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[kev]

(On topic as Leo Sprayer is in the workshop.)
I’ve inherited a propane heater.
It’s an Infradex SC/3.
20” W.G. Pressure.
6.000 BTU/H.

It came with a small, obsolete cylinder, which I intend to scrap.
I want to replace the old hose, and hook it up to a modern 13kg propane cylinder.
Problem is, I need a regulator with an inbuilt on/off tap, as the heater does not have a tap.
It’s on the regulator for the obsolete cylinder.
Anybody out there set one of these heaters up that can advise please?


Pics attached.🙂

[Supercal2007]

Hello. From what I can tell, that looks like an orange 3.9kg propane cylinder. I can see The regulator on the old hose. These cylinders (and all other propane cylinders have an on off hand wheel fitted to the cylinder already. I would bet that the reg on the end of the old hose will  screw straight on to a new propane cylinder. New hose of the correct bore should be available from the gas seller or caravan outlet. I'm a bit unsure about the blue Butane cylinder in your last pic. Cheers, Calum.

[Supercal2007]

PS. Remember that when you unscrew the old regulator off the cylinder, it's a left hand thread. Apologies if I'm teaching my granny how to suck eggs.

[oilstain]

Most caravan gas dealers will swap the butane for a propsane cylinder at no cost when you exchage for a full one, The butane cylinder you have is a beter size in this weather and the gas is cheaper per kg. in larger cylinders

[kev]

I would bet that the reg on the end of the old hose will  screw straight on to a new propane cylinder.

That’s definitely worth a try, good call.👍

I suppose I just assumed that the old cylinder would have an imperial thread, and the new would be metric.🤔

My intention is to swap the old butane one for a full propane one.

[Supercal2007]

Threads should be the same. If gas seller won't do you an exchange for the blue one, swap your orange 3.9 one. They are still current. Calor dealers will only swap  for Calor cylinders. As will, flogas, j gas, macgas, BP gas, Shell gas etc etc. So check what brand you have and visit the appropriate dealer. Propane cylinders are in short supply at the moment and prices are rocketing.

[kev]

I never realised any gas dealer would want that old red cylinder, that heater was probably last used in the 70’s.

[AlexB]

Fancy Leo Sprayer being in the workshop !!

[kev]

Fancy Leo Sprayer being in the workshop !!

OK, well bits of it are in the workshop...🤣🤣🤣

[Calum]

I never realised any gas dealer would want that old red cylinder, that heater was probably last used in the 70’s.

I exchanged the old butane Calor bottles off the Carawagon for fresh ones no bother! So far I haven't managed to swap them for propane ones of the same size  - often they will only do like for like unless they have a 'surplus' of the type you want to swap to.

[oilstain]

In my caravaning days I used butain in the Calor summer and calor propane in the winter. The Caravan Club sites were always happy to swap for the same size of either type.
You can find empty  calor cylinders at car boots/ebay for a few pounds and in the end I had a sumer and winter pair

[autorover1]

I never realised any gas dealer would want that old red cylinder, that heater was probably last used in the 70’s.

I am still using that size for a torch. The  threads are still the same  and bottles still readily available . You can go to bigger bottles if you want. 

[Peter Holden]

We use the 3.9kg propane in our Romahome.
There seems to be a bit of a problem with supply at the moment with dealers not supplying new customers (those wanting to buy a cylinder) and will only exchange like for like.Tyr Gumtree, your local freecycle groups and recycling centres for a cylinder to trade in.

Propane works much better than butane in cold temperatures

Peter

[Scavenger]

The blue cylinder is a 15kg butane calor gas bottle. Calor gas allow swapping of bottles in the same group, so you can swap 15kg butane for 13kg propane and vice-versa.
Propane has a lower boiling point than butane, so can be used at lower temperatures, and therefore more suitable for heating and BBQs ( unless your in warmer climates)
I would  suggest swapping to 13kg propane,  some dealers may allow you to swap for 19kg ( it’s in a different group) , but when full weighs around 110 lbs.

All propane cylinders have a turn shut off valve fitted, and are left hand thread. Also they are an odd sized spanner size.
What ever you decide, that hose needs changing.

[34058]

I have recently been trying to swap a Calor 7kg (blue) butane bottle for a Calor 6kg (orange) propane bottle.  In theory Calor will allow swaps as posted above, but currently they won't.  There is a national shortage of gas bottles, especially of the smaller sizes.  I have spoken to both Calor and a local Calor agent and they will currently only swap like for like: same size and same gas type.  Not only that, Calor will not enter into any new contracts; at least for the smaller sizes.

I don't know exactly what has caused this current bottle shortage, but I believe it is mainly down to the past two year's lock downs.  People have gone to 'garden living' and are busy polluting the atmosphere and wasting energy like mad trying to heat the outdoors with their patio heaters.  They hoard the bottles so there are not enough empties being returned to supply the exchange market, let alone the new customer market.

For information, the left hand thread on the propane bottles is called a POL thread.  There seem to be two versions of this that I know about, one in the UK and one in Australia.  The Australian POL male fitting has an O ring near the tip and is a slack fit in a UK female fitting.  The UK POL male fitting has no O ring, and will not fit into an Australian female fitting.  Perhaps someone can enlighten us more about POL threads?


David