Adapter for US propane to EU tanks or fills

[skipmac]

Thought I had this sorted but the adapters I had stored don't fit the new systems.

US propane tanks use a QCC1 fitting, male on the tank, female on the hose. This is a very coarse threaded fitting with standard threads as opposed to the older POL, left handed thread system which is the adapter I have.

Been searching without luck. Would like to find an adapter that would allow me to fit UK/Ireland Calor Gas or Flogas tanks directly to my system. I think from research the UK tanks use a fitting similar to the old US POL fitting. The ideal solution would be a fitting that attaches directly to the UK Calor Gas tank and then screws directly into the female QCC1 fitting on my hose.

Alternatively an adapter that will allow me to fill or have filled my US tanks from a UK source.

[AnsleyS]

Mac,


Most of the US tanks have the old left hand thread inside of the big heavy threaded nozzle on the tank. Check the inside, you may not need an adapter.

[Pete7]

Given the choice again I wouldn't chose the blue butane gas cylinders which have been supplied by Calor for generations. For a start they have introduced a taller 4.5 cylinder in Ireland that won't fit many gas lockers on UK boats.

When we all complained demanding to know if they were also going to be introduced in the UK, they said they hadn't really considered the yacht market, just caravans which have been fitted with much larger gas lockers for decades.

Instead I would go Propane because the same sized red cylinder hold 3.9Kg of propane compared to blue calor 4.5kg butane. However, the propane cylinders are used for commercial purposes not least powering fork lift trucks etc.

The only thing to watch for is propane has a bull nosed fitting to achieve a gas tight seal. The blue butane cylinders have a rubber seal to achieve a gas tight seal.

As for adaptors, you should contact Will at : https://www.whayward.shop/cylinder-adaptors

Pete

[goboatingnow]

The older U.K. 4.5 kg cylinder has Been discontinued in Ireland because new EU regs require the guard Shroud to be as high as the regulator and the old one was not.

[goboatingnow]

Be also aware that the Irish propane regulator is not the same as the U.K. one even though they look similar

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Thought I had this sorted but the adapters I had stored don't fit the new systems.



US propane tanks use a QCC1 fitting, male on the tank, female on the hose. This is a very coarse threaded fitting with standard threads as opposed to the older POL, left handed thread system which is the adapter I have.



Been searching without luck. Would like to find an adapter that would allow me to fit UK/Ireland Calor Gas or Flogas tanks directly to my system. I think from research the UK tanks use a fitting similar to the old US POL fitting. The ideal solution would be a fitting that attaches directly to the UK Calor Gas tank and then screws directly into the female QCC1 fitting on my hose.



Alternatively an adapter that will allow me to fill or have filled my US tanks from a UK source.

Just be aware that propane whilst available is largely used for commercial activities and is distributed differently to butane which is used almost exclusively for domestic uses. Hence distribution points for propane will be much fewer then butane. This is especially true for the small 3.9kg propane which can be hard to source.

[goboatingnow]

By the way the online shop gasproducts.co.uk has a great range of gas fittings and delivers both the Ireland and the U.K.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by AnsleyS

Mac,


Most of the US tanks have the old left hand thread inside of the big heavy threaded nozzle on the tank. Check the inside, you may not need an adapter.

Well knock me down with a feather. Read your post and figured no way but looked and there they are. But, that's on the tank. I still need to get gas to the stove and the fitting on the end of the hose is strictly female QCC1.

[Jammer]

All the USA cylinders that have the QCC1 threads have POL (the finer reverse-direction threads) inside. USA and UK POL fittings are not the same although they are close enough they will sometimes work.

QCC1 to POL adapters are available (google is your friend) and are inexpensive, so you can use them together with whatever other adapters you have. You can also replace the hose from your regulator. Most regulators have 1/4" inverted flare inlets so this hose will fit:


https://www.etrailer.com/Propane-Fit...100019-15.html


If you have NPT fittings on your regulator just add an adapter to the end of the hose:


https://www.etrailer.com/Propane-Fit...o/CAM59953.htm


Be aware that the QCC1 fittings are safer. They are designed to melt and shut off in a fire, and have excess flow checks. And they are easier to connect and disconnect. You give that up with the POLs.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Just be aware that propane whilst available is largely used for commercial activities and is distributed differently to butane which is used almost exclusively for domestic uses. Hence distribution points for propane will be much fewer then butane. This is especially true for the small 3.9kg propane which can be hard to source.

Checked online and found a couple of shops around Cork and Bantry that have or at least advertise propane. After the post from AnsleyS I checked and on the tanks there is indeed, inside the large QCC1 male fitting the old, left handed thread POL connection. I have read that a US male POL will screw into a UK POL and if so, that may get me going.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Checked online and found a couple of shops around Cork and Bantry that have or at least advertise propane. After the post from AnsleyS I checked and on the tanks there is indeed, inside the large QCC1 male fitting the old, left handed thread POL connection. I have read that a US male POL will screw into a UK POL and if so, that may get me going.

Most shops that sell propane mainly in recent years are for bbqs or patio heaters. These will use the push on bottle top propane regulators rather then the U.K. POL fittings found on the “ red “ commercial propane bottles

As I said getting the small propane bottles can be a mega pain. Also getting bottles filled is very difficult ( the main calor depot in cork can do it ) so it’s bottle exchange so you need an empty bottle of the same type.

Note in my experience directly coupling the U.K. pol to the USA pol doesn’t work properly , adaptors are available

This is the typical bottle regulator for non commercial propane , ie bbq and patio heater in Ireland

[goboatingnow]

Have a look at this to see the bewildering array of connector types just in one country

https://shop.calorgas.ie/calor-essen...egulators.html

[PaulCrawhorn]

Your USA BBQ bottle QCC1 standard is aka CGA 791

vapor service, but liquid fill is OK.

Stick to standard 3/8" NPT fittings as your lingua franca

Rosetta stone being a high-pressure hose/pipe with male on both ends.

3/8" is usually plenty in a mobile context.

Take that hose into the local propane shop to buy an adapter fitting

or have them make up a replacement hose/pipe for you.

Personally I would stick to my USA tanks onboard, and just decant from the local swap bottles, can use whatever LPG they sell, butane or propane or mixes.

When you're done give the local tank type back get your deposit or give them away when leaving the area.

Do your decanting outside of course where "downhill" does not flow into my hull, exhaust venting full speed anyway - really want to know what you're doing, risky stuff.

Lots of good YT videos out there...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

Your USA BBQ bottle QCC1 standard is aka CGA 791

vapor service, but liquid fill is OK.

Stick to standard 3/8" NPT fittings as your lingua franca

Rosetta stone being a high-pressure hose/pipe with male on both ends.

3/8" is usually plenty in a mobile context.

Take that hose into the local propane shop to buy an adapter fitting

or have them make up a replacement hose/pipe for you.

Personally I would stick to my USA tanks onboard, and just decant from the local swap bottles, can use whatever LPG they sell, butane or propane or mixes.

When you're done give the local tank type back get your deposit or give them away when leaving the area.

Do your decanting outside of course where "downhill" does not flow into my hull, exhaust venting full speed anyway - really want to know what you're doing, risky stuff.

Lots of good YT videos out there...

Decanting is only an option with certain tank fittings , it will not be possible to decant from most consumer grade bottles as many of these take the on bottle regulators. Ie there are no high pressure fittings available

The easiest is to buy a local bottle and get the matching 29-33mb regulator and attach the regulator output via a flexible pipe. As you change bottle and regulator just Re plumb it into the flexible hose.

That way you use whatever local bottle size is convenient as you move cruising ground. Holding on to your USA tanks means either a plethora of hard to come by adapters or attempting decanting which as I said is problematic.

( in Ireland for example nearly all domestic orientated bottles both butane and propane largely expect on bottle regulators. No high pressure fitting is available. Commercial propane will have high pressure access typically screw thread directly into the bottle. )

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The easiest is to buy a local bottle and get the matching 29-33mb regulator and attach the regulator output via a flexible pipe. As you change bottle and regulator just Re plumb it into the flexible hose.

That way you use whatever local bottle size is convenient as you move cruising ground. Holding on to your USA tanks means either a plethora of hard to come by adapters or attempting decanting which as I said is problematic.

Although I don't plan to cover a lot of different areas, at least initially, this sounds like the easiest, most flexible option. Seems like all I will need is a hose attached to my US system, cut the end and use a double ended hose barb to connect to whichever European system I can find.

Since the bottles in Europe seem to have the regulator attached then I'llplan to bypass my US regulator and connect directly to my shutoff solenoid.

Or just surrender, admit technology won and use a generator and electric hot plate.