And Now For Something Controversial

[ditchcrawler]

I looked quite deeply into the regulations, the rules are basically: a garage shouldn't allow the filling unless there's a device which ensures the filler cuts out once its 80% full (ie same situation as fuel tanks on LPG cars), but they can't refuse you if you have this, simply because they don't like you. And anecdotally, (see above in this thread) people have used the adapters and filled LPG bottles at autogas stations....

 

Personally I'd be interested in saving the £15 or so you'd save by doing this, I don't have an adapter but if I can be reassured its reasonably safe, then I'd certainly go for it.

 

I can think of a few simple ways to achieve the 80% full, but they'd rely on common sense, not a device to automatically do it for you.

I would have thought that they could refuse to serve whoever they like

[Paul C]

I would have thought that they could refuse to serve whoever they like

 

I'd have thought they'd refuse to serve someone who is about to do something dangerous.....but is it dangerous?

[ditchcrawler]

I'd have thought they'd refuse to serve someone who is about to do something dangerous.....but is it dangerous?

I would suggest that putting LPG into a container that is not designed to be self refilled on a petrol forecourt is as dangerous or even more so than putting petrol in a used metal oil can and they wont let you do that.

[Paul C]

Did a bit of Googling around and I'd tend to agree with you, the normal Calor gas cylinders + adapter aren't entirely safe to refill oneself.

 

HOWEVER.....

 

I did find this, which looks most interesting (and AFAIK is safe to refill at an Autogas station):

 

http://www.safefill.co.uk/

[real_vibes]

We spend £27 every 3 weeks (Morco / cooker / washing machine etc) so this is really interesting to me.

 

Savings seem to vary on this thread, can someone tell me the likely saving (is not £5 or £15; big difference)?

[Paul C]

We use 6kg bottles so I worked it out as such:

 

best price for refill £18, though £20 is a common price for these.

bottle takes 6kg, approx 8 litres, at 70p/litre = £5.60

 

Saving: £12.40 - £14.40

With the capital cost of the Safefill bottles, you'd need to do a more complex analysis, eg choose say 3 years, know your gas consumption and current gas bottle refill costs, and see if over that period of time you'd repay the cost of the bottle(s) and lose less money.

[ditchcrawler]

We use 6kg bottles so I worked it out as such:

 

best price for refill £18, though £20 is a common price for these.

bottle takes 6kg, approx 8 litres, at 70p/litre = £5.60

 

Saving: £12.40 - £14.40

 

With the capital cost of the Safefill bottles, you'd need to do a more complex analysis, eg choose say 3 years, know your gas consumption and current gas bottle refill costs, and see if over that period of time you'd repay the cost of the bottle(s) and lose less money.

I don't think these are acceptable to the BSC

[Paul C]

What, my figures??????

[ditchcrawler]

What, my figures??????

No, the "Safefill bottles"

[Paul C]

No, the "Safefill bottles"

 

Why not?

 

Here's the regulations, can you tell me which one it fails on: http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private%20_boats_ed3_public_final.pdf

[jonathanA]

I don't think these are acceptable to the BSC

 

I have a vague recollection that in the previous hysteria around this subject there was something about the BSS would require refillable bottles to be removed so that the inspector would not be put 'at risk' but as the current test requires you to disconnect gas bottles and these appear to be on sale and comply with all the relevant legislation I can't see why there would be an issue any more than if i decided to use 'BOC' propane bottles rather than Calor...

[LoneEcho]

My main concern with people refilling their own bottles would be that they are checking the test date of the cylinder. I know nothing about refilling gas bottles, but as a scuba diver do know of incidents of out of test scuba tanks exploding on refill. These cylinders are tested every 6 years to 250 bar. Also a visual inspection every 3 years but still accidents happen.

 

So please check that the cylinder is in test if you are thinking of self refill.

[ditchcrawler]

Why not?

 

Here's the regulations, can you tell me which one it fails on: http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/194782/2013ecp_private%20_boats_ed3_public_final.pdf

I can't because the link is dead, but it was at http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7789&p=195848 from Safety Rob

[Paul C]

My main concern with people refilling their own bottles would be that they are checking the test date of the cylinder. I know nothing about refilling gas bottles, but as a scuba diver do know of incidents of out of test scuba tanks exploding on refill. These cylinders are tested every 6 years to 250 bar. Also a visual inspection every 3 years but still accidents happen.

 

So please check that the cylinder is in test if you are thinking of self refill.

 

Safefill cylinders are checked regularly, I believe. There's definite info on their website as to frequency of checking: www.safefill.co.uk click on FAQs

 

 

• Q. Does the cylinder need to be recertified?
• A. As with most other cylinders current legislation requires a recertification at 10 years.

The BSS issued an advisory on customer refillable cylinders which didn't have an overfill protection device. The safefill ones do have it though.