BP Gaslight 10kg propane refillable cylinder
Hi, I have a BP Gaslight 10kg propane refillable cylinder and would like to use it on my Bailey Pegasus Verona 2016. When full it is only 15.4 kg and the main benefit is that the gas level can easily be seen, so will only need one bottle, as we do not use much gas.
The issue I have is that the regulator is attached to the to the caravan and the pigtail attaches to the bottles by a screw thread.
The BP Gaslight 10kg refillable cylinder has a 27mm push on connection.
My preference would be to have pigtail with a 27mm push on adaptor and keep the regulator on the caravan, is this possible and acceptable?
I am currently using butane so swapping to propane would be an advantage in the winter (accepting butane has a 12% higher calorific value). I am assuming the current regulator on the caravan will be 30mb and is okay for both butane and propane.
Any advice will be welcome!
Cheers Derek
Comments
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Derek, sounds like you have a std 'butane' hose which terminates in a 21.8mm LH threaded nut...
to connect to the Gaslight, you need an adaptor (not a regulator as yours is on the bulkhead) like below....available at the Gaslow direct (and other) stores...
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Yes, as 'BB' says 👍
I have this setup 'DS' and it is/was working quite well with refills at my local Hire shop £23 for the 10kg, it worked well for 2 years. But he now cannot get deliveries as it seems Homebase has insisted on being the sole supplier of these bottles, and charging £41.99 for a 10kg swap/refill.
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Perhaps they are trying to match Calor for pricing.
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Ouch! That’s gone up considerably since last year. Recall paying around £30 refill for the 10kg bottle last April (2017). Don’t currently use much gas over the year we rely on EHU in the main. (Warm weather Caravaning) Therefore the cost of changing to refillable ones was not cost effective, but maybe it’s time when our second bottle becomes empty. At nearly £42 a go, it won’t take as long to break even and will allow us to use gas more where electricity is metered.
Going to make a mental note of garages in France and Spain this year that have caravan friendly LPG pumps this year. As our concern was having a fitted bottle in the van a little more difficult to align with the pump, which I guess is easier in a MH. Not a fan of safefill due to the differences of opinion regarding filling options. (Light blue touch paper)
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P and C, if you have space for (say) two bottles, bearing in mind you don't use much gas, it's perfectly possible to holiday in the UK, France and Spain with three bottles....one from each country....
when you go to France/Spain take these two....if you are in France and run out of the French one, change it....if not but run out in Spain switch to the Spanish one....if that runs out, no prob....
then change the French one on the way home so you come back with a full one and a part filled one....
...and as there's no law against using foreign gas over here it may last through your uk touring....and you might not need the uk one....
anyway....you get my drift...just a couple of adaptors and a reasonable knowledge of your gas usage and it's relatively easy to come up with a plan...
...and the exchanges 'over there' will be far cheaper than here ....
just a thought
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Your analysis is almost spot on, and appreciate the thoughts. We’ve gone back and forth regarding how best to ensure gas is ‘always’ available and have seriously considered the Euro gas bottle swap etc. THey’ve Been some great bargains on EBay this year. And you’re right about the lower cost. But like many others we have potential issues with overloading the payload/axle when carrying two standard metal bottles. Don’t really want to carry around 24kg+ of bottles plus gas. Sure you can get 7kg size bottles, but have read these are more difficult to exchange.
Annoyingly BP LITE win as the lightest container full or empty when compared to metal bottles. And having been a loyal customer since their inception, a bit miffed when the pricing becomes excessive, we need to consider something else.
Fortunately We’ve still got a full bottle for this year plus whatever is left in the second one (not unwrapped the van yet). When it’s cover is off, will then know how much we used for the 7 weeks away in 2017.
So it’s not just a cost consideration, it’s also a weight issue. For 2019 We’re hoping to get away with one 11kg gasit, but it’s down to the manoeuvrability of the van in petrol stations. On the list of observations for this years trip in May.
We rarely refill the car with the van attached following a reversing nightmare in France in 2015, the exit was chicanes not obvious on entry. Made many friends in the queue behind that day!
Maybe it’s time to move to MH?
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P&C, you've got me intrigued
Having had a Safefill for coming up to Four years, with out any filling problems whatsoever, could you perhaps elaborate on the "difference of opinion regarding filling options"?
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There are endless discussions on CT and all other similar blogs that fall into two camps. (No pun intended). Those that have no trouble getting them filled and those that find they are refused. This applies to UK and abroad. Not done a survey, and appreciate the safefill is probably an easier option for caravanners, just not convinced enough to buy the bottle and adapters to see!
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Thanks for your time and answer P&C.
I can only repeat my experience, never had any problems filling anywhere in UK, not been over the water, so can't comment on that.
Yes it would/could be an expensive mistake if you are constantly refused a refill abroad, maybe others on here could give their own experiences to help you.....
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P and C, I can understand your concerns and this is an age old problem...
there are only two choices with maintaining a sufficient gas supply for a long break (anywhere) and they are....
carry sufficient gas to cover your needs
ensure you can access further supplies (refillable or not) should you need it....
in the uk, this is easy....sites have exchange bottles that fit your van and hose connections...sorted, but expensive on a per litre basis but bearable if you use little gas....
for a longer continental holiday perhaps head out with full Calor in the van (or the French bottle) and the 'spare' cylinder (Spanish) carried elsewhere, in the car boot.....Gaslow make stand alone 'gas lockers' for just this purpose and you could just exchange the first cylinder as in my 'plan' above.....depending on when last swapped, you may not even need to get the second one out....
however, if you do and you are now in Spain, you can stow the empty French bottle back in the car, use the Spanish one.....if it runs out, swap it at the site or nearest Repsol/Cepsa station.....
this will more than last you till you get home where you can revert to the uk bottle...
either way, if you can't carry enough gas in the van (weight, that age old issue) you're going to have to be a bit inventive...
a) find a way to carry more
b) find a way to use local bottles
c) find a way to use pumped LPG
its a dilemma but many caravanners have cracked this, mainly by using much less gas and/or local,bottle stood outside the van.
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good old duplicate post
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I would still wince at £30 for 10kgs! Just filled and topped up my SFs and had a total between the two cylinders of 16.70lts or 8.345 kilos - £10.52. Trouble is Safefill spoils you but I can see your point re a ‘swappable cylinder B.B. . If I am going to a new area I check whether there is a refilling facility near to our destination and so far, I haven’t had a problem. If there isn’t, I take enough to last.
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Fortunately since swapping to the Motorhome two years ago we have a built in LPG tank but I still have my Gas Light cylinder at home for use with the BBQ. The cylinders are far superior to Calor - lighter, transparent and easy to handle. The 27mm clip on connector can also be used on some French bottles like Le Cube. So frustrating that a superior product gradually gets pushed out of the market, I guess because of the difficulty of competing with Calors distribution network.
Interesting that the Dutch know a good product when they see it. BP must have sold the production rights also in the Netherlands as well as to the UK. In Holland they still market “BP Gas Light” albeit with a different connector. It is freely available at many caravan dealers and is used by a large number of Dutch who swear by it.
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