Calor bottles discontinued
Serious consequences for smaller campervans and caravans...
"Calor Retail Stockists will receive individual communication on this as the letters are due to hit later this week.
Changes to our cylinder range
From 1st February 2023 the following cylinders will be discontinued: Cube, 3.9kg Propane, 4.5kg Butane, 6Lite Propane and 12kg Butane cylinders.
Why have we done this?
Improving our cylinder service is a priority. Our existing range of cylinders is creating complexity within our supply chain. This means longer change over times and reduced filling capacity on high volume key sizes. That’s why we’ve taken the difficult decision to reduce our cylinder range, simplifying the business.
We realise this change will affect customers that rely on these sizes, but we know these changes are necessary to significantly improve our cylinder service.
Suitable Alternatives
There are suitable alternatives to these cylinder sizes within our range, or within the Campingaz range. For example, customers looking for a 3.9kg Propane can be offered a 6kg Propane, and those looking for a 4.5kg Butane offered a 7kg Butane.
For more information on suitable alternatives and safely changing the regulator, visit www.calor.co.uk/cylinder-range-faq "
Comments
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https://www.calor.co.uk/cylinder-range-faq
I’ve made the link live, Paul.
It’s going to hit some vanners hard although others will be able to swap to another size or may move away from Calor.
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I, like a lot of campervan owners, have a gas locker which was designed by the converter around a certain size of gas bottle. My locker fits 2 x 3.9kg calor propane bottles under a seat. Calor's guidance to buy bigger (6kg) bottles is taking the mickey.
Could the club, or some members give a comprehensive guide to alternatives and refillable systems for those of us with fixed, small lockers and to cover things like the connectors/adapters etc and availability of supplies/retailers allowing refilling?
There will be a great number of people for whom a shift to 6kg bottles isn't feasible.
Thanks.
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Just look up Flogas stockists near you and go and talk to them - instead of asking the Club do the legwork for you.
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I just posted this as a reply on the subject on another forum:-
When you read through in full this is not good news. The 6kg Calorlite Propane has been a favourite of many owners. For several years this has been hard to get and now you can see it is definitely for the chop if you scan down to point 3. They are suggesting a standard 3.9kg or 6kg Propane. Point 11 states "Our cylinder range is under constant review. We have no plans at present for a new light weight cylinder. "
3.9kg Propane - 340 height x 240 diameter - 4.1 to 8.6 kg empty - 9 to 10.5kg full
6.0kg Propane - 495 height x 256 diameter - 7.3 to 10.9 kg empty - 15-17kg full
As an example my 6kg CalorLite weighs 4.15kg empty and 10.52kg full
The logical change will be to a FloGas 6kg,https://www.flogas.co.uk/product/6kg-propane-gas-cylinder
Colin
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Gaslow do a small refillable. I'm not sure of the exact dimensions, as do Safefill. The latter 305 dia. 384H
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Keep an eye on developments. B&Q have cancelled their contracts with Calor over this, as it seriously affects BBQ sales. Goodness knows what they are thinking.
Other thing is, if you have the bottles (we have 3 x 3.9kg) don’t forget to ask for the deposit back when they are handed in😡
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I thought there we be a catch, we certainly couldn’t, as you say, years old and from all sorts of sources. Typical really☹️
We have a big Calor outlet near us, probably need to have a chat about alternatives. We only have older outfits, van and MH, so I wonder how much of an issue it might be for newer outfits. 6kg are too big for our gas locker.
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I suspect even with the original paperwork the amount you would get refund wise would be very little, especially if anyone has had the bottles some time. I once returned a 13kgs cylinder about a year or two after purchase, fortunately had the original hire form, but you lose quite a lot.
This change does give people who can't use the larger 6kgs bottle a bit of a headache. Using Camping Gaz 907 as I think mentioned earlier is very expensive. But then so is buying a refillable especially as it seems to be more difficult to find places to fill them. Anyone with a motorhome that can't use larger bottles could think about an underslung tank by Gas It but again not cheap.
David
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……and an underslung tank still means finding somewhere to fill it.
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Those caravanners with nose weight issues that demand small bottles (4.5 and 3.9) will be a little upset by this!!!
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Is that Westcountry Motorhomes near Burnham-on-Sea / Highbridge, PD? As far as I know, Marquis have only installed a pump at their Exeter branch so far but with Shell withdrawing their Autogas pumps, it all helps as pumped LPG is getting hard to find in some areas. Scarce bottles and scarce pumps makes it a difficult choice.
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There are a number of apps/maps giving details of outlets other than mainstream garages. Builders Merchants, Taxi firms, Marinas etc.
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Cheers. Every little helps.
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T's & C's re your initial CRA...
https://www.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/refills-and-returns/returns
As you say David, your refund will depend on how long your refill agreement has been in place.....
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With the smallest bottle sizes being withdrawn the plumbers, roofers, builders, etc that have used that size as it was safer to hoist up a ladder will be going for the 6 kg sizes. As I understand it the "Lite" bottles had to be discontinued due to the number being returned damaged from the building trade. So even more demand for the 6 kg size will make getting them for caravanns even harder.
Great news for Flogas and similar companies!
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Gaslow refillable system does a 2.7kg bottle and refill at any lpg petrol station.
Hope this helps
John
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Flogas now have a surcharge - maybe taking advantage of Calor’s decision.
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To be honest I think it is more likely the increases gas costs.
Colin
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Not altogether sure that refillables are the answer either, without at least checking local supplies before purchasing. Drove past a garage in MK (Linford Wood) today that had previously sold LPG and now only showing petrol and diesel. It does seem to have had a bit of a makeover as there are now several EV charging points. I assume this is also happening elsewhere in the country as well?
David
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People thinking of changing to refillables obviously need to investigate supplies especially whether the retailer will fill a cylinder as against in built system with fill outlet in the body of the van. But I presume that whereas a traditional cylinder cant really be exchanged until empty a refillable can be filled whenever, just as we do with our in built system.
There are also several apps around that give locations of LPG.
Its about filling up when you see it if there isnt a local provider.
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LPG is getting harder to find at the pump and in general.
We have bulk LPG at home as our village has no mains gas.
Just recently it has been in the press up here that the LPG plant in Fife has stopped supplying to Scottish dealers/suppliers and is selling solely to Europe at a much higher price. Now under investigation by the Scottish Government.
This has left many Scottish LPG suppliers in a bit of fix. Even Flogas is struggling to get supplies up here and we have a bulk storage depot in Perth.
Folk are running out of gas for their bulk tanks as the suppliers cannot guarantee when they can deliver. A friend in the village ran out on Saturday after spending days trying to pin down Flogas to a delivery.
We like others have a telemetry gauge on our tank so the company (Flogas) can see automatically how much you have in your tank. I can also see online how much there is, I don't have to order it as its on automatic delivery, just like my friend who ran out.
We are fortunate that our MH has an underslung tank and we have an independent garage in Perth with an LPG pump, for how much longer who knows but he does do good trade with MHs.
We've already been told by the Scottish Government that LPG Gas boilers will not be allowed to be fitted to NEW builds after 2025 that's 10 years earlier than for main gas boilers. Of course if you have an existing boiler then you can still have one fitted (if you can still get one that is)
Its all looking a bit fragile for the industry and its users.
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Peedee
Not been by there recently but will check in due course and report back.
David
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We tried 5 local stockists, none would swap our 3.9kg bottle for a 6kg.
That includes our local club site.
All said you can't change sizes.
Rubbish
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