LPG availability ? (gas usage issues)

[Paul J]

Hi guys, I've probably posted about this previously. Having had a motorhome around 20 years ago, of similar size to my current one, and using exactly the same (6k Propane ?) bottles, I'm surprised at how much gas I'm getting through, even in summer. I'll be honest, we're often not on a site, and when we are, we don't use the electric, we also cook in the van, and heat the water on gas. We are however, super economical, we put reasonable thought into when we should use the heating, it's turned off when we leave the van, and we don't leave the water heater on, or the fridge on full cold. We're lucky to get much more than two short weekend breaks in the middle of summer out of one bottle. Maybe I'm just plain unrealistic ?

so..... my gas supplier doesn't keep larger bottles in propane, and is Butane a different screw-on fitment *** ? pressure ? or, there was a reason why I'd never managed to use larger bottles in this or the last motorhome ?

to LPG : I've seen the 'Gas-It' kit and would fit one of their larger plastic type bottles, think it was £150ish ? and would quite likely pay for itself in convenience and cost of the fuel, the other bottle would just be kept as spare.

however, when I've looked online, whilst I can find some LPG filling stations, they seem a bit thin on the ground, is LPG dying out, or will it die out ? is it going to be worth an LPG kit ?

many thanks for reading, any comments much appreciated

Paul


*** I never used Butane previously because I believe it's not as good at cold temperatures ? however, if more readily available in the larger (11kgish ?) size, then I could keep one for summer use ? (unless the LPG kit works out)

 

[Easyliving]

Hi

We have 2 x 6kg Gaslow cylinders fitted in our moho and I find the set up pretty good. Although we full time in our van we tend to be on sites with hook-up in the Winter.

As we have mains power usually its only cooking we need gas for and a cylinder lasts weeks.

Petrol stations selling lpg are not all that common, I use an app called myLPG.eu to find outlets, seems to work okay.

Paul

 

[Jaws]

Where abouts in the country are you ?
In the pasr 14 years or so, we have lost a filling station and gained one..
My preference is AluGas ( I got my kit from Autogas2000 who have always been extremely helpful..) I use 2 x 11kg bottles

 

[mikebeaches]

I had a single 11kg gas-it refillable bottle installed and retained a 6 kg Calor exchange bottle for emergency use. System works well for us.

But the Gas-it system is a steel bottle, not plastic. I wonder if you are thinking of the Safefill product, which operates on a slightly different principle.

We have an external filler point and the whole installation, professionally fitted; together with a set of continental adaptors, cost about £290 Inc vat.

Use an app for finding log and not had any issues.

 

[tonka]

Changing from a propane to a butane bottle is very easy all you need is a "pigtail" from accessories shop or off eBay. Sub £10 and just screws on to regulator, tighten with spanner. My local supplier would swop me butane bottles for summer and propane for winter.
I now have the 10kg Safefill bottles, lightweight plastic refillable. Luckily have a local stockist for refilling.

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[jollyrodger]

I have a twin 11kg Gasit set up
No problem getting a full up this way .
When in travels :
Bristol cribbs causeway junct 17 M5.
Haldon hill A38
Trago Mills
Heathfield /Newton Abbot
Saltash A38 after/before the tunnel.
Im not sure but also junct 25 M5 Taunton.

 

[Spriddler]

I hedge my bets for getting gas in U.K. and 'over there' by installing one exchangeable Calor and one refillable Gaslow bottle, both connected. I only use the Calor bottle as a 'reserve'.

 

[Lenny HB]

We have 2 x 14kg Alugas, one bottle lasts us 15 - 20 days in the shoulder seasons.

For filling stations in the Uk look at Filllpg.co.uk

And in Europe download the MyLPG.eu app.

 

[Campervan_man]

Fit bigger 11KG propane bottles or an underslung torpedo tank

 

[Whiskeymac]

I have Gas low fitted I have a large 13kg fitted with a small 6kg as emergency, I roughly work it out that with a large fridge, cooking and hot water we use approx. 1ltr a day, we have been away for eight weeks in Scotland and had no problem in getting LPG we use the APP on the phone fill LPG
regards
whiskeymac

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[gus-lopez]

Im not sure but also junct 25 M5 Taunton.

Yes Taunton , Sainsburys straight off the first roundabout.

 

[Paul J]

thanks guys for all of your replies. I think my preference would be a larger bottle, probably 11 to 13kg for the refillable, but above is mentioned Alugas, Gas-it (the metal bottle) Gaslow, and Safefill (someone mentioned these work on a different principal?) I'll go and try and work out what's what here, but is there a clear winner on price/weight/ ease of use ? do they all use a filler to the outer body of the MH, do they all have a 'fuel gauge' ?

many many thanks

Paul

 

[Paul J]

a quick scan of the internet turns up that the Gaslow and Gas-it 11kg kits are a similar height bottle, hold a similar amount of gas (amazing that) are a similar price, the Gas-it bottle apparently being a couple of kg lighter.

for safe fill, I'm struggling for prices for these, appears to be a bottle that the gun goes straight on ? and some petrol stations aren't a fan ? correct me if I'm wrong.... like the idea, apparently they're a see-through bottle, but what's the price like ?

Alugas a good big bottle (not actually measured my locker for these) seem to hold loads of gas, but they're a chunk more cash that Gas-low / Gas-it ?


P.S - not managed to look in my gas locker, but how do I end up with this 'both connected' set up as per the photo above ?

Paul

 

[Reallyretired]

I have 2x11kg Alugas as my locker won't take the larger 14kg, but in practice this is more than enough. In the spring, summer and autumn in Europe we seem to average around 2kg a day. We are not particularly sparing in gas use, water heating on 24/7 except on tunnel and refueling. The fridge is a large one and probably uses more gas than anything else especially if temperature is in the 30s. SWMBO does quite a lot of cooking and uses the oven a lot.
We have a couple of LPG garages locally but more often fill up in France or Spain as we don't tour in the UK. I like to buy LPG in the UK when feasible though because it is 100% Propane, whereas in Spain, being warmer, it is a mixture of Propane and Butane.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I lost my nearest LPG source when countrywide went belly up but have three separate sources - 2 BP and 1 Texaco within striking distance. Lucky enough to have a 70 litre underslung tank so don’t worry too much about it. Fill up whenever convenient and passing an outlet. A couple of useful websites as referred to above give prices etc and are reasonably up to date

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[Paul J]

I think I'll speak to Todds where I bought the van from, see if they suggest any particular make / method. Obviously the underslung tank would be favourite.... but I can't see that being cheap, so, I'm quite likely favouring the Gaslow / Gas-it set up (Alugas large bottle won't fit, it's too high, and that system is more pricey than perhaps I need)

 

[Paul J]

I've tried to attach a photo of my regulator, is this type going to be suitable to have the two bottles both connected (or be made to be able to ?)

you add a sort of 'double adaptor' ?

thanks

 

[Cairngorm]

I lost my nearest LPG source when countrywide went belly up but have three separate sources - 2 BP and 1 Texaco within striking distance. Lucky enough to have a 70 litre underslung tank so don’t worry too much about it. Fill up whenever convenient and passing an outlet. A couple of useful websites as referred to above give prices etc and are reasonably up to date

I am astonished that your tank is 70litres as I’m struggling to fit 38 litres for ground clearance issues.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I am astonished that your tank is 70litres as I’m struggling to fit 38 litres for ground clearance issues.

So was I. It is on a Merc 519 which sits high being RWD. it is fitted longitudinally

 

[Reallyretired]

I've tried to attach a photo of my regulator, is this type going to be suitable to have the two bottles both connected (or be made to be able to ?)

you add a sort of 'double adaptor' ?

thanks

You can just add a 'T' piece to the top of the regulator and use the bottle valves to change over or get a manual or auto changeover regulator.

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[Paul J]

Perfect thank you for all the questions, I’m sure this is simple stuff to most, but it’s surprisingly baffling when trying to search answers from online, peoples help and advice is so much better !

 

[pandas]

how much does !

I have Gas low fitted I have a large 13kg fitted with a small 6kg as emergency, I roughly work it out that with a large fridge, cooking and hot water we use approx. 1ltr a day, we have been away for eight weeks in Scotland and had no problem in getting LPG we use the APP on the phone fill LPG
regards
whiskeymac

1 ltr related to 6kg?

 

[Happyhammer]

Hi guys, I've probably posted about this previously. Having had a motorhome around 20 years ago, of similar size to my current one, and using exactly the same (6k Propane ?) bottles, I'm surprised at how much gas I'm getting through, even in summer. I'll be honest, we're often not on a site, and when we are, we don't use the electric, we also cook in the van, and heat the water on gas. We are however, super economical, we put reasonable thought into when we should use the heating, it's turned off when we leave the van, and we don't leave the water heater on, or the fridge on full cold. We're lucky to get much more than two short weekend breaks in the middle of summer out of one bottle. Maybe I'm just plain unrealistic ?

so..... my gas supplier doesn't keep larger bottles in propane, and is Butane a different screw-on fitment *** ? pressure ? or, there was a reason why I'd never managed to use larger bottles in this or the last motorhome ?

to LPG : I've seen the 'Gas-It' kit and would fit one of their larger plastic type bottles, think it was £150ish ? and would quite likely pay for itself in convenience and cost of the fuel, the other bottle would just be kept as spare.

however, when I've looked online, whilst I can find some LPG filling stations, they seem a bit thin on the ground, is LPG dying out, or will it die out ? is it going to be worth an LPG kit ?

many thanks for reading, any comments much appreciated

Paul


*** I never used Butane previously because I believe it's not as good at cold temperatures ? however, if more readily available in the larger (11kgish ?) size, then I could keep one for summer use ? (unless the LPG kit works out)

 

[Happyhammer]

Hi, we have a Gas-it system with a 38l bottle under the vehicle. We fill it up via LPG pump at Morrison’s petrol station next door to the liberty stadium in Swansea. It’s the closest for us in Llanelli ( 10miles away )

 

[Paul J]

What kind of price is a 38ltr underslung tank vs the conventional gas-locker bottles ?

thanks

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[peterc10]

Alugas bottles are made of aluminium not steel so are lighter. That is why they are more expensive. Could be worth it if you have problems with payload.

 

[Happyhammer]

Not sure, my dealer put it under before I received it. It cost me £15 to fill it

 

[Jaws]

how much does !

1 ltr related to 6kg?

Its about 2 litres per kilogram

 

[Khizzie]

Hi guys, I've probably posted about this previously. Having had a motorhome around 20 years ago, of similar size to my current one, and using exactly the same (6k Propane ?) bottles, I'm surprised at how much gas I'm getting through, even in summer. I'll be honest, we're often not on a site, and when we are, we don't use the electric, we also cook in the van, and heat the water on gas. We are however, super economical, we put reasonable thought into when we should use the heating, it's turned off when we leave the van, and we don't leave the water heater on, or the fridge on full cold. We're lucky to get much more than two short weekend breaks in the middle of summer out of one bottle. Maybe I'm just plain unrealistic ?

so..... my gas supplier doesn't keep larger bottles in propane, and is Butane a different screw-on fitment *** ? pressure ? or, there was a reason why I'd never managed to use larger bottles in this or the last motorhome ?

to LPG : I've seen the 'Gas-It' kit and would fit one of their larger plastic type bottles, think it was £150ish ? and would quite likely pay for itself in convenience and cost of the fuel, the other bottle would just be kept as spare.

however, when I've looked online, whilst I can find some LPG filling stations, they seem a bit thin on the ground, is LPG dying out, or will it die out ? is it going to be worth an LPG kit ?

many thanks for reading, any comments much appreciated

Paul


*** I never used Butane previously because I believe it's not as good at cold temperatures ? however, if more readily available in the larger (11kgish ?) size, then I could keep one for summer use ? (unless the LPG kit works out)

Two 6kg lasts me most of the summer and I am out and about most of the time, don't often use the heating on gas as normally on sites and ehu.. I am tempted to say you have a small leak somewhere as the amount you are using seems to be excessive.

 

[Cairngorm]

What kind of price is a 38ltr underslung tank vs the conventional gas-locker bottles ?

thanks

Roughly over a £1000 for underslung and £650 for Alugas (2&11kg) and fitting.

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