For the Newbies,

[Hutch]

A question for our Newbies to the Forum, Now you have your new vans, or will have soon, what type of gas bottles have you been advised to have by your dealers, ?
Happy touring folks, and where are you off to.
Hutch.

 

[mdhuxford]

We were offered a starter pack with our van and accessories, it included a 6kg propane bottle.

 

[Dustydog]

Go your local council waste disposal site. Ask for an old propane 6kg cylinder. They have dozens. Slip the guy a fiver . Then off to any Calor Gas dealer or depot and for the going rate they will swap it for a fully filled and tested cylinder.
This will save you the ridiculous non returnable old fashioned rental agreement fee. B) Thus you now have two cylinders and will not get caught out of gas!

 

[Craigyoung]

Thanks for that tip !
I'm going to keep that in mind for when I start to run low !

 

[Hutch]

I take it Mark it was a Calor ( heavy) not the lite,
Dusty you'll have the Prof coming down on you for illegeal transactions
Hutch

 

[mdhuxford]

Yes its the heavy one.

Come on Hutch, its still recycling

 

[Dustydog]

Nothing illegal at all. :evil: Turn a blind eye
When did anyone ever ask to see my " Calor Gas Rental Agreement" which like a fool I bought in 1978. Never seen it again and they never had databases in those days.
Much better to make use of someones cast off and reduce the land fill Ha ha :cheer: :cheer:

BTW they never had Lite back then and so far I've been lucky not to be restricted on nose weight loading..

 

[Craigyoung]

Anything to save a few ££££££ !

 

[Hutch]

I have managed to get a fresh lite down in Hertford, last weekend, must admit, never really noticed a great amount of nose weight difference, when I change over. Just either empty the water heater or fill the toilet flush, and use as a balance. Or move the awning about inside the van, keeping the nose about 80 kgs. And I don't weigh the van any more , just know by lifting the hitch without doing my back in.
Hutch.

 

[Martin24]

Hutch, hutch, hutch, You may find yourself in trouble for that comment about lifting for nose weight. I suggested it was acceptable a few years ago and had to go into hiding for 6 months.

 

[Hutch]

I had better clarify myself before crusifiction, having put all of the gear into the caravan, except cloths, took it to a weigh bridge and got the total weight, got a pair of scales, and checked the nose weight, with two full gas bottles, move items around to get the nose weight to about 80 kg, where my van tows best, and check to see how hard it is to lift the hitch. After that I can guesstimate in the future if I have something out of stowage. When leaving sites.
Hutch.

 

[Martin24]

Good boy :lol:

 

[Raywood]

Go your local council waste disposal site. Ask for an old propane 6kg cylinder. They have dozens. Slip the guy a fiver . Then off to any Calor Gas dealer or depot and for the going rate they will swap it for a fully filled and tested cylinder.
This will save you the ridiculous non returnable old fashioned rental agreement fee. B) Thus you now have two cylinders and will not get caught out of gas!

It did surprise me just how many cylinders were left at the waste disposal site near us when we visited it. I have not tried to buy one there but they are worth visiting if you need a cylinder.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I would be surprised if the waste disposal site will allow you to purchase one, as by having left one with the council it become council property and it can only be disposed of in accordance with council rules.

It is unlikely they will sell you one because by selling it they become responsible under the CRA and any faults or dangerous situations could rebound on the council.

Secondly if the bottle is on of Calor's, or any other company that technically hires or leases bottles, the council has no right to sell the bottle and you will be guilty of receiving stolen or commissioning a crime.

Thirdly if a council employee or subcontractor sells the bottle they have effectively stolen it from the council and that is gross misconduct and a dismissable offence.

 

[Lynnybobs]

We are getting a starter pack with our van so not sure yet what gas bottle we will be given.
I have had an empty gas bottle from the local recycling centre before though - they didn't charge me but just said if I needed one and I could see one I wanted to take it.
Surely thats just recycling which is what they do ?
They let people take old furniture for renovation/upcycling too as thats very popular now.
The dealers have offered us a one night stay on their campsite for the first night to make sure we are happy that everything is OK and they will help us get started so will deffo be taking that up.
Must make sure we have lots of cold snacks just in case we can't get the gas working

 

[Hutch]

Have a great time Lynnybobs, I am sure all will go well,
Hutch

 

[Hutch]

Proff, I know you are correct on the laws on items such as gas bottles , but if the companies, (Calor) cannot provied their document, for your joint agreement. What then !!!. Collect a bottle and exchange, . Deal done In our area RMK , the folks are always ready to recycle things for £ Notes. . Sorry Proff not all folks are as Honest as yourself. .
Hutch

 

[Dustydog]

I would be surprised if the waste disposal site will allow you to purchase one, as by having left one with the council it become council property and it can only be disposed of in accordance with council rules.

It is unlikely they will sell you one because by selling it they become responsible under the CRA and any faults or dangerous situations could rebound on the council.

Secondly if the bottle is on of Calor's, or any other company that technically hires or leases bottles, the council has no right to sell the bottle and you will be guilty of receiving stolen or commissioning a crime.

Thirdly if a council employee or subcontractor sells the bottle they have effectively stolen it from the council and that is gross misconduct and a dismissable offence.

Prof John my old dog. Where have you been??????
For decades the operative at the "waste dump " has been getting "perks of the job".
It is so easy!.

 

[MichaelE]

I would be surprised if the waste disposal site will allow you to purchase one, as by having left one with the council it become council property and it can only be disposed of in accordance with council rules.

It is unlikely they will sell you one because by selling it they become responsible under the CRA and any faults or dangerous situations could rebound on the council.

Secondly if the bottle is on of Calor's, or any other company that technically hires or leases bottles, the council has no right to sell the bottle and you will be guilty of receiving stolen or commissioning a crime.

Thirdly if a council employee or subcontractor sells the bottle they have effectively stolen it from the council and that is gross misconduct and a dismissable offence.

Ermm at our local tip all the guys in yellow jackets happily help you empty the car and all the good/usable stuff gets put to one side and they sell, or suddenly one of their friends turn up in a van and take it away!!

 

[MichaelE]

I wanted to buy a cylinder years ago at my local dump and he wanted a tenner for it , i told him that technically it wasn't his to sell so he said "don't buy it then" so sheepishly i bought it.

 

[Gafferbill]

There must be a post code lottery here.........our Council Waste disposal and Recycling Depots are high security with ANPR cameras as you enter and full time security staff. The actual depot workers would not sell you a used teabag.......more than their job is worth!
You used to be able to buy stuff .......but not any more.

 

[Gagakev]

Ours similar to Gaffabill's, full security, but to stop the neighbouring Torbay residents using our facilities, they implemented the ban last year and the waste dropped by 60% !!! we dont even have to queue to get in there now.
but they do have a separate area for selling stuff, but believe they stopped taking gas bottles years ago.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I had better clarify myself before crusifiction, having put all of the gear into the caravan, except cloths, took it to a weigh bridge and got the total weight, got a pair of scales, and checked the nose weight, with two full gas bottles, move items around to get the nose weight to about 80 kg, where my van tows best, and check to see how hard it is to lift the hitch. After that I can guesstimate in the future if I have something out of stowage. When leaving sites.
Hutch.

Many years ago my parents had a builder who used to mix decorative cement by a shovel of this and half a shovel of that. Unfortunately he left the driveway looking more like a patchwork quilt. My father was furious, and he had the builder break it all up and dig it out and start again. This time my Father stood over the man an made sure he used proper measures, and the job was a perfect match, and still in use some 55 years on.

Hutch with the very best of intentions I do not know of anyone who judge a nose weight by simply lifting it. and I mean no one. You ability to judge a weight is totally unsuitable for assessing something that has legal significance. Would you accept a Patrol officer standing at the side of the road without any measuring equipment to judge your speed?

Whilst in your case you may have a large load margin above your 80kg target, so your wild guess may be safe but im most cases saloon cars are no more than 80 often only 75 and a few a low as 50.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

I would be surprised if the waste disposal site will allow you to purchase one, as by having left one with the council it become council property and it can only be disposed of in accordance with council rules.

It is unlikely they will sell you one because by selling it they become responsible under the CRA and any faults or dangerous situations could rebound on the council.

Secondly if the bottle is on of Calor's, or any other company that technically hires or leases bottles, the council has no right to sell the bottle and you will be guilty of receiving stolen or commissioning a crime.

Thirdly if a council employee or subcontractor sells the bottle they have effectively stolen it from the council and that is gross misconduct and a dismissable offence.

Ermm at our local tip all the guys in yellow jackets happily help you empty the car and all the good/usable stuff gets put to one side and they sell, or suddenly one of their friends turn up in a van and take it away!!

yeah same here, if you want a spare bottle go to where the travellers have just left, there is always bottles lying around .often calor ones as well, I had 6 cylinders at one time, and your doing the public a favour by removing a hazardous material, from a public place.

regarding nose weight you have to excuse the prof as everything has to be done to the letter, I seem to remember before all this legal stuff came out it was the normal way one did it, [if you couldn't lift it, t'was too heavy] and if you had to push it down onto the ball [t'was too light] :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Agreed Colin!!!, (And even though I have the latest technology, tow ball mounted load cell.) A 'quick feel with the 'elbow' is a good guide to me and many others.. we do tend to load the van similarly each trip, stood 'us' in good stead for -- let me see? -- nearly 40 years. - Aargh!