Refillable gas bottles (1 Viewer)

irnbru

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We have 2 x 6kg gasit bottles with manual changeover. The other night our gas ran out so I switched the changeover but still no gas. Decided I must have forgotten to fill the gas up after using a bottle so went to filling station to refill. The bottles only took £6. Any idea of what the problem might be?
 
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irnbru

irnbru

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Did you open the other bottle as well as changing over?
I never close any, I don't touch the top knobs so both open but a few people were trying to get my gas working that night so I guess its possible. Will check it tomorrow and report back.

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Techno

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(I assume you mean 50 pence per litre) So that looks like only 1 bottle got filled, so the other one is probably shut off.
The shut off valve only stops gas going out not going in so it suggests it was already full

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irnbru

irnbru

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Sorry for delay in replying. Both valves are definitely open. I think it might be the cold. Yesterday we had on the boiler, fridge, 3 gas rings and the grill and the gas seemed to be coming through very little so I went to move the manual changeover and noticed one bottle was all frosty. Still some gas though when we turned some things off the supply got better again.
 

Minxy

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Sorry for delay in replying. Both valves are definitely open. I think it might be the cold. Yesterday we had on the boiler, fridge, 3 gas rings and the grill and the gas seemed to be coming through very little so I went to move the manual changeover and noticed one bottle was all frosty. Still some gas though when we turned some things off the supply got better again.
Basically you were trying to use the maximum amount of gas that can pass through the pipework to make a lot of things work so I'm not surprised that it was slow, the bore on MH gas pipework is nothing like at home so by turning off some stuff it allowed others to make use of the spare gas, hence the improvement.

As for running out, sounds like you might have used more than you expected?
 

Lenny HB

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Only a suggestion, but could the 80% shut off v/v be faulty
Or the one way valve on the inlet.

Sorry for delay in replying. Both valves are definitely open. I think it might be the cold. Yesterday we had on the boiler, fridge, 3 gas rings and the grill and the gas seemed to be coming through very little so I went to move the manual changeover and noticed one bottle was all frosty. Still some gas though when we turned some things off the supply got better again.
If you filled up in the UK it will be propane should be OK down to -40.

Could be nothing to do will filling and the old problem of a gummed up regulator.
 

Jaws

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How long has the system been fitted ?
There are a few regulators that seem to get gummed up..
May well be the case a new regulator is on the cards

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Minxy

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Where had you filled your gas bottles previously? I'm wondering if you filled them abroad in which case you could have a mix of butane and propane and butane won't work at low temperatures.
 

Badknee

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The bottle in use WILL get frosty that is normal in cold weather.
That's how I tell how much gas is left in our 47kg bottles at our static van. Frost on bottle is gas, none frost is empty of liquid. (y)

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Minxy

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It had a new regulator fitted just before we bought the MH.

@MinxyGirl we did fill abroad before we came home but have filled £6 since.
I noted that you'd filled £6 worth in the UK. If you already had some butane in the bottles from abroad it would mean it was still in the bottles but wouldn't 'gas' at low temperature therefore making you think the bottles were empty, but as you've found when you filled you only got £6 in so there must be something in the bottles to prevent another £6 worth going in, hence my 'butane' sitting there but not able to be used theory. If it's possible you could try lifting the bottles and seeing if they feel 'heavy' which would give you an idea if there was some gas (in liquid form) in them.

I think the regulator scenarios are red herrings and nothing to do with the amount of gas in your bottles, I also don't think you have a gummed up regulator otherwise it would be a problem when only one or two appliances were used.
 

SandraL

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"If you filled up in the UK it will be propane should be OK down to -40."

BUT if you last filled in Spain it could be 30% propane / 70% Butane and will stop working with temp down to 4 deg C ( or so). Happens quicker if using heating as gas demand higher than say just fridge. It happened to me.
 

Badknee

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It might be an idea to shut one bottle off and top up the one your using regularly to get propane % up. The other bottle will work fine when the temps get warmer as it did while you were away in the summer.

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Minxy

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Unfortunately if it is a case of butane in the bottles, the only thing you can do is keep topping them up as soon as you switch from one o the other so that you know you have some propane in each bottle as the butane will be in BOTH bottles already. Until the weather gets warmer and the butane can be used you're stuck with 'reduced capacity' in both bottles.

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irnbru

irnbru

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Thanks for the explanations. Makes sense now I know :)
 

SandraL

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If you just turn 1 ring on and warm some water, pour hot water over cylinder in use, will temporarily warm cylinder so it will "gas" again.
The smaller the amount of gas used the longer it will take to "freeze"
May have to borrow first kettle of water from neighbour.......

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Lenny HB

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It has not been cold enough to stop butane working, butane stops gassing at 0 deg, but in practice not much use below 6/7 deg, although down to 3/4 deg would still get a small flame on the hob. Not had any temps as low as that lately.
 

Techno

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It has not been cold enough to stop butane working, butane stops gassing at 0 deg, but in practice not much use below 6/7 deg, although down to 3/4 deg would still get a small flame on the hob. Not had any temps as low as that lately.
My thoughts too Lenny.
Is this your first winter in that van Sandra?
 

SandraL

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lennyhb said:
It has not been cold enough to stop butane working, butane stops gassing at 0 deg, but in practice not much use below 6/7 deg, although down to 3/4 deg would still get a small flame on the hob. Not had any temps as low as that lately.

Sorry, havent worked out the quote bit.

Try the warm water, if it works then probably butane is the cause. If it doesnt then you can rule butane out as the cause. For me it happened with outside temp about 5deg c, with heating on frost on cylinder dropped gas temp enough to stop flow of gas with heating ( big demand) on.

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