bankz5152 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Past 2 years I have been successfully, without incident, refilling the small 465g Coleman propane tanks from a larger 13kg tank. However I have noticed that the tanks can only take a certain, seemingly random, number of refills before what I think is some kind of internal valve preventing liquid propane from entering. Making them useless for airsoft, also a small amount once filled will not release any usable amount of liquid propane. Again useless. So I had the idea of filling directly from the 13kg tank using this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161776724205?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Tank would be mounted upside down, then the AI Adaptor screwed into the hose. Got a Landy so no issues transporting it to game days and would just hand off the rear door upside down. As fair as I know there is no legal reason I cannot do this. Any reason this wont work? If it does work it means propane will cost me £27 (tank refill cost) + £30.50 for the hose, so £57.50 for 13kg of propane. If bought as Coleman tanks it would be ~£270, Green Gas would be ~£380 so the saving is considerable to say the least! With the added bonus of not having to buy new Coleman tanks every now and then. I only use GBBRs and run dry propane, I lube everything up myself after games. Link to post Share on other sites
Skarclaw Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 A few blokes at a skirmish I went to had a similar set up though it was a home made, jubilee-clipped thing. Worked for them. Appreciate this isn't a definitive answer! Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 haha cheers, just wondering really. I can't think of any reason it wont work but thought id ask! Link to post Share on other sites
Rob15 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Propane adapters (none that I know of at least) don't have seals within them, they rely on the internal o-ring above the valve in propane cylinders sealing against the fill nozzle itself to create the seal, without that the gas will just pour out of them. I have looked into connecting a propane adapter to a bottle using a hose like that myself a couple of years ago and came to the conclusion that it would require a special propane adapter making that works more like a fill valve in reverse, and then you'd have another issue of a hose full of liquid propane at the end of the day which you'd have to either empty into mags or just dump which isn't ideal imo, but with penny sweets costing more than a barrel of oil these days I doubt anyone really cares about dumping fossil fuels. The concept is good though, using bulk tanks that are designed to be refilled safely is far better than refilling the small ones and cuts out a lot of hassle, probably a bit bulky for most people to bother with mindyou. Link to post Share on other sites
Wild_XIII Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Many years ago, this was actually something that was done at Epsom Tunnels, don't know if it still is as I haven't been there for a very long time! They had free gas for everybody and it was literally just a giant propane tank with a connection to a gas magazine filler. Worked a treat. Link to post Share on other sites
shmook Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Not sure if you would technically need those compressed gas/flammable gas tags on your vehicle for transporting? Link to post Share on other sites
Skarclaw Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 pppppppppretty sure its fine for private individuals, thankfully. Obviously you don't want it rolling around in there. source: previous campervan owner (well technically I still am its just off the road!!) Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Fine for private use, looked into it already. Only issue is the Dartford tunnel I believe. Interesting about the sealing issue, but they are a valve, the nozzle has to be depressed for gas to escape? on my phone, my spelling will suck Link to post Share on other sites
Rob15 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Interesting about the sealing issue, but they are a valve, the nozzle has to be depressed for gas to escape? Depressing the fill nozzle depresses and opens the valve within the propane cylinder itself, the propane adapter is more an actuator than a valve, the seal that prevents the gas going anywhere other than through the fill nozzle is provided by an o-ring within the propane cylinder seated in a plastic press-fit ring just above the valve, if the base of the fill nozzle on the adapter was the wrong diameter it either won't fit in or would leak around it when depressed. I used to think the propane adapters had a seal within them myself, then I started designing my own propane adapter and soon realised that the only important thing in the whole design is the diameter and length of the base of the fill nozzle to seal and open the valve. Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I just realised this.... however easily over come with a a secondary valve of some sort on my phone, my spelling will suck Link to post Share on other sites
Rob15 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I just realised this.... however easily over come with a a secondary valve of some sort The fill nozzle nabbed from an AI gas can or similar charger fitted into an adapter and then into the hose would do the trick I'd think, that does mean getting fittings made though so not quite as simple or cheap and using an off the shelf propane adapter. Link to post Share on other sites
Got Wood? Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 What if the site your at doesn't run the safe zone from the car park? Isn't it going to be a total pain in the backside going back to the car everytime? Link to post Share on other sites
renegadecow Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 How about buying/pilfering people's spent green gas cans to be refilled? You can fill them tip to tip like that DIY butane refill gas can I wrote last year. Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 RC defeats the point really as I could just fill the 465g Coleman bottles.... All the sites i play is gear up from the car, if not still have the smaller 465 tanks on my phone, my spelling will suck Link to post Share on other sites
ED-SKaR Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Forgive the potential watsist but: Couldn't you just fill the 400g bottle from an upside down 13kg bottle? Fill a small bottle before the game and just take that. Link to post Share on other sites
Siavash Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 There was an exact same post on GAS GUN forums.. If I find it I will post a link Link to post Share on other sites
renegadecow Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 RC defeats the point really as I could just fill the 465g Coleman bottles.... But you said the propane bottles eventually stopped working. Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Forgive the potential watsist but: Couldn't you just fill the 400g bottle from an upside down 13kg bottle? Fill a small bottle before the game and just take that. Yes, thats what I currently do, but after a while the tanks stop working. As to use your method of filling them, I would have to fill the Coleman tanks anyway to fill the GG bottles. Unless you have another way? Find the link please! on my phone, my spelling will suck Link to post Share on other sites
ED-SKaR Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Yes, thats what I currently do, but after a while the tanks stop working. Then if I'm understanding: You're never going to get more liquid out of them, regardless of if you fill direct to the magazine or to a smaller bottle. Mags need to be filled with liquid, so your plan wont work. Out of curiosity how many fills of a small bottle do you get before the liquid stops transferring? Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 If the big tanks is upside down liquids at the bottom. No idea, seemingly random. Could be once or 10 times. Its not squeezing more liquid out, its eliminating the point of having small bottles and just using one big one. on my phone, my spelling will suck Link to post Share on other sites
renegadecow Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 As to use your method of filling them, I would have to fill the Coleman tanks anyway to fill the GG bottles. Unless you have another way? A nozzle on a hose attached to the 13kg tank. Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 True, then cant I just fill my mags instead? on my phone, my spelling will suck Link to post Share on other sites
renegadecow Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Yup. But that's a 13kg tank. Saw other people fill mags directly at their cars like that and it didn't look nearly as convenient as it sounds. Took two people basically, one lifting the tank upside down on his shoulders so the other guy on his knees doing the actual filling gets liquid through the hose. Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLite Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 I bought one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Refill-1-LB-Propane-Adapter-Heater-Stove-Small-Tank-Cylinder-From-Lp-Gas-Bottles-/331509850174?hash=item4d2f86e03e And I intend to grab me a 13kg tank to refill my colemans from it.So should I now be worried about the seal in the coleman tank farking up? Link to post Share on other sites
bankz5152 Posted January 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Thats what I have. For some reason you can only fill them a certain amount times.... Every now and then I have to go out and buy a new Coleman bottle. They either refuse to fill or wont let liquid out. I've got a Land Rover Defender which is pretty high off the ground, so was going to make up a bracket and hang it off the rear door for game days. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.