Where do you get your gas canisters from? (1 Viewer)

[Diggerdi]

We're picking our new motorhome up next week and asked about gas canisters. Hayes will provide us with a 6kg canister (at a charge!), but the motorhome holds 2 x 13kg. On looking at the website for our local gas supplier, their deposit is £30 regardless of size, so if we take the 6kg one, will we be able to exchange that for a 13kg refill without paying any extra deposit?

Regarding the title of my thread, where do you all get your gas from? Dedicated gas suppliers, B & Q, petrol stations or do you go to a camping/caravan supplies place? Do the prices vary greatly? Our local supplier, Cheshire Gas, charges £19.50 for a 12kg propane + £30 deposit.

 

[EX51SSS]

Usually canisters are small. Think you're talking about cylinders.
Anyway, Calor is available throughout the country but more expensive. Your local gas suppliers will probably be cheaper but it may only be exchangeable with them. Calor deposits reduce after the first year then eventually you get nothing back as a deposit. Other companies usually give money back years later. See if there are any 6kg cylinders on eBay either full or empty as when I had refillable cylinders fitted, I sold mine on there
Calor will exchange 6 for 13 and vice versa

 

[canopus]

Calor seem to have a monopoly and prices are pretty much the same wherever you buy from and their prices are prohibitive . If you find you are 'smitten' with motorhoming then many people have Gaslow or similar systems fitted. £800 approx (2 x 13Kg's) but then you fill up your own refillable cylinders, and provided you use your van often, i.e. in winter, it wont take long to recoup your initial outlay, and gas will cost a fraction of the cost of replacement cylinders.

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[Alistair33]

Your local council tip is usually a good source in exchange for 'beer money'

 

[EX51SSS]

Calor seem to have a monopoly and prices are pretty much the same wherever you buy from and their prices are prohibitive . If you find you are 'smitten' with motorhoming then many people have Gaslow or similar systems fitted. £800 approx (2 x 13Kg's) but then you fill up your own refillable cylinders, and provided you use your van often, i.e. in winter, it wont take long to recoup your initial outlay, and gas will cost a fraction of the cost of replacement cylinders.

I can certainly second @canopus. Last time we exchanged, it cost nearly £60 for 2 cylinders. The same equivalent time abroad the year after with Gaslow, it cost £9.92. We didn't use it much then but overall I reckon it's the best investment I ever made after the Moho.
It's greatest asset is the convenience of filling up virtually anywhere rather than getting your money back and the cylinders are transferable if you change your Moho

 

[TheBig1]

i havent paid a deposit for a cylinder for years. either pick up part full from the tip or local paper/website (freecycle) alternatively gasit refillable systems, which are much better from about £150 (single cylinder)

from many years of experience, replacement cylinders always run out when most inconvenient. changing a cylinder in the rain in the dark is not fun. then you have to seek out a supplier local to where you are camping and pray they have a full cylinder of the correct size. there are less suppliers about than there used to be

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[TheBig1]

i havent paid a deposit for a cylinder for years. either pick up part full from the tip or local paper/website (freecycle) alternatively gasit refillable systems, which are much better from about £150 (single cylinder)

from many years of experience, replacement cylinders always run out when most inconvenient. changing a cylinder in the rain in the dark is not fun. then you have to seek out a supplier local to where you are camping and pray they have a full cylinder of the correct size. there are less suppliers about than there used to be

 

[Gellyneck]

Get mine from GO Outdoors.

Be aware there are both butane (blue) and propane (red) version of Calor Gas cylinders for motorhomes.
There are also various sizes, as you're aware.
You can also get a Lite version of the propane 6kg cylinder.
Note, propane and butane can both be used in a motorhome but they require different regulators.
Have a look at Calor's website - https://www.calor.co.uk/ for options \ safety \ etc.

If you are thinking of going abroad be aware Calor refills are, generally, not available and the local gas cylinders use other different regulators!

Other main cylinder supplier is FloGas who have stockists throughout the UK but not to the same extent as Calor. https://www.flogas.co.uk/

There will be other points \ topics I've missed that others will be along shortly to add.

 

[Brisey]

It's another recommendation for a refillable system from me.
We have filled ours in Spain, Italy, Belgium France and Germany without any problems.
The initial outlay is soon recouped.
Gas low is the way to go.
Brisey.

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[mitzimad]

just fitted an alugas in mine to thirty mins to fit just need a couple of hole saw and spanners
http://www.autogasshop.co.uk/alugas-refillable-lightweight-11kg-mv-single-cylinder-kit-966-p.asp
they do other sizes depends what fits your locker the lifting ring on the top is removable to get the biggest in you can
if you have a bulkhead regulator you can use a different pigtail for bottles abroad which is why ive gone for just one bottle leaving a spare space

 

[Khizzie]

Get mine from GO Outdoors.

Be aware there are both butane (blue) and propane (red) version of Calor Gas cylinders for motorhomes.
There are also various sizes, as you're aware.
You can also get a Lite version of the propane 6kg cylinder.
Note, propane and butane can both be used in a motorhome but they require different regulators.
Have a look at Calor's website - https://www.calor.co.uk/ for options \ safety \ etc.

If you are thinking of going abroad be aware Calor refills are, generally, not available and the local gas cylinders use other different regulators!

Other main cylinder supplier is FloGas who have stockists throughout the UK but not to the same extent as Calor. https://www.flogas.co.uk/

There will be other points \ topics I've missed that others will be along shortly to add.

Yes get mine from Go outdoors as well.. Much cheaper than caravan stores or campsites .

 

[Camping Gaza]

Get yourself off to the Gas it website and get refillable.

http://www.gasit.co.uk/

Dead easy to install or if you can't do it yourself go to a dealer and get the other ones fitted, Gas Low. Don't pratt about with exchange ones on a brand new motorhome they are a pain, get a manual or auto changeover and refill when one bottle runs out at a petrol station that does autogas.

Keep your 6kg bottle and get yourself a hose that connects to your bottle and fill point for emergency use if you use up all your gas and you cant find autogas (not that you will ever need it) That way you are totally covered and could even camp on the moon!

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[movan]

Refillable system from Thirsk in Yorkshire ... can someone remind me of their name please .. AutoGas something.

It cost me £7 to fill my 13 kg cylinder ...

 

[EX51SSS]

Apparently it is fairly easy to fit but I certainly wouldn't but that's me. There's a guy in Bamber Bridge that fits Gaslow (possibly others too). Phil at Rhinoinstalls. He's well recommended.

 

[Camping Gaza]

Fitted mine myself its just a question of a spanner and a place to mount the fill point. I put mine in the locker. You simply connect the bottles then the pigtails to the regulator ( I changed my standard to the autochangeover, removed two mounting screws and a simple swap)

Its so easy even you could do it EX51SS, Blindfolded and with one arm behind your back!

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[EX51SSS]

Fitted mine myself its just a question of a spanner and a place to mount the fill point. I put mine in the locker. You simply connect the bottles then the pigtails to the regulator ( I changed my standard to the autochangeover, removed two mounting screws and a simple swap)

Its so easy even you could do it EX51SS, Blindfolded and with one arm behind your back!

Believe me @Camping Gaza, yes I could probably fit it but there's no way I'd trust it. Believe me. I could fill the Daily smile thread with my attempts at DIY.
However, I'd try but I'd have to be say in Hull whilst you tested it (without checking). I reckon I'd overtake Usain

 

[EX51SSS]

Apparently it is fairly easy to fit but I certainly wouldn't but that's me. There's a guy in Bamber Bridge that fits Gaslow (possibly others too). Phil at Rhinoinstalls. He's well recommended.

As far as I know but not confirmed, he still does mobile fitting too.

 

[canopus]

Refillable system from Thirsk in Yorkshire ... can someone remind me of their name please .. AutoGas something.

It cost me £7 to fill my 13 kg cylinder ...

Autogas 2000 at Carlton Minniot just outside Thirsk.

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[Camping Gaza]

I reckon I'd overtake Usain

Like that bloke after jumping out of an aeroplane asked the other bloke, "Do you know anything about parachutes? No, said the other bloke... Do you know anything about gas cookers...?

 

[Emmit]

Message to the OP.
Since as you are in Madchester (sic) ring BCS Manchester in Rochdale.
Ask them to fit you a refillable bottle (or two)
They won't charge the earth and you'll be fixed without going on a long journey.
Tel No. is 01706 377005 or Mob. 07831 779838
You may notice that I live in Cornwall. The Avatar is the 'van we bought at BCS three yrs. ago. Not one minute of regret since (and tell them I said so.)

 

[Minxy]

If you want 2 x 13kg Calor cylinders (full) it will cost you around £68 each = £136, for not much more you can get a single refillable system and then buy cheaper gas ... if you really wanted you could have a smaller Calor etc as a back-up just to be safe and you can usually pick them up at car boot sales etc cheap ... certainly a LOT cheaper than getting one from Calor direct!

This is the way I'd go now if I had to start again as I certainly wouldn't want to be 'stuck' with just exchange cylinders at the extortionate cost.

It isn't difficult to install a refillable cylinder either so don't let that put you off.

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[EX51SSS]

If you want 2 x 13kg Calor cylinders (full) it will cost you around £68 each = £136, for not much more you can get a single refillable system and then buy cheaper gas ... if you really wanted you could have a smaller Calor etc as a back-up just to be safe and you can usually pick them up at car boot sales etc cheap ... certainly a LOT cheaper than getting one from Calor direct!

This is the way I'd go now if I had to start again as I certainly wouldn't want to be 'stuck' with just exchange cylinders at the extortionate cost.

It isn't difficult to install a refillable cylinder either so don't let that put you off.

 

[Minxy]

Forgot to add earlier, if you intend to spend any time abroad having a refillable system will be a godsend as you won't have to worry about if you've taken enough 'UK' gas cylinders with you to last!

 

[tonka]

For me I did the maths and re-fillable wasn't worth it...
Dont use enough plus i often have Spanish bottles and the gas there is a lot cheaper.

If you want a couple of bottles, full and cheap to get you going try these....

http://gasdeal.co.uk/13kg-butane-gas-cylinder/

2 x 13kg of butane inc bottles for £42

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[Minxy]

Cheap single refillable system:

Refillable system square filler

Refillable system round filler

 

[Khizzie]

Amazing isn't it th OP asks where do you get your gas from and he gets told that he should fit a refillable system and very few answers to his actual question . Maybe he doesn't want a refillable system or cannot justify the cost for his limited use all he wanted to know was where do others get their cylinders from . . I am aware some will jump on me for saying that but I don't care .lol.

 

[EX51SSS]

Amazing isn't it th OP asks where do you get your gas from and he gets told that he should fit a refillable system and very few answers to his actual question . Maybe he doesn't want a refillable system or cannot justify the cost for his limited use all he wanted to know was where do others get their cylinders from . . I am aware some will jump on me for saying that but I don't care .lol.

That's very true and it has grown arms and legs to divert to a different area but in saying that, I think (and I'm as guilty as others) members are expressing their own experiences throughout the years.
The reason for my input was that it took me probably 6 years to decide and I really did have to justify the outlay etc. I eventually took the plunge and decided to have refillable fitted.
There are other 'additions' that we look at and, certainly from my point of view, I have to justify the item/cost.
I cannot justify satellite tv and I cannot justify solar panels either but there are others whose viewpoint and justification is at the opposite end of the spectrum.
The OP's question was answered to a degree but, starting out as a suggestion, members put their experiences to the thread which of course is open to everyone, not just the OP.
Don't mind me, I'm probably rambling

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[Lenny HB]

Amazing isn't it th OP asks where do you get your gas from and he gets told that he should fit a refillable system and very few answers to his actual question . Maybe he doesn't want a refillable system or cannot justify the cost for his limited use all he wanted to know was where do others get their cylinders from . . I am aware some will jump on me for saying that but I don't care .lol.

I got the impression the OP is newbe and probably did not know about refillable, as far I can see all good advice. Anyway who wants to lug heavy cylinders about when you can do it the easy way.

 

[EX51SSS]

I got the impression the OP is newbe and probably did not know about refillable, as far I can see all good advice. Anyway who wants to lug heavy cylinders about when you can do it the easy way.

I'm not sure there is much weight saving overall. I used Calor and BP Lite and cylinders were light when empty.

 

[mitzimad]

its not about cost for most of us but convenience none of us are getting any younger and its amazing how those bottles get heavier each year