New Size Calor Bottles

[Poppy]

Calor have replaced the existing 4.5 kilo bottle with a taller one with a wider base.

Dimensions are ....................................................Height with handle folded..........."base ring" diam

old cylinder................................................................................350mm .................................195mm

new cylinder................................................................................381mm ................................220mm

These changes in size may well effect storage in boats  Clearly the main market for these bottles is other than marine, and Calor haven't thought it through.

They have indicated that they are open to feedback on this especially to learn the scale of the problem in boats.

[MauriceMynah]

It's bigger but does it hold more gas?

[Smoggy]

Oh crap, my gas locker is tight enough as it is, what are the equivalent options? Flogas any good?

[JanetAnne]

Is this just the 4.5 butane or does it affect the 3.9 propane as well?

Can't find any mention on Calor UK site

We wondered whether they have introduced a new butane 4.5 and will convert the old ones to 3.9 propane to cover the continuing shortage?

Edited November 28, 2020 by JanetAnne
Missed a bit!

[RumPunch]

Anything bigger WILL NOT fit my boat - the locker was made to measure 

[CambridgeCabby]

Is there anywhere on the system that refills them ??

[Poppy]

[MauriceMynah]

To Poppy, Thanks for the pic, I understand now what they've done, though for the life of me I can't think why!

To RumPunch, If they've kept the Propane the same as it was, I'd suggest you convert to the other gas.

Is it an optical illusion or is the actual gas container narrower ?

[grendel]

i can see those not fitting in loads of caravans and campers too

[Poppy]

11 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Is it an optical illusion or is the actual gas container narrower ?

Possibly, but according to the measurements I posted earlier it's the base ring that is wider.

[floydraser]

13 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Is it an optical illusion or is the actual gas container narrower ?

I was thinking the same thing, and are they the same hieght when the lifting handle is extended?

Judging by the photo alone, they look like they may actually fit in the same space??

Edit: Apart from the extended handle of course.

[MauriceMynah]

Yes, I see the base ring, and I suppose it is possible that the extended collar will offer some protection to the handle, if it still has one, but I'm also wondering if the valve system has been standardized with the other cylinders. Personally I prefer the 7 kg bottles but if the valves are the same It'll be easier to keep the smaller one as a backup.

[annv]

To me it has the same capacity no wider overall But the new design will make it easier/safer to stack them higher with more support due to wider/larger circumference top, and cheaper construction and no swinging handle to impede handling this will bring them in line with propane cylinders. someone has obviously put some thought into the construction and handling before they make lots more to overcome the shortage of bottles it only looks a couple inches higher so shouldn't make it harder to retrofit  into existing storage boxes. John

[Smoggy]

Not a hope in my gas locker! The base is moulded to fit so that alone makes it another inch higher and means they will move around at sea, my spare has to shuffle under an edge and won't do it with handle up now, how many gas lockers on boats use the same system, lots I would have thought.

Well done calor, to keep it nautical "bunch of anchors". (sounds like)

[fishtone]

Has anyone tried to get a 4.5 bottle lately. Tried Londis in Coltishal and Roys garden centre but  neither  places had any. Londis not had any since March.

[annv]

Hi Smoggy you could convert to propane, not difficult afraid you're not mister average boat as regards Caler. John

[Smoggy]

47 minutes ago, annv said:

Hi Smoggy you could convert to propane, not difficult afraid you're not mister average boat as regards Caler. John

Probably going to have to, I can never remember which is the better option and what is involved, I assume regulator and jets.

[Poppy]

13 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Probably going to have to, I can never remember which is the better option and what is involved, I assume regulator and jets.

Just a regulator. 30mb is te new 'standard for both butane and propane I believe, Remember that the treads are different.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

36 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Probably going to have to, I can never remember which is the better option and what is involved, I assume regulator and jets.

Jet wise there are only two, NG (household gas) and LPG. Propane won`t freeze as easily as Butane and works at a higher pressure so just the regulator to change and a lot of appliances work better/ cleaner on Propane.

[Smoggy]

I suppose the propane bottles will be changing as well just to really stuff things up......

[MauriceMynah]

Not immediately Smoggy, They'll wait till you have bought the bits and pieces and done the work to change over to Propane. THEN they'll change.

[Smoggy]

15 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Not immediately Smoggy, They'll wait till you have bought the bits and pieces and done the work to change over to Propane. THEN they'll change.

Of course they will, how silly of me.....

I have a spare bottle in the garden so will see if I can get an old size bottle from the local tool hire place tomorrow as a spare, with my spare bottle on board that will give me 18 months to worry about it at least.

You can't rush a good job, so there's certainly no point rushing a crap job!

[DaveRolaves]

There has been a shortage of the calor 4.5 butane bottles for sometime. An alternative to calor is Flogas which is easy to get . They do a 4.5 kg bottle. The height and diameter is the same as the old calor bottles (Ht 340mm Dia 240mm) Like calor they charge you about £30 when you first hire the bottle from them. Refills are cheaper than Calor. Regulators on their bottles are clip on.

[PaulN]

The 4.5 kg bottle on their website looks the same as the new Calor bottle

https://www.flogas.co.uk/shop/category/all-cylinders 

[DaveRolaves]

If you scroll down on the flogas site to specification it gives the height and diameter of the 4.5 butane cylinders