Anyone got any useful comments about their use, safety, availablity and cost effectiveness.
Thanks
Thanks
Refillable LPG bottles
- Thread starter BigAl1
- Start date
Hello Al,
I realise that the availability of refil sites is increasing, but just check that you will be able to refil in the area that you are visiting.
Do not assume that you can refil these bottles at LPG garages, not all will allow these bottles to be filled from thier supplies for insurance and safety reasons.
May I also point out that you should advise your insurance company that you will be using your own gas bottle. As the owner of the bottle I think you will find that your insurance company may want you to have the bottle pressure tested and certified regularly.
I realise that the availability of refil sites is increasing, but just check that you will be able to refil in the area that you are visiting.
Do not assume that you can refil these bottles at LPG garages, not all will allow these bottles to be filled from thier supplies for insurance and safety reasons.
May I also point out that you should advise your insurance company that you will be using your own gas bottle. As the owner of the bottle I think you will find that your insurance company may want you to have the bottle pressure tested and certified regularly.
Hi Big Al
I thought you were talking about the new leight weight gas bottles.
Sorry my error, got confused with the gases, we used to have a car which run on LPG so got confused.
Allyson
I thought you were talking about the new leight weight gas bottles.
Sorry my error, got confused with the gases, we used to have a car which run on LPG so got confused.
Allyson
Hi,
Availability - Agree with John, except I'd saw that almost no garage forecourts will allow you to refill a "loose" Gaslow refillable bottle.
My company build process control analysers for the petroleum industry and I represent the UK on motor vehicle fuel standards - and as far as I remember - refilling "hand held" cylinders is excluded from their certificate of operation / insurance. This is meant to stop people from refilling a Calor bottle (dangerous) and although a Gaslow is different (and safe to refill by the user) - you would need to get the garage operator to agree
But if you have a fixed LPG fill-point connection on your caravan - then probably OK almost everywhere - but you'd need to drag your caravan with you. Otherwise you'll need to visit an approved refill station.
Safety - at least as good as a Calor bottle and probably much better
Safety Checks - every time a Calor or BP LightGas bottle is returned for refill, it is given a comprehensive safety check - the same applies to the Gaslow bottles - there is a mandatory 10 year check
Cost Effectiveness - there is a complete cost break down on my Eriba web-site http://www.eriba-amiga.co.uk/otr_gas.html
The payback period depends on whether you fit the system yourself or have a professional installation (preferred unless you are competent to work on high pressure gas systems) - but a
Availability - Agree with John, except I'd saw that almost no garage forecourts will allow you to refill a "loose" Gaslow refillable bottle.
My company build process control analysers for the petroleum industry and I represent the UK on motor vehicle fuel standards - and as far as I remember - refilling "hand held" cylinders is excluded from their certificate of operation / insurance. This is meant to stop people from refilling a Calor bottle (dangerous) and although a Gaslow is different (and safe to refill by the user) - you would need to get the garage operator to agree
But if you have a fixed LPG fill-point connection on your caravan - then probably OK almost everywhere - but you'd need to drag your caravan with you. Otherwise you'll need to visit an approved refill station.
Safety - at least as good as a Calor bottle and probably much better
Safety Checks - every time a Calor or BP LightGas bottle is returned for refill, it is given a comprehensive safety check - the same applies to the Gaslow bottles - there is a mandatory 10 year check
Cost Effectiveness - there is a complete cost break down on my Eriba web-site http://www.eriba-amiga.co.uk/otr_gas.html
The payback period depends on whether you fit the system yourself or have a professional installation (preferred unless you are competent to work on high pressure gas systems) - but a
In reply to an e-mail to Flogas, I have been informed that there are no facilities at garages for refilling LPG bottles. This is for Health & Safety reasons; both at time of filling and after-use.
Big Al
I have 2 10 litre refillables from MTH Autogas they have a web site. these cylinders look much like the "New" BP ones they are fully portable do not need fixing to the van. On the downside they are difficult to see how full they are, and if I had used my head a bit more I would have the smaller cylinders rather than the 10 ltr ones, why carry all that gas when you can refill them so easerly, I have had no problems refilling we have our own bulk supply and I find I can get several weeks out of just one cylinder.but when abroad I just take them to the local filling station. Go for it.
David from Suffolk
I have 2 10 litre refillables from MTH Autogas they have a web site. these cylinders look much like the "New" BP ones they are fully portable do not need fixing to the van. On the downside they are difficult to see how full they are, and if I had used my head a bit more I would have the smaller cylinders rather than the 10 ltr ones, why carry all that gas when you can refill them so easerly, I have had no problems refilling we have our own bulk supply and I find I can get several weeks out of just one cylinder.but when abroad I just take them to the local filling station. Go for it.
David from Suffolk
User refillable cylinders have an internal automatic cut-off valve that stops you from filling the bottle beyond 80% - you need that 20% free-space to safely allow the liquid to turn into gas and to account for expansion on hot days.
Non-refillable bottles - like Calor gas and BP Lightgas do NOT have the automatic cut-off valve - and there's no way for you to judge the 80% fill point - this is done by weight back at the Calor or BP refurbishment and refill plant.
You could argue that the user could use their own judgement with the transparent BP Lightgas bottles - but on something so potentially dangerous - I'd definitely not want this left to the judgement of untrained people - probably tempted to just put a bit more in for that French vacation.
Likewise, when you fill your car fuel tank - I bet most of your know that you can squeeze another 2 litres into the tank beyond the point that the pump "clicks-off". Again that's to allow the safe expansion of the cold fuel and not overflow once the fuel has warmed up.
Robert
Non-refillable bottles - like Calor gas and BP Lightgas do NOT have the automatic cut-off valve - and there's no way for you to judge the 80% fill point - this is done by weight back at the Calor or BP refurbishment and refill plant.
You could argue that the user could use their own judgement with the transparent BP Lightgas bottles - but on something so potentially dangerous - I'd definitely not want this left to the judgement of untrained people - probably tempted to just put a bit more in for that French vacation.
Likewise, when you fill your car fuel tank - I bet most of your know that you can squeeze another 2 litres into the tank beyond the point that the pump "clicks-off". Again that's to allow the safe expansion of the cold fuel and not overflow once the fuel has warmed up.
Robert
Hello David,
You use the phrase 'Take it to your local filling station'. Many people may take that to mean your car filling station, when as I understand it very few LPG stations are licensed or insured to allow the filling of portable LPG cylinders.
The situation is changing because of the BP bottle, but you cannot assume you will be able to refill your portable bottle at any road side filling station that sells LPG.
If you are touring, and you think you may run out of LPG, then you should check about the availability of filling sites for portable bottles near your destination.
You use the phrase 'Take it to your local filling station'. Many people may take that to mean your car filling station, when as I understand it very few LPG stations are licensed or insured to allow the filling of portable LPG cylinders.
The situation is changing because of the BP bottle, but you cannot assume you will be able to refill your portable bottle at any road side filling station that sells LPG.
If you are touring, and you think you may run out of LPG, then you should check about the availability of filling sites for portable bottles near your destination.
John L
I have no problem with that. I refill mine from our own bulk supply, a very simple prosess as I use a platform scale because I fine it difficult to see the liquid inside the tank. my son has no problem in seeing the gas level, so it must be me in my old age.
David from Suffolk
I have a friend who swares by his refillable cylinder (yes, that friend) although we once sat down and worked out that when buying the larger 18kg cylinders from flogas or similar (I pay around
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