Switching Propane Tank from UK to French

[DBA Forum (B) - David Oare]

I've purchased a propane tank and a détendeur du propane. If I understood the man at the Leroy Merlin correctly, propane regulators in France are not fitted with "nipple" fittings as used on the outlet side of our UK regulator. Instead, it seems to be expected that both ends of the hose will be attached by a threaded fitting. Though I was concerned that it might not fit onto Wanderlust's threaded fitting, I bought a hose at the same time I purchased the regulator. And indeed, the hose does not fit on our barge's inlet fitting. I'm now wondering what the options are. Is there a way to get a nipple fitting that will work on a détendeur du propane? Is there an easy way to get an adapter that will match the UK inlet fitting? Purchasing anything online will be difficult as we are movin
g to our winter mooring.

Too late now, but it would have been best to have been set up for this before we crossed the Channel....

Dave

[DBA Forum (B) - Colin Stone]

Dave,

I use UK cylinders and just fill up an autogaz point.

Colin Stone
KEI

Sent via BlackBerry® BIS

[DBA Forum (B) - David Oare]

Does that require any sort of a fitting or can you just walk up with your Calor tank? Where do you find these Autogaz stations?

[DBA Forum (B) - John Booker]

Hello Dave,

The stuff you need to fill from autogaz stations can be bought from our
local LPG supplier in the UK at reasonable cost:
http://www.lpgshop.co.uk/uk-bayonet-lpg-filler-to-calor-bottle-adapter-set-pol-nut/

I haven't tried to refill a cylinder myself yet, but it's the less
hassle way of covering all the variables as long as you aren't too
greedy with the filling.

Regards

Post by DBA Forum (B) - David Oare
expected that both ends of the hose will be attached by a threaded fitting. Though I was concerned that it might not fit onto Wanderlust's threaded fitting, I bought a hose

[DBA Forum (B) - John Booker]

Dave,

Gas stations all over Europe sell Autogas. They tend to be the bigger
stations and there are directories of them. In the UK I think it may be
illegal to fill your own bottle, but as it's something few people do, I
don't think that's well known or enforced. There is the risk of
overfilling, where you fail to leave enough room in the cylinder for the
expansion of the liquid on a hot day, with consequences that you will
easily imagine. Professional refillers weigh the cylinders to avoid
this, but as the LPG is metered at the filling station you just don't
have to be too greedy and work on a conservative litres to kg basis, to
keep within the limits.

Regards

John

Post by DBA Forum (B) - David Oare
Does that require any sort of a fitting or can you just walk up with your Calor tank? Where do you find these Autogaz stations?

[DBA Forum (B) - Lorna Baker]

We got our adaptors from http://www.socal.co.uk/toolbox/gasboat/adaptors.html, who will post to anywhere, but otherwise you might find something in a caravan shop, since caravanners use LPG too and have the same problems as they travel between countries.
Lorna

-----Original Message-----
Forum (B) - David Oare [mailto:dbabarges-pvYRptiajiAdnm+***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: 10 October 2014 14:30
subscribers
Propane Tank from UK to French


I've purchased a propane tank and a détendeur du propane. If I understood the man at the Leroy Merlin correctly, propane regulators in France are not fitted with "nipple" fittings as used on the outlet side of our UK regulator. Instead, it seems to be expected that both ends of the hose will be attached by a threaded fitting. Though I was concerned that it might not fit onto Wanderlust's threaded fitting, I bought a hose at the same time I purchased the regulator. And indeed, the hose does not fit on our barge's inlet fitting. I'm now wondering what the options are. Is there a way to get a nipple fitting that will work on a détendeur du propane? Is there an easy way to get an adapter that will match the UK inlet fitting? Purchasing anything online will be difficult as we are movin
g to our winter mooring.

Too late now, but it would have been best to have been set up for this before we crossed the Channel....

Dave

[DBA Forum (B) - Colin Stone]

Adapter may have a Kg to Ltr conversion table - 11kg is 21ltrs.

Fill should not exceed 80% of cylinder water capacity - and somewhere on it will be "WC xx.x" - so easy to calculate. Adapter and french converter from EBay.

It is also illegal in FR to refill bottles, so one should be discreet - eg cylinder sat on back seat and adapter sticking out of window and look as if filling an LPG car!
Opening tailgate with cylinder in back will probably get attention and a NON!

Saw Leclerc unmanned GPL point this week, so should be OK with cylinder strapped to bike. €0.81/ltr.
Mix is also possibly 50/50 propane/butane - so in winter propane will boil off and may be left with 1/2 cylinder butane until spring.
Cylinder has a 10 year test cycle - so check date and return to UK when required.

Colin Stone
KEI
Sent via BlackBerry® BIS

[DBA Forum (B) - John Wilson]

If you are going to be over here for some time, why not install French fittings. They are very good with full safety features and available at all brico stores, though some need silver soldered joints (12mm). Then get 'own brand' gas from Intermarché or most other supemarkets which is much cheaper than Butagas/Primagas etc. Belgian bottles will also fit the left hand thread system.

[DBA Forum (B) - David Oare]

In the end I purchased a butane regulator and used the nipple than came with it. I needed to do something quickly and this was the only option I could find. Undoubtedly using the nipple for propane violates some ordinance in France but it does match the arrangement that was already in place on our UK built barge. I leak tested the system with soapy water and it was fine after the swap. At the point where I need to replace the hose I'll likely be looking to swap out the fittings.

[DBA Forum (B) - David Oare]

[quote="Colin Stone" post=58421]Adapter may have a Kg to Ltr conversion table - 11kg is 21ltrs.

Saw Leclerc unmanned GPL point this week, so should be OK with cylinder strapped to bike. €0.81/ltr.
Mix is also possibly 50/50 propane/butane - so in winter propane will boil off and may be left with 1/2 cylinder butane until spring.
Cylinder has a 10 year test cycle - so check date and return to UK when required.

Colin Stone
KEI
Sent via BlackBerry® BIS[/quote]

Not that it matters to me at this point, but I am curious whether there's any "re-jetting" required for a hob that uses a butane/propane mix.

If anyone has a need for a partially filled Calor propane tank they are welcome to ours. We're on the lower Marne heading to Auxerre.

Dave

[DBA Forum (B) - Chris and Sheila Ries]

Hi,

No need to change your hoses for ones with continental bottle ends. I
assume that you are using UK propane (red) bottles , which have a POL
connection on the bottle(a dome shaped female receptacle). Adapters are
available which screw on to the continental propane bottle on one end and
take the UK POL hose connector on the other. A very useful connector which
I've been using for years.

Its available from a firm caled Socal and can be seen on
http://www.socal.co.uk/toolbox/gasboat/adaptors.html at a cost of £10 each

Chris Ries
Mooi Aak
chrisandsheila.ries-***@public.gmane.org
01634 362788
DBA member and own a DAF engine? Contact me for manuals and information.
Need an International Certificate of Competence (ICC/CEVNI) Power or Sail?
Contact me for a foc exam.


Chris Ries
Mooi Aak
chrisandsheila.ries-***@public.gmane.org
01634 362788
DBA member and own a DAF engine? Contact me for manuals and information.
Need an International Certificate of Competence (ICC/CEVNI) Power or Sail?
Contact me for a foc exam.
----- Original Message -----
Forum (B) - David Oare"
subscribers"
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:30 AM
Propane Tank from UK to French

Post by DBA Forum (B) - David Oare
In the end I purchased a butane regulator and used the nipple than came
with it. I needed to do something quickly and this was the only option I
could find. Undoubtedly using the nipple for propane violates some
ordinance in France but it does match the arrangement that was already in
place on our UK built barge. I leak tested the system with soapy water
and it was fine after the swap. At the point where I need to replace the
hose I'll likely be looking to swap out the fittings.

[DBA Forum (B) - Charles Briggs]

Yes, I can confirm that the Bullfinch 1301 adaptor - European propane (21.8LH female) to UK propane - has enabled me to simply fit french propane tanks onto my existing UK hose from the regulator. £10. Very easy! Fortunately a friend told me exactly what I needed before I got here, France, as I was getting a lot of confusing advice about re filling tanks - something I would never consider doing either in UK or here.

[DBA Forum (B) - John Wilson]

One wonders what the position re all this as per BSS/TRIWV
certification where appropriate and gas certificates is.

Post by DBA Forum (B) - Charles Briggs
Yes, I can confirm that the Bullfinch 1301 adaptor - European propane
(21.8LH female) to UK propane - has enabled me to simply fit french propane
tanks onto my existing UK hose from the regulator. £10. Very easy!
Fortunately a friend told me exactly what I needed before I got here,
France, as I was getting a lot of confusing advice about re filling tanks -
something I would never consider doing either in UK or here.