Gas bottle weights

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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I'm sure we've all noticed that Calor Gas bottles have marked on them the actual weight of the bottle 'sans' gas. But it's in old money of Ibs and ozs. Makes it a little tricky to work out how much gas you have because you buy it in kgs.

We've just bought a 19kg bottle for house and we use Flogas. This has the bottle weight in kgs...much more sensible in my opinion.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I'm sure we've all noticed that Calor Gas bottles have marked on them the actual weight of the bottle 'sans' gas. But it's in old money of Ibs and ozs. Makes it a little tricky to work out how much gas you have because you buy it in kgs.

We've just bought a 19kg bottle for house and we use Flogas. This has the bottle weight in kgs...much more sensible in my opinion.
I have no idea why Calor continue to use Imperial units on the tare weights. Apart from the fact its the way they have always done it, I am not aware of any benefit in sticking with imperial.
 
Feb 13, 2024
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I have no idea why Calor continue to use Imperial units on the tare weights. Apart from the fact its the way they have always done it, I am not aware of any benefit in sticking with imperial.
It benefits us auld foggies who still work in pounds, shillings and pence.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Given that SI units were introduced into British schools in 1974, and earlier at some schools and colleges I can see no earthly reason why Calor still use Imperial units. It’s not as if the gas cylinders are exported to the US.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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I have no idea why Calor continue to use Imperial units on the tare weights. Apart from the fact its the way they have always done it, I am not aware of any benefit in sticking with imperial.
Do they stick to Imperial? My two Calorlites have the tare weight in kilos, with one decimal, stamped on the base ring.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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My kids are in their early fifties and have known SI since they started school. So there’s a whole cohort of customers not being addressed.
Ironically, the LPG contents of Calor cylinders have been measured in kilos ever since I've been caravanning, ie over 40 years.
 
Nov 16, 2015
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I have no idea why Calor continue to use Imperial units on the tare weights. Apart from the fact its the way they have always done it, I am not aware of any benefit in sticking with imperial.
We are British . Still MPH, Miles, Pints, Currency, Sterling, including Scottish.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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The vast majority of products now primarily come in metric units, milk is one of the odd ones out as the containers are labelled in pints with an odd metric quantity. . Most people have long since adapted to metric without realising it, probably because they buy the product rather than buy by weight. Having visited Europe regularly since the mid 1960s we got the hang of ordering foodstuffs in metric units because asking for 8 ounce of cheese in O level French in a local market didn’t get us very far. When shopping in U.K. for loose foodstuffs we use metric, as do our kids and grandkids.
One area where SI units were a distinct advantage were my uni exams as finals questions were 50/50 Imperial and SI. The SI questions could be answered more quickly than the Imperial questions due to the more rational system of units. Effectively giving the students a time bonus.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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The vast majority of products now primarily come in metric units, milk is one of the odd ones out as the containers are labelled in pints with an odd metric quantity. . Most people have long since adapted to metric without realising it, probably because they buy the product rather than buy by weight. Having visited Europe regularly since the mid 1960s we got the hang of ordering foodstuffs in metric units because asking for 8 ounce of cheese in O level French in a local market didn’t get us very far. When shopping in U.K. for loose foodstuffs we use metric, as do our kids and grandkids.
One area where SI units were a distinct advantage were my uni exams as finals questions were 50/50 Imperial and SI. The SI questions could be answered more quickly than the Imperial questions due to the more rational system of units. Effectively giving the students a time bonus.
What is even weirder is the odd weights in gm displayed on packaging and the vast number of sizes for a product i.e. 125gm, 230gm,340gm, 420gm 550gm 780gm, etc. Same applies when using ml. Surely if it was just 250gm, 500gm 7750gm or 1Kg it would be simpler and less packaging?

The normal excuse is that according to feedback from customers that is what they want etc.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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What is even weirder is the odd weights in gm displayed on packaging and the vast number of sizes for a product i.e. 125gm, 230gm,340gm, 420gm 550gm 780gm, etc. Same applies when using ml. Surely if it was just 250gm, 500gm 7750gm or 1Kg it would be simpler and less packaging?

The normal excuse is that according to feedback from customers that is what they want etc.
Your approach is too logical as it would deny the producers the opportunity to reduce contents without the buyer really noticing it. Ever since covid that’s been going on.
 
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Nov 6, 2005
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What is even weirder is the odd weights in gm displayed on packaging and the vast number of sizes for a product i.e. 125gm, 230gm,340gm, 420gm 550gm 780gm, etc. Same applies when using ml. Surely if it was just 250gm, 500gm 7750gm or 1Kg it would be simpler and less packaging?

The normal excuse is that according to feedback from customers that is what they want etc.
It's bureaucratic standardisation without industrial standardisation - they invent a standard that includes all the currently used variations - a pointless exercise in my view.
 
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