I'm thinking about getting an old (early 1990's) caravan and wondered what type of gas they tended to use and if it is still available? One of the vans i am looking at (online - I haven't seen it up close yet) doesn't come with a gas bottle so I'm just trying to make sure I don't end up having to buy a new regulator for it.
Vans of that vintage nearly all used blue cylinder butane. This is available and nothing wrong with it at all. As the movement to year round touring progressed so did the switch to red propane, since this gasses off better at sub zero temperatures.
Again vans of this age did not have factory fitted regulators as they are today, so probably better to buy a new one rather than rely on an item of unknown age and function.
age of the caravan has nothing to do with, most people use propane (red) due to being able to use in the colder months, it doesn't freeze unlike butane (blue) you just buy the correct regulator for the bottle, they cost around £6-7
We have a 1992 caravan and use butane (blue Calor bottle) simply because that's what came with the caravan. If we intended to use it in the colder months then we would change the regulator for a propane one (red Calor cylinder) and use that. The age of the caravan is irrelevant, and whatever appliances are fitted they will work just the same on either gas once you change the regulator, as the gas is stored at a different pressure in the bottle. The regulators will only fit the correct cylinder, so you can't make any mistakes.
Just to be pedantic, butane does not 'freeze' at temperatures we are ever likely to encounter. It boils/gases off at around 0C, below that it remains a liquid, so no use in winter.
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Topic: What kind of gas for an older van?
