Refiilable gas bottles
Has anyone had experience of Safefill gas bottles? Is the investment worth it and does the infrastructure support the system?
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Hi, obviously a personal view, having considered Safefill back in 2016, but it’s no and no.
Back then we were encouraged by friends with a Gaslow system but, in Cornwall there were only two outlets and my closest LPG pump site stated quite clearly that they would not allow the filling of portable cylinders.
As it seems LPG is disappearing, to be replaced at many locations by electric vehicle charging points, what was slightly appealing has become a non starter for us.
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I suspect it depends on the nature of your motorhoming. If you just use campsites and make use of EHU I imagine it will be questionable whether it is a worthwhile investment. However if you spend more time away from campsites and therefore use a lot of gas then the cost savings look more attractive. It is true that less of the big petrol retailers are withdrawing gas facilities but there will always be independents that carry on with it so probably a case of finding places near you that have a refilling facility. I think most motorway services sell gas?
It might be worth your while having a look at this discussion https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/tips-for-making-caravanning-touring-cheaper/how-to-survive-a-non-240v-ehu-site/
David
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Check out the section Tips for Making Caravanning and Touring Cheaper. There is much about refillable gas in there.
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You first need to know how much gas you will use.
For me as a caravanner - not much. 6 kg over my usual 120+ nights away. Far better for me to use two 3.9kg bottles of calor propane.
I heat and run the fridge on electric. Your situation in your motorhome may be different
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I suspect it depends on the nature of your motorhoming. If you just use campsites and make use of EHU I imagine it will be questionable whether it is a worthwhile investment.
I would have thought many might run their fridge on gas whilst off the site on trips and/or parked up. No idea
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Looking beyond just a caravan / Motorhome use makes more sense to go the Safefill route.
We currently use a calor lite for just the caravan with very low use as we use the umbilical cord with the paid for electrickery when on site.
we are remodelling our garden at home to be able to use a gas fire pit table on the patio and the cadac year round. Realising there will be a second lockdown which will mean more time at home then safefill is the way to go. Just got to establish the size of bottle, probably the mid range which is £10 higher than the small one. There is a petrol station on a regular route for journeys we make that means refill is readily available at 59ppl which is approx 4 refills to cover the outlay over just swapping a calor bottle. If you have to pay the initial rental on a calor bottle plus a fill the return is even quicker with a safefill.
If touring in Europe adapters for safefill to fill at gas stations makes it a no brainier long term.
if you only use a bottle every 2 years as we do with just caravan use, then it's not worth it.
there is lots of info in the thread linked above and another sticky in the section on making it cheaper.
as with most things it's adapt, improvise overcome to change with the times. Look outside the leisure vehicle industry to find gas. Marinas are another source.
roofers and builders use refillable bottles as they are lighter to carry up ladders and are refilled at builders merchants not just 'petrol' stations. Not many roofers / builders run electric cables up ladders.
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The ability to refill abroad is a big plus and could amend any decision apart from the consumption aspect. I bought a Safefill for my caravan about four years ago and now resides in my second motorhome. I don't have to wait until it is empty to avoid giving gas back to Calor. I can top up any time to ensure I start with a full cylinder. It's probably paid for itself by now with autogas at a quarter of the price Calor charge.
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Yes, the option to top up LPG tanks abroad on extended trips is the single biggest reason why I have a refillable system. I use Gaslow and I don’t know much about Safefill, but forecourt staff tend to be nervous about installations that are not fully ‘plumbed in’. Reducing LPG points in the UK is annoying, but I only refill occasionally and with a bit of forward planning it’s not an issue. LPG is cheap as chips compared to Calor bottles.
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Morrisons are oficial safefill partners , Use a safefill for some years ,
we rally off grid just need to do a bit of internet before trips to find refillers
Not much available in the lake district the only ones I found
one in Penrith at north end
At southern end Crooklands on A65 near J36 M6
turn towards Kirkby Lonsdale then left at island it is a large garage .
Lpg between goods vehicle pumps
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We bought a safefill about 4 years age, it has paid for itself 10 fold,
we use C.L.s without E.H.U. so everything is on gas, using about 5 kilo per week
calor is £3.90 per kilo Morrisons about £1.11 per kilo others up to about £1.56 per kilo saving of over £2.00 per kilo
allanandjean says hard in Cornwall, I don't know where in Cornwall they from, we stay near hayle just 20 mins drive to cornwall auto gas at helston, not much further Opie oils near helston
we have found somewhere to fill everywhere we have been, what the future holds I am not sure as some garages are closing L.P.G.
so I'm holding on to 2 x 7 kg butane bottles that I can exchange for propane if I need to
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