Aussie BBQ Forum

Hmm,

I must go post in introductions, just joined but I did want to post this:

I've never bbq'd on gas before but my old kettle is rusting out, still ok for smoking for a bit but I treated myself to a Weber Q, whatever the medium size model is - the Baby seemed a bit small for what I cook.

Having picked up a bottle on opening special at a new Masters in my area I went to find out how to get it filled. Everyone told me do the Swap and Go but like someone else in this thread I may not have used gas for bbq but I've been around a lot of pressurised gas containers, needs respect and I did not like the look of the bottles in the cages. It seemed crazy to buy a new bottle and swop it for a used one.

A bit of Googling turned this up on a caravaners forum:

LPG Cylinder Services (George Clark) in Elcar St Joondalup. WA.
He bought the business from a friend of mine who retired.
0418928538

Does refills and is just around the corner from Outdoor Chef where I bought the Weber.

For Joondalup/northern suburbs Perth residents the place is actually Elcar Lane, off Winton Road, less than five minutes from me.

Going around there today or tomorrow to get filled up, Google says they are still there, hope so

Oh, for anyone near a Masters their 9KG bottles are on special at $25 unless that's just at the one on Joondalup Drive, even beats the Bunnings price

Cheers

Edit: Bummer -not there any more BUT, was heading to BCF and had to go to Masters first for some hardware - mentioned it to one of the staff and was told bring in the new bottle, we swop it for another full new one - and they did, so all fixed $21.60, probably median price refill from chatting to more knowledgeable friends.

Would you guys also recommend a Safety Gauge?

Bunnings sell the Gasfuse (http://gasfuse.com/) for $30.
Barbeques Galore sell the Black & Stone Gas Safety Gauge (http://www.blackandstone.com.au/gas-safety-gauge.html) for $35

Junior wrote:Would you guys also recommend a Safety Gauge?

Bunnings sell the Gasfuse (http://gasfuse.com/) for $30.
Barbeques Galore sell the Black & Stone Gas Safety Gauge (http://www.blackandstone.com.au/gas-safety-gauge.html) for $35

Great idea, also make sure you test for leaks each time you connect a bottle.

titch wrote: Great idea, also make sure you test for leaks each time you connect a bottle.

Don't know if its been mentioned, but to test for leaks, put dishwashing liquid on the joins. If it's leaking, it'll make bubbles.

yakabot wrote:

titch wrote: Great idea, also make sure you test for leaks each time you connect a bottle.

Don't know if its been mentioned, but to test for leaks, put dishwashing liquid on the joins. If it's leaking, it'll make bubbles.

Doh, I forgot to add that .

yakabot wrote:

titch wrote: Great idea, also make sure you test for leaks each time you connect a bottle.

Don't know if its been mentioned, but to test for leaks, put dishwashing liquid on the joins. If it's leaking, it'll make bubbles.

I do that in the bath. I think I must have a leak


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Gumb wrote:

yakabot wrote:

titch wrote: Great idea, also make sure you test for leaks each time you connect a bottle.

Don't know if its been mentioned, but to test for leaks, put dishwashing liquid on the joins. If it's leaking, it'll make bubbles.

I do that in the bath. I think I must have a leak


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You bathe in dishwashing liquid?
You're doing it wrong. Then again, if it works on dishes...

the other day i saw a guy refilling his gas bottle. he had it in the boot of his car filling it from the LPG car fuel thing. must have bought some kind of dodgy adapter on ebay.

it was a woolies servo so the counter staff probably had no idea. it wasnt even the type of car that would have a lpg tank, ie if it was a commodore they could think he is filling his tank, but it was a mazda 121 ffs.

Zorba wrote:the other day i saw a guy refilling his gas bottle. he had it in the boot of his car filling it from the LPG car fuel thing. must have bought some kind of dodgy adapter on ebay.

it was a woolies servo so the counter staff probably had no idea. it wasnt even the type of car that would have a lpg tank, ie if it was a commodore they could think he is filling his tank, but it was a mazda 121 ffs.

dodgy and illegal

my understanding is bbq gas is propane while auto gas is a propane/butane mix but i cant say for sure

Nost wrote:

Zorba wrote:the other day i saw a guy refilling his gas bottle. he had it in the boot of his car filling it from the LPG car fuel thing. must have bought some kind of dodgy adapter on ebay.

it was a woolies servo so the counter staff probably had no idea. it wasnt even the type of car that would have a lpg tank, ie if it was a commodore they could think he is filling his tank, but it was a mazda 121 ffs.

dodgy and illegal

my understanding is bbq gas is propane while auto gas is a propane/butane mix but i cant say for sure

From what I remember auto is a mix.

Butane is said to freeze when used on a high flow BBQ and the fear is people will think the bottle is empty and disconect without turning the gas off. Someone I know has used auto gas for years with a flat top BBQ with no problems, he may be lucky as others have had problems.

I just stick to the $25 fill at the local servo with no check of bottle dates...

I have a couple of LPG cars - one is a performance V8 with a specialised setup on it, running high compression, and the other is the current LPi ford. I have never once considered the option of filling the 9kg bottle from the cars - knowing how much crud I have to clean out of the filters & converters. Dunno what the ford is like, as they still service it under warranty.
However, I try to get 100% propane where possible (it's available from several service stations locally) as they run just so much better - it's almost like racing fuel compared to normal E10 a the disference is that dramatic.

I also find that during certain times of the year, the LPG gets 'doughy' under the right foot, and after talking to guys in the industry (my work supplies a lot of gear to the oil & gas market, so I have plenty of contacts) they explained to me that the butane % changes for many factors! including seasonal temperatures having an effect, so you're always going to get a variation that you can't predict.

For this personal experience with my cars, I figure 100% propane is so much better! and as gas BBQs need all the grunt they can get, so why risk anything other than 100% propane? But the ready supply of 100% propane auto gas does make it more accessible to a backyarder.

Mixin wrote: However, I try to get 100% propane where possible (it's available from several service stations locally) as they run just so much better - it's almost like racing fuel compared to normal E10 a the disference is that dramatic.

my mate is a forklift mechanic and has access to the propane they use. i get him to fill my bottle when i dont need it immediately (read, in the middle of a cook and run out of gas cos i forgot to check it in advance )