Date:    Sat, 25 Aug 2007 13:28:48 -0700
From:    Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Marshall "Second Chance" LPG adapter?

I'm looking for an easy way to refill, or at least partially refill, the
little 1lb propane bottles we use for our BBQ grill.

Has anyone added one of these to their Westy?

http://www.rvupgradestore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1252

Seems to me, though, that it wants to be below the "waterline" of the
van's LPG tank in order to put much more than gas into the little
bottle. And it's not clear how a fellow would add this thing into the
existing main service valve > regulator setup.
-----------

Mike.... aka Mr. Squirrel... how the heck are you and Mellow Yellow?

Kim's reply covers my experience too, on refilling the 1 lb. "Green
Bottles".
Ever read the fine-print on the bottle's label?
I know I know... real anal...  but it is an offence to refill and then
transport them.
Pretty much sez it all. YMMV

Further, the present genre of portable tanks and regulators have a
built-in safety discharge
restriction that restricts the discharge of liquid propane out of them
to a mere dribble.
Gone are the days with the old tanks where you could turn them
upside-down and they would flow liquid propane into whatever you had
them connect to....

All this said, I do carry a Green Bottle and one of those nifty
adapters you linked above. Along with another adapter that connects to
the Auto-Fill-ACME valve on the Westie Tank.
If you catch my drift here already.... Yeah, this is kinda illegal too
as it is real close to "dispensing" liquid propane... which requires a
dispensing licence in most jurisdictions. The rub or catch is.... it
aint an offence to refill the Tank on our Westies.... 8-)

If the Westie tank runs out while camping, connect a 1 lb. bottle to
the Westie Tank and you are good for a couple more days running the
fridge and stove. Done in the morning when the Westie tank is cool &
empty and with the 1 lb. Green bottle warmed in the Sun, the fill is
pretty complete... meaning the 1 lb. bottle is emptied of all its
liquid propane. Seems the only propane bottles left in service now,
without a discharge restriction, are the 1 lb. Green Bottles and tall
portable Propane Touche cylinders...

This being said, you could connect two of those nifty adapters you
mentioned above, end to end like; then using a "cascade" type of
filling operation, fill a bunch of half-empty Green Bottles...
ultimately getting one pretty full 1 lb. bottle! Sounds like a whole
bunch of illegal dangerous work where you just might blow yourself
up.... and Mrs Squirrel would then be real sad! Best get a small (1.2
Gal is the smallest made now AFAIK) refillable Cylinder and use one of
the various adapter-hoses made to connect to your portable stove. More
economical in the long run and then you don't need to buy those awful
"Green Bottle Menaces" anymore.....

Regards
Phil Z.
Campbell River, BC
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