Calor 340

[James Hall 3Participant @jameshall3]

Calor have, apparently, stopped production of the small 340 propane cylinder – though I am told that the Primus 2000 is an equivalent.

The gas stockist from whom I could formerly get a full exchange cylinder has been taken over and now stocks neither. There seems no one else in the Cambridge area who does either. Searching the web produces only new cylinders at an exorbitant price. Does anyone know of a stockist in this area, or who supplies exchanges remotely?

I'm wondering about recharging my 340 cylinder from my larger propane cylinder ( with appropriate regard to safety of course). I have already fabricated adaptors allowing me to use the smaller burners from the 340 with the regulator, hose and handset used for larger jobs and this solution works well – but it is often inconvenient to lug a large cylinder and hose around for smaller jobs as compared to the small self-contained 340.

There would be no problem fabricating a part to connect large and 340 cylinders and I am assuming that the large cylinder inverted would produce liquified gas to flow into the 340 – but there may be pitfalls that I haven't thought of: would the passage of liquified gas, for instance, mess up the regulator – or would the idea simply not work?

I'd welcome advice on this.

[James Hall 3Participant @jameshall3]

Where to get a refill – or sidestep.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

If it’s any help … This shows the Primus 2000 cylinder : **LINK** : https://chorleybottlegas.co.uk/shop/lpg-gas-cylinders/primus-2000-refill

… and specifically states that it is equivalent.  

My local supplier charges about the same refill price … but we’re a long way from Cambridge.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ The next size up is also very useful, and has the same connector  :

https://www.wolseley.co.uk/product/primus-2012-2kg-refill-for-gas-only/

… and I notice that Wolseley has branches in your area.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 28/10/2021 22:09:26

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Usual disclaimers about it being entirely at your own risk, but I have refilled small butane cylinders from larger ones in the past. There's not really any need to invert the larger one as the pressure just balances out over time, but it wouldn't hurt IF you can arrange it so nothing falls over.

No regulators in the connection. I'm not familiar with the 340 cylinder, but if it has a built-in regulator the method may not work so well as it would need to flow against the normal direction.

Do it outdoors, away from any sources of ignition, obviously.

Rob

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Refilling liquid gas bottles. The maximum level of liquid in these bottles is an important factor – not to be ignored.

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Hi Guys,

A maximum 80% fill is the recommended level ! At least for LPG.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, my advice is not to fill any cylinder from anther one at all. no matter what others have said they have done. Facilities for filling these cylinders have dedicated plants to do this operation safely and in the correct amounts. Propane is a dangerous gas and the fireball from any explosion from it will expand to five times the volume of the gas that is ignited and I doubt any insurance will cover you from such damage from the result of such an operation you make. You must remember that these cylinders are the property of the owners and not refilling them yourself is part of their terms and conditions.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 29/10/2021 08:27:42

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

Agree fully with Nicholas! Don't mess around with them.

I recently had a leak from the valve on a small cylinder that ignited, it was VERY scary and could have burnt the workshop down had I not been right next to an open door and was able to throw it outside.

Fortumately, no eyebrows were harmed in this production.

[Mick BaileyParticipant @mickbailey28509]

When living in Australia we purchased the propane cylinder outright and filled them ourselves at the local garage at a self-service 'pump'. This was common practice where we lived in Adelaide. The cylinders had a screwdriver-operated vent valve in the side and the dispenser issued liquid propane. The vent allowed the liquid to flow in without resistance to back pressure (and vented to atmosphere!) I thought at the time this would never be allowed in the UK. I currently have a refillable Sievert cylinder that has a similar valve that's opened during filling.

Maybe safety was very lax over there in the 90s. Our brand-new kettle had an exposed wire-wound ceramic element and the mains plugs had push-on covers.

[James Hall 3Participant @jameshall3]

Thanks everyone for you replies.

I'll say straight away that i had not considered the insurance angle – I'll forget all about refilling myself, so any further discussion of the matter is purely speculative.

Michael Gilligan: Yes, Chorley is certainly too far to go! Thanks for pointing me at Wolsely who actually do 2000 cylinders – next huedle is whether they will take a calor cylinder in exchange!

Grindstone Cowboy: No regulator as such on a 340 – but the on-off tap knob does a very good job of regulating the flame. Thinking about it refilling from a larger cylinder could not be done via a regulator as the pressure drop would probably be great enough that it would only deliver gas.

Not done it yet/John Baron: fill level would be easily ascertained by weighing – '340' is the content weight of a 'full' cylinder in grams.

Nicholas Farr/Mike Hurley: the dangers of doing anything with compressed flammable gas are obvious and require the normal precautions – however, in principle I don't see that connecting two containers should be any more dangerous than connecting a cylinder to an apparatus designed to release the gas into the atmosphere for combustion (actually less so, perhaps, as in the latter case flame is involved). Both involve the same number and type of connections.

Mick Bailey: More scope for adventure then. LOL

Cylinders being the 'property' of the company is a sore point with me and I regard it as a con – I've never yet managed to get my 'hire deposit' back on any cylinder of any size.

[norm nortonParticipant @normnorton75434]

James

A Calor 3.9kg cylinder is not too large for a workshop, has 10X the gas of a 340, the gas works out much cheaper by refill, and seems to last forever with Sievert torches of all sizes. Or perhaps you do have one and I am saying what you already know -sorry. Calor 3.9kg are about £60 new and around £25 per refill.

I also use a couple of small, disposable canister propane/butane mix hand held torches when I just want a quick heat-up for a few seconds and don't want to unwind the Sievert long hose.

Calor gas supply has been on/off this year. I couldn't get 6kg refills in the Summer and had to phone the local garden centre each delivery day until they said "oh yes, 6kg propane was the only size delivered today so we unusually have six of them!"

 

 

Edited By norm norton on 03/11/2021 09:51:42

[James Hall 3Participant @jameshall3]

Norm Norton: Thanks for your response. I have a larger cylinder – which is actually inconvenient to store in my small workshop, whereas the 340 is far more convenient and for 80% of jobs is sufficient and preferable to lugging a large cylinder and hoses about.

My Sievert burner for the 340 doesn't fit any disposable container that I know of and I resent having to spend out on a new burner and nozzles when I already have a perfectly good set.

Edited By James Hall 3 on 03/11/2021 16:40:35

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