Convert from patio/leisure-gas to proper screw fitting for orange calor bottles

[MisterBoy]

I'm not very familiar with this stuff and have only used the traditional orange calor bottles with the screw fitting.

I have ordered a heater which comes with everything included, but for the 'quick clip' style used by Calor Patio-gas or Flomaster leisure-gas. I've never used that and I want to convert so I don't need two types of bottle.

What do I need to buy and do - any special sealants needed for example?

 

[Burnerman]

Patio gas and propane are essentially the same product, so you can use a propane bottle with the appropriate regulator and pig tail (that's the bit that screws into the bottle, left hand thread).
No sealant is required there, rely on the taper of the joint.
Just for info, butane has the higher calorific value than propane but tends to liquefy under low temperatures.....so it's propane for outside general use.
John

 

[MisterBoy]

Yeah but I'm assuming the thing I've bought comes with a ready made pipe so is it a case of just cutting off the patio has fitting, buying the screw pig tail, and putting that in instead? Or could I get an adapter so I don't need to monkey around and could still use it on a patio bottle of I ever wanted to?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If the clip on, is a clip on regulator type....

From a caravan dealer you can buy what is called a bulk head regulator, the bulk head regulator is a compromise in the pressure needed for either butane or propane. From the bulk head regulator you can run a high pressure pipe with what ever the fitting needed for your bottle.

If you need to be able to use two bottle types, then you would need the two adaptors to fit the high pressure pipe.

 

[MisterBoy]

Ah, looking online I hadn't realised the regulators are just push fit and can be removed so easily.

If memory serves patio gas and regular calor gas (red bottles ) is the same product at the same PSI it's just a different connection on the bottle so this seems quite easy?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The patio gas is a mix of butane and propane, I understand. The red bottles are all propane.

I don't understand - 'I hadn't realised the regulators are just push fit and can be removed so easily.'. I think you will find the regulator simply clips onto a patio bottle, but is crimped onto to the orange low pressure pipe. What I was suggesting, is cutting the orange pipe close to the regulator, then connecting it to a bulk head regulator. Feed the bulk head regulator via an HP pipe, plus have the choice of the two adaptors to mount on the end of the HP pipe, one to suit patio gas, other to suit red bottle.

 

[MisterBoy]

Ah, I got the impression the orange low pressure pipe was more pushed onto the regulator, sometimes with a jubilee clip, so you could swap regulators without cutting the pipe.

I've never come across bulk head fittings or the High pressure pipe, I found something on YouTube that seems to match what you're suggesting though if I understand.

I don't expect to ever switch back to patio though so would simply replacing the regulator on the LP pipe be just as good?

 

[Burnerman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROPANE-...006732&hash=item23bfe17fd2:g:OvkAAOSwTmpfZIFK
Cut the original pipe and fix it onto this one with a jubilee clip.
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I (mis)understood you wanted to be able to maybe use both bottle styles. If you want to move to the red bottles permanently, that bottle mount regulator will do all you need. It is as simple as cutting the original regulator from the end of the orange pipe and pushing onto the new regulator, but you must use a jubilee clip to ensure it cannot pull off.

I suppose you are aware that the bottles, both butane and propane, need to be stood up vertically in use?

 

[Burnerman]

On that score I've often wondered how some fork lift trucks get by with the gas bottle horizontal.
John

 

[MisterBoy]

I don't know if I knew they had to be, but I would never have thought to use them any other way!

Thanks all, seems it's easy enough. Wanted to be sure before signing up for a new bottle lease... Got the wrong size once before and immediately lost half the deposit!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

On that score I've often wondered how some fork lift trucks get by with the gas bottle horizontal.
John

Good point and I am not sure. For none fork truck use, the liquid propane needs to be kept out of the regulator, because if it gets through it will flare up - as do those camping stoves which use the gas bottles at full pressure.

My best guess on the fork lift trucks (and cars), is that they have a system able to accept either liquid or gaseous propane and must somehow ensure evaporation before being ingested into the engine.

 

[Stivino]

On that score I've often wondered how some fork lift trucks get by with the gas bottle horizontal.
John

Inside the cylinder, there is a pipe (maybe even two pipes) it runs from the inlet/outlet to the side of the cylinder. When the cylinder is on its side, the draw off pipe is in the gas, as opposed to being in the liquid. That way, it is only able to draw gas.
If you see any big gas cylinder on it's side, i.e. Chlorine as used in the water industry, it will have the same set-up.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Inside the cylinder, there is a pipe (maybe even two pipes) it runs from the inlet/outlet to the side of the cylinder. When the cylinder is on its side, the draw off pipe is in the gas, as opposed to being in the liquid. That way, it is only able to draw gas.

So, the fork lift trucks use a special type of cylinder?

 

[Stivino]

So, the fork lift trucks use a special type of cylinder?

Yes.