Small propane (orange) gas cylinders - 3.9kg

[Ian on Leo]

We stopped at a marina the other day to replace our empty 3.9 kg gas bottle (orange and therefore propane). The chap at the marina told us that 2 days ago he had been told by Calor Gas that they were discontinuing this size cylinders and that includes refilling existing cylinders of this size. I've found nothing on the internet about this and am now wondering if this was a misunderstanding. Does anyone know any more about this?  Our problem is that the  boat is designed to take the small ones and we have problems arranging proper storage for 6kg cylinders which is the next size up.  Any thoughts?

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, Ian on Leo said:

We stopped at a marina the other day to replace our empty 3.9 kg gas bottle (orange and therefore propane). The chap at the marina told us that 2 days ago he had been told by Calor Gas that they were discontinuing this size cylinders and that includes refilling existing cylinders of this size. I've found nothing on the internet about this and am now wondering if this was a misunderstanding. Does anyone know any more about this?  Our problem is that the  boat is designed to take the small ones and we have problems arranging proper storage for 6kg cylinders which is the next size up.  Any thoughts?

 

 

Yes - it has already been reported by other boaters and there was a thread discussing it recently

[Liam]

Yes I've got an account with Calor, and during a recent visit from my rep was told the same, but it isn't just the 3.9kg Propane cylinders, it's also the 4.5kg Butane cylinders which are going to be discontinued.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Liam said:

Yes I've got an account with Calor, and during a recent visit from my rep was told the same, but it isn't just the 3.9kg Propane cylinders, it's also the 4.5kg Butane cylinders which are going to be discontinued.

 

 

Hmmm this is gonna give the BSS a fine problem! 

 

Are they continuing with the 6kg propane size? 

 

3.9kg propane is still available according to the Calor website

 

https://shop.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/propane-gas-bottles.html

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

Hmmm this is gonna give the BSS a fine problem! 

 

Are they continuing with the 6kg propane size? 

 

3.9kg propane is still available according to the Calor website

 

https://shop.calor.co.uk/gas-bottles/propane-gas-bottles.html

 

 

 

 

 

Yes they are still available. The point is they wont be when they withdraw them.

[Mike55]

6kg cylinders are the same diameter as 3.9kg I think, but obviously taller. Problem we've got is that our gas locker isn't deep enough to take 6kg cylinders without significant modification.

I'd be quite happy to use 6kg, it's just modifying the boat that worries me.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

6kg cylinders are the same diameter as 3.9kg I think, but obviously taller. Problem we've got is that our gas locker isn't deep enough to take 6kg cylinders without significant modification.

I'd be quite happy to use 6kg, it's just modifying the boat that worries me.

 

Where are they stored?

 

Could a good welder/steel fabricator raise the locker height or lower the locker floor?

[Mike55]

25 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Where are they stored?

 

Could a good welder/steel fabricator raise the locker height or lower the locker floor?

They're at the stern (semi trad), & the locker top forms a seat. The locker needs to be about 2" higher/deeper. Raising the seat 2" would make it uncomfortable to sit on, so lowering the floor would seem to be the way to go. The locker drains are in the floor & our diesel heater is mounted underneath, so I'm not sure how much space we've got to play with. It's way to hot today to spend any time in the engine bay with a still hot engine!

 

[agg221]

If this goes ahead it will be very annoying.

 

Our gas locker is only high enough for 3.9kg bottles. Beneath that is the water tank. Being a tug deck, the whole thing is solid across the top. No idea how we would alter the locker to get larger cylinders in. Technically, we can get a 6kg cylinder on its side, but that doesn't comply with the BSS so we will have to come up with something else.

 

Alec

[Lady M]

Perhaps the BSS office should become involved?

[frangar]

4 minutes ago, agg221 said:

If this goes ahead it will be very annoying.

 

Our gas locker is only high enough for 3.9kg bottles. Beneath that is the water tank. Being a tug deck, the whole thing is solid across the top. No idea how we would alter the locker to get larger cylinders in. Technically, we can get a 6kg cylinder on its side, but that doesn't comply with the BSS so we will have to come up with something else.

 

Alec

If you use a cylinder when it’s laying on its side…unless it’s one designed for use on a Forklift the BSS compliance will be the last of your issues…you will stand a decent chance of getting liquid rather than gas down the pipes which could be very amusing. 

[Mike55]

1 minute ago, frangar said:

If you use a cylinder when it’s laying on its side…unless it’s one designed for use on a Forklift the BSS compliance will be the last of your issues…you will stand a decent chance of getting liquid rather than gas down the pipes which could be very amusing. 

From a distance.

[agg221]

1 minute ago, frangar said:

If you use a cylinder when it’s laying on its side…unless it’s one designed for use on a Forklift the BSS compliance will be the last of your issues…you will stand a decent chance of getting liquid rather than gas down the pipes which could be very amusing. 

Oddly enough, the previous owner had done exactly this (and not with a forklift one). I wonder whether it actually worked (if it didn't, it wouldn't be the only thing...)

 

Alec

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

They're at the stern (semi trad), & the locker top forms a seat. The locker needs to be about 2" higher/deeper. Raising the seat 2" would make it uncomfortable to sit on, so lowering the floor would seem to be the way to go. The locker drains are in the floor & our diesel heater is mounted underneath, so I'm not sure how much space we've got to play with. It's way to hot today to spend any time in the engine bay with a still hot engine!

 

 

A semi trad boat we once hired had them there, but they were the 6kg and of course it was built like that. 

[smiler]

I'm not sure whether you can(safely) fill a smaller bottle from a larger bottle using a high pressure hose connecting them together.

Buy a larger bottle, store it at home,  and find 2 or 3 small ones to fill.

[Guest]

Just now, smiler said:

I'm not sure whether you can(safely) fill a smaller bottle from a larger bottle using a high pressure hose connecting them together.

Buy a larger bottle, store it at home,  and find 2 or 3 small ones to fill.

 

Some do indeed do this.

 

I make no comment as to the wisdom of doing so.

[ditchcrawler]

24 minutes ago, frangar said:

If you use a cylinder when it’s laying on its side…unless it’s one designed for use on a Forklift the BSS compliance will be the last of your issues…you will stand a decent chance of getting liquid rather than gas down the pipes which could be very amusing. 

You got there before me.

28 minutes ago, Lady C said:

Perhaps the BSS office should become involved?

Why, they didn't design a boat to only take small cylinders.

[Lady M]

Because there are a fair few boats that use the very small cylinders which will be adversely affected if Calor withdraw them and it could result in danger to others.

[jonathanA]

30 minutes ago, smiler said:

I'm not sure whether you can(safely) fill a smaller bottle from a larger bottle using a high pressure hose connecting them together.

Buy a larger bottle, store it at home,  and find 2 or 3 small ones to fill.

I suspect calor will find a lot of 3.9kg bottles do not get returned for exactly this reason.

[Jerra]

Just now, jonathanA said:

I suspect calor will find a lot of 3.9kg bottles do not get returned for exactly this reason.

As they are unlikely to do a size swap (on past form) and the money they will be prepared to give you back will make the return not worth doing.

[Tacet]

14 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

I suspect calor will find a lot of 3.9kg bottles do not get returned for exactly this reason.

It's not going to bother Calor greatly if it has no intention of refilling.

[Quattrodave]

https://lpggpl.com/products/uk-lpg-propane-gas-bottle-pol-refill-autogas-adaptor-kit-for-uk

 

Might be worth a look...

Edited July 18, 2022 by Quattrodave

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, smiler said:

I'm not sure whether you can(safely) fill a smaller bottle from a larger bottle using a high pressure hose connecting them together.

Buy a larger bottle, store it at home,  and find 2 or 3 small ones to fill.

 

 

Easy and regularly done.

The 3.9kg gas cylinder price is now about £25 (if you have an exchange cylinder).

 

A 47kg cylinder (12 x greater capacity) is a price of ~£99 

Buy one 47kg and get 8 x 3.9kg refills free of charge. 

 

Calor cylinders are at a very low pressure of under 25 bar. 

I decant from my diving cylinders to smaller cylinders and they are operating at 230 bar.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[Paul C]

1 hour ago, Lady C said:

Because there are a fair few boats that use the very small cylinders which will be adversely affected if Calor withdraw them and it could result in danger to others.

Why would it be dangerous? If anything it would be safer, because there will be a bunch of boats with no/empty gas bottles. BSS don't police things like owners laying their gas bottle on its side, or putting a bottle that doesn't fit in and leaving the lid off, etc....they only see the boat every 4 years.

[Chris Lowe]

Looks like I should get rid of my two 4.5kg butane bottles that I used for my camping cooking then.