Hi!
Does anyone use a 13kg propane bottle in their touring van?
I bought a second hand van complete with two calor lite cylinders but found they didn't last very long, I am thinking of using a 13 kg one as there is a definite price advantage.
I would be a bit concerned about the weight of the bottle and the fact that the outlet would probably be above the hight of the fixed reg (gunge could drain down to reg and block it). Weight wise the plastic Gas Light 10kg bottles would be better and if you get the gas on Homebase discount days it works out at about £2.30 a kg The other aspect to take into consideration is when you run out you have no spare to change over to and sods law means a bottle will always run out in the evening when you can't get a replacement.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
An old mate of mine had the same phylosophy regarding the saving in price but it cost him a lot more than he had bargained for. Due to not being able to carry it in the caravan he had to transport it in the luggage space of his towcar which took up more valued space plus the extra weight. Calor don't manufacture light cylinders in this size because they are not designed to fit caravan lockers so it's a steel cylinder and 13 kgs. is twice as heavy as a standard 6kg. cylinder. In his new car car (18 months old) travelling through mid wales he burned out his clutch on a hill start due to the extra weight and he was not a happy chap I can tell you. We all try to save money but not in stupidity and ignorance to which I did advise him not to proceed but his own ignorance not only cost him a loss of friendship but a hefty repair bill and eventually a new and better towcar. It's not worth penny pinching to save money as in the long term it can sometimes cost a lot more than you expected.
Have used a 13kg propane for the past 15 years, always carried it in the car boot secure and upright. Stood outside the gas locker, with a 1mtr pigtail to regulator, with the previous older van the regulator was on the cylinder then a 1mtr pipe to van connection. A lot cheaper to buy, however I now have an estate car (18 months old) and with the sliding boot cover the 13kg cylinder will not fit, so now have a Safefill refillable cylinder, 8.6kg/15ltr of propane and works out at £13.04 to fill, so even cheaper gas now. It can be topped up when we go off and always have a full cylinder, it does fit in the estate boot under the cover, secure and upright.
I also carry a 6kg cylinder in the van locker for the BBQ and 'just in case'
Just seen the above post, weight no problem at all, sensible loading for car payload, rear axle weight and my last car was a Citroen C5 2.0HDi.
I have carried 2 x 13Kg Re-fillable Propane Bottles for around 15 years now and never had any problems.
Both fit in the front locker while the nose weight stays around 75Kgs, which is the recommended level for towing.
Quote: Originally posted by KarlFritz on 15/9/2013I have carried 2 x 13Kg Re-fillable Propane Bottles for around 15 years now and never had any problems.
Both fit in the front locker while the nose weight stays around 75Kgs, which is the recommended level for towing.
2 x 13kg bottles and 75kg noseweight??? How much concrete do you need at the back of the van to balance that?
Gross weight = 30 to 35kg when full. EACH...
So your noseweight is 15kg or even as low as 5kg without the gas?
Quote: Originally posted by tango55 on 15/9/2013
Calor don't manufacture light cylinders in this size because they are not designed to fit caravan lockers so it's a steel cylinder and 13 kgs. is twice as heavy as a standard 6kg. cylinder. In his new car car (18 months old) travelling through mid wales he burned out his clutch on a hill start due to the extra weight and he was not a happy chap I can tell you. We all try to save money but not in stupidity and ignorance to which I did advise him not to proceed but his own ignorance not only cost him a loss of friendship but a hefty repair bill and eventually a new and better towcar. It's not worth penny pinching to save money as in the long term it can sometimes cost a lot more than you expected.
I find it very difficult to believe that his clutch burnt out because of 1 gas bottle, unless he had a very big load already inn his boot ?
Quote: Originally posted by Grampian91 on 15/9/2013
Quote: Originally posted by KarlFritz on 15/9/2013I have carried 2 x 13Kg Re-fillable Propane Bottles for around 15 years now and never had any problems.Both fit in the front locker while the nose weight stays around 75Kgs, which is the recommended level for towing.
2 x 13kg bottles and 75kg noseweight??? How much concrete do you need at the back of the van to balance that?
Gross weight = 30 to 35kg when full. EACH...
So your noseweight is 15kg or even as low as 5kg without the gas?
I also used to carry 2 13kg bottles and had the nose weight bang on for the Volvo I used at 75kg.
Yes, lots of people do. If you don't have ehu then calorlites at £22 compared to a 13kg at £25 is just not economical. When we go on Rallies the vast majority use a bigger than 6kg bottle
It is all about safety rather than what others may do. If you can safely carry a large bottle and fit it in the gas bottle locker when on site it is not a problem. However many sites prohibit bottles external to the locker and even on those sites that do allow this it is difficult to secure the large bottles such as the 18/19kg ones. I am fortunate in that I have a vehicle suitable for carrying larger bottles securely and can secure the bottle to the A frame when on sites that permit it but that is probably less than 5% of the places I stay. Work out how much you will save in a year using larger bottles and then decide if it is cost effective and safe or permitted.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
For information, yes it does weigh in a bit over 31kgs full but that is more than made up by the price of it and for longevity of usefulness.
For anyone considering a french bottle can I inform that the exit point for the gas on such is the same as a UK 4.5kgs Butane bottle and the Butane pigtail on a 'fixed Bulkhead Reg' fitted 'van can be used.
------------- How come when some people visit the fountain of knowledge, they only gargle!!!
Quote: Originally posted by crazylegs on 15/9/2013
Quote: Originally posted by tango55 on 15/9/2013
Calor don't manufacture light cylinders in this size because they are not designed to fit caravan lockers so it's a steel cylinder and 13 kgs. is twice as heavy as a standard 6kg. cylinder. In his new car car (18 months old) travelling through mid wales he burned out his clutch on a hill start due to the extra weight and he was not a happy chap I can tell you. We all try to save money but not in stupidity and ignorance to which I did advise him not to proceed but his own ignorance not only cost him a loss of friendship but a hefty repair bill and eventually a new and better towcar. It's not worth penny pinching to save money as in the long term it can sometimes cost a lot more than you expected.
I find it very difficult to believe that his clutch burnt out because of 1 gas bottle, unless he had a very big load already inn his boot ?
Yes you are quite right, he had a large heavy generator plus other items in the roof box that added to the extra weight but because we were out for about 3 weeks without electric hook up he thought having a 13kg. would save him money. Under the circumstances he should have gone lighter with the cylinders not heavier in this situation.
If you can safely carry within your payload and noseweights and it fits in your locker and the locker floor supports it safely, then why not .... ?!
Don't forget many have twin axles or continental longer A frame vans where noseweight isn't quite so directly affected as by heavy stuff in the locker on say short A frame Baileys where the locker is much closer to hitch
we are about to take a 13 kg butane bottle out with us as a 6kg only lasted for 3 weeks..we havent been on EHU for some time....running out of gas on a sat night and heating not working is a no no !
------------- Coming home back to a caravan
2013
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Topic: 13kg proprane for touring van
