Author Topic: Calor Gas  (Read 1368 times)

Offline RayW

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Calor Gas
« on: December 15, 2021, 10:35:49 AM »
I use a 3.9kg Calor Gas Propane bottle for running my various engines and a bottle usually lasts me for several years as I only use it very occasionally.
The bottle finally ran out the other day and I contacted my local caravan dealer to get another, only to be told that there is a massive shortage of these bottles and that they have not had any in stock for almost a year now. This was confirmed by several other places that I contacted, all of whom said that Calor have a massive shortage of bottles to refill. One dealer I spoke to said that he had over 100 empty bottle in his compound awaiting collection, so what is really going on?
I finally tracked down what must be the last bottle in Kent, at a dealer about 50 miles away and I have just had it delivered at a delivery cost of £10.50, making a total cost of 35.77.
Calor have also stopped the issuing of new contracts, so the only way you can get a bottle (if you can find one) is if you have an identical bottle to exchange. This probably explains why empty bottle are now being offered on eBay for anything up to £50!!
I just wondered of other UK members are having similar problems, and what the situation is with our overseas colleagues?
Ray

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2021, 11:33:01 AM »
Hi Ray.

I stopped using Calor gas nearly 30 years ago after they reneged on the bottle contract. I had finished using the portable gas heater and wanted my deposit back. Despite having the paperwork the money wasn’t forthcoming, the empty Butane cylinder is still with me today.

I used to get through tons of gas running the foundry and tried many independent suppliers I have been with my current supplier for nearly 25 years now. This year has seen the largest price hike ever. We use Propane for cooking and running the gas tumble dryer. John “ The gas “ dropped one off last week @ £68.00 for a 47 Kg the last ones cost us £50.00 each.

I’ve sent you an email for a possible solution to your current dilemma.

Cheers Graham.

Offline Jo

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2021, 11:55:18 AM »
I also cook on bottled propane gas. Prices and availability vary widely. I use the 19KG ones as that is as heavy as I want to woman handle on my own.


The local garden centre used to be cheap but year on year it seemed to increased by £5 a year. As I was going past the Calor gas main dealer I took my empty bottles with me and (other than telling me off when I tried laying the full one down  ::) ) I was pleased to only be charged £33 each for them. During lockdown I was concerned when I discovered both bottles on the change over valve were empty  :wallbang: Thankfully when my old neighbour moved out the new one gave me his two 19kg bottles which were full so I now have spares  :) I tried the next nearest garden centre expecting them to want to charge me a fortune and they wanted £32.50, delivery under £50 was £5 over that free  :whoohoo: So it was actually cheaper than the Calor main dealer  :headscratch:


Graham's not going to tell you about connecting two bottles together is he to get them to equalise their pressure  :ShakeHead: I do wonder if that is what happens with my two bottles on their change over gauge because they always seem to weigh the same :thinking: .

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2021, 12:03:39 PM »
It was mentioned on ME Forum that they will be dropping the smaller size bottles with 6kg being the smallest they will do. Though that may just be the "lite" ones
« Last Edit: December 15, 2021, 12:13:37 PM by Jasonb »

Offline propforward

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2021, 01:42:14 PM »
what the situation is with our overseas colleagues?

I am not aware of any shortages of LPG or any difficulties getting it right now. I use LP gas in my home, because I am rural with no mains gas. But I get it bulk delivered. I have a 1000 gallon tank by the house, and a 250 gallon tank by the shed. The 1000 gallon tank lasts more than a year, so I just have it filled every October. The shed one doesn't quite last a season typically, so at some point I may up it to a 500 gallon tank just to save messing about.

Bottled LPG is popular here, with 20 pound tanks being most popular (used on BBqs and such). There are other size tanks which people use on their occasional use hunting shacks and what not. A 20 pound tank exchange or fill is usually about 20 dollars I think. I just paid $1.90 a gallon to fill my bulk tanks. A US gallon of propane weighs 4.11 pounds I am told.

There was one year where there was a shortage - I think it was 2012, something to do with shutting off a pipeline to our region to switch it to natural gas to meet demand - and prices jumped to over 7 dollars a gallon, and many people could simply not afford to fill their house tanks, even if they could get propane which was really scarce in Minnesota at the time. Delivery companies were refusing deliveries to people unless they were in dire need. My policy of completely filling up in October really paid off that year.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline Jo

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2021, 06:12:28 PM »
It was mentioned on ME Forum that they will be dropping the smaller size bottles with 6kg being the smallest they will do. Though that may just be the "lite" ones

Interesting. Campers usually use: 2.75, 1.8 and 0.45Kg. In these days of "stay at home summer holidays" you would have thought that the standard camping sizes would be available. 4.5Kg is the standard size for fitting in the nose of a caravan, just above the hitch.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline RayW

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2021, 06:49:21 PM »
We use two butane cylinders in our motorhome and we could not fit larger ones in the gas locker. Given the huge numbers of caravans and motorhomes on the roads now, I cannot see how Calor could withdraw the smaller bottles.
Ray

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2021, 06:57:07 PM »
My Edit was to add the Lite bit, that was after a bit of googling found some posts on caravan (not tent camping) forums asking what to do when the 3.9 & 4.5 LITE ones were discontinued. These are the green plastic bottles which are a lighter overall weight much like the patio gas ones but smaller.

So looks like the orange metal ones may well continue but are just in very short supply.

My local builders merchant were always happy for you to cjamge any size or gas type so long a syou took an empty in you could go away with whatever you wanted just paying teh gas cost, this was pre covid and I've not needed a refill since though BBQ one is getting very low.

Offline Jo

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2021, 07:57:33 PM »
My Butane Calor bottles are blue and made of metal

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2021, 08:17:43 PM »
So is one of mine but I did have to swap the other  for the patio gas butane when I got a new BBQ a couple of years back and that is green and at least partly plastic, also has a built in gauge to tell you how full it is.

My Orange propane is also steel unlike the "Lite" ones which are/were almost red. Will have to check the Propane is well stocked up with the prospect of another hot tube small power engine in the new year :-X. And that will be for the running not fabrication ;)

Offline RayW

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2021, 08:39:56 PM »
Calor do not currently allow you to exchange your empty for anything other than an identical one. You cannot exchange for a different size or type like you used to be able to do, with a cash adjustment where necessary.
Ray

Offline Jo

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2021, 09:33:36 PM »
So is one of mine but I did have to swap the other  for the patio gas butane when I got a new BBQ a couple of years back and that is green and at least partly plastic, also has a built in gauge to tell you how full it is.


Patio Gas as provided in (environmentally friendly  :headscratch:, over priced   :-X ) green containers is our old friend propane. Us oldies brought our  propane in the larger (cheaper  ;) ) orange bottles. There is currently a shortage of the smaller bottles due to people wanting to socialise outside while using patio heaters/BBQs to avoid Covid  :ThumbsUp:  :thinking:  :stickpoke:

I think you will need to hold fire for a while Ray until Covid goes away until the bottle prices come down again  :-\ . Keep hold of your old bottles and I am sure Graham will have PM'd you a solution  :-X

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Calor Gas
« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2021, 07:02:30 AM »
Yes my typo the red handles on the green bottles indicate propane, the new BBQ was the larger snap on connector that is why I had to change on of the old butane containers as they fitted the old BBQ

 

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