OT: Calor Gas

[Chade]

Off topic, but I am hoping someone can help.

Would it be safe to keep/transport a Butane Calor gas bottle in a car during day trips?

Thanks.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Of course. Just make sure it can't come flying forward in the event of an accident. Thousands of people used to, and still, do it.

[Cash]

I did it for years just to have a decent cuppa on our many days out with our little tearaways (and without 'em after they flew the nest). We used the small 7lb bottles connected to a small cooker - and in fact, I still have the set-up some 40 years after buying it - and use it on the odd occasion.

Just take the normal precautions to prevent any leaks, use it outside the car only and you should be ok.

Cash

[David.WE.Roberts]

Actually a tricky one.

Caravans, motor homes and the like have special compartments for gas cylinders which have drain holes in the bottom so that any escaping gas can safely drain away.

There is therefore a risk in keeping gas bottles of any sort in an unventilated area such as a car.

Though people commonly do, and survive.

You also have to consider exposure to extreme heat if the bottle is left anywhere in the car where it can get heated by the sun.

However given that they used to be (and still may be) used in room heaters I suppose the risks may be low.

The best answer is probably - it might be, but try and keep the cylinder outside the car as much as possible, and when not do ensure plenty of ventilation.

A gas leak in a car with the windows closed is not an attractive proposition.

Cheers

Dave R

[Dave Liquorice]

Yeah, Common sense says disconnect the regulator and put the cover cap on and make sure it's tied down. Even a small 7 kg(*) one could do a lot of damage in an accident.

(*) 7 kg is the weight of the liquid gas when full. The cylinder itself will weigh around another 7 kg (the actual empty weight is on the metal collar in lbs and oz).

[geoff]

If its kept, secured, in the boot where there are rubber plugs that can be removed so that the gas can vent out of the bottom in the event of a leak

Especially after a beer and curry binge

[Bill Wright]

Yes. Just turn the valve off. Don't bother removing the regulator. Best to keep it screwed to the bottle good and tight. Frequent on/off is not a good thing. Just check it can't wiggle about, now and then. When you put the burner away make sure it's cold or you might set fire to something else in the boot. I wouldn't keep the bottle in the passenger compartment in case of a car crash, but it's the least of your worries if it's in the boot. These gas bottles are very strong and Calor test them each fill, so there's no chance it will leak or anything.The biggest risk with calor is dropping the bottle on your gouty toe (in my experience). If there's any rubber hose involved replace it every couple of years. It can develop tiny leaks.

Bill

[Tim+]

Don't you just love standardisation? Contents in kilos and tare weight in lbs.

Tim

[John Williamson]

Contents have to be sold in metric measures, but calor gas cylinders have been the same design now for decades, so why change anything? I suspect the life of the cylinders is long enough that there are still some in circulation that were made before we went metric, and labelling some in metric and some in imperial would only add confusion atsome point.

IIRC, what are now 7 kilogramme containers used to contain 15 pounds of gas, back when I first used to buy it.

[F Murtz]

In australia and probably UK we run cars on lpg and carry 80 litres or so in the boot (granted it is secured)So a small bottle should not cause a problem packed well.

[Nightjar]

On 25/04/2013 22:21, David.WE.Roberts wrote: ...

Although an attempted car bombing a year or two back suggests that it will soon build up to the point where there is not enough air to ignite it.

Colin Bignell

[Man at B&Q]

A car is not hermetically sealed.

MBQ

[Tim Watts]

On Thursday 25 April 2013 21:42 Chade wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Yes.

If you think about it - how do you get the bottle from the shop to your home/caravan?

Just make sure that it is restrained physcially and that the valve is firmly off before stowing. Be aware the butane is heavier than air and any small leak will accumulate. Caravans have floor vents - your car does not (unless it's a Landrover).

But in those terms, there's no real difference between stowing a proper bottle and a disposable bottle connected to a camping ring and people leave those kicking around in cars.

[Jonathan]

Beetles used to be. On some of them you had to open the window to shut the door properly.

Jonathan

[Dave Liquorice]

And presumably the filling equipment needs to be told how heavy the empty cylinder is. You can't simply weigh the cylinder as it might not be empty and presuambly there is too much variation in the tare weight of cylinders just to fill them to a fixed gross weight.

[Dave Liquorice]

Butane regulators are clip on and rotate/wobble even when fully fixed on.

Propane regulators are screw in.

[Gazz]

Almost all 'modern' cars have vents in the rear covered by the rear bumper:

Most people never see them unless they take the bumper off, They are there to allow the cabin ventilation system to work. i.e. you have all the windows up, how do you push fresh air in via the dash vents if it can't get out somewhere..... that's somewhere is the vents at the rear.

Like others have said, make sure it's restrained, you can buy gas bottle straps from motorhome/caravan type places (google for gas bottle strap), or make your own, the bought ones have a plastic bit you screw to the wall/surface you want the bottle attached to, it curves around the bottle a bit, then a webbing strap is used, place the bottle against the curved plastic back, thread the webbing strap through it's buckle, pull it tight, bottle secured.

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 26 April 2013 11:11 Dave Liquorice wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Butane were screw in in 1980. When did that change?

[Java Jive]

[Dave Liquorice]

Donno but I got my first butane cylinder around 2000, that was clip on and there was no sign of any screw except on propane.

nders/

4.5 kg butane is screw on. 7, 12 and 15 kg are clip on. The smallest butane I have is 7 kg.