Gas bottles in France and Spain

[DamianandJen]

We have a UK motor home and are currently in France on the way to Spain. We have been told that the fittings for the gas bottles in France and Spain are different to the UK ones - can anybody suggest an adaptor that would allow us to hook up a French/Spanish gas bottle (we understand there would be seperate ones for France and Spain), and let us know if there are any pitfalls to doing so? Any suggestions on where to purchase adaptors would also be very useful.
Also, can you swap gas bottles or do we need to buy new ones outright and can we do this at shopping centres or service stations?

 

[monzer]

What I had to do in Spain was buy a 2nd hand repsol bottle from a second hand store. I then bought the Spanish adaptor with pig-tail from the shop at the campsite I was on at the time. I just needed to loosen the UK pig-tail from inside the gas locker and swap it over for the Spanish one.

20-25 euros should get you all of the above. You can also get the Spanish regulators from hardware type shops.

Obviously it means lumping about your empty UK bottle. Also means you will be lumping your Spanish bottle back to the UK when you return unless of course you sell it back to a second hand shop.

 

[Badknee]

Exactly what monzer said. You need to start from the regulator and work toward the bottle. Refillable system is the way to go when you get back. Check out the many threads on here for example “Gasit” or “Gaslow” (other systems are available, see terms and conditions, do not vote if reading this on catchup as your vote won’t count but you may be charged) ?

 

[monzer]

Exactly what monzer said. You need to start from the regulator and work toward the bottle. Refillable system is the way to go when you get back. Check out the many threads on here for example “Gasit” or “Gaslow” (other systems are available, see terms and conditions, do not vote if reading this on catchup as your vote won’t count but you may be charged) ?

Going off on a bit of a tangent here but on my relatively new to me van I have 2 bottles in the locker, 1 gaslow refillable and one flo-gas 11KG exchangeable.

What a struggle I had today trying to find somewhere to replace the flo-gas in Edinburgh. A lot of the places that were on the official flo-gas website didn't have a clue what I was speaking about, others only stocked calor. Finally found some back alley roofing company who had 1 bottle left.

Think I am just doing away with it and making it a 2nd gaslow refillable.

 

[Badknee]

We had two gasit bottles on our last moho but I’ve gone for an underslung tank on this one. Plus bottled gas is very expensive against refillable I think.

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[Burgo]

Speaking for Spain and assuming you have a bulkhead fitted pressure reducer all you need is a length of (usually orange) butano or propano flexi hose and a clip on adaptor both if which you can buy in most DIY outlets or ironmongers (ferreterías). If your pressure reducer isnt bulkhead mounted (ie is part of the bottle fitting adaptor) then just buy a reducer instead. This assembly you will see referred to as a "pig tail". The actual gas bottle (bombona) you can get at most garages or camp sites. These are normally done as an Exchange basis - empty ones are sold at car boot sales, camp site notice boards, etc. Repsol have steel orange cylinders, Campsa tend to be lighter stainless ones. Beware of the Campsa ones if you have an online filter / anti burst device fitted adjacent to the clip on adaptor as it may not clear the all round carrying handle on the Campsa cylinders.

 

[2657]

The Spanish and French pigtails are the same as UK butane ones.

On French bottles the pigtail screws direct to the bottle, Spanish bottles require an adaptor.

In France a 9 kilo propane bottle can be had for around €20 from Intermarche with only €1 deposit on the bottle if you are stuck while in France.

 

[2657]

Speaking for Spain and assuming you have a bulkhead fitted pressure reducer all you need is a length of (usually orange) butano or propano flexi hose and a clip on adaptor both if which you can buy in most DIY outlets or ironmongers (ferreterías). If your pressure reducer isnt bulkhead mounted (ie is part of the bottle fitting adaptor) then just buy a reducer instead. This assembly you will see referred to as a "pig tail". The actual gas bottle (bombona) you can get at most garages or camp sites. These are normally done as an Exchange basis - empty ones are sold at car boot sales, camp site notice boards, etc. Repsol have steel orange cylinders, Campsa tend to be lighter stainless ones. Beware of the Campsa ones if you have an online filter / anti burst device fitted adjacent to the clip on adaptor as it may not clear the all round carrying handle on the Campsa cylinders.

Not sure what you mean in this post, a pigtail is a high pressure hose from the bottle or adaptor to the bulkhead regulator and has specific threaded connectors.

A bottle cannot be connected to a bulkhead regulator with a normal length of flexi hose.

This is the type of pigtail needed for France and Spain.

20" Propane/Butane Gas Pigtail - NR Butane Nut x W20

The 20" Propane/Butane Gas Pigtail - NR Butane Nut x W20, the ideal choice for connecting your gas cylinder to a regulator or adaptor. Manufactured in the UK by Gas Products in the most advanced LPG hose manufacturing facility in Europe, this high-quality gas hose pigtail promises superior...

gasproducts.co.uk

 

[Burgo]

Not sure what you mean in this post, a pigtail is a high pressure hose from the bottle or adaptor to the bulkhead regulator and has specific threaded connectors.

A bottle cannot be connected to a bulkhead regulator with a normal length of flexi hose.

This is the type of pigtail needed for France and Spain.

20" Propane/Butane Gas Pigtail - NR Butane Nut x W20

The 20" Propane/Butane Gas Pigtail - NR Butane Nut x W20, the ideal choice for connecting your gas cylinder to a regulator or adaptor. Manufactured in the UK by Gas Products in the most advanced LPG hose manufacturing facility in Europe, this high-quality gas hose pigtail promises superior...

gasproducts.co.uk

Sorry. Yes, you are correct and I was wrong. The orange flexi tube is only used"after" a pressure reducing regulator. Just tried to delete my response and can't now as its been too long.

 

[Burgo]

I've just worked out caused my error. My high pressure hose is actually orange and that made me think the two were the same. Of course they are different with the high pressure one having high pressure end fittings, while a low pressure one is just held on with screw up "radiator clips".

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[Stealaway]

The Spanish and French pigtails are the same as UK butane ones.

On French bottles the pigtail screws direct to the bottle, Spanish bottles require an adaptor.

In France a 9 kilo propane bottle can be had for around €20 from Intermarche with only €1 deposit on the bottle if you are stuck while in France.

Just paid 26.50€ at Super U for 13kg exchange bottle of propane.

 

[2657]

Just paid 26.50€ at Super U for 13kg exchange bottle of propane.

That's a good price but the 13 kilo bottles are a bit big for campervans or others with small gas lockers and not sure what deposit is needed.

The Intermarche bottles are a convenient size and a €1 deposit is negligible.

 

[Stealaway]

Fortunately my van has room for two 13kg so I carry a 13kv Calor one as well.

 

[bobandjanie]

Just paid 26.50€ at Super U for 13kg exchange bottle of propane.

The last propano bottle I exchanged in Spain mid September was €11.30. ? Bob.

 

[Lot lover]

The deposit on 11/13 kgs bottles here varies from shop to shop. Intermarche is usually the cheapest at €1 but our local seems to carry very little stock. I think that Leclerc charges €5 and always has plenty.

We have space for 2 bottles so I always start our 3 month Algarve trip fully loaded. matamoros kindly supplied details of a place to refill when down there, just in case.Other trips in France just use up any bits remaining.

I have considered a refillable tank but the payback period looked too long.

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