Gaslow refillable gas cylinders ( Yellow Cylinders)

[CarolineSimon]

Hi,

We are about to order a new van and are considering getting a Gaslow refillable gas cylinder fitted to it by our local dealer.

I have looked at the web site & they seem ok but I was wondering if any of you forum members use them or have experience of them.

We have already got a refillable LPG cylinder we bought at one of the shows a few yrs ago but as its not fixed we do have a lot of trouble getting it filled as many petrol stations refuse to let us.

We have found that using LPG saves quite a lot of money over traditional propane cylinders and as we do go to CL's we need to rely on gas a lot.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,

Caroline & Simon

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Caroline,

All fuel stations should refuse to let you fill a "hand-carried" LPG cylinder, it's specifically against the terms of their operating licence and insurance. And it makes no difference if the cylinder is one designed for refilling or the "normal" Calor gas type, both are excluded.

The refillable cylinders have an automatic cut out that stops you from filling the cylinder beyond 80% capacity, and they were designed for the user to refill them. This 80% ratio is the same fill ratio as a new Calor or BP gas light bottle, but there's no way for the DIY re-filler to know when to stop - and LPG accidents are horrible.

So I guess the fuel stations can't take the chance that someone won't try to fill up a "normal" Calor gas bottle.

The only way is to have the cylinder recharged at an approved LPG facility, or have the installation made permanent with an approved LPG filling nozzle on the exterior of the caravan.

Robert

 

[CarolineSimon]

Hi Robert,

Good reply, I hadn't thought that someone may have tried to refill a calor cylinder! Scary thought.

The handheld cylinder we have has got an auto shut off/overfill pressure release valve that will go off if you fill over the 80% but that's not really my worry as it is going to the back of the garage as its too much hassle to use.

What I really need/want to know is about the permanently fixed "Gaslow" tanks as per the link below

www.gaslow.co.uk

This is a legal safe system which has to be dealer fitted I think and it has a refiller nossle the same as cars on the outside of the van.

I have seen it a few times on rally sites but wondered if any forum users are using it.

My local dealer is quoting to fit it to my new van so any info about usage would be great.

Thanks again.

 

[Steve L]

This subject is niteresting to me as we are contemplating long term carvanning.

First of all I realy would of thought the gas industry would of made the protable re-fillable gas bottles of a totally diferent design, purely so that the filling nozzel at the garage would not fit. Also the filling nozzel surely should be designed so that unless a complete connection is made, then gas delivery won't start. I would of thought with todays technology that a warning signal both visual for the attendant in the office and an audiable one at the transfer station could also be activated by a none connection.

By having a rigid installation in the van, then I think that the opportunity for accidents are greater. For instance, hands up all those who are dodgy reversers, now how about those who often clip the curb turning into junctions because they've under estimated the vans turning circle. See what I mean?

Not least, it would be a pain in the preverbial to have to de-camp evrey few days to lugg the vantwenty mile to the garage and then twenty miles back and put the awning back to etc.

I know you realy do have to shop around for the best deal on re-fill's. We have a coal merchant just outside Hereford who is by far the cheapest around and gives a discount for more than 3 bottles being exchanged at a time.

I have seen long term vans (tourers) with dirty great 47Kg bottles free standing at the side of the gas locker and a 2-3 metre hose wafting about. Surely that would be un-safe not to say illegal?

Steve.

 

[paul_5063654]

Hi Caroline,

I have a Gaslow Re-fillable on my van, i've had it for about 2 years now and haven't had any problems at all. With the gaslow bottles you can have 2 in the front locker if you want that are linked together so you only have 1 filler on the side of the van. Rather than have the hole cut in the side of the van for the filler i mounted mine on a bracket just under the van so when i change the van i don't have to leave the system on there or lose any money on the van because of the filler still being on the side of the van.

Regards

Paul

 

[Guest]

Just a question on whether anyone has done the economics on this? I only ask because with the proliferation of electrical hookups the use of gas has dropped significantly from days gone by. I accept that there are those who wish to use sites without hookups, but I would suggest they are probably in a minority. I find one 7kg cylinder is easily lasting a whole season, in fact sometimes 2. So how long does it take to pay off the set up costs for a single, or double installation, I wonder?

Now if the reason for change is to save weight, then I can see the logic a bit better.

 

[Val & Frank]

Hi

Just exchanged our cylinder today, 6kg Propane cost

 

[CarolineSimon]

Thanks for your replies everyone,

Paul, I would be really interested in talking to you more about your Gaslow as I know we could install it ourselves and would prefer to not have to drill a hole in a brand new van and have to leave it if we change vans again.

As to cost & useage, we use 2 x 13kg MINIMUM each season in our van which costs about

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

I created a "cost of ownership" page on the Eriba Amiga web-site in early 2005 - and updated it early 2006 - which compares the running costs of the various systems:

http://www.eriba-amiga.co.uk/otr_gas.html
Robert

 

[CarolineSimon]

Hi Robert,

Great comparison site, I hope it helps people to make a more informed decision about what type of gas they use in their Vans & Motorhomes.

I think we will definately be getting the Gaslow system fitted, just need to decide if we are fitting it ourselves or getting the dealer to fit it for us.

Caroline

 

[Guest]

I have had a look at the page mentioned, and very useful it is. However, it states that 'Gaslow will start to pay after 100kg of gas has been used'. In my case that would take 14 years, so obviously not for me. Also the table includes initial costs which for many of us are not really representative, as we already have the Calor cylinders. In my case I first purchased cylinders in the 70's so the initial costs have long gone. The downside is that I would never get any money back from Calor due to the age?? of the Contract. Buying Gaslow would mean a new initial cost.

I fully agree Camping Gaz is the most expensive, but it does have the advantage of being accepted throughout Europe, and in a long hot summer, is not really so expensive. I think one should look at the whole package of a season's caravanning, and then decide.

If you have worked out the costs and see an advantage, then by all means go for it. But don't be misled. Even the costs of having to travel to a location to get a Gaslow refill should be compared with walking to the CC site office for a new Calor cylinder. Small points but they all add up.

 

[paul_5063654]

Hi Caroline,

I have only got the one cylinder in the front (this holds as you say 11 litres of gas)next to that i have a calor propane cylinder the same size, i personally haven't changed the calor cylinder since having the gaslow cylinder on board (about 2 years).We are like you and during the summer use a CL without electric so obviously everything runs on gas.

I bought my system direct from Gaslow i don't know if you'll find that any cheaper than buying through a dealer (possibly).

The bracket was made out of a single plate which you mount your car socket electrics on, on your towbar (i got a price form an engineering workshop and they wanted