Sorry for yet another "please help" post, but as my Propane is the very last thing that I need to buy before I can start to torch, I am sure you can imagine my desperation to get it sorted!!
Martin at Tuffnells sent me a really useful and informative email this afternoon, telling me that I needed a orange/red Propane cylinder (available from B&Q and such like) but that it must have a screwthread fitting, to fit my torch, as opposed to the "leisure" and BBQ gas bottles that you can get.
So I have a look on Calor's website and see that they do Propane cylinders in the following sizes:-
3.9 kg, 6kg, 13kg, 19kg and 47kg.
Now the first three bottles have a Regulator type described as "POL Screw Connection." The last two, the 19 and 47kg, it says "to be used with a screw in regulator" so I'm imagining that I can only use these two sizes.
Bearing in mind that I don't have a Propane bottle at the moment, I know that I will need to pay a deposit as well, which on Calor's website is £30.00. It doesn't say how much the 19kg and 47kg bottles of gas are - the others you can add to your cart, but the last two big ones it says that you have to ring to order.
So, I guess my two questions are:-
Is the 19kg the smallest size that you can use with a Minor and Oxy (because of the screw in regulator) and;
If so, does how much is a refill going to cost me, taking into account that I will have to pay £30.00 for the Refill Agreement Charge?
Sorry again folks. Lee is going to go hairless when I tell him I need to spend another seventy or eighty quid. :o
You can use any of those sizes, the leisure bottles are generally a different colour and much smaller! i have a 13kg one and i get my refills from the local petrol station no problems!
Oh and also try your local recycling centre first for a bottle, i paid £5 for a bottle from mine, a sizeable saving from the £30 deposit Calor want!
I used a 3.9kg for years with my minor and oxycon set up. But, you'll find that the 3.9kg and the 6kg and the 13kg are probably all the same price to exchange so it makes more sense to go for the 13kg. Having said that the 6kg is a jolly handy size which fits nicely into the boot of an average car and it's pretty light for a girlie. I probably wouldn't go for anything bigger than the 13kg at this point.
POL - Put On Left. In other words it's an anticlockwise fitting. As all propane fittings in this country should be.
ALL propane cylinders require a regulator for safe use.
When you look at the cylinder it will be orange-red in colour and have a brass femail screw thread sticking out the top. If the screw thread is pointing vertically don't go for this type as you will have trouble getting your regulator screwed in. You want one with the screw thread sticking out horizontally. You then screw in the business end of the regulator into this hole. ANTI CLOCKWISE - ly of course!
HTH
By the way - if you have an alternate supplier - such as Energas (check your local tool hire place or Texaco garage) you may find that they are a bit cheaper than Calor.
If you can find an Energas Supplier there's no contract fee. There's also another supplier called FloGas (or similar) and I have a feeling they don't have a fee, either. I wouldn't bother with Calor if I were you ;)
As for sizing, I have a standard 13kg tank (I think, something like that anyway - OH deals with all of that :) ) and it lasts for months (based on being at the torch for around 6-8 hrs a week)
If needs be, pop into your local Gas Supplier and they should be able to help you.
HTH :)
Fab, fab, fab - ooh - you've made my day with that info - thanks all!
I was thinking I was going to have to shell out for a HOOOOJ tank of gas!
Can I also ask - if you buy, say, a 6kg bottle, would I then only be able to get that particular sized bottle refilled, or could I upgrade to a larger size at a later date?
Cheers guys!
xx
Try http://www.energas.co.uk (http://www.energas.co.uk) or http://www.engweld.co.uk/branches.php (http://www.engweld.co.uk/branches.php) for Energas, though they also use local suppliers so if there isn't one that close to you, try the distributor and see if they can give you a list of more local Suppliers.
Quote from: Fruddy on September 02, 2010, 05:24:40 PM
Can I also ask - if you buy, say, a 6kg bottle, would I then only be able to get that particular sized bottle refilled, or could I upgrade to a larger size at a later date?
You generally swap 1 for 1, but if you use Energas, because you are not paying a contract fee, you can have as many bottles as you wish at whatever size takes your fancy!! :) So I usually have 2 13kg, one I am using and one spare to swap over to (though I need to take that back as it has run out now!!)
Thanks June ;D
If you have anywhere locally that does Countrywide Gas you shouldn't have to pay a deposit with them either, apart from on the smallest bottle. But you will probably have to pay a deposit/contract fee for your first Calor bottle - probably somewhere between £25 and £40. In theory you get this back if you ever return a bottle and don't take a refill, as long as you keep the paperwork.
I have a Calor and a Countrywide bottle and I can get any size refill I want/they have in stock.
i use country wide too ..as they deliver and i dont drive ...(yet !!)...
if your local guys want a deposit ...check out free cycle etc ,the local tip ,neighbours garages etc... a bottle is a bottle is a bottle ;)
I use Calor as I live near an Ernest Doe :D - I have 2 cylinders so I don't run out when they are shut!
Calor do a 6Kg "light" - the cylinder is lighter than the standard - for example the handles on the top are plastic - it means I can pick it up and cart it around myself rather than having to ask my OH.
I use a baby cylinder 3.9kg and it lasts me ages - and its handy as I have to carry it up and down the stairs each time I use it!
You MIGHT get lucky with the Calor deposit - I didn't have to pay it as my nice local Calor place let me off it ;D