Carrying a 3rd Gas Bottle

[March Hare]

Hi,

In our Gas Locker, we've currently got an Alugas 14kg refillable bottle, and a Calor Lite 6.5kg Propane Bottle - both connected up to the on-board regulator.

As a result of us insufficiently researching before purchasing, we have a gas BBQ (Weber Go Anywhere) that cannot be connected up to a BBQ point, as it has a built in regulator of it's own (which was the subject of a previous thread). We were going to sell the BBQ (packaging had already been discarded) but having given it a try, it's a great little BBQ and perfect for us. We have the correct Weber hose / connector to connect the BBQ up to a small 5kg Patio Gas propane bottle - and it works really well.

Question is ref carrying a 3rd gas bottle. There isn't room in the Gas Locker for a 3rd bottle, so the options are that we could remove the Calor Lite bottle and use that space in the Gas Locker for the Patio Gas bottle (it wouldn't be connected) - or is it possible to add some securing straps to hold the Patio Gas bottle safely in the garage area, then we can leave the Calor Lite in situ inside the Gas Locker?

As always, any advice very gratefully received. Many thanks in advance!

 

[Steve and Denise]

We removed the regulator from our Webber and replaced it with a short pipe with a Reict fitting connector that then goes into the outside bbq point.

 

[Ukbandit]

I carry a spare gas bottle in the garage, strapped to the anchor points.

 

[Gellyneck]

I carry a spare gas bottle in the garage, strapped to the anchor points.

Hope you've got an LPG sticker on your garage door? Fire service would much appreciate this.

 

[Lenny HB]

I carry a spare gas bottle in the garage, strapped to the anchor points.

Fine as long as you have drop vents in the garage.

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[Lenny HB]

Why not just use the Calor lite bottle for the BBQ.

 

[March Hare]

We removed the regulator from our Webber and replaced it with a short pipe with a Reict fitting connector that then goes into the outside bbq point.

Hi S&D,

Thanks very much for your reply! That’s really interesting ref your Weber BBQ - can I just check what model your BBQ is please? From my previous thread ref our BBQ woes, the Weber Go Anywhere BBQ that we bought has the regulator fixed as part of the BBQ control and although we had a good look at removing the regulator, it does not appear to be possible without potentially damaging the BBQ and ending up back at Square 1.

I also spoke to Huddersfield Gas who were very helpful but the gentleman who I spoke to also said that the model of BBQ was not suitable for low pressure gas / connection to a motorhome BBQ point. We also took it along to our Motorhome workshop and showed it to the gas fitter who recommended not to try to remove the regulator in case we damaged the BBQ.

We’re still very much MH novices, and were in hindsight a bit naive in thinking that getting a gas BBQ for use with the MH would be relatively straightforward.

 

[Minxy]

Why not just use the Calor lite bottle for the BBQ.

That's exactly what I was wondering too ...

 

[March Hare]

I carry a spare gas bottle in the garage, strapped to the anchor points.

Hi UKbandit!

Thanks very much for your reply! I’ve spotted that your reply has also had a reply further down the thread, so we’ll take a look to see if we’ve got the vents in the garage floor, to see if we can find a spot for it in the garage.

Thanks again!

 

[Reallyretired]

A 14kg refillable should be enough on its own, so just carry a second bottle for the BBQ. The calorlite bottle is redundant as you wouldn't want to use their overpriced gas.

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[Minxy]

Hi UKbandit!

Thanks very much for your reply! I’ve spotted that your reply has also had a reply further down the thread, so we’ll take a look to see if we’ve got the vents in the garage floor, to see if we can find a spot for it in the garage.

Thanks again!

Might be worth checking with your insurers and/or insurance policy docs to see if you are allowed to keep one in the garage as it's not a proper gas locker. Also be aware that if the one in the garage did leak even with drop vents some of the gas would go along the whole floor of the garage so I'd make a proper solid sided holder for it that is taller than the gas bottle so that any gas couldn't overspill.

 

[March Hare]

Why not just use the Calor lite bottle for the BBQ.

That's exactly what I was wondering too ...

Hi Lenny & MinxyGirl!

Thanks to both of you for your replies!

The reason that we’re using a Patio Gas bottle for the BBQ, is that the Weber connector pipe for our BBQ has the Weber screw connector to fix to the BBQ at one end, and at the other end it’s got a push-on adapter to fit onto a patio gas bottle. (See photo below)

I took the connector to our local Calor Distribution Centre, to see if it would be possible to change the gas bottle adapter end to fit a regular Calor Propane bottle (so we could run the BBQ from the Calor Lite bottle), and he said it wasn’t possible, so that’s why we went ahead and bought the Patio Gas bottle.

 

[March Hare]

A 14kg refillable should be enough on its own, so just carry a second bottle for the BBQ. The calorlite bottle is redundant as you wouldn't want to use their overpriced gas.

Hi RR!

Thanks for your reply! We only recently had the Alugas 14kg refillable fitted recently, so we don’t have the experience yet to see how long that would last us, hence having the 6.5kg Calor Lite as backup.

Having said that, we’ve just had a fortnight away in the Motorhome (on UK sites this time), so we’ve only been using the gas for cooking but the gauge on the Alugas is still showing as full.

We checked the level because we were going to stop by at Autogas2000 in Thirsk (who fitted the Alugas for us) to fill up the Alugas on the way home from our hols but realised that wasn’t necessary - unless the gauge is faulty of course!

 

[grasscutter]

Not sure of the threads on the BBQ but could you not source a tail like this and run it off your calorlite bottle.

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[Steve and Denise]

Ours is a q 1000 it had a regulator suitable for a small camping gas bottle have a look at the pressure on the reg if it’s anywhere around 28-32 mb that would be the same as your van,
Like many no one person wants to commit them selves but there are some on here who will have the knowledge.

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[Lenny HB]

I took the connector to our local Calor Distribution Centre, to see if it would be possible to change the gas bottle adapter end to fit a regular Calor Propane bottle (so we could run the BBQ from the Calor Lite bottle), and he said it wasn’t possible, so that’s why we went ahead and bought the Patio Gas bottle.

Talking out of his rear end.

 

[March Hare]

Not sure of the threads on the BBQ but could you not source a tail like this and run it off your calorlite bottle.

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Order 20" POL x W20 propane pigtail assemblies and other LPG products online at BES.co.uk. Low Prices, Free Next Day Delivery Available, 15k Plus Products in stock. P/N: 8816

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Hi GC!

Thanks very much for your reply and the link. I’m afraid that the BBQ end doesn’t look as though it is the same connector as the Weber end - here’s a picture below of the connector:

We have tried to get the Weber end connector from Gas Fitters / Suppliers (online and local) but we had no luck, and the advice was to cut the end off the Weber connector hose, and use it to make a new connector to use with the Calor bottle, although that’s not something we have any experience of so wouldn’t be able to do ourselves.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Just had a look and it would seem you use a 50mb reg on that type so a spare bottle would be the best way to go

 

[March Hare]

Talking out of his rear end.

Hi Lenny HB!

Thanks for that - you can tell we’re new to all this can’t you??!

Can I just check please, if we go down the route of removing the Calor Lite bottle to make way for the Patio Gas bottle in the Gas Locker (not connected just for storage), what do we do with the spare pigtail?

We’ve had a look and there’s no end cap or way to block the pipe off. I’m guessing that’s because the system/valves rely on the incoming pressure from the gas bottle. I just want to make sure that everything is safe, and that there’s no way that gas can escape from the system via the spare pigtail if it’s not connected to a gas bottle.

Here’s a photo of the gas locker as it is at the moment with the Alugas and Calor Lite bottles....

[ETA. as per the photo, there is an end cap attached to the pigtail, but it doesn’t fit the Calor connector end....]

 

[Lenny HB]

You can get adaptors to fit the clip-on regulator then providing you don't push the green button on the pigtail the bottle will remain isolated.
I think you would be better off fitting BBQ gas point and getting the right hose to the BBQ, I'm sure other Funsters have done it.
Even better buy a proper BBQ that uses charcoal.

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[March Hare]

You can get adaptors to fit the clip-on regulator then providing you don't push the green button on the pigtail the bottle will remain isolated.
I think you would be better off fitting BBQ gas point and getting the right hose to the BBQ, I'm sure other Funsters have done it.
Even better buy a proper BBQ that uses charcoal.

Thanks LennyHB, thanks for your reply. The spare / disconnected pigtail will be the Calor pigtail - as per photo below. Do you mean we need to get a clip-on regulator to isolate this please - we connect it to the Calor bottle via a brass threaded connector that we then tighten with a spanner? Sorry if I’ve picked this up wrong.

 

[Minxy]

That's quite a wide gas locker ... if you move the Calorlite to the right centre would the patio gas one then sit in the vacated space?

 

[SandraL]

Picture in post 21, hanging from hose on calor cylinder. Is that a stop end to screw onto changeover valve when hose is removed?

If so
remove calor hose completely, put stop end on changeover valve, connect bbq to calor. Job done?