Safefill - Refillable Gas Cylinders
Last summer, as part of my ambition to do far more off-grid touring, I thought I'd invest* in Safefill. Perhaps my alarm belles should have been ringing when the place I went to go to purchase a canister was Brayford Leicsure and they only had one size available - the medium sized one - and lots of them! But nonetheless I coughed up my circa £160 for it and have them fill it up and carried on smug in the knowledge that I would soon be quids in in longer term savings.
However, for various personal reasons we haven't been able to get out in the caravan anything like as much as we had hoped since then - partly due to a job change and house move - we've only just got round to needing to re-fill it. I duly looked on Safefill's website to find stockists and discovered that there was only one in about a 10 mile radius. That would be ok if this garage would actaully allow me to refill it. Notices on their lpg pumps said that individual gas canisters were not be refilled here and before I even checked at the kiosk a forceful looking lady shouted at me saying that I couldn't fill that thing here! However, after discussion she told me where, locally, I could get it sorted. I thanked her and went on to that location. Unfortunately she clearly mistook Safefill with standard Calor gas. I tried to call Safefill at this point only to hear that I couldn't leave a message as the mailbox was full!
I proceeded to look for an alternative website to see where LPG was stocked and then proceeded to a couple of other locations, one which didn't actaully exist anynore and another also refused to let me fill my Safefill container. Having wasted 2 hours on a wild goose chase I decided to head home as I had work to do rather annoyed and frustrated.
So, can anyone else tell me if they'ved had simialr unhelpful experiences with Safefill or, more helpfully, let me know somewhere where I can get my cylinder refilled in the Beds/Herts/Bucks area.
Very much lool forward to hearing responses.
Cheers,
Tim.
*for investment read expensive wasted of money!
Comments
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perhaps look for a filling point near to your holiday destination or tour, rather than at home...
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If going that route, carrying an exchange bottle would be an essential insurance requirement for any trip not comfortably done with the residual LPG.
A caravan on the hook, mine an 8 metre, limits the deviations you can take seeking a compliant retailer.
IMO, if you have not a local retailer you can rely on, the refilling route is just too stress provoking to be worth the saving. Leaves me still without one, despite otherwise a desire to have one.
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I decided to fit a SafeFill cylinder to my self built panel van conversion and have had no problems refilling it wherever I have travelled throughout the UK and Europe!
Possibly this is because I looked into the publicised problems of refilling these cylinders before I ourchased mine and having done so, I then sent some time designing an external filling point into my van.
So now whenever and wherever I need to refill my truly excellent cylinder I simply drive into the garage and fill it up using the refilling point built into the sidewall of my van.
But if anyone has one of these truly brilliant lightweight cylinders, yes I agree that there are a lot of garages who have banned them from being refilled as stand alone cylinders, however if you go onto the SafeFill website there is the map showing known locations throughout the country where you can go and refill them Safefill Filling Locations
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Well, if Safefill has gone bust it’s the first I’ve heard of it.!! Let me assure you that I was in touch with Safefill about 3 weeks asking when the next batch of cylinders were being delivered. As far as I know, the cylinders were about to be released. I am frustrated the same as everyone else. Safefill has worked tirelessly to get user/owner cylinders accepted by PELG- the issuers of the Red Guide and subsequently UKLPG who have had to reissue their Sht 26 to make sense of the new Red Guide. The big gas suppliers have plotted to try to destroy Safefill since they first appeared in 2011. The first thing they did was try to deny fill points to Safefill owners- I know because it’s happened to me! I will not list here what these all these actions have been but we all know that the lack of fill points should not now be an issue- there is no reason for any garage or fill point to refuse a fill as Safefill is a properly constructed cylinder with all the relevant safety features demanded by the various authorities. All I can say is that if we, as a growing group, start giving up on Safefill and cylinders like them, the big gas suppliers will love it! We will all be at tender mercies of the big boys. Safefill and similar cylinders take away their untapped revenue stream in rental charges. For every rental cylinder at £25 about £6-£7 is for the gas, the rest is for the cylinder!! Safefill is alive and well. Let’s, by supporting them, show Calor and Co that we have had enough of stinging rental prices.
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there is no reason for any garage or fill point to refuse a fill as Safefill is a properly constructed cylinder with all the relevant safety features demanded by the various authorities.
No matter how safe the refilling is each garage, and/or garage chain must make their own risk assesment regarding safety but, also from a business point of view will no doubt consider how other 'unenlightened' customers might view the practice in view of the possibly low income from such sales to refillables and maybe the possible concerns of their more important fuel customers.
Maybe somebody knows of a suitable outlet for the OP in the Dunstable area?
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Every time I fill mine I check for any problems- not that I allow my cylinders to go anywhere near an impact or misuse! The big boys don’t know what has happened to their cylinders whilst out on rental so they have to check them- that kinda makes sense. The owner of a Safefill cylinder will or should, do a check automatically.
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I agree ET but what I was trying to say was that they can no longer use the excuse of ‘it’s illegal’. If they want to lose business that’s their perogative . I still think it’s a leftover from the ‘old days’ Education has proved to be successful- caravanners going out there and talking to fill points. We have all been over these points time and time again but it bears repeating- the thought of going back to the rental of 6kg cylinders from Calor and Co makes my blood run cold!!
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I’m not sure that losing business will worry garages, Merve. Our MH gas tank was topped up from about half full last week and it cost £4. Would a busy garage want LVs clogging up the forecourt for such rich rewards?😄
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so, in effect, you have a fixed gaslow type system, like many motorhomers....
when we (MHers) fill, we take the van with us or call in 'on the way' as fixed fill points don't seem to be 'outlawed' in the same way that removable refillables are....
Kjelll has a Gaslow in his caravan.....fixed fill point, no problem.
...but as Ocsid says, pulling a large car/caravan unit into a garage without being confident of getting gas is a bit hit and miss....
perhaps adding a fixed filler point might alleviate some of the uncertainty and allow fills at most LPG stations, however, it removes the portability aspect which makes Safefill attractive to caravanners...
something to weigh up...
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I don't clog up the station with an LV, just take bottle out and put it in the car drive to the garage, fill up.
When with my brother he fills the MH and the Gaslow system at the same time so suddenly the few pounds becomes £70 or £80, not sure a garage would turn that away.
If there's a will there's a way
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but as Ocsid says, pulling a large car/caravan unit into a garage without being confident of getting gas is a bit hit and miss....
So what do they do if on a journey with the van they just want petrol or diesel
I just don't get it why any thread concerning safefill suddenly becomes full of negatives. We have safefill and have never ever had a problem
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from the MyLPG App.....3 stations nr Dunstable verified in the past three months (the green markers) although this may not be for Safefill (more likely, Gaslow).
however, a call to these might yeild one winner, good luck.
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sorry, forgot the photo.....and couldn't count, lol.....
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That’s a way of looking at it Tinny I suppose and it has its merits but let’s not dwell on the customer who doesn’t want much gas. That can happen in any sphere I filled my 10kg cylinder the other day by taking it along to a garage in Barmouth and paid £15.22. LPG at 79.9ppl. Now, a few doing that makes it worth it.
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59.9p at Podimore Cross roundabout
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Well, that was not what I said, the actual statement being:
"A caravan on the hook, mine an 8 metre, limits the deviations you can take seeking a compliant retailer."
It was suggested I could pick LPG up on route, great if you go past one, that then allows you to refill a portable, but far too tedious for me to go deviating off in the hope some listed retailer will oblige.
Coupled to that, I did a lot of research as I wanted to go the Safefill route, and no retailer anywhere near me, even listed ones, would actually allow me to do so. A non listed one a bit further away than ideal would but then they removed their LPG pump.
With over a 300 mile towing range I plan sufficiently not to have to try and get my unit into a diesel fuel station on route. Therefore I don't face "what do they do if on a journey with the van they just want petrol or diesel", as simple as that.
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If you are looking for fill points, use myLPG.eu. Safefill, being a small company have had to pass the mapping and responsibility of fill points to myLPG.eu I have a little knowledge of what has to be done to get cylinders to market and it’s hugely complicated with many facets to be faced. Please remember that Safefill is a small company who have to work within the constraints of working with larger companies. They can’t just ring up and say ‘ Can you get 300 10kg Cylinders to me for next week’ If only!’ They are having cylinders produced by cylinder manufacturers who also have problems and sometimes those problem directly affect Safefill’ s ability to get their cylinders to market. For those who are looking for a cylinder or are fearful of Safefill having gone bust- let me allay your fears. Safefill is alive and well. July should see 1000 units enter the country (600 x 10kg 300 x 7.5kg and 100 x 5kg) Safefill wish it to be known that they are very appreciative of all the support they are receiving from their growing band of customers and ask for patience. They realise that with such a popular product, frustrations are bound to occur when the product is not freely available. They also ask that you use myLPG.eu If Safefill was anything else but a great product, Morrison’s would not have touched them. Not only have Morrison’s taken them on but the powers that be have amended guides to accommodate them. Please be assured of Safefills best efforts to get cylinders to market. All we can do as appreciative customers is stick with them and see them grow.
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Well, that was not what I said, the actual statement being:
"A caravan on the hook, mine an 8 metre, limits the deviations you can take seeking a compliant retailer."
Ocsid, apologies....yes I see you were referring to the access even for verified sites....
i can see this could be a pain, without any further frustrations of being refused at a 'verified' station...
not having the difficulties of a caravan on the hook nor a gas system without a fixed filler, I am (obviously) spoiled for choice....
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That's what I paid at Winterbourne Stoke, west of Amesbury a couple of months ago.
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Has anybody had problems with the Safefill valve sticking (mine is the 20 ltr blue cylinder which is about 3 years old. After I refill the cylinder and connect it back to the caravan pigtail the gas will not flow. The only solution is to screw the pigtail just short of being leak proof and then open the valve and let gas escape. Then tighten the pigtail up. Sometimes it takes more than one adjustment. I have also found that you can screw the pigtail tight but when you open the valve it needs further tightening. I did email Safefill who said this was perfectly normal however I don't recall the problem existing in the first few refills. All a bit hit and miss requiring quite a bit of fiddling and careful checking to ensure no leaks. Living in the north it is not easy to return the cylinder which is of course out of warranty. Replacing it with a different brand involves more cost and undermines the reason for cost saving.
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Thanks for the replies - although none address my problem of where to locally re-fill my Safefill cylinder.
I am, however, very glad to hear that Safefill are alive and well. In fairness I also recieved an email today from them about my concern that said they would try to resolve. But they must have far better things to do rather than just worry about my issues.
My concern is that the main place near us as listed as a Safefill on their map refused to sell it to me as a stand alone cylinder. They would have let me fill up if it was fixed securely in a motorhome and I think that seems a bit of an area of confusion.
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Thanks for the replies - although none address my problem of where to locally re-fill my Safefill cylinder.
didnt I post 3 filling stations close to Dustable from the Filllpg App?
i didn't post the actual addresses but I no longer deliver IT Services
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🤣🤣🤣 Yes not the cheapest Tinny I have to admit but, even at that price, it knocks rental cylinders out of the ball park. I am about to visit my daughter in Bristol and Andy's Gas will be my first call! To try to address the OP. It’s a chicken and the egg situation. If no interest is shown in refill gas, businesses won’t install a tank, and if they don’t install a tank, we can’t get our cylinders filled up. Many thousands now have refill cylinders whether it be Safefill, Gaslow, Gas it etc. If the numbers continue to increase, and I’m very hopeful they will, the sheer numbers of people wanting to refill will become the tipping point for those who are still living in the 1950s. These fill points that are still uneducated about the advances in cylinder technology will start to look at it and ask questions. Put simply, it’s up to us guys!! If you want cheaper gas- much cheaper gas, then join the refill revolution and make it happen!!
Tirril, your sticking valve? Can I first ask- are you over filling the cylinder? Please don’t be offended for me asking this but some have leaned on that button and continued to force liquid into the cylinder when the pump has changed tone and is screaming for the customer to stop! I know it takes some believing but according to SF it happens!! If you have 21lts in a cylinder that is supposed to take a maximum of 19.5 then something is wrong - Safefill have no control over idiots- that last comment is not directed at you!🤣🤣. Safefill have had some problems but they are very few. Other refill manufacturers have had similar problems, again, not many but it does happen. Have you rung Neil and told him of your problem? The worst scenario is the fitting of a new valve- cheaper that a complete new cylinder. I have one of the blue 20lt cylinders and have had no problem whatsoever.
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