Campingaz, HOW MUCH!? Refilling them is easy.

[Sunray]

As you may or may not be aware Calor prices are 1/3 of the price of a campingaz, which is great if your van can take a Calor but not if it can't.

If you want to refill a 907, the parts are 33 quid.

Reposted from http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=170511" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1. Obtain the relevant parts from bes.co.uk

Your Order details:
P/N Description Quantity Unit Price Net Price
16642 21 mm CLIP ON ADAPTOR 1 £6.99 £6.99
16643 CAMPING GAZ ADAPTOR 1 £8.51 £8.51
17802 PIGTAIL, 1500 mm, W20 x W20 1 £6.16 £6.16

Delivery Charge £4.95
Subtotal £26.61
VAT £5.32
Total £31.93

2. Put the three pieces together and then connect to your Calor Gas donor bottle and your empty Campingaz bottle

3. Place the campingaz bottle on some scales so you don't over fill it. (A full 907 weighs 6kg)

4. Invert the calor gas bottle and raise it higher than the campingaz bottle

5. Open both valves to allow the liquid gas to drain from the calor to the campingaz bottle

6. Keep an eye on the weight to ensure you don't overfill

7. After about 5 mins it might be full, turn off both valves

8. Turn the calor bottle back up the right way and remove the valves

9. The connector pipe would still be pressurised and full of liquid gas, you would need to vent this carefully outdoors where is can quickly disperse and away from a source of ignition. Also be careful to avoid frost burns from the liquid gas as it evaporates.

Extra tip, 1st fill the pipe before you connect it to the 907, saves an air lock, fill a bit quicker.

You clearly then need to go buy a 15kg Bottle of Calor butane for 67 quid delivered. That will then give you 5 refills, making the whole business cost neutral compared to buying five 907 refills for 20 quid. You will then save 14 quid a refill every time. Buy empty 907's for a fiver on ebay.

Clearly check for leaks when doing this, but the above kit is very well made and apart from at the end when the pipe is emptied you'll not be leaking anything.

[Titus A Duxass]

Well dodgy!
Do not try to refil bottles on the continent!

[T'Onion]

CLUB -80-90 DOES NOT ENDORSE THIS TYPE OF PRACTICE IN ANYWAY

Forum users / member do this at their own risk

[Ian Hulley]

[Sunray]

CLUB -80-90 DOES NOT ENDORSE THIS TYPE OF PRACTICE IN ANYWAY

Forum users / member do this at their own risk

Of course.

I don't see why people get so stressed out about doing this, how many wouldn't think twice about filling a lighter indoors. Clearly treat it with respect and take sensible precautions.

It doesn't leak gas, because the components are professional quality components, clearly do this outside and don't smoke, but even if you vented loads it wouldn't build enough of an explosive mixture to actually be ignitable. In the main as its heavier than air, so goes straight to the floor. This is why you don't store butane in the cellar, a leak would just slowly build up into a large pool.

The other benefit is that you can top up 1/2 empty cylinders rather than having to take the 1/2 empty one to run it out before you buy a refill.

Just make sure its not more than 80% full using scales. I save about 16 quid a refill. After the installation of a propex heater this is quite welcome.

I'm not the only one doing this, what I fail to see is why campingaz is 3-4 times the price of Calor?

As for doing this abroad or anywhere that isn't your back garden, its not very sensible. I for one wouldn't take a15kg bottle of Calor abroad with me, if I had the space for one, I'd convert to it.

[Sunray]

For the brave and poor, additional information

This component is what makes it possible, its a campingaz adaptor to take the standard type pipe, the butterfly allows you to screw it in even when connected to a pipe.


The next component is probably recognisable by many is the standard Calor clip on.


Finally the pipe, as you can see its BS3132 LPG pipe, with bolt on ends. Do these up securely with a spanner and your not going to get anything leaking out.

[andisnewsyncro]

This is common practice in Spain, and in my experience anyway a very stupid thing to do. Generally a canister refilled like this will leak. Do it by all means but take note of the earlier pictures - you deserve to be in the awards nominations...;.....

[California Dreamin]

My father in law used to do this for us over many years and It did save us a packet...

And whilst I would generally put people off doing this themselves (only those who are completely competant should even contemplate this) but when you think about it, this seems quite contradicting when most of us are happy to encourage novices to carry out repairs to things like brakes and steering with little thought other than suggesting DIY manuals are followed.

I know there are those of us who keep a closer eye on things such as T'onion and we should always encourage safe working practices and perhaps be brave enough to say once in a while 'perhaps you should not be attempting this' given the lack of knowledge and the users less than knowlegable replies.

Martin

[Sunray]

It does not leak gas.

Do your lighters leak gas once you'be filled them up? If they did would they explode in your hand? No, because the fuel is heavier than air. Twice as heavy, and goes straight to the floor. You need 1.8% to 9.5% emulsion,air to butane for it to ignite. The bottles are massively over engineered to factor in general public use.

If you take the clip off the calor bottle after you finished, the line will then leak gas, but there is no need to do this. When the 907 reaches 6kg, right the calor keeping it above the 907 to drain the pipe. Then turn off the 907 tap and unscrew and remove the filled bottle. Leave the pipe connected to calor bottle.this ensure that only a very tiny amount of gas is leaked. Same as if you changed it in the van.

I just filled another bottle today. Another 14 quid saved. No trekking to the shop. Still alive, undamaged.

[AdrianC]

Do your lighters leak gas once you'be filled them up?

Does your lighter contain nearly three kilograms of butane?

The bottles are massively over engineered to factor in general public use.

But not general public refilling.

B'sides, if one brand is so much cheaper than another, isn't it just easier to adapt the van to accept those bottles instead? Beyond changing the regulator, what's needed?

I do like our Westy's LPG tank, y'know.

[Ian Hulley]

I do like our Westy's LPG tank, y'know.

So do most of us who do a lot of camping

[Cruz]

I have ample space for two 3.9kg propane bottles and a mini-outdoor hob for the as yet unrealised "I've forgot to replenish two gas bottles DOH!" dollshead moment

Doesn't help at all but I thought I'd just say

[Wychall]

All we need now is to be able to fill the cooking gas bottle from the road lpg tank...........

[steve8090]

All we need now is to be able to fill the cooking gas bottle from the road lpg tank...........

You can, buy a proper refillable bottle that shuts off at 80%

[Wychall]

Can that be filled from the vehicle tank? I thought they were just filled from a suppliers tank, as per the vehicle. Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?