Gas bottle shortage

[Sam Vimes]

We collect our new van on Monday so I called to ask the dealer for a couple of gas bottles to be fitted. I was told that they've been instructed by Calor to only do replacements and not give out new cylinders. Apparently the demand for them has been fueled (pun) by the number of new people buying carvans and motorhomes in order to have holidays in the UK.

I wonder if when the pandemic has receded sufficiently there will be a number of second hand vans coming on the market..... and what condition they'll be in.

What's it like in your area re: gas availability?

 

[Buckman]

Have you considered a Safefiull bottle which is refillable? Initial outlay is expensive but to refill a 7.5kg bottle costs less than £10. We do not go on sites without EHU any more and have a 7.5kg bottle but we have had it for years so it is paying for itself. We also have a Calor Lite in our garage which is empty and still debating whether to hang onto it or dispose of it?

 

[Tukums]

As above, I fill mine at my local Morrisons garage, the pump is next to a big bulk Calor storage tank, I have a older Safefill refillable cylinder and it costs me around £8.50 for 8.6kg/15ltrs of gas. Most of my caravanning is off grid so well worth it and the initial cost has been covered a few times over.

 

[JTQ]

As an alternative to the Calor brand consider the other big player Flo-gas.
These are frequently retailed through builders merchants as well as fuel station forecourts, the former "can" offer a discount simply for the asking.

Check local availability via Flo-gas website, then I suggest ringing around for best deal. Also suggest you look at the generally more practical caravaning size of 6kg Propane. Butane, which would be 7 kgs or the same physical size bottle may not gas off freely enough as we head into winter's temperatures, but in summer offers a little price savings and generally the bottles are interchangeable at many retailers.
Flo-gas also retail Gaslights a plastic bottle most generally used in the 10kg size, in many ways a good choice but somewhat expensive way to buy LPG relative to in the heavier steel bottles.

 

[otherclive]

If you can source an empty Calorlite then they are by far the best option for 6kg from Calor as the full bottle only weighs 10kg, whereas a standard 6kg gas bottle can weigh up to 14-15kg as the tolerances on manufacture are less than for Calorlite..

 

[Buckman]

If you can source an empty Calorlite then they are by far the best option for 6kg from Calor as the full bottle only weighs 10kg, whereas a standard 6kg gas bottle can weigh up to 14-15kg as the tolerances on manufacture are less than for Calorlite..

I think 15-17kg is closer to the mark for a 6kg normal Calor gas metal bottle. Those things weigh a ton. At least wife can managed the 7.5kg Safefill bottle even when it is full.

 

[RogerL]

If you can source an empty Calorlite then they are by far the best option for 6kg from Calor as the full bottle only weighs 10kg, whereas a standard 6kg gas bottle can weigh up to 14-15kg as the tolerances on manufacture are less than for Calorlite..

Apart from the small minority of us that need to increase our noseweight and don't have an issue with payload limit. Having said that, I do use Calorlites as lifting a steel cylinder into the gas locker is a struggle for me now. We just don't use enough gas to justify a Safefill.

 

[otherclive]

I think 15-17kg is clsoer to the mark for a 6kg normal Calor gas metal bottle. Those things weigh a ton. At least wife can managed the 7.5kg Safefill bottle even when it si full.

Thank you. That’s even more payload gone and nose weight to balance.

 

[littlebasher]

Or have a look on Facebook Marketplace

I bought 2 FULL 10kg Gaslite bottles for £20

And over the summer i bought i Propane blow torch for £15. The seller gave me a full 11kg gas bottle to go with it

 

[guinness]

calorlite are being phased out so sadly you will have to use steel think the problem was something to do with metal fatigue but if wrong sure someone will tell me .

Martin

 

[otherclive]

calorlite are being phased out so sadly you will have to use steel think the problem was something to do with metal fatigue but if wrong sure someone will tell me .

Martin

The Calorlite tended to suffer damage and Calor stopped manufacturing about 3 years ago and were going to introduce a replacement mooted to be a grp bottle. But that’s never happened. Calor are still refilling good Calorlites but supply is diminishing as time goes by.

 

[Jcloughie]

I have two Calorlites, one full one empty. I have been trying to get a refill for the empty one for some time but no luck. I went to change to Safefill. That seems the best option to me, but each time I look they are on back order. So I will make do until this one is empty and hopefully upgrade next year.

To put you on, look at local adverts, see if you can get an empty or part full bottle, even if it’s the wrong size you are then in a position to get an exchange.

John

 

[otherclive]

I have two Calorlites, one full one empty. I have been trying to get a refill for the empty one for some time but no luck. I went to change to Safefill. That seems the best option to me, but each time I look they are on back order. So I will make do until this one is empty and hopefully upgrade next year.

To put you on, look at local adverts, see if you can get an empty or part full bottle, even if it’s the wrong size you are then in a position to get an exchange.

John

When I knew Calorlite had stopped production I looked at Safefill and they were on back order some two years ago. Never got any joy either from Flogas who I think took over the BP gaslight grip cylinders. So i soldier on with the Calorlite gas which only gets used for cooking.

 

[Beachball]

i have one 6kg calor propane gas bottle
3.9kg calor gas bottle this one we use for a Barbecue
i am the same as RogerL I don"t use enough gas to justify a Safefill

 

[JTQ]

Flo-gas has taken over the BP Gaslight product, but until more recent times there was in place some inhibiting trade arrangement that meant only Homebase and pre existing BP Gaslight retailers were able to sell exchanges.
Even the depot full of refilled ones, where I have an account, could not let me exchange.

Probably related to Homebase's ownership shake up, all has now changed, any Flo-gas retailer can either stock or get them..

 

[Hutch]

My local hardware shop, will order calorlites for me from Calor in oxford our nearest dealer.

 

[JTQ]

Flo-gas has taken over the BP Gaslight product, but until more recent times there was in place some inhibiting trade arrangement that meant only Homebase and pre existing BP Gaslight retailers were able to sell exchanges.
Even the depot full of refilled ones, where I have an account, could not let me exchange.

Probably related to Homebase's ownership shake up, all has now changed, any Flo-gas retailer can either stock or get them. Some B&Ms have taken up selling them.

We use plenty of LPG to make having a Safefill very viable, "if" we could find anywhere locally to refill it. The availability, of outlets allowing refilling portables is the Achilles heel.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Thanks for you replies. Strange the way things work out though....

We use 19kg propane for our gas hob at home which we get through Flo-Gas, so I contacted our supplier to see if he had any 6kg bottles but didn't get a quick reply. Then we had to go into our nearest town this morning and the DIY shop there had 8 x 6kg Calor Propane gas bottles so I bought one. Typically when I got home our Flo-Gas supplier left a message to say that he had some 6kg bottles and would drop them off to us on Thursday. I had to call him back and apologise for not taking them.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

The Calorlite tended to suffer damage and Calor stopped manufacturing about 3 years ago and were going to introduce a replacement mooted to be a grp bottle. But that’s never happened. Calor are still refilling good Calorlites but supply is diminishing as time goes by.

I brought an empty 6kg Calor cylinder to my caravan dealer for a refill a fortnight ago. The replacement was a Calorlite, they had just had a delivery from Calor and that was all they had sent. They said that Calor had a shortage of standard cylinders and were sending out Calorlites instead.

 

[otherclive]

I brought an empty 6kg Calor cylinder to my caravan dealer for a refill a fortnight ago. The replacement was a Calorlite, they had just had a delivery from Calor and that was all they had sent. They said that Calor had a shortage of standard cylinders and were sending out Calorlites instead.

Yes they have been doing that since production ceased as long as the returned bottle was satisfactory and passed the inspection checks. I had to let my single calorlite go in 2017 in Northumberland but when I bought a refill in Spring 2019 I got a Calorlite in exchange for a standard 6 kg propane.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

Yes they have been doing that since production ceased as long as the returned bottle was satisfactory and passed the inspection checks. I had to let my single calorlite go in 2017 in Northumberland but when I bought a refill in Spring 2019 I got a Calorlite in exchange for a standard 6 kg propane.

Well, if anyone is looking for one, Chipping Sodbury had a load of Calorlites the week before last.

 

[Jcloughie]

I brought an empty 6kg Calor cylinder to my caravan dealer for a refill a fortnight ago. The replacement was a Calorlite, they had just had a delivery from Calor and that was all they had sent. They said that Calor had a shortage of standard cylinders and were sending out Calorlites instead.

That’s interesting, but I no longer want to be dictated to by the odd contractural and supply policies of Calor. I have looked into the refill option over the last few years but it seemed to be initially over expensive. Also, the need to have it plumbed in and the added difficulty of transferring to a new van and the need to take the van to a station which may be a distance.

Safefill seem to have addressed these concerns. For a 7.5 kg bottle is around £80 (empty). Refill is now more accessible. But there is the added benefit of having so much more storage space in the gas cupboard.

Only 1 bottle would be needed for us, even going to France for 7 weeks we only use less than 6 kg

Last time I looked they were on back order. Now they are not accepting online orders direct, they need to be ordered via a dealer and we dont have a local one.

John

 

[otherclive]

That’s interesting, but I no longer want to be dictated to by the odd contractural and supply policies of Calor. I have looked into the refill option over the last few years but it seemed to be initially over expensive. Also, the need to have it plumbed in and the added difficulty of transferring to a new van and the need to take the van to a station which may be a distance.

Safefill seem to have addressed these concerns. For a 7.5 kg bottle is around £80 (empty). Refill is now more accessible. But there is the added benefit of having so much more storage space in the gas cupboard.

Only 1 bottle would be needed for us, even going to France for 7 weeks we only use less than 6 kg

Last time I looked they were on back order. Now they are not accepting online orders direct, they need to be ordered via a dealer and we dont have a local one.

John

Apart from Webb’s in Reading most dealers are Midlands or northern.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Its been while since I toured and hadn't come across Safefill but from an initial very quick look it would seem there are more places to get Calor than refill your own bottle. Particularly here in the Highlands.

I didn't find the 6kg bottle that heavy - maybe its all the porridge. Not like our 19Kg bottles which are a challenge.

 

[Beachball]

i use to love porridge but i don"t think i could lift a 19kg bottle not now i stick to my 6kg propane