European gas bottles..

[Pluggit1]

Off to france and(first time in 10yrs) want to get onto the french system. Intend taking a 6kg Propane with us but want to get an equivalent french bottle and reg to go with it so we can replace as we need to at Carrefour/Intermarch etc. Have always gone with 2x 6kg from here and had plenty for weeks on end but we want to be able to cover all the options for extended stays in future.

Do the French have an equiv to our 6kg Props or 7.5kg butes (as in physical size!). My locker wont take a 13kg, the ones I have barely squeeze in side by side.

This is going to be a country-by-country scenario but lets just sort out France first!

 

[EX51SSS]

 

[Pluggit1]

And...

 

[Pete5996]

You can get Twiny or Elfi propane in 6kg cylinders. They're squat, rather than tall and thin, with a diameter of about 30.5cm - the same as the normal UK 11kg cylinder.

I'm unable to get 2 x 30.5cm cylinders in my Cheyenne bottle locker, so I've settled on an 11kg refillable with a 3.9kg Calor propane as a backup - too tight to spend out on a 6kg....

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

I have 2 French ‘le Cube’ propane bottles that are now superfluous to needs as we have had Gaslow fitted. I think they are 6kg bottles -small square ones.

I believe one is full and sealed and the other part used - I would have to check tomorrow. If you are able to collect, I would be happy to sell.

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[Dilbert]

I'm having the same quandary, do I go with 2 calor then if I get low buy a local bottle and end up with 3 bottles or leave the British ones behind and get say, a repsol cheap or stop being a tightwad and go refillable. We intend moving about wilding etc ( yep FLT )

 

[Pluggit1]

You can get Twiny or Elfi propane in 6kg cylinders. They're squat, rather than tall and thin, with a diameter of about 30.5cm - the same as the normal UK 11kg cylinder.

I'm unable to get 2 x 30.5cm cylinders in my Cheyenne bottle locker, so I've settled on an 11kg refillable with a 3.9kg Calor propane as a backup - too tight to spend out on a 6kg....

I didnt realise what a minefield this is. The Twiny/Elfi option sounds possible. Problem is the locker is SO DAMNED SMALL!. There is little height above the bottle handles and about 2" in front. If I can get at least one in and my dumpy 907 then Im cooking on gas...so to speak... if I can get one in.

Never thought of the refillable option. Just to sling a spanner in the works.. what if I go to Spain/Portugal etc. Same problem over again I spose..

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

We initially went to France with one calor bottle and then bought our first French le cube. We then only used the calor as a stop gap until we could exchange the le cube.

On our second trip we just loaded the one le cube and bought another one. I think we paid about 19 euros for the initial deposit for each bottle but got the regulators free.

From there onwards we simply swapped the bottles out depending on destination. Of course, we only went to France ...... and eventually invested in Gaslow to solve the Europe wide issues!

 

[Bailey58]

And...

EX51SSS was simply giving you a welcome to the site as many do without answering your question. Yes you will have the same trouble in Spain and if you plan to travel overseas often it will pay to install refillables.

Oh and .

 

[Pluggit1]

We initially went to France with one calor bottle and then bought our first French le cube. We then only used the calor as a stop gap until we could exchange the le cube.

On our second trip we just loaded the one le cube and bought another one. I think we paid about 19 euros for the initial deposit for each bottle but got the regulators free.

From there onwards we simply swapped the bottles out depending on destination. Of course, we only went to France ...... and eventually invested in Gaslow to solve the Europe wide issues!

Thanks for the info. Gaslow seems to be the way to go by the sounds of it on a long term basis. Swapping bottles on an had-oc basis isnt going to work. I think I ll look into it.

Cheers

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[Minxy]

Thanks for the info. Gaslow seems to be the way to go by the sounds of it on a long term basis. Swapping bottles on an had-oc basis isnt going to work. I think I ll look into it.

Cheers

Chris ... a funster has this kit for sale which seems to be perfect for your MH!

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/2-x-6kg-gas-it-refillable-system.173493/

 

[EX51SSS]

And...

Hi and just to repeat what @Bailey58 said. I sent a welcome and knew there would be loads of replies, more qualified in answering your question than me.
Albeit that I have the Gaslow system to get round the problem you have, I don't know the specifics of the cylinder sizes and your space available so thought it more prudent for experts to answer and help you with your problem

 

[peterc10]

The easiest way to get over this is to fit two refillable 6kg Gaslow or Gasit bottles. Once fitted you never need to touch them for many years. Just fill with autogas which is available all over Europe.

As @Minxy Girl has said there is a set for sale in the classified section. I have never regretted fitting mine.

 

[Pluggit1]

The easiest way to get over this is to fit two refillable 6kg Gaslow or Gasit bottles. Once fitted you never need to touch them for many years. Just fill with autogas which is available all over Europe.

As @Minxy Girl has said there is a set for sale in the classified section. I have never regretted fitting mine.

The..6kg ..bit of your comment is the most important bit. My locker is stupidly small so Im going down this avenue for next year. We re only doing a three-weeker in France so my full butanes will suffice. Having never used this system before, whats the routine on the forecourt. Do you just pull up,plug into the filler connection on the bottle and fire away?

.

 

[peterc10]

You do not say when and where you are going over to France. That can be important because butane does not work well at lower temperatures. Ok in summer in most places but if you are off to the mountains you may get problems, as you also will in winter, early spring and late autumn.

Once fitted you just fill as if you had an LPG fueled car. You never need to remove or touch the bottles because you fit a remote filling point. You will need to buy adapters for different countries, but there are only 4 types including the UK. There are various apps which list garages that sell LPG. We have had no problems finding them in UK, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

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[Bailey58]

Plenty of guides on Youtube, this is one but you can't really tell what he's doing with the trigger. Gasit which he mentions are cheaper than Gaslow.

 

[Basildog]

Thanks for the info. Gaslow seems to be the way to go by the sounds of it on a long term basis. Swapping bottles on an had-oc basis isnt going to work. I think I ll look into it.

Cheers

We have refillable and to be honest I find it a bloody nuisance, always having to search out lpg , we also have Calor bottles that I refill myself , looking at Spain the lpg is available only in large urban areas and nasty tourist areas so I would go for local bottles as they are cheaper and very easily available everywhere.

 

[Stewart J]

Has the OP thought of fitting an underslung refillable tank? This would free up your gas locker for other things. Autogas 2000 superb customer service and support. http://www.autogasleisure.co.uk/

 

[Minxy]

We have refillable and to be honest I find it a bloody nuisance, always having to search out lpg , we also have Calor bottles that I refill myself , looking at Spain the lpg is available only in large urban areas and nasty tourist areas so I would go for local bottles as they are cheaper and very easily available everywhere.

So you don't like (genuine) refillables which are safe to refill (if you do it correctly) but you fill your own Calor bottle which are NOT supposed to be refilled as they don't have the safety bits ... here's an idea ... why not refill your refillable from wherever you get your gas to fill your Calor one and cut out the Calor completely!

 

[peterc10]

looking at Spain the lpg is available only in large urban areas and nasty tourist areas

Not sure where you got that info from. A quick glance at myLPG.eu shows plenty spread throughout Spain.

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[EX51SSS]

We have refillable and to be honest I find it a bloody nuisance, always having to search out lpg , we also have Calor bottles that I refill myself , looking at Spain the lpg is available only in large urban areas and nasty tourist areas so I would go for local bottles as they are cheaper and very easily available everywhere.

Definitely not recommended to refill Calor or Calor type cylinders.

 

[Basildog]

Not sure where you got that info from. A quick glance at myLPG.eu shows plenty spread throughout Spain.

I have just looked too and while it looks like there are plenty there are vast areas where there are none at all , Spain is massive compared with the Uk and we find lpg a total pain to find here !

 

[Basildog]

Definitely not recommended to refill Calor or Calor type cylinders.

I would rather trust myself filling my own bottle than be parked next to some of the diy gas installed refillable systems !!!!!!!

 

[Minxy]

I would rather trust myself filling my own bottle than be parked next to some of the diy gas installed refillable systems !!!!!!!

... so please tell why you would rather refill a non-user refillable bottle than a genuine refillable one?

 

[Basildog]

So you don't like (genuine) refillables which are safe to refill (if you do it correctly) but you fill your own Calor bottle which are NOT supposed to be refilled as they don't have the safety bits ... here's an idea ... why not refill your refillable from wherever you get your gas to fill your Calor one and cut out the Calor completely!

We have the best of both as we also purchase Calor if needed in large bottles as that is cheaper than autogas .
Check what qualifications the many professional fitters of Gaslow etc have

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[Minxy]

I have just looked too and while it looks like there are plenty there are vast areas where there are none at all , Spain is massive compared with the Uk and we find lpg a total pain to find here !

There are a lot more mountainous areas and vast sways of land so you have to plan more carefully but in our experience it's certainly not the 'major problem' you appear to be painting.

 

[Basildog]

... so please tell why you would rather refill a non-user refillable bottle than a genuine refillable one?

I use whatever is easily available at the time and carry spare ..

 

[Minxy]

We have the best of both as we also purchase Calor if needed in large bottles as that is cheaper than autogas .
Check what qualifications the many professional fitters of Gaslow etc have

Eh? So from what you've said I assume you buy one of the really, really large Calor bottles (ie for home house, not MH) and then part decant that into your smaller sized Calor bottles? If so, how does the cost compare to Autogas?

 

[Basildog]

There are a lot more mountainous areas and vast sways of land so you have to plan more carefully but in our experience it's certainly not the 'major problem' you appear to be painting.

That's the major problem we seriously don't understand the concept of planning anything !
That's why we do this in the first place.
We really must try and find a responsible adult to educate us

 

[Stewart J]

Unless the OP intends wilding or using Aires or visiting the higher mountain regions you will use very little gas if staying on sites. We are just back in the U.K. after 90 days in Spain, February was unseasonably cool and unsettled in the Valencia region so on metered ehu sites we did supplement heating with gas. We set off with 2 x 11kg cylinders and have only used just over 3/4 of one, topped up today for princely sum of £11.33p, so well pleased.

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