Replacing Camping Gaz 907 with Calor?

We recently bought a Symphony, and I'm not finding it easy sourcing 907
refills at a reasonable price (Brighton, Sussex). Has anyone with a similar
vehicle switched to Calor cylinders?

Thanks
Marc

I think you will find most of us use Calor due to the cost of Gaz but Gaz is available in most European countries whereas Calor is not.
Please take a minute to introduce yourself in the Welcome section.

Hi Marc,

We also have 907 cylinders, which we now use connected to a Party Grill bbq as it screws directly on top of the cylinder and is great for a 2 person barbie.

When travelling in France, we use 2 907's stacked one on top, with a plastic dog bowl inverted between them to keep the top bottle stable, in preference to a calor cylinder as they are much cheaper over there.
If your gas cupboard is similar size to the Symbol ( 2005 ) which we had prior to our executive, a 6kg Calor Lite will fit, or 2 907's as described above.

Welcome to the Club BTW

We have a '95 Symphony and I swapped from 2 x 907s to 2 x 4.5kg Calor butane and then to 2 x 3.9kg propane (same size as 4.5 butane) one reason for the change to propane was, as I said in another thread, there are two different types of butane regulators but only one propane.

I still carry a (screw on) butane regulator in the van just in case.

HTH
Frank

Hi there,

We carry:

o 1 x Camping Gaz 907, and,

o 2 x 4.5kg Calor Gas.

In the UK we use only Calor Gas.

On the continent we use the Camping Gaz until it runs out and then switch to Calor Gas until we get a re-fill. As this is usually within 24 hours, a cylinder of Calor Gas lasts well over six months.

The cost of Camping Gaz in the UK is almost double what you will pay in almost every other country in Europe! Another case of "Rip-Off Britain" I'm afraid.

Note: We carry the second Calor Gas cylinder after finding a small cooking ring in my Mum's garage that is free standing and attaches directly to the cylinder. It is great for taking outside for those "al fresco" moments; and is especially useful for frying up anything that "spits" such as steak, bacon, sausages etc.

Best regards,

Note to Dutto,

Re your reply yesterday, I am totally ignorant re gas, so this question may sound (be) stupid, but can you please advise how do you switch from camping gaz to calor - can you simply change regulators or do you have to have a special (combined) regulator?

petern

Hi there,

The only "stupid" question is the one you don't ask!

There is a fitting that screws into the Camping Gaz 907 bottle that comprises a valve and a UK Butane left hand thread.

Here is one source:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

After fitting the adaptor, all you have to do is to remember to save the Camping Gaz screw handle so that you can return the bottle intact!

Best regards,

marc4242 wrote:We recently bought a Symphony, and I'm not finding it easy sourcing 907
refills at a reasonable price (Brighton, Sussex). Has anyone with a similar
vehicle switched to Calor cylinders?

Thanks
Marc

Hi,
If you can afford it, fit a 6kg Gaslow bottle with the filler cap on the exterior of the van. with this system you won't have to bother with fittings, pigtails or sourcing & changing bottles ever again, you just fill up at service stations.
You can also carry a 907 Campingaz (12 euros in Spain) as a spare, there is room in the gas locker.

You wil no longer need to drill holes in the exterior of the van to fit a filller, as both Gaslow and Gasit supply refillable cylinders fitted with an interegral filler, rather than the seperate filler previously necessary, these can be bought complete with a hose to connect to your regulator for under £150, bear in mind once you have one, you save yourself the trouble of disconecting, carrying cylinders, and reconecting, and you can refill before it is empty so you will not run out. Also there is no chance of getting air in the system when you change cylinders, apart from the fact that Autogas is about half the price of Calor. Autogas is widely available in UK and on the Continent as is a book with maps which gives the location of Autogas stations in the UK. Unless your gas usage is very low I consider it a no brainer not to fit one.I have no conection with either firm but am just a very satisfied user over about 8 years. Autogas is propane.

Brian2

PS Google maps will give the location of Autogas stations on the continent.

You will have problems filling loose bottles, especially in France. I have been asked on a couple of occasions in filling stations if I have a 'reservoir' (gas tank), I always reply yes as there is an exterior filler cap & no bottles in sight.

Also, Marc's van being similar to mine will have a very cramped gas locker beneath the wardrobe, accessible only from inside the van which means laying on the floor trying to change cylinders.

Earlier this year I had an underslung autogas tank fitted to work in conjunction with the Gaslow system which means I never have to worry about running out of gas ever again.

Alternatively, one could have just the underslung tank fitted which would free up the gas cupboard for much needed storage.

mikemelson wrote:........

Earlier this year I had an underslung autogas tank fitted to work in conjunction with the Gaslow system which means I never have to worry about running out of gas ever again.

.......

Mike,

Fantastic, a never ending supply of gas from one underslung tank!! Absolutely amazing!!

However, I suggest that you be very careful as Calor Gas will probably have a contract out on you before you manage to explain exactly how you achieved such a feat!

Best regards,

Ian

Dutto,
I said that I didn't have to WORRY about running out of gas ever again, and I don't.

If the underslung 20Ltr tank empties, I simply switch over to the 6kg Gaslow cylinder in the gas locker which gives me about 3 weeks to call in at a filling station to top up both systems in one operation from the exterior filling cap.

It might seem a bit OTT to have both systems but I spend several months of the year in Spain where filling points are few & far between.

Even with the Gaslow bottle & 907 back ups it was a nuisance, having to contort myself on the floor to reach over the Gaslow & connect the 907 & when this runs out I have to unhitch the Gaslow to replace the 907, which means undoing connections & straps, then securing everything afterwards.

I'm getting too old for all that hassle.

Best wishes, Mike.

Mike,

We head off to Spain for the winter ourselves at the end of October.

However, having had "Petal" refurbished and fitted with auto satellite dish, new TV, cable TV connection, Cruise Control and a new Wind Blocker further investment will have to wait; and I will have to put up with the contortions!!

Best regards,

Ian

Hi Mike,
How much did the tank cost you, I ask this as someone was quoted £700 a week or 2 ago for a 10 litre tank, was it that expensive.


Brian2

Hi Brian,
Yes, I'm afraid mine did cost 700 quid, but it was not a straightforward operation. There was not much room under my small van & it meant re-directing the exhaust with cutting & welding & making & fixing heat shields, Autogas were a whole day on the job.

Also, it had to be a 20Ltr tank due to the available space but a 25Ltr job would have been about the same price.

Regards, Mike.

mikemelson wrote: it meant re-directing the exhaust with cutting & welding & making & fixing heat shields, Autogas were a whole day on the job.

You're going to have issues when the exhaust needs changing as it will have to be a bespoke system.
It might be cheaper in the long term to have it done in stainless.

Frank

murph wrote: Hi Mike,
How much did the tank cost you, I ask this as someone was quoted £700 a week or 2 ago for a 10 litre tank, was it that expensive.


Brian2

Brian and Mike,

I explained the benefits of the built in system to Helen (we had in the MH we hired in the USA) and almost had her convinced.

Then you went and spoiled it!

Seven hundred quid?? It looks like the contortions, cramps, worries and cold breakfasts will continue until we win the lottery!

Best regards,

Ian

Hi all,
Now I can see where the £700 comes from, I believe there is room under our van for a tank without moving the exhaust, if we wanted one, but our 6kg is perfectly OK for us, labour is an expensive comodity, and a full day for 1 possibly 2 men at times would cost. The tank alone would be only just over £200 plus a frame at £10 and extra piping. Anyone doing this job themselves though should get it checked by a professional gas engineer[]before use.

Brian2

Thanks evryone for the comments. I'm glad I'm not alone in finding it a pain grovelling on the floor changing cylinders. I think I'll see how much gas we get through in a year (the best I found locally btw for a 2.7kg 907 was £25) and then think perhaps of having Calor in propane in parallel with the Gaz.

Marc

Marc,

Check out the other thread on Gas.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Just purchased a change-over valve and a second regulator. At least it will minimise the grovelling around when the gas gives out.

Best regards,

Ian

Hi Ian

I've just got the 907 working, but I'd like to have 1 Calor propane, and the 907. Those 3 bottles you mention, they're not all squeezed into the gas cupboard are they?

Thank you for the link to the other thread. From that, I believe I want a Calor bottle, and a T piece (or maybe a valve like yours). I note your comment about the differences in pressure, and I've read elsewhere about different hose pressure ratings, does that need to change too?

Is this what you were mentioning as your 'valve?:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Ah, just found your gas regulators factsheet, thanks, now I'll go an do some RTFMing!!

Marc

Marc,

Nothing so complicated.

This is the valve referred to.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

When in France, Spain etc we use Camping Gaz as the "main" and keep the Calor Gas for use until we can replace the empty Camping Gaz bottle. (This is normally for no more than an hour or so each time and therefore the Calor Gas bottle lasts us for well over six months.)

Also, the change-over valve means that the Calor Gas bottle stays connected all the time we are away and it's just a matter of turning the valve before disconnecting the Camping Gaz bottle and nipping into town to get it changed. The CG907 fits on to the back of my bike no problem so ideal.

Best regards,

Ian

My Rimini gas cupboard is not large enough for 2 x 3.9 propane bottles, so I have exactly the system described.

1 x 3.9 Propane
1 x 907 Camping Gaz
connected by a Gaslow 116928 change over valve.

when I set the system up it cost me £ 6 for each regulator, and about £ 26 for the change over valve + a bit of pipe, and postage so in total about £ 45.

I got the 907 with the van, but bought an empty 3.9 propane off Ebay it cost me £ 12, expensive but it was local so the whole system cost me say £ 60.

I get my refills from Go Outdoors, the calor is £ 13.95, the 907 is £ 19.99 that makes it roughly £ 7.26 for Gaz, £ 3.60 for Propane per KG, so that's is a saving of £ 3.66 per kg so on a 3.9kg you have a saving of £ 14.27 per exchange the cost of the installation is therefore paid for in just over 4 exchanges.

If you pay more for your Gaz, the savings would be greater.

As for change over, I run on Propane if I can, but when the bottle is empty you just turn a knob on the changeover valve, and it runs from the 907. When I have a new propane cylinder turn the knob back, and I am on Propane again. If I go to europe, it is a simple job to swap the propane for another 907 ( you need an other Gaz regulator & bottle), but it is easy to do, and you are running Gaz. Or you could wait till you get there, and go for Le-Cube if you are there a lot. ( with the three bottles you have the proverbial belt and braces!)

The switch over valve works on both Propane & Butane, or one of each. There is a safety note on the valve saying it should be run only with 2 bottles connected!

Like everything with Vans the options are endless, as your pockets need to be. As my requirements are basically for weekends, this system works for me, but if you plan to live in your van, the fixed tank might be more cost effective. It is ' Horses for courses' as with most things in life.

Hope that helps

Stuart