Propane gas bottles for cooking.... It's all new to me, so any advice please?

Tunstallstoven

Hi

Just recently moved house and the new house has propane gas for the hob (electric oven). There's one 19kg propane bottle which I think is getting low. I've been advised it's best to have two anyway. I presumed the second one would be more expensive as I wouldn't have an empty to exchange, but I just popped into a hire shop which also sells gas and they sell full bottles with no need to exchange.... A few questions if I may please...

1. Are they safe? Should they be bought from an authorised dealer and if so what should I be looking for? Or is likely to be fine?

2. How can this guy do it without the need for an empty exchange, when most places won't? Anything dodgy?

3. It's £32.50 for 19kg. Is that good?

4. Does it matter whether I go down the calor or flogas route? Can you only exchange within the same company, and if so should I choose more carefully now?

5. A friend told me that too much gas is coming through to the hobs and that I should get a decent quality regulator. He wasn't sure what though. Any recommendations?

Any help would be most appreciated as I know nothing in the subject

Cheers

lovesgshp

Hi.
If it is only a gas hob then suggest you get a couple of the large propane bottles with a double valve, so when one runs out you just switch to the other.
A 47kg bottle here lasts about a year depending on how much the hob is used. Do not just buy one that cannot be exchanged as you will be paying over top whereas you could just pay for the gas content.

A._Badger

First things first: get the installation checked out by a qualified engineer - and that doesn't mean a regular gas fitter, It needs to be someone qualified to handle LPG.

Second, as advised above. get an automatic changeover valve fitted and switch to 47kg containers.

You will have to stick with either Flogas or Calor. Both, in my estimation, specialise if ripping off consumers, so if there is any possibility at all of switching to mains gas, do so, even if it means buying a new hob. It will be far cheaper in the long run.

In terms of usage, I run an all LPG cooker (no mains gas here) and get through about two 47kg containers a year. As you are just using a hob I doubt you will even use half that.

Mister_G

A._Badger wrote: »

You will have to stick with either Flogas or Calor. Both, in my estimation, specialise if ripping off consumers, so if there is any possibility at all of switching to mains gas, do so, even if it means buying a new hob. It will be far cheaper in the long run.

There are also small independents that sell bottled gas. We have one near us and their prices are a lot less than Flo or Calor.

Gloomendoom

We have a six burner gas hob and my wife's hobby is cooking. One 13kg propane bottle lasts us anything from a year to 18 months.

We have 13kg two bottles connected via a manual switch over valve.

If you don't want to pay for the initial rental charge on a spare bottle, look on gumtree or EBay for one. You can pick them up for 99p upwards.

Tunstallstoven

Thanks for the helpful replies. We are indeed going to get it serviced and safety checked by someone with the relevant accreditations.

Very rural property so not a chance in hell of mains gas.

Regarding price - what I'm seeing is that 19kg with an empty to exchange comes in at £25-£30. So £32 with no need for an empty seemed really good. Am I missing something???

And on that note, how can he afford to sell at that price and why do some people say no need for an empty whereas others insist on one? Presumably if I buy from him I can still exchange the bottle for a full one once it's empty? Or not?

Very strange the huge variance in usage... Scratches chin...

Independents, I'll look into that and see what I can find locally.

Thanks for all the help so far

Ectophile

I suspect a lot of retailers have spare bottles kicking around from previous customers who didn't need a refill.


If they can send one back to the supplier to be refilled, then you get the price as if you traded in an old bottle. It doesn't cost them anything, and they get a happy customer.

matelodave

It's amazing how many unused and unwanted gas bottles there are kicking around.

I've hod boat a boat and a caravan and over the years accummulated lots of bottles from various people who didn't want them any more. I've only ever actuall bought one.

Two went with the boat when I sold it, I've taken several back to the dealer because they were cluttering up the shed or garden.

I've still got two 10kg BP plastic bottles which I still use with the caravan together with three Camping Gaz and two Calor cylinders which sit in the shed, just in case we cant get the BP cylinders refilled.

I'm guessing one day they'll get handed on, taken to the tip or taken back to a dealer who can supplement his store with them.

mmmmikey

Hi - re: point 5 - a lot of gas coming through - I believe it's not just the regulator that controls this, I think the hob needs to have the correct jets for the type of gas you are using, so I would definitely get it checked by an LPG installer.

Tunstallstoven

Many thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.