Do you ever check your spare gas bottle?
My OH has suggested I write this as a warning:
Whilst away on our recent break we carried a Calorlite as spare. This was the first time we have had a Calorlite. When the inevitable occurred during the cooking of our evening meal, hubby attempted to change the bottle but was unable to achieve a gas tight fit with the new bottle. Luckily we fitted our new microwave before leaving home so disaster was averted.
The following day we were able to exchange our 6kg steel at a local CCC site.
Upon returning home OH returned the Calorlite to the supplier for an exchange.using our own pigtail he was able to demonstrate that the POL end ( I don't understand this part!) would not fully insert to create the seal.They were still sceptical blaming our ' faulty' pigtail but it turned out that it fitted perfectly onto another bottle and even a new pigtail would not fit the original bottle.
The moral of the story is don' t leave home without checking your spare bottle will work otherwise you might upset your wife!
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No such thing here as a spare. Both bottles connected all the time and regulator swaps over.
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a spare what? Seriously a good post to those that have two bottles. I don't and the bottle fitted when I bought the van four years ago just ran out last outing. Looking at when people are setting up I seem to think it's 50/50 as to who has two and who doesn't?
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There is a visual indicator that changeover has occured. It is right behind where the wastemasters are stowed so gets seen a lot. Then got about a year at our rate of consumption to organise a replacement.
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im sure I've read somewhere about this issue with POL fittings not providing a gas tight seating on all types of bottle.....
i dont have them myself now, but used to have two on a previous van...
could it be something to do with some fittings requiring no washer (metal to metal) and others using a washer.....?
cant remember the exact cause of the issue....
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We did exactly as you suggest when we started caravanning in the late 1970s when we pumped up water with a foot pump, upgraded to electric lighting and kept perishable food in an insulated cool box. But with advancing age and rising expectations, our own caravanning has distanced itself from providing simple shelter, to an enjoyably convenient home from home. Today, an automatic gas changeover valve swaps supplies seamlessly. We don't have an urgent need to exchange an exhausted bottle before cooking dinner and we have a visible gas contents indicator on each of our two Calor lite bottles. Whatever luxury next? Soon we'll be wanting frivolities such as refrigerators, microwave ovens and heaven forbid, electrically powered wheels for manouvering.
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It's a good post intended to warn people with the same set up that their spare may not actually be useable. It happened to us many years ago with a bottle regulator. I've always checked that I can get a good seal on new bottles since then. For those people who don't have the "one in use and a spare" arrangement it simply doesn't apply. Those with a manual change valve may be affected, because unless you check the connection you don't actually know until you changeover.
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the gas/electric usage thing obviously depends where (and on what type of site) you camp.
those on EHU sites with a plentiful amperage will probably use electric for virtually everything....cooking (even with additional rings/ovens to make best use of whats been paid for), heating, hot water, charging phones and laptops etc. however, they pay (as part of their inclusive fee) around £4 per day, the going rate on a CCC site for an EHU. so, around £28 a week.
those who use non EHU sites obviously cant use a mains supply so have to rely on gas for their heating, hot water and cooking requirements. they will also have to emply 12v systems for charging electrical devices. they will have to pay for gas usage.
like those who invest ovens and extra rings to maximise the leccy, others might invest in different equipment to reduce gas costs and to give a reliable 12v supply.
while some may 'never' turn on the gas bottle, others 'never' plug into an EHU bollard.
this spring weve done quite a bit of non-ehu camping and have found it very nice as we have been able to spend a few weeks on THS sites. i was pleasantly surprised this morning to find Im only paying £7 a night here at Chichester.....
so, two viewpoints.....i like to keep both barrels loaded and make use of all power sources....yes, we really do use Club sites from time to time
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I can't see the relevance of this to the subject of the thread. Am I missing something?
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as usual with many a thread, the 'subject/query' gets aswered within the first page or two, and then evolve.
no different here...in fact i contributed to the specific, earlier in the thread.
the last few posts have mentioned running out of gas, managing swapovers, never turning the bottle on, etc, etc....
ive just added to that theme, suggesting that, while some never use gas (not an issue for this thread, so even less relevant wouldnt you think?) i just posted about those who 'never use ehu' (running exclusively on gas, so fairly relevant?....) as a juxtaposition.
if you're so keen to moderate threads, perhaps Bugs can recommend a course?
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No worries BB. Just thought I may have missed something.🤗
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I wish there was room in my caravan's front locker for a wastemaster
Oh dear. Is that normal on newer 'vans?
I get two wastemasters in along with two 6kg bottles and a box with the toilet chemicals and waste pipe fittings, and umpteen lengths of rigid and flexible waste pipe for the occasional full facility pitch, some wooden blocks and some things I've forgotten all about. Oh, and the two Aquaroll handles.
The trick is to unclip the axle from one of the Wastemasters, so that might help your situation.
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you dont miss much
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we don't have two gas bottles, although there is space and restraints for two, so the gas bottle is far right and we have your stuff including blue pipes for service pitches and an aquarol, which takes the place of the missing gas bottle and get strapped in it's place. We do take off the wastermaster axle as you suggest.
Just out of interest why do you have two wastemasters?
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