Calor conundrum

cpedw

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After modifying the gas locker to accommodate Flogas tall cylinders and buying one Flogas 4.5kg butane and regulator, I discovered that nearby caravan sites ( 2sites, 1 bottle each) have a very limited supply of 4.5kg Calor butane. The caravan sites both claimed that Calor would continue to be available even though I had emptied their stock. There's a Flogas distributor nearby too.
Should I stick with Calor or move over to Flogas?
 

ylop

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Presumably you now have the option to use whichever is available? so the question is just which should be your "default" option? I'd guess that depends on: cost, convenience (which will depend on your location), and how much you want to support a company who treated its customers like Calor did / how much you want to send a message to Calor that the change of heart was wise...
 

jac

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I think a ot of that will come down to the type of sailing you day and availability of alternative supplies. If you carry a spare that will be big enough to last you for your longest likely trip then it's irrelevant - which one is cheaper would be my steer.
However - if you're away from home for long periods so are likely to need to purchase whilst away, i would go with whatever is easiest to procure on your travels. I expect most places in and around small boat type harbours will be more Calor friendly than Flogas.
 

shanemax

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I would say SCREW Calor, they left the boat and caravan users in a proper mess and only changed their minds when they started hemorrhaging their business to Flowgas . Perhaps the CEO might get a handle on loyalty to customers and visa versa but then again I doubt it. Its the bottom line and share holders now. I was always of the opinion that if you looked after your customers and nurtured them, then you automatically looked after the share holders as the profits rolled in.
 

lustyd

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I was always of the opinion that if you looked after your customers and nurtured them, then you automatically looked after the share holders as the profits rolled in.
I've no idea when or why this changed, but it certainly has changed and probably because consumers are so weak these days and refuse to even ask for what's right let alone demand it.
 

NormanS

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If you have altered the gas locker to accommodate Flogas, will it now be able to take 7kg Calor? If so, that might be your best bet.
 

Stemar

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If I could have got Flogas bottles, that's what I would have gone for, but I couldn't, so I moved the gas locker to allow me to use the 7kg bottles.

The one thing I would do my utmost to avoid is Camping Gaz. I thought my 7kg butane refill was bad enough at £45, but 2,7 KG of Camping Gaz for £50? I can't think of a way to describe that that wouldn't earn me some shore leave.
 
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cpedw

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If you have altered the gas locker to accommodate Flogas, will it now be able to take 7kg Calor? If so, that might be your best bet.
Height of Flogas is about 390mm. 7kg Calor is 495mm according to their website so that's not going to fit even with more surgery to the gas locker. The diameter (256mm) is probably just about OK.
 

Boathook

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I looked at the 7kg calor bottles but they were 20mm too tall for my gas locker. I considered flogas but they have or had limited supplies of the 4.5kg bottles plus few outlets at harbours and marinas.
I looked into safe fill? bottles but places to refill are limited (mainly inland) and seem to be getting less.
 

oldmanofthehills

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I understand Calor are not suppying any new 4.5kg butane or 3.9kg propane cylinders. However they will refill and reuse those returned after their change of mind - but have probably scrapped those returned prior to change of mind.

Flogas still do a 3.9kg propane - and propane better in cold weather which is why some small camping cylinders are a mix.

Sadly my boat locker only takes CampingGaz but thats fine for my Brittany trips as that seems best available there, (van can take one 6kg Calor propane and van comes with a selection of regulators etc)
 
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