Gas bottles
 

Another question on gas bottles and usage in Africa. We are planning a trip next year from Spain to Cape Town via the west of Africa. Have seen numerous posts about bottles/availability/sizes and regulators but we are still confused doh. I have a bottle of butane (in Spain) which I use for a bbq. colour RED. Other posts say Butane is BLUE!
Question is what gas is most suitable to take with us (west Africa route) we propose to travel for around 9 months? Does anybody have advice? Is Camping gaz the same as butane? What if any regulators will be required.In Spain on the butane bottle we have a push on valve.
We do plan to bush cmp as much as pos. and use firewood and we could take 2 bottles with us but cannot see it lasting the trip.

Hi

Butane is mostly blue in the UK from Calor, red is propane from the same company. I have a gold propane from a French company for the camper, and a red butane from Repsol for a different cooker which is maybe the same you have in red. Carrefour do butane in white :)

Do you have any idea how long your bottle lasts you? Our 13kg lasts months! Two of that size I would think is maybe too much!

I wouldn't worry too much, many people everywhere seem to use gas, and as long as you know what pressure and type of gas your cooker runs on and stick with that. I would think going somewhere that sells bottles will be able to provide you something suitable to connect it with. It should say on your current regulator (which is the bit you may change, or a different fitting into it, to connect to a local bottle), or in the cooker instructions, what milliBar pressure you currently have. Butane won't work below about freezing, so keep with propane if your going to be cold.

Internet quote stuff;


Being different gases, butane and propane have to be bottled at very different pressures, and traditionally they have each required their own unique regulator to suit the pressures required by the appliances. http://www.motorcaravanning.com/imag...ue_bottles.gifIn the UK the pressures were 28mbar for butane and 37mbar for propane. Newer, post 2004, and many imported vehicles use a common 30 mbar for either gas and some older German motorhomes have a 50mbar system. Note that you cannot pick and choose from these standards, you must use the one your appliances were designed for. The regulators for different gases cannot easily be mixed up, since each has a different fitting. These fittings were not standardised throughout Europe but the new 2004 standard goes a long way towards harmonising them. In the UK the range of bottle sizes offered by companies such as Calor covers virtually all needs. There is also an international company called Camping Gaz, who supply smaller sizes than Calor, suitable for some smaller motorcaravans and general camping. Their bottles are available all over Western Europe except Scandinavia but contain mostly Butane for summer use and are quite expensive

I have to say that where you're going, you might be better off with a petrol stove.

You don't mention if you're going by 4 wheels or 2, and that will affect your choices.

Going by 4 wheels so petrol is out. Don't think 2 bottles will last so will need refills or replacements on the road. Life would be easy if the same bottle and regulator suited every country, alas its not going to happen.
Has anybody an idea of which country's use what type of bottle /regulator?

I don't understand this.

Good luck anyway.

Diesel?

Yes its a diesel.

So why not a petrol stove then? You would only need a small jerrycan, and the two burner Coleman stove seems to be the cooker of choice on a lot of Landy sized exped vehicles? Quite economical consumption.

Coleman Unleaded Double Burner Fuel Stove - Green: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Leisure


:)

gas stove
 

Am bit confused about bottle "regolators" ??! Is that a vintile connecting a bottle to a cooking stove ??
Starting a 6 months trip in a mercedes van next march (probably just Marocco) also with a gas bottle. It's not a camping gas stove, but a big bottle, high about 70cm. Like this bottle i can buy in Italy and probably in most Europian countrys. I was hopeing i can buy the same in Marocco. Don't know is it propane or buthane, i will ask in the store. Guess it will last me 3 months, so i will have to buy just one more. Here, in Serbia works this way-i bring empty bottle and give, buying a new bottle) so i pay just a gas. is it the same in Marocco ? and one more thing- i know that is forbitten to use a gas stove that way, is there a problem with that, a control on border ? Do i need a certificate permiting a use of a gas bottle ? :eek2: