Gas bottles in Italy...

[Jeremy_5084426]

Hi everyone,

We're currently caravanning in France, en-route to Italy, on a long tour (several months.) In the UK, the caravan was fitted with Calor gas bottles and the appropriate regulator. However, in France we cannot get hold of refills for the Calor bottles (6kg propane) so we need to change the bottles and the regulator.

Before I go getting any changes made, I'd like to check that the same won't happen when we cross from France to Italy. I've made a note of the gas options that are available here (in France). Could someone tell me what is fairly readily available in Italy?

Primagaz: 13Kg Butane or Propane, or 6Kg Butane or 5.1Kg Propane "Twinny"

Totalgaz: Malice 13.5 something. They're little bottles that are a similar shape to the Primagaz Twinny.

Butagaz: 13Kg Propane or Butane, or "Le Cube"

Antargaz: Bottles marked "Elfi" in red or yellow. Similar size to Primagaz Twinny

I'm particularly interested in the little bottles (like the Twinny, or Le Cube) - they may be less economical, but they fit in the front compartment of the caravan nicely and allow redundancy (i.e. We don't run out as easily - Winter's coming!?!)

Many thanks for your help,

Jeremy.

 

[EvansofSprot]

Camping Gaz is readily available in most campsites in Italy.

 

[EvansofSprot]

Camping Gaz is readily available in most campsites in Italy.

As of course it is in most supermarkets, bricolages and quincailleries in France.

 

[rob_jax]

Jeremy,

E.o.S is right, the only universal standard is Camping Gaz - but it's twice or three times the price per gram of gas.

Each country and the gas suppliers in that country can and do make their own bottles that are non-interchangeable.

If you have a threaded (screw-on) gas fitting for Calor Butane, then this should be consistent on other bottles in Europe - except for those that have a snap-on connector.

You may be better off just biting the bullet and buying a small or mid-sized bottle in Italy. It may be cheaper than buying and refilling camping gaz bottles.

Robert

 

[paulktnichols]

Unfortunately I cant help with Italy, but in France last year it was VERY much cheaper to hire a new Butane bottle from a dealer close to our site and then return the day before we went back. 6kg bottle cost 5_ plus the gas - worked out at least 10_ cheaper than even a 3.8 kg refill of Camping Gaz and thats with out buying the Camping Gaz in the first place. They even gave me the click on fitting - which fitted straight onto the butane tail (we have an 05 model van so has built on reg).

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

where can I read up on the complete position regarding gas (propane in my case) in France, Germany, Austria, Italy ....

I amn, can one simply (nothing's EVER simple !!) buy an adapter which will adapt my UK (?) Propane anticlockwise thread to whatever they use in other countries on the Continent?

John

 

[Lutz]

Here in Germany bottled gas is a mixture of propane and butane and adapters to suit UK connections are readily available from camping stores. The same applies to Austria.

 

[EvansofSprot]

where can I read up on the complete position regarding gas (propane in my case) in France, Germany, Austria, Italy ....

I amn, can one simply (nothing's EVER simple !!) buy an adapter which will adapt my UK (?) Propane anticlockwise thread to whatever they use in other countries on the Continent?

John

You can buy an adapter to convert an old style Calor butane regulator to Camping Gaz usage.

 

[Jeremy_5084426]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies, but you've left me confused.

From the van, I have a rubber pipe with a regulator on the end. The regulator screws into the nozzle on the top of the Calor bottles.

As I understood it, if I change the type of bottles used, I need to change the regulator. Is that the case, or am I being stupid?

I have not seen Camping Gaz available anywhere in France. Have I missed something? Does it go under a different name here?

Many thanks,

Jeremy

 

[EvansofSprot]

Camping Gaz is very readily available in most French supermarkets, Do It Yourself shops (anyhing with 'Brico' on the front of it), and Quincaieries (hardware shops). I paid

 

[Jeremy_5084426]

Hi everyone,

So...I think I'm getting closer to an answer to my question now... Could someone please answer the following?

1. The Campinggaz website (http://www.campingaz.com/sunbeam/distribution/index_cartridge.htm) claims that there are no Campinggaz retailers in Italy. Could someone either confirm or deny that? Without confirmation, I can simply rule out Campinggaz as an option.

2. Rather more usefully, I noticed on another forum that the appropriate regulator is usually provided when you purchase a new gas bottle. Is this correct?

3. If I connect a European regulator to my UK caravan's gas supply tube, will it be safe to use?

Apologies for my ignorance - I'm a 1st time caravanner, on my 1st trip abroad.

Many thanks,

Jeremy

 

[EvansofSprot]

You can buy Camping Gaz in Italy as I said earlier - well you could two years ago!

Get your regulator here and your gaz bottles.

 

[EvansofSprot]

I used your camping gaz - website thanks for that and put in Verona Italy and it gave me three retailers.

 

[EvansofSprot]

I used your camping gaz - website thanks for that and put in Verona Italy and it gave me three retailers.

Should have read: I used your camping gaz website - thanks for that - and put in Verona Italy and it gave me three retailers.

 

[DavidKlyne]

Jeremy

Will you be making use of electrics whilst you are away. If so two full 6kgs calor propane may well last you 2/3 months if only used for cooking. We use the same cylinders and I reckon one full one has lasted 50 nights, mainly spent in Europe. Obviously gas consumption will be considerable higher if you heat the van, or water with it. With our previous van we travelled all over Europe using 2 Camping Gaz 907 cylinders. Never had a problem exchanging them.

David