What's going on at Safefill...??
Ok, as CC site prices rise ever skyward we are looking around at alternatives, and already have several nights wild camping planned for this year......
A major issue for us will be keeping the wine chilled in the fridge, (and the milk I suppose), meaning that we will need to run the fridge on gas a fair bit, and possibly the space heating, even in bonny Scotland in the summer.....
So I'm evaluating refillable cylinders again to see if the economics are any more viable with a few nights off grid planned....
There's a couple of interesting adverts for secondhand gear on Ebay, but that made me look at the Safefill website. When I type Safefill into Google, Google says that their HQ is closed permanently.... Their website shows zero cylinder availability, and from another forum this seems to be the case for a while....
Does anyone know what's going on, Merve maybe......?
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I got this TT and no sign of being closed?
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Yes, that's their website, but try & buy a cylinder......
This is the result you get on a Google search......
The red bar, if you can make it out, says "permanently closed"
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Shhhhh, keep it down will ya or you’ll have DD barking at everyone☹️
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Zone A - all out of stock, have been for a while apparently.
Google says they're closed.....
As said, what's going on....?
Given the "enthusiastic" following on here, someone must know something.....?....
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There's obviously no problem at all......
Google classifies you as closed....
No stock on your website....
It all sounds fine to me.......
Thanks for your useful advice, I will.....
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Someone on another forum said the shortage of Safefill bottles is down to Calor giving the company that made them a massive order for the production of the next Calor lightweight cylinder. Obviously I can't confirm that as being true but it might explain the difficulties of a much smaller company being able to source new stock?
Have you tried to email them at info@safefill.co.uk? I can get onto their website and select a region where I want a cylinder delivered to but all sizes are awaiting stock.
David
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Apparently ( second hand from the web) they are batch built for the year and it appears they were a victim of their own success and sold out before the new batch arrived. Rumour has it that they are due soon.
There are also rumours of conspiracy of component blocking due to their success and threatening the big boys monopoly racket.
Either way I got one and its good for me now that my local Morrisons allows me to top up whenever.
Some of the larger sizes were available on the web from Holland outlet but since this was on anther site I think they are likely now sold.
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Thanks David, interesting that, I'm about to start using my last Calor lite so a refill will be neccesary this season, but on the Calor website they say that you will need a copy of your cylinder rental agreement before you can swap to the latest cylinder. My paperwork is long since lost in the mists of time, and I'm not paying a new cylinder rental hire charge.
Thanks Phishing, I'd like a bigger cylinder than the 6kg calor lite for the comfort factor a bigger reserve would give me if I go off grid, but I need a cylinder that I can actually lift up into the gas locker, which rules out the 11/13kg Calor rental cylinders.
There's a possibility the 10kg Safefill would be ideal for me in that respect, but at the moment I'm bidding on another make of refillable on Ebay. If I don't win that I'll look at Safefill again....
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TT, if you're in your van, wont you be taking it to the filling point and therefore won't need to lift it out?
...or will you be using a car to go to the fill point?
...or a mix?
can your locker take two cylinders and have one refillable and one (say) Calor to give you the best of both worlds?....swap Calor when empty and use refillable ...when refillable out (and not close to pump) use Calor until filled...
this way, you can make use of the cheap gas for the majority of the time but have the fall back of the Calor of LPG is scarce.
could try Gaslow direct fill as an alternative and they have availability.
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Thanks, there's a lot of issues there and I've only just started thinking about them and I'm not really sure where I'm going with it all.
We've got some off grid nights planned this year (up in Scotland) driven by the desire to save on camp site fees (we've got a daughters wedding on the horizon & some house upgrade bills!) but also we've clocked a few nice places we'd like to stay away from sites. After watching videos on You Tube the O/H is quite keen on it...!
We could probably manage with a 6kg Calor if it was full but as it runs down I would start to worry about running out and would probably end up changing it too soon which is uneconomic obviously. To mitigate against that at the moment we carry a Camping Gaz 907 & seperate pigtail in the gas locker for an emergency, and it powers the Cadac.
I could fit two 6kg cylinders in but we like space in the gas locker for muddy boots, wet dog towels & vehicle washing bucket etc.Thats where I started looking at a single bigger lightweight and refillable cylinder. My gas usage will never justify the capital cost, but if it gives us the confidence to be away from sites even an extra 4 nights a year, it would pay for itself in two years in saved site fees......
I'm aware that some are fixed with a filling kit and I would have to drive the van to the pump, others are portable. Right now I have an arm injury I can't shake off so weight to lift up into the gas locker is an issue I need to consider.
That's about where I'm up to....!!
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good info there, which points to the removable/refillable (safefill etc) as perhaps being a bit of a struggle when full to lift back into the locker, so perhaps a Gaslow fixed single bottle would be good?
our 11kg bottle does seem to last us well even when off grid. this (if it would fit) would leave plenty of locker space and the 907 and pigtail (perhaps stored somewhere else) giving the back up should pumps be a bit far between.
so, possibly a good flexible approach, reasonable cost as single bottle, less effort lifting locker wise and a back up supply when needed?
we are long terming here in Spain and, due to the economics of 'everyone' in Spain heating at home on bottled gas, the 13kg bottles are as cheap as pumped gas, and far cheaper than metered leccy, so we use Spanish bottles while stationary.
by having one 11kg bottle of refillable LPG. this gives us the same flexibility I reckon you will have with a 'hybrid' system...
good luck...
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You have the right handle Phishing! You are hearing rumours- or are they? The truth always gets out somehow! If you were a spaniel sniffer dog, you’d be red hot! Watch this space. I suggest folk read your post and take note. This is not only a war against Safefill but the entire leisure industry and a conspiracy to make us all pay more- New Stock is expected if not already in. I have also heard rumours. Let me put it this way- if Calors new lightweight cylinder is a composite made by Hexagon Regasco, and I think you’ll find it will be, then I’ll know they are true!! I will post soon.
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My local dealer has those in stock. For me the drawback is that I couldn't see how much gas is left, so I brought a Safefll.
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I was looking at this one, I'm no expert, is there anything wrong with it....?
It seems to be transparent which solves the issue d555 describes...?
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David, I've emailed you....
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When I sourced my 7.5kg a few months ago, it seemed it was the only one left in the north of England. I was told by the Manager of the dealership that they were in short supply because of an issue with the manufacturer of the Safefill valves who also made valves for another major gas supplier. I won't say anymore because I'm not certain how reliable the information was but you can no doubt work out what was going on.
The owner of Safefill was looking for an alternative valve manufacturer outside the UK, but I don't know where that has got to.
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One obvious thing is that it is not a "Safefill" and it is specifically Safefill that Morrisons have approved, allowing their staff to permit being filled on their forecourts
I suspect Morrison and their underwriters have more than casually studied the risks they face in making that specific approval. I have little doubt one requiring a lot of lobbying and reassuring from Safefill, probably against some vested interests trying to do otherwise.
I would not consider it personally and worry if it becomes more widely used it could have ramifications on what I suspect is this fragile concession offered by Morrisons to Safefill owners.
Just a personal view.
It also uses a screw on adaptor, not good practice where Safefill's only single joint is the industry approved UK filling bayonet. Plus, it could be confusing for a cashier to differentiate as a safe product, with the concerns that will generate.
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OK thanks for that....
I'm not too concerned about upsetting any cosy arrangement that Safefill have come to with Morrisons, and I wouldn't be going there to fill it, but your comments about the adaptor are noted and appreciated. Thank you for replying.
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Okay, I would not have described the Safefill Morrisons relationship as "cosy" but certainly any access to refill portable LPG cylinders on forecourts in the UK, as exceedingly "fragile".
My research trying to get somewhere to refill indicated the "official" stance was not to permit it on any major fuel suppliers forecourt. Probably for ulterior reasons, but having access to Morrisons is a very important concession that would be very bad news indeed to lose as independents aside there is little "approved" alternatives. Add to that a general loss to automotive LPG pumps, we need to tread with care to keep what options we have.
As said a personal view.
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Yes, I do understand that and accept fully what you say.
It just didn't sit right with me that I shouldn't buy a rival product because only SF have wooed Morrisons.
I have a couple of "back street" independents nearby who I would be using.....
We do have a Morrisons Petrol Station about 6 miles away from us, although we never shop there, and I can't think of anywhere else we travel regularly where I've seen one.
A far bigger concern to me (and everyone I'm sure) will be the inevitable decline in places with an LPG pump. As electricity fast chargers have to be found a place on forecourts in the near future I can guess what will go to make way for them.....
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