The Gas Thread
Posted: October 4th, 2014, 8:13 pm
Ok, a bit of Gas info (snigger)..
The standard fare for cooking and heating in most campers is a gas supply, we can’t always be on 240v hookup.
One option is to go for standard steel cylinders from Calor, Propane (Red) in 3.9kg or 6kg sizes or Butane (Blue) in 4.5kg or 7kg.
Propane or Butane?
Propane (red) for us demountable types as I guess we are more likely to use all year round. Butane (blue) doesn't like temperatures at or below freezing and will stop gassing off, but butane has a higher calorific value.
Butane
Propane
Weight is a problem for most of us, so a good plan if you are staying with Calor is to try and get Calor Lite - the bottles are much lighter, but the gas is slightly more expensive. It apparently has an additive to stop it eating it's way through the thin-wall cylinders.
CalorLite
A 6kg fill (the only size) is around £23 and cylinder hire is an eye watering £35.
You don't own them, but rent, and after a year if you decide to throw it back in to Calor you get 70% of the rental back. Two years 60% etc etc
There is a recall on calor Lite at the moment to deal with a faulty valve on some years 2008 2009 2010 & 2011. The date is stamped on the base ring.
I can fit two Calor Lite in my S.Karrosser which, with care will last a couple of months. (I use Coleman Petrol stoves for most outside cooking)
A good way of getting hold of these is to look for someone selling up their caravan kit on Ebay and scoring a part full cylinder for £25-£30.
You can no longer change a standard 'heavy' 6kg cylinder for a Lite. Calor change the rules all the time!
Other options? How about a refillable gas system? Try Gaslow - I had this in my last PVC motorhome/camper van (Trigano tribute).
Refill at Autogas stations (although some are a bit funny about doing it for ‘non automotive use’)
More expensive to get set up, around £300 for a single 6kg (will fit the small demountable gas lockers) with a filling kit. Get an external filler to reduce hassle at filling stations.
Again, Ebay occasionally throws the odd set up. But after that you are into £7-£8 fill-ups for ever. Works overseas too with a full set of adapters so no problems for those of us that pass through different countries with their own unique gas systems.
GasLow
GasIt
Last option is the 907 or 904 Camping Gaz cylinder. Expensive to buy but available in most European countries.
I take a small 904 and a pigtail and regulator abroad as a 'just in case' backup. You will get through a few of these due to their size, less than half a Calor bottle at 2.75 kg. and by far the most expensive, but they can be good for campers with small gas lockers, or as a get out of trouble system.
Whatever you fit, be safe, make sure you have a gas ‘drop-out’ in the bottom of your gas locker or storage. Gas is heavier than air and can lurk explosively in low voids.
Take a ‘gas kit’ of jubilee clips, PTFE tape and gas leak detection fluid if you are likely to be changing gas fitments on the campsite.
Remember that most ‘Camping on Board’ ferries won’t allow you to use the gas at all at sea so it’s worth taking a cheap electric hob ring so you can boil a kettle or rustle up a hot meal on a 30 hour crossing. Also good for continental campsites that have covered kitchen areas, you can use their electric when simmering a stew for an hour!
The standard fare for cooking and heating in most campers is a gas supply, we can’t always be on 240v hookup.
One option is to go for standard steel cylinders from Calor, Propane (Red) in 3.9kg or 6kg sizes or Butane (Blue) in 4.5kg or 7kg.
Propane or Butane?
Propane (red) for us demountable types as I guess we are more likely to use all year round. Butane (blue) doesn't like temperatures at or below freezing and will stop gassing off, but butane has a higher calorific value.
Butane
Propane
Weight is a problem for most of us, so a good plan if you are staying with Calor is to try and get Calor Lite - the bottles are much lighter, but the gas is slightly more expensive. It apparently has an additive to stop it eating it's way through the thin-wall cylinders.
CalorLite
A 6kg fill (the only size) is around £23 and cylinder hire is an eye watering £35.
You don't own them, but rent, and after a year if you decide to throw it back in to Calor you get 70% of the rental back. Two years 60% etc etc
There is a recall on calor Lite at the moment to deal with a faulty valve on some years 2008 2009 2010 & 2011. The date is stamped on the base ring.
I can fit two Calor Lite in my S.Karrosser which, with care will last a couple of months. (I use Coleman Petrol stoves for most outside cooking)
A good way of getting hold of these is to look for someone selling up their caravan kit on Ebay and scoring a part full cylinder for £25-£30.
You can no longer change a standard 'heavy' 6kg cylinder for a Lite. Calor change the rules all the time!
Other options? How about a refillable gas system? Try Gaslow - I had this in my last PVC motorhome/camper van (Trigano tribute).
Refill at Autogas stations (although some are a bit funny about doing it for ‘non automotive use’)
More expensive to get set up, around £300 for a single 6kg (will fit the small demountable gas lockers) with a filling kit. Get an external filler to reduce hassle at filling stations.
Again, Ebay occasionally throws the odd set up. But after that you are into £7-£8 fill-ups for ever. Works overseas too with a full set of adapters so no problems for those of us that pass through different countries with their own unique gas systems.
GasLow
GasIt
Last option is the 907 or 904 Camping Gaz cylinder. Expensive to buy but available in most European countries.
I take a small 904 and a pigtail and regulator abroad as a 'just in case' backup. You will get through a few of these due to their size, less than half a Calor bottle at 2.75 kg. and by far the most expensive, but they can be good for campers with small gas lockers, or as a get out of trouble system.
Whatever you fit, be safe, make sure you have a gas ‘drop-out’ in the bottom of your gas locker or storage. Gas is heavier than air and can lurk explosively in low voids.
Take a ‘gas kit’ of jubilee clips, PTFE tape and gas leak detection fluid if you are likely to be changing gas fitments on the campsite.
Remember that most ‘Camping on Board’ ferries won’t allow you to use the gas at all at sea so it’s worth taking a cheap electric hob ring so you can boil a kettle or rustle up a hot meal on a 30 hour crossing. Also good for continental campsites that have covered kitchen areas, you can use their electric when simmering a stew for an hour!