# uk gas heater



## Tony R (Nov 7, 2010)

Hope someone can help here. We've just got a place in Catalonia and when we get round to moving out we want to take our uk portable gas heaters with us. We've been told the spanish gas bottles are different though and that the heater jets will need to be changed. Could anyone please clarify this? We'd hoped that a change of regulator would have done. Thanks, Tony


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

I am assuming that you are talking about LPG heaters. In which case you will only need to buy a new regulator for each one when you get here. The bigger problem is getting your hands on the Gas bottles. In Spain you need a contract from the gas company to own a gas bottle (don't ask!). The easiest way to acquire some bottles without a contract is to buy them at a car boot sale, usual price €20 each. Once you have a bottle you simply take it to your local garage or Ferreteria (ironmongers) and change it for a full one. There is Butane or Propane available here, but the Propane is pretty useless in my opinion although about €1.50 a bottle cheaper. Some Ferreterias will sell you a complete new bottle if you tell them it is for an Estufa and you don't have a contract as you have no piped gas in the house.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Tony R said:


> Hope someone can help here. We've just got a place in Catalonia and when we get round to moving out we want to take our uk portable gas heaters with us. We've been told the spanish gas bottles are different though and that the heater jets will need to be changed. Could anyone please clarify this? We'd hoped that a change of regulator would have done. Thanks, Tony


If you do need to change the regulator, you can buy them here in ferreterias or DIY stores for about 20€.

The advantage of having a contract with a supplier (Repsol or Cepsa) are that they will deliver refills to your house (though I guess this depends where you live). They are contractually obliged to do safety checks on regulators and hoses every five years.

The advantage of propane over butane is that it emits about 20% less condensation, although it doesn't give out quite as much heat. If your house is prone to damp and mould in winter however, this can be a significant factor.

The containers are called _bombonas_, FYI.


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## Tony R (Nov 7, 2010)

country boy said:


> I am assuming that you are talking about LPG heaters. In which case you will only need to buy a new regulator for each one when you get here. The bigger problem is getting your hands on the Gas bottles. In Spain you need a contract from the gas company to own a gas bottle (don't ask!). The easiest way to acquire some bottles without a contract is to buy them at a car boot sale, usual price €20 each. Once you have a bottle you simply take it to your local garage or Ferreteria (ironmongers) and change it for a full one. There is Butane or Propane available here, but the Propane is pretty useless in my opinion although about €1.50 a bottle cheaper. Some Ferreterias will sell you a complete new bottle if you tell them it is for an Estufa and you don't have a contract as you have no piped gas in the house.


Ah- great! That sounds good to me. I actually got 4 gas bottles included with the house. One of the heaters takes the smaller 7kg bottle though- I assume they do similar weights out there? Many thanks, Tony


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> If you do need to change the regulator, you can buy them here in ferreterias or DIY stores for about 20€.
> 
> The advantage of having a contract with a supplier (Repsol or Cepsa) are that they will deliver refills to your house (though I guess this depends where you live). They are contractually obliged to do safety checks on regulators and hoses every five years.
> 
> ...


20 €'s!!! I hope not, they're 7€'s here & only 9€'s for adjustable ones I use for burning equipment.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> 20 €'s!!! I hope not, they're 7€'s here & only 9€'s for adjustable ones I use for burning equipment.


Oooh, we wuz robbed!! (Leroy Merlin prices!)


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## Tony R (Nov 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Oooh, we wuz robbed!! (Leroy Merlin prices!)


Ebay spain has loads really cheap, for anyone's interest.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Everyone talks about contracts and expenses / complexities of aquiring bottles - I use the local Zarcar garage, I had to sign a contract for each bottle (we usually keep 2 so we have 2 contracts) but they didn't charge us a deposit or anything, just the fee of about 10 euros for the gas. Each time they run out we take it back, pay another tenner and get a new bottle! Simples!


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> Everyone talks about contracts and expenses / complexities of aquiring bottles - I use the local Zarcar garage, I had to sign a contract for each bottle (we usually keep 2 so we have 2 contracts) but they didn't charge us a deposit or anything, just the fee of about 10 euros for the gas. Each time they run out we take it back, pay another tenner and get a new bottle! Simples!


When I am in spain I use the local garage at the top of the lane, when I originaly asked if I needed a contract he said no mind you that was 6 years ago so things may have changed since then.
Bye the way we brought over two english gas fires and we only had to get new regulators for them , good luck in your new adventure


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## Tony R (Nov 7, 2010)

Many thanks to everyone for all the useful info. That's one less thing to worry about. Regards, Tony


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