Urgent gas in france

Feb 4, 2010
11
0
0
Visit site
Can someone advise please.
For unexpected reasons I think we will run out of gas before our holuday finishes in a week.
We have a full new red bottle of gas (propane?) but neither our caravan nor bbq connector will seat cleanly when screwed in and I can hear and smell gas escaping. So I'm not using that bottle at all. Our in use bottle is nearly finished.
We have a red regulator on the connection to the bottle. The caravan is older.
Can someone please help with these questions and any advice.
1. Is it possible at all to get british gas bottles in France?
2. Will cookers and bbq's from britain work effectively and safely via a french regulator?
3. What are my options on french bottles? Fit a french regulator?
4. Can I legally fo that myself?
5. Is it possible to get an adaptor that converts a french bottle fitting to a british connection to the regulator?
6 Any other advice please gratefully received?
Many thanks indeed.
 
Jun 24, 2005
704
1
18,885
Visit site
HI,

Sorry to hear of your problem. I can answer some of your questions but not all. You cannot get UK bottles in France but if you buy a French one they often come with a free regulator when you take out a new contract. UK appliances work perfectly satisfactorily with French gas. You may have to buy a new "tail" to go from the regulator to the caravan but these are often just secured with jubilee clips. A suitable tail can be pruchased from most supermarkets or Bricolages.
Good luck but it isn't really a big problem.
 
Jul 15, 2008
3,633
649
20,935
Visit site
.........very unusual for a gas cylinder to be damaged.

Do you know that the gas fittings have a left handed thread ?
That means you have to tighten the fitting by turning anticlockwise which is very counter intuitive.

........just a thought :)
 
Aug 9, 2010
1,426
2
0
Visit site
Mick, if you travel to France often then it will be worth while getting a French bottle and regulator. I've done this, but am fortunate that I can leave the bottle in France when I return to UK.
I can't tell you what the deposit is on French bottles as mine came free, but the reg and tail was only about €20.
Just a thought on the Calor bottle. Again, I've had this problem and rectified it by buying some fine valve grinding paste ( you could try a local garage for that), smear a little on the sealing face of the reg, tighten up (LH) until you can still turn the reg, then spend an hour or two just quietly turning the reg, applying more paste, until it seals.Time consuming, but it does work. If its only a tiny leak, then you might even clean it up by using T cut or similar. Anything abrasive, really.Good luck.
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,556
3,050
50,935
Visit site
emmerson said:
...Just a thought on the Calor bottle. Again, I've had this problem and rectified it by buying some fine valve grinding paste ( you could try a local garage for that), smear a little on the sealing face of the reg, tighten up (LH) until you can still turn the reg, then spend an hour or two just quietly turning the reg, applying more paste, until it seals.Time consuming, but it does work. If its only a tiny leak, then you might even clean it up by using T cut or similar. Anything abrasive, really.Good luck.

I'm sorry emerson,

I appreciate your trying to offer a solution to Mick whilst he's away from the UK, I can't condone your solution.

By effectively honing both the regulator and the gas bottles thread, you are taking both away from standard fit, and when it comes to trying a new bottle of gas you may again face a no seal scenario. The proper and only safe solution is to replace the regulator or its pig tail if its one of the bulkhead regulators.

Also there is a distinct possibility that some of your grinding paste or liquid may be carried into the regulator and it might prevent it from working properly.
 
Aug 9, 2010
1,426
2
0
Visit site
Prof, I didn't mean alter the thread. I did actually say "the sealing face" of the reg. What I did was effectively "grind in" the sealing faces, just as we used to do with inlet and exhaust valves.The amount removed by this method is almost unmeasurable, but just might remove a burr on the bottle face, which was the problem with mine. After doing it, I checked for leaks by the old soapy water method, and carried on with my holiday. The leakage is fairly certainly caused by the bottle as it was OK before he changed it. Damaged bottles are not as uncommon as you might think. As you have said often, Prof, it's just a suggestion, not a command!
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,556
3,050
50,935
Visit site
Thank you Emerson.
As you say the amount removed probably would be small, but it would/could change the profile of the seat. Which would/could make it difficult to seal on connection to another bottle. The risk is high because LPG by its nature is classed as a searching gas and it will escape through gaps that are air tight. Add into the mix that the connector involved is operating at cylinder pressure, increases the possibility of leaks.

I'm certain the gas supplier would be very unhappy if everybody started to modify their valve gear.

Your solution may save your day, but it could create a problem for the next user of cylinder.
 
Oct 8, 2006
1,765
538
19,935
Visit site
Gafferbill said:
.........very unusual for a gas cylinder to be damaged.

Do you know that the gas fittings have a left handed thread ?
That means you have to tighten the fitting by turning anticlockwise which is very counter intuitive.

........just a thought :)

Propane does and is a female on the cylinder with anti-clockwise thread.
Butane is a male on the cylinder with a clockwise thread.

The OP could buy a Camping Gaz cylinder and valve adapter, and change the caravan pigtail from Propane (if that is in use) to a Butane as necessary.
 
Jul 15, 2008
3,633
649
20,935
Visit site
For the record......my input was aimed at the OP who tells us he is using Propane from a red cylinder.
He has an older caravan with a Propane regulator which is fitted directly to the top of the cylinder.
I didn't deem advice about Butane cylinders or the more modern pigtail connector would be relevant.

I do agree that a 907 Camping gaz cylinder with a cylinder top regulator could be purchased in many French outlets and provide an alternative gas supply.
 
Nov 16, 2015
10,394
2,787
40,935
Visit site
Mick, is your connector to the gas bottle a hand tightened one ? If it is has the rubber bit on the end got stuck in the old bottle and therefore your trying to tighten onto the wrong bit. Giving you a gas leak. If its the spanner fitting then try wrapping PTFE tape around the brass connector, then tighten up the gas bottle connector. You only need a few wraps around.
 
Nov 28, 2007
485
12
18,685
Visit site
As an aside, I aways use a leak detector spray EVERY time I change the bottle. Such as this:Arctic-Plumbers-400ml-Gas-Leak-Detector-spray- from ebay. Bought one a few years ago and still going strong.
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,556
3,050
50,935
Visit site
EH52ARH said:
Mick, is your connector to the gas bottle a hand tightened one ? If it is has the rubber bit on the end got stuck in the old bottle and therefore your trying to tighten onto the wrong bit. Giving you a gas leak. If its the spanner fitting then try wrapping PTFE tape around the brass connector, then tighten up the gas bottle connector. You only need a few wraps around.

Hutch, putting PTFE tape into the Pol connector of a propane bottle is risky, because as teh connector tightens, the PTFE can shred a little, and being on the high pressure side of the regulator its possible bits of PTFE may find its way into the regulator and and compromise its safe operation. - Not a recommended practice.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts