Gasless in Portugal

[ericonabike]

First the good bit - we're parked up in a campsite on the Algarve, halfway through a three week tour. The bad bit - we've run out of gas.

The locker in our Autograph holds two 6kg bottles. The campsite sells Portuguese 6kg.ottles, which are shorter a d fatter than Calor, but should fit. The outlet from them though is just a push fit for the hose. I'm guessing I could remove the conne tor from the end of my hose, push it on and use a jubilee clip to make fast. But is this safe? Is there a better solution?

 

[Neil S]

First the good bit - we're parked up in a campsite on the Algarve, halfway through a three week tour. The bad bit - we've run out of gas.

The locker in our Autograph holds two 6kg bottles. The campsite sells Portuguese 6kg.ottles, which are shorter a d fatter than Calor, but should fit. The outlet from them though is just a push fit for the hose. I'm guessing I could remove the conne tor from the end of my hose, push it on and use a jubilee clip to make fast. But is this safe? Is there a better solution?

You’d be better of finding a Motorhome / service centre/ dealer of which there are a few down on the Algarve and buying a proper pigtail and 35mm Jumbo clip on connector
Which will allow you to use both Spanish and Portuguese cylinders

 

[Neil S]

First the good bit - we're parked up in a campsite on the Algarve, halfway through a three week tour. The bad bit - we've run out of gas.

The locker in our Autograph holds two 6kg bottles. The campsite sells Portuguese 6kg.ottles, which are shorter a d fatter than Calor, but should fit. The outlet from them though is just a push fit for the hose. I'm guessing I could remove the conne tor from the end of my hose, push it on and use a jubilee clip to make fast. But is this safe? Is there a better solution?

These guys are good
www.camperserv.com

 

[bobandjanie]

First the good bit - we're parked up in a campsite on the Algarve, halfway through a three week tour. The bad bit - we've run out of gas.

The locker in our Autograph holds two 6kg bottles. The campsite sells Portuguese 6kg.ottles, which are shorter a d fatter than Calor, but should fit. The outlet from them though is just a push fit for the hose. I'm guessing I could remove the conne tor from the end of my hose, push it on and use a jubilee clip to make fast. But is this safe? Is there a better solution?

A few years ago the place in the screenshot filled any bottle it's near Boliqueime turn off the N125 onto the N270 just up there on the right hand side, don't know how far you are from there

. Bob.

 

[ericonabike]

Cheers bobandjanie , Neil S. Will think about them but we are on the Atlantic coast a good way further north

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[PaulOH]

I completely appreciate the usefulness of jubilee clips but I think you need to have the correct setup.

Spanish (and Portugese I think) gas bottles are that push-on regulator type and most tourist area petrol stations should know about foreign gas connections. My van came with German tap connectors - though the petrol station sold the original owner an adaptor that didn't work.

I suggest that as an emergency measure you try some vaseline within the push fit of the jubilee clip - it should help with incompatability leakage and if you smell gas - switch the lot off!

 

[AMK]

Do you have an external BBQ point, if you buy a regulator you could feed the gas through that way.

but that’s only any good if your on a site I suppose.

 

[EuroTrotters]

What about Camping Gaz and an adapter?

 

[Mikey RV]

You should be able to pick up a second hand bottle and then go to a fuel station or an iron mongers and get the adapter and pigtail to suit.

 

[eurajohn]

Be careful, if trying to connect direct to a gas bottle you require a high pressure hose not a push on and clip one, which will only suffice (be safe) if using along with a bottle mounted regulator.
If your van is reasonably modern it will have a bulkhead mounted regulator, if so you will need to bypass that to utilise a bottle mounted regulator type.
Perhaps best to find someone with the skills / knowledge to help.

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[ericonabike]

Thanks all - especially the bit about finding someone with the skills and knowledge to help! Also, knowledge of Portuguese would be an advantage. In the absence of these, will probably have to make do with spending the rest of the journey on sites with EHU. We have an electric hot plate, the fridge will stay cold, just won't be able to make toast .

 

[Ingwe]

Thanks all - especially the bit about finding someone with the skills and knowledge to help! Also, knowledge of Portuguese would be an advantage. In the absence of these, will probably have to make do with spending the rest of the journey on sites with EHU. We have an electric hot plate, the fridge will stay cold, just won't be able to make toast .

Best to follow the safety advice or you might be the toast.

Seriously, we were in a similar position once in Spain and bought a second hand Spanish bottle and a regulator that fitted the bottle and all was good. Though we had to find space to carry the empty gas bottle back, which was a nuisance. Good luck!

 

[Gellyneck]

just won't be able to make toast .

Buy a toaster!

 

[monzer]

Book a night on the biggest campsite you can find. The bigger the campsite the better stocked their shop (usually).

Good chance they will have everything you need to change bottles.

 

[ericonabike]

A little more Googling has found the location of Pedro's at Boliqueime, whom others have recommended as someone who can refill bottles. He is around 90 minutes away, and has a stellar reputation on Google reviews! Am thinking of trying him. In terms of refilling non-refillable bottles, I assume any risk is in the filing, rather than the using? As once it's a full bottle, it's a full bottle, so to speak.

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[eurajohn]

I linked to that in your other post, they are professional and know what they are doing fill by weight and to 80%.

 

[ericonabike]

Cheers eurajohn - missed that one. Much appreciated.

 

[ericonabike]

The legendary Pedro has come good! Both 6k bottles refilled for just €24. More than worth that and the 80 mile detour. Obrigado to all who helped - hugely appreciated. Photo below of shows his legendary apparatus...

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

The legendary Pedro has come good! Both 6k bottles refilled for just €24. More than worth that and the 80 mile detour. Obrigado to all who helped - hugely appreciated. Photo below of shows his legendary apparatus...

That would have cost you approx £60 for calor exchanges so even with the 80mile detour you made a saving.

 

[Neil S]

The legendary Pedro has come good! Both 6k bottles refilled for just €24. More than worth that and the 80 mile detour. Obrigado to all who helped - hugely appreciated. Photo below of shows his legendary apparatus...

Good news but as previously said
Consider spending the money and getting a refillable system
Which will allow you to refill at many lpg stations instead of relying on calor then you won’t run out
Outlets that will fill your calor cylinders abroad are few and far between .

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[ericonabike]

Yes, we're considering that. But we had only intended staying off grid for maybe 7 out of 21 days. Without a leak, the two bottles would have been fine. May be a different story in UK in winter, so Gaslow still on the list of possibles...

 

[bobandjanie]

The legendary Pedro has come good! Both 6k bottles refilled for just €24. More than worth that and the 80 mile detour. Obrigado to all who helped - hugely appreciated. Photo below of shows his legendary apparatus...

Glad your sorted that's the garage I recommend it's good to see they still fill any bottles. Bob.

 

[ericonabike]

Thought I'd provide an epilogue to this saga, now we're back home. After refilling at Pedro's, the first bottle lasted just six days, four off grid. The second saw us home, again after six days use, again four were off grid. No heating used, just fridge, hot water and cooking.
I weighed the bottle, was 12kg. Empty is eight, so had used 2kg or a third of the bottle. Which at that usage rate would give me 18 days per bottle with 12 off grid. Happy with that.
Assume first bottle had a bit of grit or something preventing a perfect seal. As recommended, I've Brassoed the male connecter (ooer, missus...) and so hopefully that's the end of the story....