Gas Bottle Refill

[Aussietraveller]

Hi all we off to france for the first time tomorrow, and was wondering is it prity easy to refill gas bottles over there.

 

[EssexBoy]

I think the short answer is - depends on what bottles you have in your van already...

If you have calor, then difficult/impossible to swap...
If you have refillables, then dead easy as there are quite a few petrol garages selling lpg...

Cheers
Steve

 

[Aussietraveller]

Thanks I have calor, where would I get a refilable one ?

 

[vwalan]

there are bottles you can fill

 

[sedge]

I should swap to Camping Gaz - which you will need a different regulator for - if you are only there for a reasonably short time.

If not I assume there are French Butane bottles you can buy which would be exchangeable similar to Calor - but I know nothing about them. And of course the first one is expensive in comparison to just swapping it.

We have a Gaslow system on our Moho for that very reason. But all the refillable at petrol stations ones like Gaslow, Gas-It, Alugas - cost a few hundred quid and inlolve fitting a filler point and associated pipework to the van somewhere - akin to the petrol/diesel tank filler - to the motorhome so not something do-able suddenly since although not difficult to install per se - you'd have to gather all the right bits including the tanks - first.

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[EssexBoy]

Thanks I have calor, where would I get a refilable one ?

What size calor bottles do you have and how long are you away for?
You might have enough capacity to not need to refill...

We have alugas refillables now but last year in our last van we went for 3 weeks on our 2x 6kg calor bottles easily. However, there was only two of us, only using the gas for the fridge, hot water and cooking (no heating needed)...

 

[EssexBoy]

where would I get a refilable one ?

As an aside, there's a refillable thread going on at the moment here
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/lpg-systems.108682/page-2#post-1427931
You obviously won't get one fitted by tomorrow, but will give you some background info...

 

[Rob Paula and Pablo]

Hi
we Have two 11kg gaslow refilable bottle on ours if you are going to get some fitted. Go for the gaslow r67 bottles they are made to the french legistration law .
I believe this is in response to French legislation that refillable cylinders should be classifieds as tanks and should adhere to standard R67

The new Gaslow R67 bottles have the following specs:-
1. Improved, mechanically accurate contents gauge
2. Excess Flow Valve (prevents full flow of gas if the hose ruptures)
3. Internal Filter
4. Over Pressure Safety Device
5. 10 Year warranty (specified by R97 Standards)
6. Only currently available in 11Kg size

Gaslow are also phasing out the gauges on the previous model bottles which are still going to be sold alongside the newer R67 versions. So if you order the standard gaslow bottles in the future. Check it has a fitted gauge the R67 has it built in.

I think the addition of an accurate contents indicator is a a much requested addon.

 

[Stealaway]

Hi

Calor is not available in Europe - (I had big trouble buying Calor propane in the IOM)

I would suggest finding the supermarket chain that is giving away free bottles. We found 'Super U' would supply a bottle contract for the price of the gas. You then need to buy a French gas connection from a Mr Bricolage or some such.
Buy a propane bottle as you can't swap between Propane and Butane bottles without a new contract.
I've put in 'T' piece in the gas lines so I can easily swap between Calor and French bottles by just turning off and on the appropriate bottle.
Our normal habit is to use the French bottle when abroad and keep the Calor for when we run out, vice versa in the UK. Where ever you are in Europe you never seem to be more than a few days from France.

 

[rosalan]

As above... take only one Calor bottle and buy a bottle in the country you are spending most time in. Check for fittings and if you get stuck visit Narbonne Accessoire who will have what you need to connect up your new bottle.
You cannot re-fill Calor outside of the UK. Gaz costs the earth. In future consider the refillable type such as Gaslow, Alugas or Gasit.

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[vwalan]

they do fill calor bottles in morocco or even several places in portugal.
the big proper gas plants do it . not all but lots . there is a rumour that bottles get filled at garages just like gasit or gaslow. might not be true though.