Short changed on gas exchange?

RichyB · 18-12-2009, 12:33

Either my Gaslow gauge is reading incorrectly, or my last replacement gas cylinders weren't as full as they should be. Do I challenge the supplier (Traction Plant Hire, Stafford), or write it off to experience? Has anyone else had this problem?

hilldweller · 18-12-2009, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichyB

Either my Gaslow gauge is reading incorrectly

You mean calor gas cylinders and a pressure gauge ? Or proper float gauges ?

Any pressure gauge is going to read low at these temps.

You best check is before and after weights - for next time.

Gonewiththewind · 18-12-2009, 17:10

If you are referring to the small Gaslow gauger's that come on the new Gaslow bottles, As much use as a chocolate fireguard imo, I have removed mine as they are only clip on. As for amount, Hilldweller is correct you will probably find that you didn't completely empty your tanks due to low temperature. More so if you are using autogas as it is a mixture of Propane and Butane. The mix is dependant on season, In summer would be mainly butane and in winter mainly Propane.

Don

RichyB · 18-12-2009, 20:54

Hi,
thanks for your comments everyone, I use propane for the heating; the gauge I refer to is the one on the gas inlet line which gradually goes from green through yellow to red. I let the old bottles expire completely before changing them, but the yellow is already beginning to show after very little use.

Geo · 18-12-2009, 21:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichyB

Hi,
thanks for your comments everyone, I use propane for the heating; the gauge I refer to is the one on the gas inlet line which gradually goes from green through yellow to red. I let the old bottles expire completely before changing them, but the yellow is already beginning to show after very little use.

As Brian suggest that is a pressure measuring gauge, and unreliable, due as stated to pressure flucuations in summer/winter, you could confirm by taking bottle into house over night to warm up and re conect next day and im sure it will read fuller if not full
a float gauge is the only reasonably reliable gauge

Geo

RichyB · 18-12-2009, 22:18

thanks for the reassurance, I'll monitor it and see how it goes. As you've probably guessed I'm going through the usual newcomers steep learning curve at the moment!

Landy lover · 19-12-2009, 10:13

I find this an interesting post as I used to use Calor and sometimes found variations in bottles but it is very difficult to prove as generally you can only see the difference AFTER you have hooked up the bottle. When we bought the 5'er we decided to go with BPGaslite as there was a massive saving in weight and as a bonus you can see the level of gas inside the bottle as they are translucent. Since going over I have had two or three occasions when I have refused a bottle because it is not filled to an acceptable level - in one case it was nearly half empty. When we are pulled over for a few months in one place in winter we usually hook up to a 47kg - when its cold you get a frost mark indicating the level - whilst it is not an accurate measurement its surprising how these can vary.

You will never know if it is poor control on the filling end - whether someone has run something for a few days before you - or there is a small leak in the valve - at the end of the day it would be impossible to prove it unless you took a set of scales and weighed it and checked it against the tare weight that should always be marked on the bottle - Me I'm sticking with BP when I am on the move