Gas bottle query?

[G0TBI]

Hi people, New to the group

I have an old van which carries two Blue Calor 7.5Kg bottles, my newish van 2020 that will be arriving soon,is a Swift Alpine 2, should I just put the Blue ones in there, or do I have to opt for the new fangled type, and what are the comaprison ones/price, I need guidance if prudent to change to new style because of weight/price, what should I ask for, Alos pigtails are a mystery to me

Thank you

Stuart
S Staffs

 

[otherclive]

Don’t understand by what you mean “ new fangled type” . But if you intend using the caravan in to colder weather or through winter I would go for propane in orange cylinders as blue butane isn’t good for cooler weather. Look on Calor or Flogas websites to see what propane cylinders are available. The 6 kg is the most popular with caravanners. Your new van will have its pressure regulate fixed to the caravan locker bulkhead. So you don’t require a regulator on the cylinder too.

 

[borderbilly]

Pigtail is what connects the gas bottle to the caravan regulator.

 

[G0TBI]

What I mean is that if I have the Blue 7kg bottles x 2, shall I continue with them in the hew caravan or is there milage in changing to new style bottles, I have seen some that seem to be clad in a jacket very much like a hot water cylinder jacket, what are they, do they cost more, is there weight much lighter than the Blue Metal calor ones? PropaneNo thanks Not really thinking of colder weather, normal Butane will do me, cheers and thanks for responses thus far

 

[G0TBI]

My existing regulater fits on top of bottle, push and turn to lock into place with black knob on side, can only be turned when button pushed to allow gas flow, thats what I have at the moment?

 

[JTQ]

What I mean is that if I have the Blue 7kg bottles x 2, shall I continue with them in the hew caravan or is there milage in changing to new style bottles, I have seen some that seem to be clad in a jacket very much like a hot water cylinder jacket, what are they, do they cost more, is there weight much lighter than the Blue Metal calor ones? PropaneNo thanks Not really thinking of colder weather, normal Butane will do me, cheers and thanks for responses thus far

Cladding in a jacket, as said like a hot water tank is the absolutely last thing you want to be doing. It will with the Blue, Butane even in warmer times start to inhibit the gassing off, probably stop it altogether at times.
When changing state from liquid to gas, the liquid needs to get "heat", the jacket largely stops it doing that.
The same argument carries for the red bottles, propane just the impact is less likely to occur, but it's a totally pointless thing to do; full stop. Could even put you at real risk of a frost bite injury when touching the valve, as when going to tow home.

Unless you are intending to caravan at ambient below 6C, or any differently to what you previously did, then the blue butane is still ideal and £ for energy a bit cheaper at current pricing. You can run lower gas demand users at a bit below 6C but that's a good guidance value for larger demand users like you van's heating.
However, if the new van means camping differently that involves colder nights etc then effectively there is no alternative but switch to using the red bottle, propane gas.
Adaptors are readily available to convert the normally terminated butane threaded piggy tails to the connection needed for propane; it's no big issue at all. Some pig tails are unique, either butane threaded or propane, but as said many will be made threaded butane but fitted then with propane adaptor connected to that.
Send photo of the business end of your pig tail and we can help you, but so could your dealer, just they might want to simply sell whatever makes them the most.

 

[birdman101]

Just keep the Blue ones you have got unless you intend to caravan during winter with minus temperatures.

 

[Challenger]

https://forums.practicalcaravan.com/threads/propane-or-butane.25211/

With butane you may find , especially in spring and autumn that the first cuppa in the morning can be a problem....

 

[Buckman]

Th epropane bottles are 6kg so a little saving there. Do you really need two bottles? If changing from the Butane to Propane the pig tail needs to be changed. By the way, just because a bottle is blue does not mean ti is butane gas or if red propen as colour has no reference to type of gas in the bottle.

 

[JTQ]

Th epropane bottles are 6kg so a little saving there. Do you really need two bottles? If changing from the Butane to Propane the pig tail needs to be changed. By the way, just because a bottle is blue does not mean ti is butane gas or if red propen as colour has no reference to type of gas in the bottle.

Having been told its a Calor 7 kg Blue, we can very safely assume its butane, as it would be for all other UK buyers.

It is not so much the weight in these identically sized cylinders but the amount of energy per £ to exchange that affect cost savings.

Depending if purchased from leisure or commercial user outlets these can vary quite a lot.

 

[Buckman]

Having been told its a Calor 7 kg Blue, we can very safely assume its butane, as it would be for all other UK buyers.

It is not so much the weight in these identically sized cylinders but the amount of energy per £ to exchange that affect cost savings.

Depending if purchased from leisure or commercial user outlets these can vary quite a lot.

I never mentioned brand as I was only pointing that colour has no reference to the type of gas in the bottle.

 

[JTQ]

I never mentioned brand as I was only pointing that colour has no reference to the type of gas in the bottle.

However, the OP to whom we were answering, had.

 

[Buckman]

However, the OP to whom we were answering, had.

??????????????????

 

[IanB1485]

You will need an adapter to clip onto your bottle and then a pigtail which connects the adapter to the input of the bulkhead regulator ( which all caravans and M/homes were required to be fitted with since - many years ago - can't quite remember off hand and CBA to go and get my gas regs book). If in doubt take a bottle along to the dealer and he will probably be able to sell and fit it for you ( take your credit card with you and be sat down when he tells you the price )

 

[Mr Plodd]

The fittings on the top of the cylinders for butane and propane are completely different and not inter-usable

 

[Beachball]

What I mean is that if I have the Blue 7kg bottles x 2, shall I continue with them in the hew caravan or is there milage in changing to new style bottles, I have seen some that seem to be clad in a jacket very much like a hot water cylinder jacket, what are they, do they cost more, is there weight much lighter than the Blue Metal calor ones? PropaneNo thanks Not really thinking of colder weather, normal Butane will do me, cheers and thanks for responses thus far

Hi Stuart Welcome to the forum if your Blue 7kg x2 are not use up I would use them , but if you use your caravan in colder weather you will need propane a different pigtail (rubber pipe with connector) or a adaptor to use propane instead of butane enjoy your newish caravan .

 

[Dustydog]

Hi people, New to the group

I have an old van which carries two Blue Calor 7.5Kg bottles, my newish van 2020 that will be arriving soon,is a Swift Alpine 2, should I just put the Blue ones in there, or do I have to opt for the new fangled type, and what are the comaprison ones/price, I need guidance if prudent to change to new style because of weight/price, what should I ask for, Alos pigtails are a mystery to me

Thank you

Stuart
S Staffs

Welcome Stuart,

I suspect you are thinking about the Calor lite bottles.

There was a product recall a while back and they are no longer sold.
Frankly, why waste your money? Use what you have and as said by others switch to Propane for the colder seasons.

There are other suppliers of gas eg Handy Gas now known as Flogas.

In my experience most caravan sites stock calor cylinders. Other makes may prove harder to find readily available..

 

[Hutch]

Hi Stuart, the bottles you are looking at are they like these, if so they also come in 5 kg size as well, much lighter than the Calor gas steel bottles, although a bit more expensive. I don't carry two bottles anymore unless I am about to run out, even then the gas seems to last for another week.

 

[ProfJohnL]

There are a couple of issues you need to consider concerning multiple gas cylinders in a caravan. The majority of caravans have their gas cylinders mounted on the the trailers A frame. This means its a considerable component of the trailers nose load which the tow ball carries. There have been many threads on the forum about caravan nose loads and one of the truths to come out of these debates is you can never tell what a caravans nose load is until its measured. And that can determine the size or how many gas cylinders you may be able to carry safely.

Caravan Gas cylinders must be carried upright and secured to prevent them moving or tipping over, so don't think of having a second cylinder carried in the car whilst towing.

There should be nothing stopping you from using at least one of your present Butane cylinders but with a modern caravan you will need to ensure you have the correct connection pipe (Pigtail) to connect your cylinder type to the caravans bulkhead mounted regulator.

Some caravans may have a regulator where two cylinders can be connected at the same time. These will often have an automatic change over facility which will preferentially draw gas from a "main" cylinder until its empty then it will use the "Reserve" cylinder . There will be some system which shows when the main cylinder is empty, so you can swap it for a full one.

As others have pointed out, Butane gas becomes difficult to use when the ambient daily average temperature drops below about 5C. When you can anticipate such conditions you should swap your cylinders (And Pigtails) to Propane.

If you only caravan in the UK I would suggest if you do swap to Propane stuck with it all year round. In many cases you will find Propane to be cheaper than Butane, as you may be able to get the gas from builders merchants at a better price than leisure orientated businesses.

 

[otherclive]

Welcome Stuart,

I suspect you are thinking about the Calor lite bottles.

There was a product recall a while back and they are no longer sold.
Frankly, why waste your money? Use what you have and as said by others switch to Propane for the colder seasons.

There are other suppliers of gas eg Handy Gas now known as Flogas.

In my experience most caravan sites stock calor cylinders. Other makes may prove harder to find readily available..

As you say Calor is widely available on caravan sites but in our area it’s virtually disappeared from other outlets as Flogas and Gaslight have taken its place. So with Flogas been more widely available it’s worth comparing.

 

[Mr Plodd]

As you say Calor is widely available on caravan sites but in our area it’s virtually disappeared from other outlets as Flogas and Gaslight have taken its place. So with Flogas been more widely available it’s worth comparing.

Said it before and I will say it again.....
Most builders merchants, such as Jewsons, carry 7kg Propane cylinders. Roofers use a lot of the stuff.

 

[otherclive]

Said it before and I will say it again.....
Most builders merchants, such as Jewsons, carry 7kg Propane cylinders. Roofers use a lot of the stuff.

B&Q now carry Flogas, and Flogas have a Royal Warrant too. Also many of our local garages have moved to Flogas.

 

[JTQ]

Said it before and I will say it again.....
Most builders merchants, such as Jewsons, carry 7kg Propane cylinders. Roofers use a lot of the stuff.

Agree other than the actual weight of these is 6kgs not 7 kg. The identical physical sized bottle with Butane is the 7 kgs one, but blue and not so much used in the "commercial market" as the propane.

If into starting new without the financial attacrtion of owning a Calor bottle[of right size], I would un hesitatingly go Flo-gas "Gaslights", a nice weight saving over the steel bottles.

 

[Dustydog]

Said it before and I will say it again.....
Most builders merchants, such as Jewsons, carry 7kg Propane cylinders. Roofers use a lot of the stuff.

Not sure why but Calor Propane comes in 6kg whilst Butane is 7kg.

Here in North Wiltshire there at least six Calor suppliers within 10 miles.

Maybe Calor know Clive no longer caravans😉

Jokes apart I think it is important to know Calor is readily available on most caravan sites especially if you do a lot of touring.

 

[JTQ]

Not sure why but Calor Propane comes in 6kg whilst Butane is 7kg.

The density of the two products is different, so the volume of the bottle that holds 7 kgs of the heavier Butane liquid, can hold only 6 kgs of the lighter Propane liquid.

As simple as that. [edit: once I got it the right way round!]