No Calor Gas bottles

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  • Unknown
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    edited March 2021 #32
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  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,499
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    edited March 2021 #33

    I wonder too but assume its a motorhome thing all this gas.

    Probably because they are more mobile and tend to stopover in places without electricity more than caravans. I have had Gaslow systems in both my motorhomes and they have more than paid for themselves in terms of consumption and convenience over 20 plus years of use.

    peedee

  • Unknown
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    edited March 2021 #34
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  • figbat
    figbat Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited April 2021 #35

    We bought a used outfit on Monday and were warned by the dealer that cylinders were not easy to get - sure enough all retail suppliers are ‘refill-only’, Calor have said there are no new-issue cylinders being made available for now until who knows when.

    I managed to find a 6kg propane Calor with a decent amount left in it on Facebook Marketplace - a Facebook acquaintance has also said they have an empty one I can have, so I should be OK now but for a while it was looking bleak.

    Then all the sites are booked up and awnings are all out of stock... this lark needs some planning!

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member, Member Moderator Posts: 5,862
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    edited April 2021 #36

    In my case, our decision to go to Safefill was really to do with the weight of the cylinders rather than the cost, now they it is more difficult to get calorlite.  In reality, the cost maybe, at best, quite similar over a ten year period, as we don't use a lot of gas - but then, could be quite difficult to work out with any degree of accuracy.  However, if you add in the cost of replacing a caravan axle because of possibly overloading the caravan, it may perhaps, be the more economical option?? laughing  At least I have a local source of refilling my cylinders, so the current shortage/ problem of swapping a calor cylinder has been overcome by swapping to Safefill.  They have also assured me that they have every intention to continue to refill Safefill cylinders because of the investment they have made in installing the system.

    David

  • figbat
    figbat Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited April 2021 #37

    I've just looked up the Safefill system - looks interesting.  As an aside I was close to the development of the BP Gas Light cylinders for a while - an innovation I was pretty excited about back then.  I do recall there was one small issue with them, that being the evaporative cooling effect on gas pressure; in use the cylinder would cool down to a point that the LPG wouldn't evaporate readily enough to maintain decent pressure.  This was really only an issue for high-flow use, like a patio heaters - with metal cylinders being thermally conductive this is mitigated somewhat by environmental heating but the thermally-insulated composite cylinders do not allow this.

    Also, I believe the Calor cylinder shortage is not affecting refills/swaps - they are still out there to be had, it is affecting new users who want 'in' on the racket.

  • DaveIam
    DaveIam Club Member Posts: 13
    edited October 2021 #38

    We picked up our caravan in April and still haven't managed to find somewhere that will supply a Calor 6kg bottle. Some places have them as exchanges but have been told by Calor not to sell bottles to new customers. Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution? We also had the same response from a Flogas dealer.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Club Member Posts: 10,224
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    edited October 2021 #39

    If you are just starting out, consider a refillable, particularly if you plan on going abroad. If you use any significant amount of gas, it will pay for itself over time.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,367
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    edited October 2021 #40

    Perhaps pick one up on eBay or similar. Although given there scarcity they might be fetching a premium price. When we switched to refillables 3 years ago, I gave ours away, and they weren’t even empty.

  • RogerP1956
    RogerP1956 Club Member Posts: 64
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    edited October 2021 #41

    Just had a browse on line and there are a few 6kg Propane bottles (£80 seems to be the going rate) up for sale, I guess you would need to collect but I was wondering what Calor would say about that.

    I haven't read the ins & outs of a Calor contract but I am sure that you never own a Calor cylinder and I would be surprised if Calor allow you to transfer the contract to someone else for a fee.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,367
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    edited October 2021 #42

    I don’t think they are ever likely to know. When we first bought a caravan and a couple of gas cylinders we had some paperwork from Calor. Not sure what happened to it. When we changed a cylinder it was just a swap and £20 / £25 poorer.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2021 #43

    Can you get a 3.9 propane? As I am sure they are in the same exchange group? They also have the same connectivity. ;

    We have a 6kg lite on at the moment and it has been on for two years now mi wish it would run out as I want to swop it for a 3.9,to save weight cool

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited October 2021 #44

    Seems LPG shortage/price situation is attracting thieves - how secure are yours?

  • GTrimmer
    GTrimmer Club Member Posts: 169
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    edited October 2021 #45

    Delighted we changed to this in the Summer.  Yes, more expensive, but in the grand scheme of costs not excessively so - and remember, propane is drived from oil, and we all know where that has gone !

    https://www.homebase.co.uk/gaslight-propane-cylinder-refillable-5kg/12804302.html

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,367
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    edited October 2021 #46

    https://www.homebase.co.uk/gaslight-propane-cylinder-refillable-5kg/12804302.html

    Link made live.

    OK if you don’t use much gas. However, at £7 per kg, as against £1.25 when I refilled the other day, expensive if you do.

  • GTrimmer
    GTrimmer Club Member Posts: 169
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    edited October 2021 #47

    You must be using some form of refillable bottle at that price.

    £7 kilo for Gaslight 5KG isn't so bad against Calor 6KG at around £5.50 -if you can find one !

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Club Member Posts: 10,224
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    edited October 2021 #48

    Earlier in the year, I spent a month in Scotland and used 21Kg of gas which cost me £29.75. That's 3.5 bottles of Calor which would work out at £100+ assuming you didn't give any residual LPG back to Calor.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,367
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    edited October 2021 #49

    It does of course depend on Gtrimmers usage. When we had a caravan we used very little, as in only for cooking. I would have been OK with those prices.

    Now with a MH, moving on more and utilising the large fridge on gas when parked up, I’m glad we are not on Calor even in the UK and using our normal pattern of using mainly CAMC sites.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 14,062
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    edited October 2021 #50

    I assume much of that time was spent off grid with no EHU? We have spent about 35 nights away this year, all nights with EHU and if we have used a third of our 6kgs Calor bottle I would be surprised. I am not suggesting that refillable cylinders are not a good idea but for many they are not really a worthwhile investment if always using EHU. I have done several upgrades to my motorhome but refillable cylinders are not one I am seriously considering.

    David

  • DaveIam
    DaveIam Club Member Posts: 13
    edited October 2021 #51

    Thanks for looking. £80 seems like a lot though. The ones on ebay are all at least 70 miles away from me unfortunately.

  • DaveIam
    DaveIam Club Member Posts: 13
    edited October 2021 #52

    Thanks, that's a good idea. I didn't find a 3.9kg but I found a 13kg bottle not too far away but its an ebay auction so will have to bid on it. The advert says it could be nearly full so hopefully I could use it and exchange for a smaller one later

  • Burgundy
    Burgundy Club Member Posts: 313
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    edited October 2021 #53

    Have a look on Calor website

    https://www.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/advice/returns#gas-bottle-exchange

    you can only exchange within the same group, You can’t swap a 13kg for a smaller bottle.

    You maybe able to pick one up at local scrap yard. I got a 7kg butane and swopped for a 6kg propane.

  • Unknown
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    edited October 2021 #54
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,335
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    edited October 2021 #55

    Dave, what part of the country are you in?

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  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 14,062
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    edited October 2021 #61

    You are right, none of those!!!! My upgrades have been all about making our lives a bit easier whilst using the van. All details on my website.

    David