Propane easily available?

kelbal

Hiya.
When I bought the new MH recently, it came with a Propane tank in it. Large 11KG one, says Blugas on top of it. Going to France in the summer, wondering are these type of tanks easily available to replace over there? Preferably in the large supermarkets, don't want to have to go out of the way too much. Not sure if it's much of an indication, but have had a glance in the last few petrol stations I've been at here, and they've only had Butane cylinders. Should I switch to Butane just for pure availability?

Also, I've no idea how much is left in the propane tank - any way to accurately judge? Says 11Kg on it - is that full weight or empty? If its the full weight, whats the empty weight?

thanks

WildWater

The problem is not one of butane vrs propane. The problem is that the French bottles will not work with your Irish gas fitting. So your choice will either be bring enough gas with you to last the trip or convert to French fitting when you get there. (Of course these wont work in Germany etc and they say we are all Europeans!)

Others on here have more experience of this than me as I have only ever done option one above.

kelbal

righty oh. News to me. Didn't have this issue when doing old fashioned tent camping and using Camping gaz - was able to swap my irish tank for a french one no bother.

2 Adults, 3 small kids. How long would one large 11KG bottle roughly last? France in June, so won't be using for heating/hot water a whole lot I'd imagine.

thanks

niloc1951

WildWater wrote: »

The problem is not one of butane vrs propane. The problem is that the French bottles will not work with your Irish gas fitting. So your choice will either be bring enough gas with you to last the trip or convert to French fitting when you get there. (Of course these wont work in Germany etc and they say we are all Europeans!)

Others on here have more experience of this than me as I have only ever done option one above.

Not strictly true, many of the French bottles (Totalgaz in particular I have one) have the same connection type as Calor Propane (the red bottles) ones with the left hand nut type connection here at home.

If you run out in France you can get a local bottle, you won't be able to do an exchange but you might not have to pay a deposit like here, if you do make sure you get a form, it's a kind of contract, and you should be able to get a refund if you hand back the bottle to a seller before you leave. Alternatively keep it for future visits to France.

Aidan_M_M

I can buy Propane in either screw on , or clip on fittings , in Nenagh..

kelbal

might just be easiest is to bring two tanks. Think the one that's in there already is fairly full - so it and a new one would surely be enough to last a holiday?

shanec1928

kelbal wrote: »

might just be easiest is to bring two tanks. Think the one that's in there already is fairly full - so it and a new one would surely be enough to last a holiday?

how long are you going for? if its fairly full there is no point in bring a second tank. more than likely you will cook indoors a few times and then the rest outside on a bbq or go out for dinner.

kelbal

Won't be bringing a BBQ - and 3 small kids, so won't be eating out. Going for 5 weeks.

WildWater

kelbal wrote: »

Won't be bringing a BBQ - and 3 small kids, so won't be eating out. Going for 5 weeks.

We did 3 week last summer. We had two tanks of propane with us and we did not change over to the second tank while we were there. The main usage will be your fridge and I guess it will depend on how often you will be parked up without an EHU.

kelbal

great, thanks for feedback

kelbal

Just a further thought on this....

I have a fairly full propane tank. Don't want the extra weight/expense of getting another large propane tank.
I have a mid size campinggaz canister & regulator in the attic. If my propane gas runs out, could I not just disconnect at the built-in regulator, and connect my campinggaz arrangement? Will the internal systems (cooking/heating/water) be able to handle this?

thanks

Aidan_M_M

depends on the l/min and millibars of pressure , of the two regulators.