Safefill - Refillable Gas Cylinders

tadhatter replied on 18/06/2019 13:16

Posted on 18/06/2019 13:16

Last summer, as part of my ambition to do far more off-grid touring, I thought I'd invest* in Safefill. Perhaps my alarm belles should have been ringing when the place I went to go to purchase a canister was Brayford Leicsure and they only had one size available - the medium sized one - and lots of them! But nonetheless I coughed up my circa £160 for it and have them fill it up and carried on smug in the knowledge that I would soon be quids in in longer term savings.

However, for various personal reasons we haven't been able to get out in the caravan anything like as much as we had hoped since then - partly due to a job change and house move - we've only just got round to needing to re-fill it. I duly looked on Safefill's website to find stockists and discovered that there was only one in about a 10 mile radius. That would be ok if this garage would actaully allow me to refill it. Notices on their lpg pumps said that individual gas canisters were not be refilled here and before I even checked at the kiosk a forceful looking lady shouted at me saying that I couldn't fill that thing here!  However, after discussion she told me where, locally, I could get it sorted. I thanked her and went on to that location. Unfortunately she clearly mistook Safefill with standard Calor gas. I tried to call Safefill at this point only to hear that I couldn't leave a message as the mailbox was full! 

I proceeded to look for an alternative website to see where LPG was stocked and then proceeded to a couple of other locations, one which didn't actaully exist anynore and another also refused to let me fill my Safefill container. Having wasted 2 hours on a wild goose chase I decided to head home as I had work to do rather annoyed and frustrated.

So, can anyone else tell me if they'ved had simialr unhelpful experiences with Safefill or, more helpfully, let me know somewhere where I can get my cylinder refilled in the Beds/Herts/Bucks area.

Very much lool forward to hearing responses.

Cheers, 

Tim.

*for investment read expensive wasted of money!

JVB66 replied on 20/06/2019 22:01

Posted on 20/06/2019 21:55 by young thomas

I'll make it (more) easy for you....if I wanted a Calor refill I wouldn't need to pay a pitch fee....id just drive in and exchange it....and pay for the service I used.

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:01

And the site staff would be ever grateful, for your contribution to their additional income,which is not the same as what would be involved with and additions that would be needed to the site bulk tankswink

WK57ABF replied on 20/06/2019 22:07

Posted on 20/06/2019 21:56 by Tinwheeler

That’s not very friendly😕

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:07

That garage owner is doing me a favour by filling my lpg bottle against the wishes of the company supplying his gas - even though it is perfectly legal - and you want me to divulge his name - i don't think you understand the dog eat dog lpg industry.

John

replied on 20/06/2019 22:14

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:14

Content has been removed.

Tinwheeler replied on 20/06/2019 22:21

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:07 by WK57ABF

That garage owner is doing me a favour by filling my lpg bottle against the wishes of the company supplying his gas - even though it is perfectly legal - and you want me to divulge his name - i don't think you understand the dog eat dog lpg industry.

John

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:21

Have you considered that sometimes it’s wiser to say nothing at all rather than drop broad hints and tell half a story?

So it seems your list consists of one name. 😀

WK57ABF replied on 20/06/2019 22:30

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:21 by Tinwheeler

Have you considered that sometimes it’s wiser to say nothing at all rather than drop broad hints and tell half a story?

So it seems your list consists of one name. 😀

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:30

Oh dear - please substitute those for that - what a bloody nit picker!

John

Tinwheeler replied on 20/06/2019 22:38

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:30 by WK57ABF

Oh dear - please substitute those for that - what a bloody nit picker!

John

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:38

Just read your own posts again and then you’ll see why I questioned your statements. Frankly, it smacks of fantasy.

cyberyacht replied on 21/06/2019 07:48

Posted on 21/06/2019 07:48

With the increasing number of MH's, I would imagine that refillable systems are on the increase and the Calor exchange bottle setup will, as time progresses become a "caravan thing".

mickysf replied on 21/06/2019 07:56

Posted on 21/06/2019 07:56

It just saddens me having gone down the refill route that the garages selling gas are quite rapidly reducing in my experience and that the associated App appears unable to keep up with this steady demise.

I now take advantage of any garages advertising gas whilst l'm on the road once my tank reads less than half full. Thing is I find the level indicator in the cab less than accurate as cost to refill at 'half full' have varied between £4 and £12. Some garages I'm told have minimum charges, I've yet to experience this but I could be caught out if I continue in this way.

Johnny57 replied on 21/06/2019 08:00

Posted on 20/06/2019 21:40 by WK57ABF

Sorry 57 - we've built up our own list over the years and with all the skulduggery and threats to garage owners that have gone on we won't divulge that list to anyone.

John

Posted on 21/06/2019 08:00

Shame WK57ABF as you have taken years to gain this knowledge it would have been great to share with others who may be using/considering using refillable bottles. 
If its difficult to find places that allow them to be filled then sales of the bottles may decrease and maybe the filling points also if they get little/no custom!

replied on 21/06/2019 08:12

Posted on 20/06/2019 22:14 by
Content has been removed.

Posted on 21/06/2019 08:12

Given that CC only provide services to those staying on site any supply to happy campers would need to be from existing storage tanks. There would doubtless be many cost and other implications in providing such a service. Maybe like the apparently high number of garages refusing refills of stand alone bottles the CC would reach a similar conclusion. With fixed systems I would have thought that there might be ample opportunity to top up when refilling fuel

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