Red calor gas bottle

[derekdillon]

Hello people.im derek from birmingham.
Just a quick question ive just bought a camper.
Its got a red calor gas bottle in it..
Is this the right gas for campers.
I
Thought id ask here as your the experts.

 

[kevenh]

Yes, red bottles are propane.
Blue ones are butane. Also suitable but has a different (worse) lower operational temperature that in the UK and colder places would effect.

 

[PP Bear]

Welcome, yes its the red cylinders which are able to deliver gas at a much lower outside temp than the blue butane can.

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[Badknee]

Sounds like propane, butane is in a blue bottle. Propane works at lower temps so is good for winter but has a different regulator than butane. Check the regulator fits the bottle

Edit, must learn to type faster

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Yes ,it will be a propane bottle and correct for your camper van. You just exchange the bottle at calor or some supermarket outlets or even garden centres. Be prepared to pay from £30 to £40 to exchange it.
You can buy gauges to determine how much gas you have left in the bottle but the cheaper ones are not that reliable.They can be weighed to check the contents but it's a faff to do.
If you only have one bottle you will always run the risk of running out or swapping a part full bottle.
A 6kg bottle holds around 12 litres which usually should last 10 -14 days if you just use it for fridge and hob use.
Best of luck and enjoy your van.

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[derekdillon]

Brilliant thanks..bloke at work said i have the wrong bottle..he obviousley know nothing..and yes a guage would be a good idea..thanks people..

 

[derekdillon]

You know what,ive just ordered a guage regulater off amazon for £12..thanks for the tip..

 

[Terry]

You know what,ive just ordered a guage regulater off amazon for £12..thanks for the tip..View attachment 656072

Keep an eye on it because they go from full to empty very fast ,ie show full for days then start to move to empty, then empty over a day

 

[poppycamper]

I was

Keep an eye on it because they go from full to empty very fast ,ie show full for days then start to move to empty, then empty over a day

I am Under the impression that these sort of gauges measure the pressure in bottle and not contents level and therefore are useless at determining amount of gas in bottle.
Thus why they go from full to empty very quickly.
Only true way to determine amount of gas in bottle is to weigh it.

 

[PP Bear]

You know what,ive just ordered a guage regulater off amazon for £12..thanks for the tip..View attachment 656072

I think you’ll find that this won’t be suitable for you and the motorhome. While it has a pigtail one end, the other is to slip on an orange (usually) hose. To be any good it would need a male end pigtail, as in the picture and a female end pig tale so that you can then attach the male pigtale from your motorhome gas set up.

Personally I wouldn’t be fitting this as part of the main gas supply. Would also be an issue in a shunt, unless you physically turn off the system before you drive, which no one does.

If it’s important to you, then I’d follow this route and by a trusted manufacturer.

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[PP Bear]

You know what,ive just ordered a guage regulater off amazon for £12..thanks for the tip..View attachment 656072

As another thought, most of us travel with 2 cylinders. I personally have 2 x 13kg onboard. When one eventually runs out, I switch over and then plan on a replacement as part of my journeys.

Do you only have the single cyclinder as that would be limiting. Some have a large cylinder (11 or13kg) and then a smaller 6kg as the back up.

Incidently, there also appears to be a huge shortage of the 6kg cylinders for some reason or another.

 

[kevenh]

Would also be an issue in a shunt, unless you physically turn off the system before you drive, which no one does.

Didn't know that people found it hard to turn the gas off when driving.
We do
It's safer to cook when stationary

 

[PP Bear]

Didn't know that people found it hard to turn the gas off when driving.
We do
It's safer to cook when stationary

You may laugh and well done if you do. Some of us have systems fitted that will shut down gas in the event of an accident and it’s perfectly acceptable to travel with it on. It’s probably in your vehicles handbook too.

Well done on and I need not have wasted my time in researching for you

 

[kevenh]

You may laugh and well done if you do. Some of us have systems fitted that will shut down gas in the event of an accident and it’s perfectly acceptable to travel with it on. It’s probably in your vehicles handbook too.

Well done on and I need not have wasted my time in researching for you

yy
"Would also be an issue in a shunt, unless you physically turn off the system before you drive, which no one does." looked light on the info on the auto shut off.
Thanks for adding the clarification.
Our regulator/gas fittings are just basic jobbies.

 

[SueandAndy]

Pour kettle of hot water over side of gas bottle. Then feel the difference in temperature- it'll be really cold at the point where the gas is.

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[Jimbohorlicks]

You know what,ive just ordered a guage regulater off amazon for £12..thanks for the tip..View attachment 656072

Hi this is not the correct regulator, you don't need to be the gas bottle you have already should be connected to the motorhome regulator which is bolted to the wall of your gas locker with a hose connected to your propane bottle there are no loose joints in the hose. The one you are showing is usually used on an outdoor camping type cooker..
You can but ultrasonic type gauges that measure the gas level in the bottle and magnetic ones but all are not that good at advising the true amount of gas left
As said best to get another bottle and just have one switched on and use till it runs out then switch to the other and exchange the mt one when you have the opportunity.

 

[FanHope]

Yes ,it will be a propane bottle and correct for your camper van. You just exchange the bottle at calor or some supermarket outlets or even garden centres. Be prepared to pay from £30 to £40 to exchange it.
You can buy gauges to determine how much gas you have left in the bottle but the cheaper ones are not that reliable.They can be weighed to check the contents but it's a faff to do.
If you only have one bottle you will always run the risk of running out or swapping a part full bottle.
A 6kg bottle holds around 12 litres which usually should last 10 -14 days if you just use it for fridge and hob use.
Best of luck and enjoy your van.

Hi, I am about to buy a motorhome to live full time starting from this December (2022).
I have started an excel sheet to assess the cost and was hoping you could help with the energy cost?
The motorhome is a bessacar e435 from 2005 and has 2x gas bottles (not sure the kg yet). Could you please tell me how often do you refill the gas bottles, how often you have to go to a camping for electricity/water...
I will use gas for shower, hob/oven, heating.

Many thanks
Fan

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Hi ,1 litre of gas usually keeps the fridge running and some gas hob use for a week.if you heat the van with gas it will use a lot more and also if you have the hot water on gas .
Are your gas bottles refillable or calor. Whichever it's best to close one and run the other till its empty, if calor you can then exchange that at leisure knowing you have a full bottle to use. If refillable just top up whenever you see an lpg pump.
You should look at the deisel heaters for heating your van as if your full time in your van you don't want to be running out of gas and deis although expensive at the moment is more readily available.

 

[Swifter]

Hi, I am about to buy a motorhome to live full time starting from this December (2022).
I have started an excel sheet to assess the cost and was hoping you could help with the energy cost?
The motorhome is a bessacar e435 from 2005 and has 2x gas bottles (not sure the kg yet). Could you please tell me how often do you refill the gas bottles, how often you have to go to a camping for electricity/water...
I will use gas for shower, hob/oven, heating.

Many thanks
Fan

How often you need to refill will depend on usage. Currently away and only used gas for fridge and breakfast then one meal in the oven . Haven’t needed the heating at all .

 

[Lenny HB]

In late spring and early autumn we use just under a kilo a day.

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