Calor Gas discontinues its 4.5kg butane cylinders

Katy Stickland

Calor Gas has announced that from 1 February 2023, it is discontinuing its 4.5kg butane cylinders and 3.9kg propane cylinders, which are popular amongst sailors and boaters

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Calor Gas has confirmed that from 1 February 2023 it is to discontinue its 4.5kg butane cylinders as part of efforts to ‘simplify’ their business.

Last year, the firm blamed a shortage of 4.5kg and 7kg cylinders in the UK on high seasonal demand and a shortage of workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, it said both cylinder sizes ‘remain an important part of our cylinder range’ and it hoped supply would improve later in the year.

Now, it has announced that 4.5kg butane cylinders, along with 3.9kg propane cylinders, will no longer be available.

Calor Gas is advising customers with 4.5kg to use a 7kg bottle was an alternative. A new regulator will be needed

Calor Gas is advising customers with 4.5kg butane cylinders to switch to a 7kg bottle. A new regulator will be needed

“Our existing range of cylinders is creating complexity within our supply chain. This means longer change over times and reduced filling capacity on high volume key sizes. That’s why we’ve taken the difficult decision to reduce our cylinder range, simplifying the business,” said a spokesperson for Calor Gas.

It is recommending that customers who use 4.5kg butane cylinders now switch to a 7kg butane cylinder; a new boat gas regulator is needed to make the switch and Calor Gas said it won’t be covering the cost of a new regulator.

The 4.5kg butane cylinders are popular amongst the cruising community, due to their size.

“If you’re unable to increase your storage facilities, an alternative could be found through Campingaz (907 = 2.72kg). We recommend reaching out to a local gas safe registered engineer who can safely advise on any changes required to your gas cylinder set up.” said the spokesperson.

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Calor Gas stressed it was not in breach of their cylinder refill agreement, as the firm will exchange a 4.5kg cylinder for a different sized one.

A product recall on a limited number of 2017 Calor 4.5kg butane cylinders – with a next test code consisting of 33 or 34, or with a manufacturing date that is 17-06 or 17-12 – is still in place, and anyone with a recall voucher will be able to exchange it for any size cylinder; vouchers are valid for 12 months from date of issue.

The Westerly Owners’ Association has written to Calor Gas to ask them to reconsider its decision to remove 4.5kg butane cylinders.

The UK southern region chairman, Hillary Corney said there were 12,000 Westerly yachts, which have gas lockers which only take the 4.5kg butane cylinder or the less common 3kg propane bottle.

“Your decision is causing my members and also the members of the Moody Yacht Owners’ Association and pretty much all other UK yacht owners a real headache and frankly given that there are huge numbers of yachts in the UK all summer long we simply cannot understand why you would walk away from this market,” said Corney.

“I urge you to reconsider your decision and take a proper look at supplying the UK yachting market. if you really cannot do that then at least offer the 4.5kg bottles to Flogas (Flogas 4.5 cylinders are the same height but have a bigger base foot ring and don’t fit gas lockers made for 4.5kg Calor butane cylinders) or one of your other competitors so that we can be assured of a continuing supply of gas.”

He also highlighted that suggestions by Calor Gas’s customer helpline to use bigger 6kg bottles or Campingaz 2.7Kg cylinders were unhelpful, as these size of bottles rarely fit in most gas lockers.

As well as 4,5kg butane cylinders, Calor Gas is also discontinuing the Cube, 3.9kg Propane, 6Lite Propane and 12kg Butane cylinders from 1 February 2023.

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