Gas bottle sizes

[Paul J]

I guess this has been covered about a million times, so forgive me for asking, prompted by a recent Facebook post about 13KG Calor Propane bottles. My local supplier only has the 6KG Propanes which I'm using now and used in my previous motorhome some years ago, we only had 4 nights away, and already are empty on one bottle, I'm keen to wonder if I can get a bigger bottle and better value. I think I pay around £24 for a refill.... but at this rate it could be a pain to keep swapping bottles, and it's not even winter yet !
I have a Roller Team T-Line 590, which has a storage compartment compatible with 2 of the larger bottles, but I'm fairly sure they don't recommend carrying that weight, so it's unclear to me what I ca/should fit.
For my current bottles, I blagged some empties via my local facebook group, and swapped them into the filled bottles, can anyone let me know how this works with other suppliers like Morrisons ? if I can get hold of Calor 13KG Propanes, I can just go there with my empty ?

any help, much appreciated

thanks

 

[tonka]

Calor bottles can be swopped at any place that sells Calor gas...
Your not tied down to 1 outlet...

Also, depending on your location look at other suppliers like Flogas.
Think I used to pay £24 but that was for a 13kg exchange..

Buying in 6kg's is false economy if you can get 13kg in the locker...

 

[Paul J]

Just had a quick look, and we have a local Calor place, I think they would be a better option, I didn't even know you could get 13KG propane, only because (as far as I'm aware) our local place doesn't do them.

will check it out, thanks for the advice

 

[rosalan]

If you use your van regularly, you should seriously look at the advantages of refillable bottles.

 

[FIDGET]

Hi, in my T-Line 785 , it holds up to 15kg in the locker (thats what the handbook states )
but I use a 11 kg bottle & a 6 kg propane ,
the locker floor is plastic , so I personally wouldn't put 2 x 11 or 13 kg

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Paul J]

maybe perhaps I'll try and get a 13kg Calor and keep one of the 6kg's which I already have

 

[pappajohn]

Hi, in my T-Line 785 , it holds up to 15kg in the locker (thats what the handbook states )
but I use a 11 kg bottle & a 6 kg propane ,
the locker floor is plastic , so I personally wouldn't put 2 x 11 or 13 kg

You could, and I would, cut a piece of 1/2" ply to the size of the locker floor and drill holes corresponding to the gas drop vents and put that in..... You could then stand concrete blocks in there if you wanted to. Just cos the converters have no common sense doesn't mean you can't work around their mistakes. .

 

[Paul J]

great advice re strengthening the floor, thanks for that

 

[pappajohn]

Don't forget to radius the sharp edges or they may rub through the plastic.

 

[Burgo]

11kg of propane is €12.86 today in Spain (latest prices are at: Broken Link Removed ).
Your post has worried me a bit as I've got two of them in my gas locker and am now not sure about the weight of them on the floor. It's certainly the right size and has factory fitted straps for them but need to check now...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Bognor Saint]

6kg in 4 days seems a lot.

 

[Northernraider]

You don't need to get empty 13kg bottles

You can exchange the 6kg empties for 13kg full bottles but obviously you'll have to pay the additional fee.

I've done this several times in the past before I got refillable systems

As long as it's their own bottles

 

[Basildog]

6kg in 4 days seems a lot.

We used around 15 kg last weekend for 3 nights away.

 

[Theonlysue]

Ive used 36 litres in 3 days at minus 15!

 

[Northernraider]

We used around 15 kg last weekend for 3 nights away.

Ive used 36 litres in 3 days at minus 15!

Is that alde heating or truma blown air ?
Just out of curiosity

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Basildog]

Is that alde heating or truma blown air ?
Just out of curiosity

Alde in this van but we have used a 13 kg propane in 2 days with Truma 6kw blown air in freezing conditions.

 

[peterc10]

If you are planning to do a lot of winter camping then refillables will pay for themselves quickly as well as being so much more convenient. Lugging a 13kg calor bottle in and out does your back no good at all.

 

[Theonlysue]

Alde heating. But it was warm in the mh!

 

[mfw]

Cant believe the amount of gas some people are using i can do 6kg in 4 days and van is very warm - so i'm wondering if the vans that use more gas have a large garage at back of van with large access doors each side or some vans are better insulated than others

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

We used to run on a couple of 6kg Calor bottles but now have a single 14kg Alugas refillable bottle. The bottle itself is very low weight, other sizes available, take a look at Autogas 2000 website.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Northernraider]

I found my alde to be very heavy on gas and there were still cold bits in the cab and in the rear bedroom above garage.

I've found the truma to really heat up this hymer to the point you've to turn it down.

Not sure about gas useage yet so will see how that goes compared to the Frankia
But I got maybe 3 days out an 11kg bottle with that.

 

[mfw]

I found my alde to be very heavy on gas and there were still cold bits in the cab and in the rear bedroom above garage.

I've found the truma to really heat up this hymer to the point you've to turn it down.

Not sure about gas useage yet so will see how that goes compared to the Frankia
But I got maybe 3 days out an 11kg bottle with that.

My heating has a truma gas fire as you say gets very hot and needs turning down maybe the aldi system is a lot heavier on gas usage

 

[peterc10]

My heating has a truma gas fire as you say gets very hot and needs turning down maybe the aldi system is a lot heavier on gas usage

We are I suspect heavy users of gas. My wife has poor circulation and does not like the cold, so we have the heating on a lot. We are not finding gas usage much different in our 7.5m Alde heated A class Hymer as we did with our previous 7.2m Truma heated C class Adria. Both had similar layouts with longitudinal single beds over a large garage.

What we do find is the Hymer feels much cosier and is more evenly warmed. Just a personal impression though, and it is especially so in the cab area, which always felt cooler in the Adria. Our Alde heating has the facility to switch off the heating in the rear bedroom area with an isolating valve. If you find that the your moho is cooler in the bedroom with Alde heating it may be because your system has that valve and it has been left closed.

 

[WynandJean]

I think this must be why so many responses to questions about gas usage say something like, "we bought a bottle of gas xxxxxxx ago and still have half of it left after crossing Siberia". We have been surprised at how much gas the Alde system uses since changing our van from one with Truma heating. All I can say is thank goodness it's refillable! I saw a post saying that Alde would expect a 6lt bottle to last not much longer than a weekend, and I have to say that's not far off what we have been getting - perhaps 4 days or so.

Wyn

 

[Duck Truck]

Gas usage depends on:
The outside temperature
The size of the van
The design of the van
The insulation of the van
The heating system of the van
How much hot water you use
The people using the van, one man/womans hot is anothers cold.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[two]

Gas usage depends on:
The outside temperature
The size of the van
The design of the van
The insulation of the van
The heating system of the van
How much hot water you use
The people using the van, one man/womans hot is anothers cold.

and a few more conditions, but none should be whether it's Truma or Alde. They should both produce the same amount of heat from the same amount of gas, the only difference being the way they distribute it.

When I started caravanning, I had two 'dumpy' cylinders on the A-frame. We must've been much 'harder' in those days. There was no heating and not much insulation. Gas was used for cooking and lighting (mantles) and I don't recall the gas consumption being a problem. (Perhaps that's what contributed to my poor memory?)

 

[Speve]

6kg in 4 days seems a lot.

Not if you’ve got the heating going

 

[vwalan]

and a few more conditions, but none should be whether it's Truma or Alde. They should both produce the same amount of heat from the same amount of gas, the only difference being the way they distribute it.

When I started caravanning, I had two 'dumpy' cylinders on the A-frame. We must've been much 'harder' in those days. There was no heating and not much insulation. Gas was used for cooking and lighting (mantles) and I don't recall the gas consumption being a problem. (Perhaps that's what contributed to my poor memory?)

what you dont use gas lights anymore. why not .
you will be telling us next you can get leccy lights .
gas lights give light ,heat and a nice cozy feeling in the dark evenings . and help keep mozzies away.
use tie on mantles these days always available on ebay.

 

[peterc10]

what you dont use gas lights anymore. why not .
you will be telling us next you can get leccy lights .
gas lights give light ,heat and a nice cozy feeling in the dark evenings . and help keep mozzies away.
use tie on mantles these days always available on ebay.

And ensures you talk to one another, because you can't read by them, or at least not at my age!

 

[Bognor Saint]

Not if you’ve got the heating going

I was a bit previous in making my original comment. We have only used EHU due to the need of being able to use a hair dryer ( there will be some of you who understand where I am coming from!! ) Therefore our use of gas is low.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}