Has anyone converted their Gaz to Calor?

[DM]

When I was looking for gas at the weekend two dealers 'recommended' converting from the Camping Gaz 907 (2.65Kg) to the Calor 4.5Kg. They both claimed I would just need a new regulator to fit the new bottle. Camping Gaz costs about £30 for a 2.65Kg refill whilst Calor costs about £15 for 4.5 Kg. Calor is less than a third the cost!

Of course the catch is that the Calor bottle is too large for the gas locker on the Cali. It wold take some serious 'adjustment' to make it fit. There's no way I'm going to do that on my brand new T6 but I might be tempted in an older vehicle.

I'm curious as to whether anybody has converted.

 

[Hotel California]

With the limited space and weight in a Cali i can not see the point of a bigger botlle.
A full 907 takes ages to empy using just the coocker.
With a 30 pound refill as it costs in the UK , you are cooking maaaany meals

 

[GrannyJen]

As Wim said, I cannot really see it being worth the effort.

I'm still using the bottle that I bought in wales a year ago.

Welsh gas just goes on and on it seems

 

[rich-s]

Camping Gaz is indeed expensive compared to Calor, but I can't imagine any Cali owners butchering what is an excellent solution built in to save a few pounds a year. Also Calor is only available in the UK. So no good if you go abroad.

 

[WelshGas]

As Wim said, I cannot really see it being worth the effort.

I'm still using the bottle that I bought in wales a year ago.

Welsh gas just goes on and on it seems

Thank you! I think!

 

[Hotel California]

Also mind that adapting the botleholder compromises safety as the closed compartment is a essential thing imo.
There is not much to cut on the holder if you do not want wet feet in your Cali....

 

[AlanC]

I looked into the Gaslow LPG tanks as the refill is very cheap and readily available at many garages.

http://www.gaslowdirect.com/epages/...ath=/Shops/cyujrhdmmu67/Products/01-4003-67-2

Getting the intake pipe out of the centre of the water tank proved to be a difficult proposition so I dropped the idea. I gather some garages don't like you taking the tank out of the vehicle to fill it on the forecourt.

I have seen ads for an installation that sits under the van just ahead of the spare wheel. That could be an option. The storage space that results in the water tank could be of some use too.

Alan

 

[AlanC]

Have found this LPG underslung tank that fits a T5

http://www.propexheatsource.co.uk/underslung-lpg-vapour-tanks

Alan

 

[2into1]

I think all these cost saving opportunities are born for motorhomes that use gas to provide heating and hot water. They make zero economic or practical sense in a Cali.

I bet if the Cali came with a 4.5kg Calor bottle taking half the boot, or a heavy underslung lpg tank, there would be a roaring trade in kits that allowed you to jettison all that and just carry a 907 Gaz bottle!

 

[Hotel California]

The idea of a bigger tank fitted under the bodywork is good , but as said above there is not much gas needed in a Cali so for me no need to.
I do can imagine you want it , so that undertank can be an option and indeed you can fit for instance some tools or other stuff in the botlle holder

 

[GrannyJen]

You have to ask if it is worth a small tin of baked beans for every 2 nights that you camp.

I've just worked out that would have been my saving over the last 120 nights if I had calor.

 

[WelshGas]

When I was looking for gas at the weekend two dealers 'recommended' converting from the Camping Gaz 907 (2.65Kg) to the Calor 4.5Kg. They both claimed I would just need a new regulator to fit the new bottle. Camping Gaz costs about £30 for a 2.65Kg refill whilst Calor costs about £15 for 4.5 Kg. Calor is less than a third the cost!

Of course the catch is that the Calor bottle is too large for the gas locker on the Cali. It wold take some serious 'adjustment' to make it fit. There's no way I'm going to do that on my brand new T6 but I might be tempted in an older vehicle.

I'm curious as to whether anybody has converted.

Obviously your Dealer knows a lot about the California - NOT.

The California is designed for the European Market. Campingaz might be a smaller player and expensive in the UK but not in Europe. Calor is obviously not interested in this market or it would have an equivalent sized re-usable bottle.

 

[GrannyJen]

Thank you! I think!

A testament to enduring quality

 

[DM]

Obviously your Dealer knows a lot about the California - NOT.

The California is designed for the European Market. Campingaz might be a smaller player and expensive in the UK but not in Europe. Calor is obviously not interested in this market or it would have an equivalent sized re-usable bottle.

To be fair these were gas dealers / resellers - not VW dealers. I'm sure the 'conversion' suggested would work in many motorhomes as the Calor 4.5Kg bottle is only slightly larger diameter than the 907. But even slightly larger will not fit the gas locker in the California.

 

[GrannyJen]

To be fair these were gas dealers / resellers - not VW dealers. I'm sure the 'conversion' suggested would work in many motorhomes as the Calor 4.5Kg bottle is only slightly larger diameter than the 907. But even slightly larger will not fit the gas locker in the California.

That makes sense. They would be used to big caravan front lockers where you could get any combination of probably two bottles in, or big white boxes where you could have even more options.

don't tell VW though.... they might get an idea...

"you can have a big and small bottle option together with green privacy glass and small underseat storage space but for the two small bottle option the underseat drawer disappears but you can have the optional ski rack with heated front windscreen plus the amusement pack of coloured kids crayons and a brochure to colour in....

 

[DM]

a brochure to colour in....

That explains all the errors in the brochure

 

[GrannyJen]

That explains all the errors in the brochure

My grandchildren (sub 3yr olds) would make a better job of the brochure than VW's tech.pubs. dept

 

[AlanC]

I think all these cost saving opportunities are born for motorhomes that use gas to provide heating and hot water. They make zero economic or practical sense in a Cali.

I bet if the Cali came with a 4.5kg Calor bottle taking half the boot, and a heavy underslung log tank, there would be a roaring trade in kits that allowed you to jettison all that and just carry a 907 Gaz bottle!

I don't disagree, the diesel heater and lack of hot water reduces the need.

Availability of Gaz in Europe is not a good as may be thought. Most garages have cages with Calor and Propane tanks in them but not Gaz so often. Even a camping shop said yes last year and then produced a small portable can of Gaz, not a 907 tank. Decathlon is your friend in this situation.

What attracted me was to the GasLow system was that the bottle was the same size as the 907 bottle and that LPG is very cheap and available on virtually every garage forecourt on the continent, less so over here of course. The cooker jets didn't need changing either apparently.

Making a tidy installation of the filler became the issue, I still wanted the top of the container to be in place. Ideally I wanted the filler to be beside the water filler, and also considered a bracket under the rear sill behind the mudflap.

It is possible that the floor of the water tank is solid plastic but I couldn't see if it was, and was not about to drill holes in it to find out, so the whole idea fell at the first hurdle.

Alan

 

[jts46]

Liz & Alan,
Sorry disagree about purchasing 907 bottles, most supermarkets in france sell them, we did have a bit of trouble in spain and portugal, but it was knowing where to go. No trouble in italy.

John

 

[DM]

Well that got a robust discussion going.

Thanks for all your thoughts and observations. And on that basis - I do not intend to butcher my brand new cali .

The trick would appear to be to pick-up a spare bottle cheaply (ebay, tip or Towsure) and buy Gaz on the continent wherever possible.

Just one question - will the French supermarkets exchange empties or do you have to pay for a new bottle?

 

[WelshGas]

Once you have your own Gas bottle then it is on an exchange basis.

 

[Hotel California]

Beware if you buy a second hand empty botlle it has the litlle scew on cap , else it is worthless and they wil not take it back in most places....

 

[snowy55]

Beware if you buy a second hand empty botlle it has the litlle scew on cap , else it is worthless and they wil not take it back in most places....

Take the screw handle off the new bottle and put it on the empty bottle and then hand it in for exchange

 

[andyinluton]

I would be more interested in a diesel powered Hob to get rid of the gas installation completely.
Especially as the ones I've seen had a flat glass surface so could be used as a work surface or at least somewhere to place a coffee mug when not hot.

 

[Hotel California]

Take the screw handle off the new bottle and put it on the empty bottle and then hand it in for exchange

In some places they not let you thoutch it until payed , you give the empty one at the counter and they give you a new , so botlle without cap is useless