Propane and butane

[Sooz52]

I’m finding it challenging to find propane, I have Cepsa bottles so it seems I’m limited to them. I’ve phoned round all in my area and none have propane. It’s a 30 min drive for the nearest which has it.
My question is, does it matter for the MH? Can I just interchange any time?

 

[Gellyneck]

I’m finding it challenging to find propane, I have Cepsa bottles so it seems I’m limited to them. I’ve phoned round all in my area and none have propane. It’s a 30 min drive for the nearest which has it.
My question is, does it matter for the MH? Can I just interchange any time?

You may have to change the regulator \ bottle connector.

 

[2657]

You may have to change the regulator \ bottle connector.

Not in Spain, same regulator or adaptor.

 

[shawn&emma]

i know with Repsol both use the same regulator possibly the same with yours. Butane will generally only be a problem if your in a colder enviroment, lower freezing temparture. Check some of the side streets in the villages/towns quite often a small shop/bar will sell gas as well.

 

[nicholsong]

If it is a fairly recent MH it will have a 30Mb regulator mounted on a bulkhead which can accet either butane or propane. The old regulators for butane were 28(?) Mb for butane and 37Mb for propane.

Even now that it is getting a bit warmer, but not at night, you are better off with propane which gasses at lower temperature, at which butane will not. So heating and fridge/freezer could stop working at night

Geoff

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[Burgo]

My question is, does it matter for the MH? Can I just interchange any time?

Cepsa or Repsol bombonas are the same fitting for butano or propano. We have a bulkhead fitted regulator and swap at will. Prefer to use propane as it makes the cadac run a bit less fierce and is more frost proof if we go up to Sierra Nevada , but if we can't get it we whack a butane one in. Never had a problem, though, as always YMMV.

 

[bobandjanie]

The Cepsa garage here in Javea, will not sell anyone any gas bottles, they will not come out of the kiosk, I've have also seen cigarette machines have been emptied, ? don't know if desperate smokers have been breaking into them. ? ? Bob.

 

[Lot lover]

You may have to change jets. This comment is based on the fact that when we bought our domestic gas cooker n years ago it was delivered with spare set in case we switched to propane.

But do your own research.

 

[Burgo]

You may have to change jets. This comment is based on the fact that when we bought our domestic gas cooker n years ago it was delivered with spare set in case we switched to propane.

But do your own research.

That was probably because there is a big difference between natural gas and LPGs such as butane or propane. We had to change the jets (and adjust the by pass air) on our cooker when we moved here as it was originally natural gas in the UK, but here we run it on butane. The difference between butane and propane is hardly worth the candle in changing the pressure / jets. Please nb that I am not a gas man and that is only based on my experience, but I am very risk adverse to blowing myself up!!!

 

[Sooz52]

Ok I’ll stick with propane. The boyfriend’s going past there anyway (courier in food business) so he can swap it I hope...
Thanks for the comments.

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[Scotsblood]

In times past I did a lot of hiking, the only time we had issues with small butane cylinder stoves was in persistent sub zero conditions. Just keeping the cylinder a bit warmer leaving it in the rucksack overnight was normally enough and for really cold nights placing it in the warm sleeping bag when you got out warmed it to the point where it would work reliably.
Within the temperate climate of a motorhome locker and considering the volume of gas in a mh type cylinder I wonder if the difference would really be noticeable unless you had long spells below butane’s boiling point of -2C.

 

[Geo]

Ok I’ll stick with propane. The boyfriend’s going past there anyway (courier in food business) so he can swap it I hope...
Thanks for the comments.

You can use either Propane or Butane if the connections are the same, you wont notice any difference

 

[jumar]

In Spain, Butane and Propane cylinder connections are the same, if you have a 30mb bulkhead regulator, then you need a cylinder connector via a pigtale to the bulkhead regulator.....the hose is normally black rubber or armoured.
If you are working at cylinder pressure via a Regulator on top of the cylinder, then its normally connected into the system via a reduced pressure hose, here in Spain its Orange...
Some outlets are reluctant to sell you Propane if you haven't got a Propane contract, some will.
When I had a MH with Cepsa cylinders I swapped them as the season dictated, this never caused me a problem during the 10 years I had that MH.....moving on, I now have Autogas in our current MH
Sorry, "What was the question" We are on lockdown here in Spain.

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Out of curiosity, are the Cepsa and Repsol connections the same ?

I have the orange propane Repsol cylinders and they are quite heavy even when empty. I don;t have a contract and have no problems exchanging them. Are the silver coloured Cepsa cylinders that much lighter ?

 

[Sooz52]

Out of curiosity, are the Cepsa and Repsol connections the same ?

I have the orange propane Repsol cylinders and they are quite heavy even when empty. I don;t have a contract and have no problems exchanging them. Are the silver coloured Cepsa cylinders that much lighter ?

I shall check next time I need to change

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[jumar]

Out of curiosity, are the Cepsa and Repsol connections the same ?

I have the orange propane Repsol cylinders and they are quite heavy even when empty. I don;t have a contract and have no problems exchanging them. Are the silver coloured Cepsa cylinders that much lighter ?

Yes the are, and the same goes for the Cepsa light grey bodied with red plastic upper part.....the same cylinder with the blue upper part is the one used for Propane......All with the same connection here in Spain.

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Will have a look on wallapop, milanuncios and the rasto's when they eventually reopen -

Jumar, any idea how much these grey Cepsa bottles weigh empty and are the silver ones propane or butane and what's the difference between the grey and the silver ? Thanks !

 

[jumar]

Will have a look on wallapop, milanuncios and the rasto's when they eventually reopen -

Jumar, any idea how much these grey Cepsa bottles weigh empty and are the silver ones propane or butane and what's the difference between the grey and the silver ? Thanks !

Many year ago, Cepsa came on the market as competition for Repsol.
Cepsa introduced a shiny aluminium Butane cylinder, much lighter than Repsol....great for motorhomes, however the Propane remained in the heavy drawn steel cylinders, but to avoid confusion, were grey in colour. but just as heavy as Repsol.
As years passed, Cepsa and Repsol introduced lighter cylinders.....Cepsa introduced a lighter steel cylinder, with the plastic upper....both for Butane and Propane.....The shiny silver weighs 8kg when empty....thats what is stamped on the shoulder of the one I use for my BBQ here on my patio. Hope this helps.

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Thanks Martin,

I'm hoping I can exchange my Repsol oranges for Cespa's blues without any contract or additional payment, is it that easy ?

 

[jumar]

Thanks Martin,

I'm hoping I can exchange my Repsol oranges for Cespa's blues without any contract or additional payment, is it that easy ?

I really cannot answer that, let me know how you get on.

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[Sooz52]

I managed to get a CEPSA propane change but now holed up in a friend’s local for the lockdown.

 

[Burgo]

ut of curiosity, are the Cepsa and Repsol connections the same ?

The connections are but nb the lightweight silver Cepsa cylinders have a rail which runs right around the top. Because we've got a truma rupture valve cutoff in our high pressure hose immediately after the jumbo cylinder connector we can't use them as it fouls the rail. Repsol ones are OK as they just have two handles rather than the rail.

 

[jumar]

The connections are but nb the lightweight silver Cepsa cylinders have a rail which runs right around the top. Because we've got a truma rupture valve cutoff in our high pressure hose immediately after the jumbo cylinder connector we can't use them as it fouls the rail. Repsol ones are OK as they just have two handles rather than the rail.

Correct, the later Cepsa cylinders with the pastic upper body are more suited to your setup.

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Thanks for that, my gas locker is a bit tight for space and I was wondering about the height of these cylinders with the plastic top, are they the same height as the Repsol ones ?

 

[jumar]

Thanks for that, my gas locker is a bit tight for space and I was wondering about the height of these cylinders with the plastic top, are they the same height as the Repsol ones ?

Hi, cannot offer you an answer to that, take a look before taking the plunge .....

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[SandraL]

If you are tight for locker space check the diameter too. We found the lighter weight cylinders were slightly fatter than a normal repsol orange cylinder, not much but if its tight.......

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Thanks, that gives me something to research

 

[Sooz52]

I’ve found out that CEPSA do the rounds delivering here on a Tuesday... I just have to catch the truck next week to ask him to load up Propane for when I run out.