Empty U.K. gas bottle Disposal

Dwarfland

Dwarfland

Joined
Mar 24, 2019
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Leeds
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I brought 2x 13kg Calor bottles from U.K. and have now emptied one and replaced with a French bottle. I don’t really have room in the van to carry the U.K. empty (and know you aren’t meant to carry unless upright). I therefore need to get rid of it (annoying when they’re fetching 50 quid on eBay!) Does anyone know if French recycling centres will take them and if you need a residents permit as you usually do in U.K.? If not, any other ideas on what to do with it?
 
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Maybe if you say where you are in France someone may collect it from you. (y)
 
Full or empty, you can lay them on their side for transporting, but you shouldn't use a one for delivering gas that's laying on it's side as you will draw off liquid and not the gas vapour and that tends not to end well !

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jockaneezer said:
Full or empty, you can lay them on their side for transporting, but you shouldn't use a one for delivering gas that's laying on it's side as you will draw off liquid and not the gas vapour and that tends not to end well !
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Is that right? I was told by numerous people you should never carry a full one on its side and some also said you should only carry an empty one upright. In fact I think I saw a debate on motorhome fun about it once…
 
Dwarfland said:
Is that right? I was told by numerous people you should never carry a full one on its side and some also said you should only carry an empty one upright. In fact I think I saw a debate on motorhome fun about it once…
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What can possibly happen to an empty bottle lying on its side?
 
Whenever I've gone for exchange bottles in the past, the guy has carried them to my car and laid them on their side in the boot ?
Lpg powered fork lifts generally have their bottles sideways mounted, although there is internal pipework to access the contents.
Calor type bottles do have a pressure relief valve incorporated into the handwheel assembly that will vent off in an "overpressure" situation and if the bottle is on it's side, this would release liquid rather than just gas, but if you're at the situation where the safety valve is operating, you're in trouble already ?
 
Dwarfland said:
Is that right? I was told by numerous people you should never carry a full one on its side and some also said you should only carry an empty one upright. In fact I think I saw a debate on motorhome fun about it once…
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You are correct. The valve at the top incorporates a pressure relief valve. A cylinder laid on its side has no overpressure protection and is subject to explosive BLEVE destruction in the event of heating. In the event of LPG, the BLEVE will be particularly destructive as it will invariably lead to the combusion of the exploding gas.
 
jockaneezer said:
Whenever I've gone for exchange bottles in the past, the guy has carried them to my car and laid them on their side in the boot ?
Lpg powered fork lifts generally have their bottles sideways mounted, although there is internal pipework to access the contents.
Calor type bottles do have a pressure relief valve incorporated into the handwheel assembly that will vent off in an "overpressure" situation and if the bottle is on it's side, this would release liquid rather than just gas, but if you're at the situation where the safety valve is operating, you're in trouble already ?
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They are drawing liquid for the engine not gas.
 
Here's a video of a small propane cylinder undergoing BLEVE whilst being heated in a fire and why you'd want to avoid it in your vehicle.



And one of a rail tank wagon

 
The reason for carrying them upright is that in the event of a leak gas will be discharged and the smell should alert you to the leak. On their side liquid will be discharged immediately vaporising into a very large quantity of gas.
 
Badknee said:
Or a full one. Stand it up before use and it will be fine.
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I’m sure someone with greater knowledge of physics will advise but I was told by a number of people that there is some risk, can’t remember the specifics though.

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Regarding the question about French recycling centres (dechetteries) you do need a resident's permit, more so as the staff will notice you if you turn up in a UK registered motorhome. When we had a holiday home in France we used to take a utility bill with us as proof of residency until one of the staff eventually thought to give us a "Permit de Dechetterie" card. You'd be more likely to get under the radar if you park outside the dechetterie and carry the bottle in on foot.
 
Although this against all the green and h&s rules and anymore that you can come up with, if it's a problem , chuck it out around some bins, someone will soon take it away.
 
Nice arse pic of a French made forklift! Pain in the derrière when they go wrong.

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Dart said:
Regarding the question about French recycling centres (dechetteries) you do need a resident's permit, more so as the staff will notice you if you turn up in a UK registered motorhome. When we had a holiday home in France we used to take a utility bill with us as proof of residency until one of the staff eventually thought to give us a "Permit de Dechetterie" card. You'd be more likely to get under the radar if you park outside the dechetterie and carry the bottle in on foot.
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Thanks- you’re the first person to answer the actual question!
 

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