LPG/Calor gas

[Mac]

Please excuse my ignorance but are LPG and Calor gas the same thing? If not which is the more widely available in France, or the best value. Is one dearer than the other? Is one better to cook with than the other? Any advice gratefully recieved.

[Quillan]

The basic answer is yes.

There are two types of LPG available both in France and the UK, they are called Butane and Propane. The latter 'gases' at a lower temperature that Butane so if you keep the cylinder outside it might be better to get Propane. Calor gas in the UK have a good website that explains things in layman's terms and the link below gives information on the two type of gas and what they are used for. The large LPG tanks you see outside are normally Propane just like in the UK. If its bottle Propan you want then you can spot it by the colour of the cylinder which like the UK is normally red. Butane bottles in France comes in many colours depending on the company (Carrefour supermarket brand is white for instance) but 99% of Propane bottles regardless of supplier are red.

http://www.calor.co.uk/customer-services/faqs/the-different-types-of-lpg/

 

[Clarkkent]

[quote user="Mac"]Please excuse my ignorance but are LPG and Calor gas the same thing? If not which is the more widely available in France, or the best value. Is one dearer than the other? Is one better to cook with than the other? Any advice gratefully recieved.[/quote]

I would just like to add to Quillan's answer that Calor is not a type of gas but a brand name. Propane burns at  a different pressure and temperature from butane and so requires different burners in the appliance and a different valve on the bottle. By the way, red bottles do not always indicate propane - Elf butane is sold in red bottles.

I believe that propane is toxic and must be stored outside. Butane isn't exactly good for you, but since it is heavier than air a leak will result in the gas sinking to floor level where it is unlikely to be aninitial major problem.

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Clarkkent"]

[quote user="Mac"]Please excuse my ignorance but are LPG and Calor gas the same thing? If not which is the more widely available in France, or the best value. Is one dearer than the other? Is one better to cook with than the other? Any advice gratefully recieved.[/quote]

I would just like to add to Quillan's answer that Calor is not a type of gas but a brand name. Propane burns at  a different pressure and temperature from butane and so requires different burners in the appliance and a different valve on the bottle. By the way, red bottles do not always indicate propane - Elf butane is sold in red bottles.

I believe that propane is toxic and must be stored outside. Butane isn't exactly good for you, but since it is heavier than air a leak will result in the gas sinking to floor level where it is unlikely to be aninitial major problem.

[/quote]

Not strictly true.

Butane and propane can use the same jet size.  The valve is not an issue, the regulator is. Most bottled propane is, I believe, a butane - prpane mixture but I have no reference for that statement.

nb. Our butane bottles are yellow and the propane bottles are green. Both work on our gas cooker with only a regulator change.

[Clarkkent]

Thank you for the clarification, Steve. You are right - I meant regulator not valve.