butane to lpg

[andrew rixi]

Hello guys first of all o would like to introduce myself to everyone, I am andrew, 30 yo, living in bristol uk, i have just bought my motorhome an awesome hymer b584, I have an awesome time with it.


I was just looking at different possibility that are available to have gas ( for heating, fridge, and cooking) i currently have a flogas butane cylinder, which is almost running out.


When i looked at cost and availability of flogas exchange shops i was shocked so i decided to opt for a safefill refillable LPG cylinder.


I have looked at the truma combi heater (c6002) and the fridge ( electrolux 4401) and they both seem to be able to run on LPG ( mix between butane and propane) i know they operate at different pressures and different valve and pipes.


I was not able to find out if the cooker (model smev 913 956) is able to run ok LPG. the use manual says: “some of our cookers run on one type of gas” but it does not say which cooker run on which gas” :/


Does any of you if i can run it on propane?


Thank you


Regards


Andrew

 

[DBK]

Yes, is my input, but see if everybody else agrees first! A change of regulator might be required.

The LPG gas mixture varies according to the time of year and location, with less butane in colder places. It isn't all pure propane.

And welcome!

 

[vwalan]

lpg stands for liquid petroleum gas .
butane is lpg .
so is propane .
some countries also mix pentane with the other gasses if
in very warm climates .
really depends on the cooker and the regulator being used.
should be types of gas and the regulated pressure for them usually on the cookers somewhere. or in the instructions if you have them. might have to do abit of googling .
depends on the jet sizes .

 

[peterc10]

Nearly everybody uses Propane. Butane slows down and eventually stops gassing off when the temperatures dip, which is just when you need it most. Autogas in the UK is nearly all propane. However in the warmer countries it is a mixture of propane and butane, depending upon when in the year you buy it.

 

[Lenny HB]

I see your van is 1995, if it is RHD it will have been set up for the UK and if it has a bottle top regulator the butane ones are 28 mb but propane ones are 37 mb. However if the regulator has been changed to a bulkhead one they run both butane & propane at 30 mb just confuse you.

If it is LHD and as been imported via via UK dealer it will be as above but if it has been a personal import it may have a propane regulator running at 50 mb so it might need all the appliances re-jetting. I think it was 2002 that Germany changed to 30 mb.

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[Lenny HB]

Nearly everybody uses Propane. Butane slows down and eventually stops gassing off when the temperatures dip, which is just when you need it most. Autogas in the UK is nearly all propane. However in the warmer countries it is a mixture of propane and butane, depending upon when in the year you buy it.

Also often even in higher temp butane can't supply the flow rate need for Combi heaters.

UK, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Portugal & I think Holland are all 95 - 100% propane. Southern Spain is the worst it can be upto 65% butane.

 

[Sundowners]

We have used different regulators and propane /butane and a mix it never seems to make a difference!!
We do have a butane bottle but it is in a 'heated' compartment so no problem----- but it does freeze if it is used outside in the winter----and that's in Portugal!!!!! it did get down to - 5 C this winter!!!

 

[Reallyretired]

I put in whatever they sell at the lpg pump, currently in southern Spain so may be a high butane content. It all seems to work, but probably filling in southern Spain and then going to Norway may cause problems, but my plans don't include that.

 

[Burgo]

We use whatever we get hold of - Butane or Propane. Without getting into the technicalities, Propane pref if we're going up the mountains in winter, but otherwise the only discernable difference is that the Cadac grill runs slightly cooler with Propane, which is arguably a good thing.

 

[pappajohn]

If the regulator is a bottle top type it may still have the label on the center which should state the working pressure.
Modern regulators are usually 30mb so if yours is 50mb the gas jets may need changing in each appliance.

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[JockandRita]

Our Hymer is a LHD imported 1999 model, and came with a bulk tank and 30Mbar regulator, as originally fitted at the factory. We topped up with Spanish Autogas before leaving Benidorm, and used about a third of a tank on the way home, but topped up again with Flogas as soon as we arrived back.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Mike800966]

So its a question of looking at the label on the regulator and if its not set to deliver gas at 30Millibars (30Mb) then you need to dig further into what the appliances can cope with.

All I really wanted to say was to be VERY careful, especially as a Newbie. Make sure you get an in-date ( less than 10 years old) refillable cylinder with the 80% cutoff inbuilt and installed such that you can fill them from the outside of the vehicle from a LPG pump.
There are many adverts for refillable adapters for standard "exchange" type bottles but therein lies a rocky path for the uninitiated and potential for disaster.
Depending on just how much gas you use over a year you may well decide to simply use exchange bottles (of Propane) but that will cost more per kilo and involve lugging bottles in and out of the van.
Best wishes and welcome

Mike And Ann

 

[Lenny HB]

Our Hymer is a LHD imported 1999 model, and came with a bulk tank and 30Mbar regulator, as originally fitted at the factory. We topped up with Spanish Autogas before leaving Benidorm, and used about a third of a tank on the way home, but topped up again with Flogas as soon as we arrived back.

Cheers,

Jock.

Did you import it new as I thought germany used 50mb up until 2002.

 

[andrew rixi]

hello folks thank you very much for all you reply it has been very helpful.

i am fully aware of the pressure difference, my current bottle is butane so i have 28 mb, i have been advised to switch to a 37 mb for use with propane.

 

[andrew rixi]

So its a question of looking at the label on the regulator and if its not set to deliver gas at 30Millibars (30Mb) then you need to dig further into what the appliances can cope with.

All I really wanted to say was to be VERY careful, especially as a Newbie. Make sure you get an in-date ( less than 10 years old) refillable cylinder with the 80% cutoff inbuilt and installed such that you can fill them from the outside of the vehicle from a LPG pump.
There are many adverts for refillable adapters for standard "exchange" type bottles but therein lies a rocky path for the uninitiated and potential for disaster.
Depending on just how much gas you use over a year you may well decide to simply use exchange bottles (of Propane) but that will cost more per kilo and involve lugging bottles in and out of the van.
Best wishes and welcome

Mike And Ann

hello guys thank you for your reply, i am fully aware of the danger of refilling a exchange gas cylinder, that's why i am going to buy a cylinder that is designed to be refillable from Andy's gas in bristol, i think it has a 80% cut off. i am considering this option as my usage will be quite high.

thank you

andrew

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[JockandRita]

Did you import it new as I thought germany used 50mb up until 2002.

No Lenny, we are the third set of owners, however, on our first visit to Hymer AG at Bad Waldsee, for repairs and a habitation & damp check, they confirmed that the bulk tank and regulator was factory fitted, as specified by the first owner. Apparently, they stopped the bulk tank fitting facility not long afterwards.
They also commented on the excellent condition of the vehicle.

Cheers,

Jock.

Edited................. I see that German type 50Mbar regulators are still freely available.

 

[ambulancekidd]