Filling from a large propane/calor gas bottle?

[ascii557755]

I'm chair of an airsoft society at a university and we (me and our tresurer) are looking at filling the GBB glocks we have for rental and player's guns from a 5-20kg calor gas bottle. Obviously we don't really want to be flipping a 20kg tank every time we need to gas up a mag, so is there a premade solution that fits a rubber hose running off an upturned gas bottle?

[Dan Robinson]

Plumber's gas bottles. 

[Danhc92]

You can buy adaptors with a ball valve on ebay quite cheaply, I just leave mine permanently attached and the gas bottle inverted on a work bench.

[The_Lord_Poncho]

I'm also very interested in this as a possibility. In fact i bought an adaptor from Aliexpress a few months ago with the intent to re-fill the plumbers bottles from a big calor (propane) bottle. Turned out that the threads weren't compatible. DanHC - have you got any suggested links?

[Dan Robinson]

https://www.google.com/search?q=mad+bull+propane+adapter.&rlz=1C1CHBF_enGB886GB886&oq=mad&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j46i39i650j46i131i433i512j69i60l4.2639j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[The_Lord_Poncho]

Thanks Dan R - I actually have one of the mad bull clones to refill mags from a plumbers style bottle (and like it rather a lot) - the adaptor i was after though was one to refill a plumbers bottle from an e.g. 6kg calor propane bottle. The thread sizes etc are a bit of a minefield and most aliexpress and amazon adaptors seem for the EU or US spec large gas bottles which (as i sadly found out) are different from the UK spec!

[Dan Robinson]

"Clone" is probably where you're going wrong.  You need to source it from the UK.  IF you get a NPT thread or something more bizarre then you're Donald Ducked.

 

Personally I've never bothered refilling those bottles, but then all that stuff is tax deductible for me 😎

Edited June 12, 2023 by Dan Robinson

[Danhc92]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Propane-Adapter-1Lb-to-20Lb-QCC1-Propane-Refill-Elbow-Adapter-with-Gauge-a-E3M3-/125961280676?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p4429486.m46890.l6249&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09H6ZGD1S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

This is what I use, the second one is a thread adaptor from the old style propane connection to the new type.

 

For filling gas mags from the 1lb bottle get a geniune madbull adapter, they are increadibly reliable and last a long time.

[The_Lord_Poncho]

Spot on, many thanks!

[d3v]

On 13/06/2023 at 10:11, Danhc92 said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Propane-Adapter-1Lb-to-20Lb-QCC1-Propane-Refill-Elbow-Adapter-with-Gauge-a-E3M3-/125961280676?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p4429486.m46890.l6249&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09H6ZGD1S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

This is what I use, the second one is a thread adaptor from the old style propane connection to the new type.

 

For filling gas mags from the 1lb bottle get a geniune madbull adapter, they are increadibly reliable and last a long time.

 

Hi there, can you please clarify how these two interface to fill a typical plumbers bottle that uses the typical coleman/jetboil from a larger Calor BBQ/patio heater 13kg propane bottle?

[Danhc92]

The amazon one screws into the red calor bottle, the ebay one then screws onto that and the 1lb plumbers bottle then screws on.

[d3v]

6 hours ago, Danhc92 said:

The amazon one screws into the red calor bottle, the ebay one then screws onto that and the 1lb plumbers bottle then screws on.

 

Would this on its own fulfil both purposes in one?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B09SP6S783/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=AMQRJJKQT2GIU&psc=1

[Sewdhull]

I think that's for butane mate

[d3v]

38 minutes ago, Sewdhull said:

I think that's for butane mate

Yeah and I've just realised my calor bottle has no connections at all it's literally just a pressure gauge and a push-fit thingy that the regulator from the BBQ plugs into so I do don't even have the first part needed to connect the other bits. Surely there's something all in-one?

Edited January 9 by d3v

[Danhc92]

There are all in one hose assemblies that are all in one, but mine leaked at one of the joints after 2 years, so I decided to go with my current set up.

 

There are also single piece fittings that are all in one, however They dont have an isolation valve which means you have to use the valve on the bottle which is quite difficult when its upside down!

 

Additionally the single piece fitting is very short, so the coleman bottles clash with some of the calor bottles.

 

In short, the two pieces i linked are the easiest to use.

 

Depending on how old your coleman/plumbers bottle may have a ome way valve fitted, this is easily resolved by using a schrader valve tool and a 4mm drill bit as shown below.

 

https://youtu.be/JIzjIYivr_M?si=T7u7vNT-Rd22UZ_R

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

On an aligned subject, over the weekend I had great success re-filling a standard green gas can (WE brand I think) from the residual propane left in a couple of the plumbers bottles. The trick is to find the correct sized plastic tube to join the two nozzles (i.e. the original nozzle on the green gas can, and the madbull style/clone adapter for the plumbers bottle) - and ensure it is strong enough. In testing, most ball point pen inner ink 'tubes' are too thin to fit the  nozzles and too flexible. The perfect solution was a gel pen - that had a much thicker ink 'tube' and much stronger. It was then easy to leave the plumbers bottles on the radiator to gently warm them, and pop the empty green gas can outside in the cold to cool it (or presumably, the freezer in the summer). Then, stand the green gas can upright, slip the inch or so long length of gel pen tubing over its nozzle, invert the plumbers bottle with its adapter inside you gel pen tube, and push down hard - depressing both nozzles. You can hear (and see) the liquid gas transferring, and feel the green gas can warm up. Do it slowly in stages, and repeat the warming/cooling process enough times as it takes in order to maintain the pressure differentials.

 

Previously I was left with a load of almost empty plumbers propane cannisters that were as good as useless - now I have an almost full green gas can, to use without faffing around with adapters! By pre-filling the gel pen tube with a light silicone oil before inverting the plumbers cannister and filling, you have the option of adding your preferred amount of silicone to the mix too. In terms of safety, go slow, and best not overfill the green gas can - ideally know how much it 'should' weigh when full with its original load of gas when purchased. Also, the plumbers propane bottles have pressure relief valves, but still, it would seem unwise to heat them up enormously on a radiator etc.

 

I would imagine that this technique could also make more viable the use of those mini green gas cans that are a useful size to cart around with you during a game, but are an expensive way to buy gas.