Gas it in Spain (1 Viewer)

[Lynne Roy]

Hi, does anyone know if any dealership or garage, fits gas it system in Spain, we bought Safefill refillable but it has no external filler and our garage door is so big to open at the pump, we need a system with external filler fitting.

Thanks for any info

 

[BreweryDave]

Shouldn't think you'll have much a problem. Although we have an external filler - always have to open the gas locker anyway to turn the bottles off and get the adaptor. They don't seem to care much!

 

[Lynne Roy]

Thanks for that Dave, we were only worried because our gas locker is inside the garage and the door is 3ft wide and we cannot get close to the pump so thought we may have a problem.

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[gus-lopez]

Unlike the Uk ,or France, most Spanish LPG pumps are miles away from the petrol/diesel pumps.Bags of room ,. I can't even think of one I have used here that wasn't loads of room & i'm always at least 4-5' from the pump when filling & I have an external filler.

 

[The Nomad]

Thanks for that Dave, we were only worried because our gas locker is inside the garage and the door is 3ft wide and we cannot get close to the pump so thought we may have a problem.

You MAY have a problem.
It's actually illegal in Spain to self re fill gas bottles. LPG is legally only for filling lpg-fuelled vehicles. Same as in Portugal.
If the cashier or attendant sees you opening cupboard doors to fill your on-board bottles they MAY stop you. Or in reality many many times they may just ignore what you are doing.
Certainly the less obviously you do it the less likely you are to get stopped from doing it.

 

[The Nomad]

Perhaps worth adding the very obvious precaution NOT TO do it if there is a Guardia Civil Trafico or policia nacional patrol or officers present at the filling station.

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[Stretto Boy]

You MAY have a problem.
It's actually illegal in Spain to self re fill gas bottles. LPG is legally only for filling lpg-fuelled vehicles. Same as in Portugal.
If the cashier or attendant sees you opening cupboard doors to fill your on-board bottles they MAY stop you. Or in reality many many times they may just ignore what you are doing.
Certainly the less obviously you do it the less likely you are to get stopped from doing it.

Would this restriction also apply to underslung tanks, which is what we have and are similar to what LPG powered vehicles have? Of course, the attendants may think we are LPG powered

 

[Just smiffy]

You MAY have a problem.
It's actually illegal in Spain to self re fill gas bottles. LPG is legally only for filling lpg-fuelled vehicles. Same as in Portugal.
If the cashier or attendant sees you opening cupboard doors to fill your on-board bottles they MAY stop you. Or in reality many many times they may just ignore what you are doing.
Certainly the less obviously you do it the less likely you are to get stopped from doing it.

We have had attendants fill our gas low several times including on our previous van with an in the locker fill point, I’ve never had a problem in uk,France, Germany,Italy, Portugal and Spain...

But some say they have ....

 

[Silver-Fox]

We have had attendants fill our gas low several times including on our previous van with an in the locker fill point, I’ve never had a problem in uk,France, Germany,Italy, Portugal and Spain...

But some say they have ....

Maybe thats your boyish good looks and wicked charms

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[peterc10]

Well I have filled up loads of times in Spain and Portugal and had no problems. At one filling station in Spain I had a problem getting the hose on and the attendant came up and filled it for us. And then he filled up the diesel from the other side. He was well aware what the gas was for.

 

[Lenny HB]

Had a woman come running out in Tarvia Portugal saying "we don't fill bottles" I pointed at the filler and said "it's a tank" (actually bottles) she said "OK" and filled me up.
So yes it is worth having an external filler.

 

[Just smiffy]

Maybe thats your boyish good looks and wicked charms

You know me so well, my friend..... have a drink on me..

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[The Nomad]

Would this restriction also apply to underslung tanks, which is what we have and are similar to what LPG powered vehicles have? Of course, the attendants may think we are LPG powered

Yes.
The restriction applies to refilling ANY sort of gas tank other than that fitted by the original vehicle manufacturer if the vehicle is designated as lpg fuelled for propulsion.
Plenty of people on here will tell you that "I've been doing it for years over there in Spiccyland and never had a problem". What I have told you is the actual law here.

You are forbidden by law from doing it; fuel station staff and law enforcement officers have a responsibility for preventing you from doing so.

Just because "Fred" has got away with doing it 20 times when visiting Spain or Portugal does not mean that he'll get away with it nect time he tries it; and patently does not mean that everyone else who does it will get away with it.

Just like breaking the Speed limits or drink drive limits or any other laws when you come to visit Spain, you may get away with it. You may get away with it a lot.
But don't think that because youve not yet been caught you are thus somehow immune to the laws of this country; and don't complain if you do finally get caught and prosecuted.

 

[bigtree]

I was refused at Jumbo,Lagoa last week.Told no autocaravanas,didn't know it was illegal. Topped up at Gale the following day.

 

[Stretto Boy]

The restriction applies to refilling ANY sort of gas tank other than that fitted by the original vehicle manufacturer if the vehicle is designated as lpg fuelled for propulsion.

Thank you, that’s helpful. Can I just double-check that I have got it right? Our underslung tank is an original Auto-Sleepers fitment but I take it from what you say that I still can’t refill it because it’s not gas for propulsion. Is that right? It would be a shame because we wouldn’t be able to use gas for the cooker, heating or fridge once we had run out. So much for EU harmonisation of product and safety standards!

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[Just smiffy]

Yes.
The restriction applies to refilling ANY sort of gas tank other than that fitted by the original vehicle manufacturer if the vehicle is designated as lpg fuelled for propulsion.
Plenty of people on here will tell you that "I've been doing it for years over there in Spiccyland and never had a problem". What I have told you is the actual law here.

You are forbidden by law from doing it; fuel station staff and law enforcement officers have a responsibility for preventing you from doing so.

Just because "Fred" has got away with doing it 20 times when visiting Spain or Portugal does not mean that he'll get away with it nect time he tries it; and patently does not mean that everyone else who does it will get away with it.

Just like breaking the Speed limits or drink drive limits or any other laws when you come to visit Spain, you may get away with it. You may get away with it a lot.
But don't think that because youve not yet been caught you are thus somehow immune to the laws of this country; and don't complain if you do finally get caught and prosecuted.

It would help others if you have a link to this law, and be an interesting read...

 

[BILL 875]

I have a filler point inside the door, if they dont want me to fill up i will go to the next garage no sweat, but most cant get off their bums to stop you.
Bill

 

[sallylillian]

I just say "it's for engine" as long as they cannot see bottles it's hard to argue.

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[EX51SSS]

it's a tank" (actually bottles) she said "OK"

Great disguise

 

[The Nomad]

Thank you, that’s helpful. Can I just double-check that I have got it right? Our underslung tank is an original Auto-Sleepers fitment but I take it from what you say that I still can’t refill it because it’s not gas for propulsion. Is that right? It would be a shame because we wouldn’t be able to use gas for the cooker, heating or fridge once we had run out. So much for EU harmonisation of product and safety standards!

It's got nothing to do with product harmonisation and product safety standards. It is to do with the dangers of self-filling highly compressed gas containers.
The law in Spain has for many many decades forbidden such actions as bottled gas is very very widely used in households all over the country and there used to be many terrible fatal accidents when people tried to refill such bottles themselves.
Thus the law here in Spain, on safety grounds, dictstes that lpg may only be self-didpensed into the vehicle manufacturers factory fitted road-propulsion lpg tank. It forbids the self refilling of any type of bottle or tank from any lpg fuel pump. Only licenced bottle refilling companies (eg the big fuel companies sucj as Repsol and CEPSA and Galp) are authorised to do so at their own specialist plants, under strictly controlled processes which include pressure testing every bottle and valve before then refilling with the correct maximum amount of liquid propane/butane.
Stopping every Tom Dick and Harry from self filling any sort of tank or bottle from wherever they may have got it, in whatever condition it may be in, to whatever amount that punter pumps into it, is a law designed to protect public safety here.

Now please understand that I am NOT saying that you cannot physically do it.
The law here says you cannot drive with blood alcohol level of more than 50mg. But you still can do that if you decide to.
What I am saying is that is illegal to do it. It is against the law in Spain to self fill any sort of after-market gas bottles, whether they be free standing or fitted into a motorhome. Always has been.
Loads of people visiting Spain get away with doing it, just as loads of people get away with breaking speeding and other laws whilst here.
But you should be aware that it is an illegal act, and you can be subject to prosecution and fine if you are caught.

 

[Stretto Boy]

Only licenced bottle refilling companies (eg the big fuel companies sucj as Repsol and CEPSA and Galp) are authorised to do so at their own specialist plants, under strictly controlled processes which include pressure testing every bottle and valve before then refilling with the correct maximum amount of liquid propane/butane.

So could I take it to one of these companies then, or do they not refill motorhome tanks? I’d be happy with that, even if it costs a bit more. I don’t think you can put a price on peace of mind.

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[peterc10]

I am with Garry on this one and would like to see the exact wording of the legislation. For example who will be subject to prosecution on an attended forecourt? The person requesting the filling (me) or the person doing the filling (the pump attendant)?

 

[BILL 875]

Who checks lpg gas tanks before filling on a car with underslung tanks then, who knows if there not up to scratch all tanks or bottles should have a retest date on all cylinders like diving tanks.
Bill
.

 

[The Nomad]

So could I take it to one of these companies then, or do they not refill motorhome tanks? I’d be happy with that, even if it costs a bit more. I don’t think you can put a price on peace of mind.

No. These are huge industrial companies like BP or Shell or Esso. They have massive industrial refineries and big sites that all their domestic-use empty gas bottles go back to on their own lorries for factory-refilling. They aren't gas equipment companies.
If you want someone to fit an external filling point to your refillable gas bottle system you will i guess need to go to a supplier/distributor of your system in the UK, unless that Company also has installers in other countries too.

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[The Nomad]

I am with Garry on this one and would like to see the exact wording of the legislation. For example who will be subject to prosecution on an attended forecourt? The person requesting the filling (me) or the person doing the filling (the pump attendant)?

By all means set your google settings to Spanish and then you can look up the detailed reglamento.

 

[JJ]

There are those who obey every instruction given to them without even knowing who is issuing that instruction.

There are those who claim this or that is against the law based on what they think is the law or on what someone told them it is.

Filling gas bottles/tanks/systems is something I have being doing for years and years and years.

I bet I am breaking someone's rules somewhere.

No one has ever stopped me or asked me not to.

Not in UK, nor France, nor Spain, nor Portugal.


JJ

 

[JJ]

Some folk, when told to jump, ask "how high?".

Some folk, when told to jump, ask "why?"

Some folk, when told to jump, ask "who are you?"

Some folk, when told to jump, say "go away you bossy little git and bully someone else".


JJ

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[peterc10]

By all means set your google settings to Spanish and then you can look up the detailed reglamento.

Do you have a link please, and then I can use Google translate.

 

[Stretto Boy]

If you want someone to fit an external filling point to your refillable gas bottle system you will i guess need to go to a supplier/distributor of your system in the UK, unless that Company also has installers in other countries too.

My underslung tank (it’s not a bottle) does have an external filling point in the sidewall of the habitation area. It was installed by Auto-Sleepers as part of the original build. Does this alter the position? My understanding from your post at 7.09pm last night was that you could only refill a vehicle with LPG in Spain if it was for the purposes of propulsion.

 

[JJ]

I refilled my Gaslow bottles in Spain with no problems several times...

JJ

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