can you refill rothenberger gas bottles/canisters ?

[northstar]

Hi all does anyone know if you can refill rothenberger gas bottles/canisters, if so how much does it cost?

 

[dontknowitall]

I'd like to know the answer too as in this day and age of chuck as soon as it's empty, it seems a real waste of a good lump of metal.

Surely there should be a deposit system where you can take back your empties and buy a refill (much the same as Budget gas, etc)? Maybe there is and all I do is ask my merchant?

 

[tonto33]

ihave adaptor like this YouTube - 1lb cyclinder refill

 

[northstar]

tonto33 where did you buy your adaptor form?

 

[tonto33]

Local camping shop

 

[northstar]

how much ? thanks

 

[quality]

I made my own with a couple of adaptors and a bit of hose, the fitting for the rothenberger is metric a company called aeroquip make fittings for it, available from hydraulic suppliers

 

[tonto33]

bout 12 quid

 

[gassafe]

There are definitly refill "adapters" out there! I once saw them on sale on E##y for about £10.00. They allowed a rothenberger type bottle to be re-filled for a fraction of the cost from a larger camping style bottle.
The bottles do however say "do not refill" on them, this may well be to make more money selling you another overpriced gas bottle however!!!
I will defs buy one next time i see one!

 

[oldplumber]

thats all ok but remember guys these bottles have been designed for once only use and tested to that effect. if you constantly fill and empty them they are undergoing pressure changes they are not designed or tested for. long term result a van full or gas or worse still customer kitchen filled up and then emptied of propane rather too quickly. because you have used a bottle in the manner it was not designed for then your insurance wont apply. so there you are burnt like an overcooked lobster and all the new kitchen units are now in the garden and your insurance is null and void. All to save a few pence, its not worth it really is it. Remember storage bottles for gas and air etc that are multiple use are subject to annual pressure tests, rothenburger ones arent so you never know if they are safe to use a 2nd, 3rd or 4th time!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i agree with oldplumber, is it really worth taking the risk.

 

[quality]

About 15+ years ago I install a primus filling station in milton keynes or round abouts. the only danger to refilling these canisters as they are know is not to introduce air which contains oxygen which can cause internal corrosion.
These canisters have a shelf life of 10 years which is half of their life expectancy and so long as they are not rusty or full of dents refilling them is no big issue
That rubbish about your insurance being void (it may be fact) but it is the rubbish, most folk have drove the vehicle today above the speed limit - there are police out there to catch you doing this!
There are no rothenburger refilling police

 

[oldplumber]

Im not saying there are refilling police but pointing out what happens when it all goes wrong. If you use refillable cylenders then they are given annual pressure test certificates for each cylinder and if its for air no test ticket no fills. same for acetylene cyls, boc have to carry out tests on them. When you see what happens to a simple cylinder when it fails on air alone, the mind boggles if you do the same with propane. And if you say that the bit about the insurers not covering you, then Im afraid youre being rather naive as these institutions will do anything not to pay out, its in their nature and if they can find you at fault they will, as do car insurers who will refuse to pay out if you have modified your vehicle and failed to inform them of the changes, driving over the speed limit doesnt really apply to this discussion

 

[quality]

Thats ok I agree but we will do what we want when we need if we want
I enjoy this forum as you do I am not trying to argy bargy
but regs are there to comply with and I do comply with all, but these canisters / bottles what ever folk call them are filled and shipped from outside of the EU. So what we do in our union (European) is of no relevance anyway

 

[oldplumber]

Not quite sure what point your trying to make there re stuff coming from outside the eu and we can do what we like?

 

[quality]

I am not trying to make any point other than the fact that your statement about insurance was rubbish

 

[REDSAW]

they have a safty valve on them dont they?.

 

[oldplumber]

see what happens when you meet a loss adjuster. I worked on a boiler today for a retired insurance agent/loss adjuster and got onto to this question with him as it was fresh in my mind. His answer was as i said, if they can find any reason to not pay, then its in their interest to find you at fault and if you do things that are not the norm at your own risk. Only trying to help you all out so you dont come to grief, and its not in my nature to talk rubbish but to pass on the facts as I understand them, then what you do is your choice

 

[cjg]

just to be a devil,...............YouTube - Refilling a 1lb campstove propane bottle from a 20lb grill tank. hope that works!!

thought i had seen it done , we did simular with some large gas bottles,

 

[quality]

Yes that is all good and well - if anyone can find me a loss adjuster that can tell if my own refilled gas canister has caused any damage I will eat my youngest son

We experimented with flares well above the 2.5 Kg limit over 15 years ago and the worst that was caused was immediate / close by scorching - Look at a psychometric of Propane and its properties / it needs oxygen to burn , there is is only enough oxy in any house to cause a short flare the rest is burnt by the fuel

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

oh no you CAN NOT REFILL THEM,stop being tight rses and buy a new one ,anyone remember the pictures in the corgi mag when one exploded?killed the kitchen,and newly being installed duotec,set the installer on fire and burnt the nosy custard to a crisp,everyone survived but the installer had a mega £££££££££££££££ fine opf the HSE not worth the risk IMHO just buy a new one

 

[cjg]

if they wish to be TAADA then its up to them i only put the link in to be the devils advorcate,

 

[oldplumber]

Yes that is all good and well - if anyone can find me a loss adjuster that can tell if my own refilled gas canister has caused any damage I will eat my youngest son

We experimented with flares well above the 2.5 Kg limit over 15 years ago and the worst that was caused was immediate / close by scorching - Look at a psychometric of Propane and its properties / it needs oxygen to burn , there is is only enough oxy in any house to cause a short flare the rest is burnt by the fuel

ive been and seen what happens when a boatful of propane lights ups, the occupants are ejected (in flames) out of the hatch if they were lucky and those that hit the hatch inhaled the flames causing massive lung injuries, all the windows in the boat that are designed to withstand heavy seas blew out and worst of all, the rottweiller who was set light didnt want anyone onboard to help rescue the injured ,not quite sure if you understand the psychometric properties of propane!!!!

 

[GrahamM]

Just my tuppence worth.
As oldplumber has stated, these cylinders are not designed and certainly not tested to prove they are safe to be refillable.
To do so is potentially dangerous and irresponsible in my opinion.
We, or the gas qualified at least are supposed to be competent individuals.
Refilling disposable gas cylinders is not showing competence.

 

[WHPES]

The empties are of course recyclable.