Won’t budge

Mel

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Mar 17, 2007
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We went to the storage yard to swap over an empty gas bottle for a full one. In spite of bruised hands and much industrial language, the nut holding the pigtail onto the bottle would not budge.
We know to turn the opposite way to normal ( i.e. righty loosey not righty tighty).
Plan B was to undo the pigtail from the bulkhead end so we could get the bottle out and bring it home rather than bend into the gas locker. Of course we hadn’t brought the right spanner to do that with us 🫤!
So gave up and will go back with a bag of spanners.
Going to buy a pigtail with wheels on for the future but any ideas on how to get the current one off the bottle.
Mel
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Stating the obvious ,but ensure the gas tank tap valve is fully closed.
Spray the pigtail nut assembly with a penetrating oil like plus gas and wait a few hours. Repeat and with some Welsh muscle and elbow grease it should undo.
 
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JTQ

May 7, 2005
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If I had not a pretty good well equipped workshop and was once an "on tools" engineer, I would be inclined to advise others to talk with their local jobbing garage; if having a well cultured relationship over the years they will likely do it for you FOC whilst standing there.

Very good call buying the handwheel type POL but make sure its a "rubber nosed" one.[ Ideally a brand that does spare noses]
 
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Jul 12, 2023
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Try warming the nut up. It usually expands more than the bolt part. As its a gas cylinder suggest hot water or warm air rather than a flame for warming!
 
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JTQ

May 7, 2005
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When bottle's content is depleted, trade it in with the tail jammed in it; Technically, the bottle "owner" should want to know if any of its bottle connections has issues.
 
Apr 23, 2024
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I get this a lot. Some people have arms like gorillas. I have made a bottle Spanner out of 4 mm thk steel to get a better purchase on the nut. If its obstinate, a quick tap with a rubber mallet on the end of the spanner usually does the trick , also a 250mm adjustable spanner will suffice , again a rubber mallet (to avoid sparks).The two parts (bottle outlet and pigtail are brass so shouldn't need any lubricant and with relatively high pressure cylinders you shouldn't use common organic lubricants ( Diesel effect) .There are special lubricants out there (fluorinated organic compounds) for combustible gases , but generally are required.
 
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Dec 27, 2022
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I fitted one of those and in the cold weather the hand wheel split and fell off, still got it though.................... I now use a spanner on it!!!
The ones I had were metal hand wheels, the one I posted was just to give an idea. Now using Flogas Lite so no threads😉
 

Mel

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Mar 17, 2007
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Back to the storage yard, armed to the teeth with spanners, mallets and spray. These tools would normally have been on the van but had been cleared off in prep for a service. We were only going to change the bottle so had only taken a gas spanner on the first trip.
This time, applied the spanner, hit it it with the mallet and that was it, came off easily!
Thank you for coming on this journey with me. The moral of the tale is however many tools you think you need; take more.
😀
Mel
 

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