back in bottles in akward cupboards, not good for us oldies trying to lift heavy bottles and trying to over reach into the storage place as this is the time when you can hurt yourselfs, simples.
3. The ease and stress free system of filling up the bottles at any LPG depot or service station or gge that sells LPG anywhere you want to go, thousands of outlets in a lot of countries you will visit, and so easy to fill it is a dream let me tell you, and can be filled up at any time, does not matter how much you have in each bottle you just fill and go simple as that, as both bottles fill at the same time and stop when full simples.
4. far cheaper than any gas bottle you can buy or exchange as cost me to fill both tanks ( 2 x 11kg) from empty when fitted was £26 for 41 ltrs in Telford shropshire (LPG Depot and got at home heating price as well) and i then topped up in Northern France as i was passing a gge that sold LPG of 19 ltrs for €15.57, try getting a 11kg bottle of gas for that price, and so easy to fill it up, just connect nozzle lock into place and press the button and hold till it automaticly stops simples.
So all in all the best system i have seen for ease of use and for finding usable gas supplys in any gge that does LPG with the easyiest of use, and more payload to start with, also can be easaly removed and fitted to your next m.h so the initial outlay can be clawed back over your lifetime of motorhoming, and then you can resell the whole system when you retire from motorhoming, so a very cost effective and easy to use system overall, just think of your back muscles and your pocket = Alulite system SIMPLES, and you can go on the eurotunnel with this system as well, Regards Garry Flatpackchicken
 
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DesRes

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How much gas are you funsters using on average?:reel:
I know this is a real open ended question...depends on how much tea you drink, assuming it's a gas kettle you have.:Doh:
Since owning a coachbuilt our trips abroad have so far been governed by school holidays. However, we've made the most of a couple and spent the whole of the six weeks Summer holiday away touring Europe on a couple of occasions. My rig has always had 2 x 6 kg propane cylinders. On both occasions I have ensured that we left the country with both full, even swapping a part cylinder at the campsite in Dover before heading off the next day. I also carried a spare "camping gas" bottle plus regulator, just in case. We never needed it and I came home with propane in one of my cylinders on both occasions.
I can see the longterm benefits of the modification but a 20 litre cylinder would last us ages....:thumb:
 

donnkim

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We went with Gasit - great company, great communication. fitted it myself - no probs and very reasonable. really easy to refil.

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flatpackchicken

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Pardon my ignorance, but do you just drive up to the gas pump in the garage and attach the nozzle to the side of your MH to fill the bottle up? How do you know when you've put enough in? Can you accidently overfill them?

Yes this is exactly what you do, almost the same as filling up with petrol or diesel, just make sure you have the filler is on the outside of the vehicle so no problem when filling up, as some gge's may stop you filling up if they think you are filling bottles, but if bottles locked away looks like you are just filling up fuel tank SIMPLES, but remember at all times, TURN THE FRIDGE OFF AND HEATING if you have it on BEFORE you start to fill up, as naked flame and gas love to get together and BLOW UP, so be very carefull when filling, though just like filling vehicle.
The gas stops automaticly when it has reached its max fill of 80%, SIMPLES.
Regards Garry Flatpackchicken
 

flatpackchicken

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How much gas are you funsters using on average?:reel:
I know this is a real open ended question...depends on how much tea you drink, assuming it's a gas kettle you have.:Doh:
Since owning a coachbuilt our trips abroad have so far been governed by school holidays. However, we've made the most of a couple and spent the whole of the six weeks Summer holiday away touring Europe on a couple of occasions. My rig has always had 2 x 6 kg propane cylinders. On both occasions I have ensured that we left the country with both full, even swapping a part cylinder at the campsite in Dover before heading off the next day. I also carried a spare "camping gas" bottle plus regulator, just in case. We never needed it and I came home with propane in one of my cylinders on both occasions.
I can see the longterm benefits of the modification but a 20 litre cylinder would last us ages....:thumb:

All down to what you do and when you do it,,,,, I used 19ltrs almost a full 11kg bottle in 10 days in December 12 touring Northern France and only cooking and fridge usage as heating is diesel blown air, so i would have used both bottles in 3 weeks 22kg or 41 ltrs but so east to refill, just pop into any gge that sells LPG and fill up and go SIMPLES just like i did.
Regards Garry Flatpackchicken
 
Apr 27, 2008
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How much gas are you funsters using on average?:reel:
I know this is a real open ended question...depends on how much tea you drink, assuming it's a gas kettle you have.:Doh:
Since owning a coachbuilt our trips abroad have so far been governed by school holidays. However, we've made the most of a couple and spent the whole of the six weeks Summer holiday away touring Europe on a couple of occasions. My rig has always had 2 x 6 kg propane cylinders. On both occasions I have ensured that we left the country with both full, even swapping a part cylinder at the campsite in Dover before heading off the next day. I also carried a spare "camping gas" bottle plus regulator, just in case. We never needed it and I came home with propane in one of my cylinders on both occasions.
I can see the longterm benefits of the modification but a 20 litre cylinder would last us ages....:thumb:

Very dependent on the weather, when it's hot biggest user is the fridge which will go weeks on a bottle if doing a bit of touring (tends to be on 12v during the hottest part of the day, as this is the best time to move if you only have cab aircon)

In really cold weather can use a bottle in 3-4 days for heating.

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Roryboys Dad

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One good reason, as you get older and more crotchety, is that with a Gaslow, or similar system, you don't have to remove the bottles each time when they run out.


To you younger pups it's probably no big deal humping a 11/13 kg bottle, you can do it one handed, but us elder citizens have had enough of trapped fingers and sore toes lifting the damn bottles from within a confined space and we would prefer an easier life – thank you very much!


If my maths are ok then a 13 kg fully filled Propane bottle weighs around 5 stone (32 kilo) and I, for one, are quite happy to let younger lads, and lasses, take them in and out of the Gas locker while I just shove a pipe into the Gaslow filler and within a minute or so switch it off again.


Everyone to their own – and Gaslow suits me fine – but it's not for everyone!
 

flatpackchicken

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One good reason, as you get older and more crotchety, is that with a Gaslow, or similar system, you don't have to remove the bottles each time when they run out.


To you younger pups it's probably no big deal humping a 11/13 kg bottle, you can do it one handed, but us elder citizens have had enough of trapped fingers and sore toes lifting the damn bottles from within a confined space and we would prefer an easier life – thank you very much!


If my maths are ok then a 13 kg fully filled Propane bottle weighs around 5 stone (32 kilo) and I, for one, are quite happy to let younger lads, and lasses, take them in and out of the Gas locker while I just shove a pipe into the Gaslow filler and within a minute or so switch it off again.
Everyone to their own – and Gaslow suits me fine – but it's not for everyone!

Could not have put it better myself, all bove comments are so true for us oldies LOL, Alugas is best for me as really lite and perfect when looking to keep the weight down.
Regards Garry Flatpackchicken
 
Jul 17, 2012
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Rorysdad - that is exactly the reason I am thinking now of changing my gas over to refillable. The last time I need to get a cylinder, I had to drag the empty cylinder into the shop (they wanted a bar code which it didn't have) they then gave me a key and told me to help myself.

I'm not young anymore, and while I can still lift some weight, I can't walk with it - was a nightmare! The garage chappy did come over and apologise, but I felt for him as he was the only one in the shop - the manager was swanning off somewhere in his BMW !

Makes sense to be able to just drive up and fill up!

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plumbomb

plumbomb

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I would like to thank you all for your a advice:thumb: we are going for the refillable option not sure which one yet but i like the Alugas system, lightweight. This site is a wealth of information:thanks2:
 

aba

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the one thing i noticed after fitting a single 11kg gaslow was its actually around £10 cheaper to fill than to exchange a 13kg calor.

the other thing i have noticed more recently with calor is they dont always tighten the tap off when they re-fill them so they leak slightly until you fit them, so you may be paying for 13kg of gas but if its been a while since the bottle was filled you may only actually get 8 - 9 kg of gas.

when i have to change the 13kg spare i lift each one at the depot and pick the one that feels heaviest.

when i fill the gaslow one i know that i am getting the amount i am paying for.
 
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As a fulltimer I finally went gaslow last year and the difference has been brilliant. In winter an 11KG propane bottle lasts me 8-10 days.
I save £10 each swap out with the gaslow. There are a number of advantages.

1) Cost, save £10 each full refill.
2) Can top up. I don't have to wait for a bottle to be empty to fill up. On day 4 if I am passing an LPG filler and am going somewhere to stay for a week or more I will fill up there and then rather than having to move again half way through my stay on a CL.
3) I don't have to mess about at swap time. No lifting or queuing in the gas shops. I have never had to queue for an LPG pump.
4) I don't run out of gas in the middle of the night anymore. On day 7 if I am not near an LPG station I will swap over during daylight and don't worry about any wastage of gas.
5) No going to my local gas supplier/camp shop and finding they have run out and don't get their delivery for 2 days. This used to happen quite a few times in winter at certain locations.

The convenience is as important to me as the cost saving. The system has paid for itself in the first winter.

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