Downsizing from 9kg gas to 4.5kg

Brianvicki · Veteran Member

Downsizing from 9kg gas to 4.5kg

Cuppa · Guru

We managed extended periods off grid with 2 x 3.7kg bottles set up much as in you photos. Gas was only used for cooking & the two bottles could last us several months. If you are using gas for space heating and or hot water you'll soon find how long you can last on two 4.5kg bottles & can adjust you time off grid accordingly. Just means you have to refill more often than you have been, which isn't really a big deal. It was for us because so any places have changed to swap & go, who didn't have our size bottles , so we mostly needed to find places to re-fill them.

Our new rig has no gas at all. Hot water is heated by either the vehicle's engine or via a diesel heater. Space heating similarly by engine or diesel heater. Cooking is via a diesel cooktop, a single plate induction cooktop & a combined microwave/convection oven.

We'd heard some terrible tales about diesel cooktops, but so far we have been pleasantly surprised by how good it is. Runs off the vehicle's fuel tanks. Havent tried the other methods yet. Not sorry to ditch gas though. .

Rodsvan · Veteran Member

Something to take into consideration is that the smaller gas bottles can be relatively more expensive to fill, and some swap & go places only carry the 9kg (or 8.5kg as a lot call them nowadays). I recently had to get our spare bbq 4.5kg filled and it was about $18 ($4/kg) where the 8 5kg was about $22 ($2.58/kg).

Are We Lost · Guru

Rodsvan wrote:
...or 8.5kg as a lot call them nowadays....

Swap n Go are only refilled to 8.5kg even if it is a 9kg bottle.

From Elgas: "The 9kg BBQ gas cylinder is the larger cylinder filled with 8.5kg of LPG. The smaller 4kg gas cylinder is filled with 3.7kg of LPG"

Elgas link

But if you take a 9kg bottle to a filling station it will be filled to 9kg. Older bottles will usually be 9kg, while most new ones are 8.5kg.

WindyHill · Member

We had the same for weight savings, be aware when you are travelling remote, that the swap and go for them is hard to find and refills not always available. So plan you refills for the larger centres. Bunnings usually have them and any town big enough for a Bunnings will have a source for refills.

Derek Barnes · Senior Member

Why don't you just remove one 9kg bottle, rather than changing to 2 x 4.5kg bottles?

mus429 · Member

Be careful 4.5kg bottles are supposed to be dropped by all gas suppliers soon. I know some people with new motorhomes that can only fit 4.5 kg bottles are getting stirred up.

67HR · Senior Member

mus429 wrote:
Be careful 4.5kg bottles are supposed to be dropped by all gas suppliers soon. I know some people with new motorhomes that can only fit 4.5 kg bottles are getting stirred up.

I hope not, there will be a he'll of a lot of Eco-Tourer owners not happy, including me....

Edit:

I've just found this after doing a search on line

"18 January 2024

In a U-turn decision, Calor will continue to supply 3.9kg propane and 4.5kg butane gas cylinders having announced it was phasing them out. Calor told PBO it is 'working hard to return supply to normal as soon as possible' after listening to the concerns of the boating community.18 Jan 2024"

-- Edited by 67HR on Wednesday 5th of June 2024 03:17:31 PM

Dhutime · Senior Member

Weve done exactly what Derek said . Removed one 9kg bottle. Use the existing space for a bucket full off bits and bobs or general rubbish. We use gas for hot water and cooking and the bottle lasts for ages. Just may have to renew sometimes with some gas left but but the cost is minimal.

-- Edited by Dhutime on Friday 7th of June 2024 01:15:24 AM

-- Edited by Dhutime on Friday 7th of June 2024 01:16:04 AM

Dick0 · Guru

Derek Barnes wrote:
Why don't you just remove one 9kg bottle, rather than changing to 2 x 4.5kg bottles?

Now that's using your noggin!

Peter_n_Margaret · Senior Member

Or buy fibre glass bottles.
campera.com.au/products/compgas-7-5kg-composite-gas-bottle
There is a smaller one too if you can find it.
Cheers,
Peter

StewG · Senior Member

Like many others, we have two 9kg bottles on the tow bar. We've found that using gas for cooking, hot water and space heating, one bottle lasts for a couple of months or more. So one bottle is usually empty while we use the second one. When they are both empty (or ideally just before) I'll exchange the empty one for a full bottle. We haven't been caught without gas yet - touch wood...