Gas cylinder recharge in South America?

[cesarmax22]

Hi all,

Has anyone travelled through South America with a Westfalia with an original gas cylinder?

If so, how did you manage to recharge the gas tank? Everyone is telling me to remove the gas cylinder and replace it by an exchangable gas tank ("garrafa" in spanish), which has to go outside of the vehicle on the back (because it doesn't fit in any other place).

What should I do?

thanks!

[KlassikJames]

Hi Cesarmax,

Five years ago I charged the gastank twice in southamerica:
at Sartini Gas SRL. in Ushuaia and at a petrolstation south of Santiago de Chile.

If you are looking for propane in southamerica the website "iOverlander" might help you:
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/searc ... mit=Search

I was told, that it might be possible to fill the built inTank from a Garaffa with a hose and without a gaspump, if the Tank is empty and is pressureless inside. I didn't try this out.
You will need a 21.8mm RH adapter for the tank or a adapter called 1 3/4" ACME.
At my gasstations no adaptor was needed.

Be careful: CNG was very popular in Argentina, but don't try to fill the tank with CNG (Methane).
¡¡¡NUNCA NUNCA NUNCA!!!
This will blow your tank immediately due to the extreme pressure.

What you need is PROPANE or LPG!

Good luck!

Klassikjames

[cesarmax22]

Hi James,

Thanks for your help!!!

So you've been only be able to recharge it twice.

How did you manage to use refrigerator, boiler and cooker during your whole trip? I guess 2 recharges is too less right?

I haven't travelled with the JC yet, neither in any other motorhome, so I'm not sure how much gas you spend during long trips.

I guess when the vehicle is stopped, the refrigerator must run on gas (if no 220v available). right?

[KlassikJames]

There was no need for filling the tank more often.
I use the gas for cooking only. The boiler is disconnected.
My compressor-fridge is running on 12V only and is supplied by solarpanels on the roof.

In your car the old absorber-fridge will burn most of the propane.
But it runs on 12V DC and 230V AC too.
I don't know how long a filling of the tank will last if you are using your fridge.

The inner thread of the gastanks filling connector has the size "W21.8 RH (RightHand)"
Bottles for Argon (Welding) and CO2 (Pubs: Beer) have the same thread.
The larger outer thread is 1 3/4" ACME.
Maybe you can build a adapter.

[cesarmax22]

Oh, so you're not using the old Electrolux 12v/220v/gas fridge?

What fridge did you get?

And regarding solar panel. So you charge batteries with solar energy, that will run the fridge all night? Is that how it works?

[KlassikJames]

Westfalia equipped the later 'James Cook Klassik' with compressor fridges by WAECO.
I didn't change this fridge, because it still works after 23 years.

A few years ago, I mounted solarpanels on the roof.
These solarpanels charge the rear batteries for the fridge and the starterbatterie for engine.
With clear skys there is no need to worry about a cool beer or the next parilla for months.

In wintertime or with cloudy skys (june in BsAs) the solarpanels are not very efficient.
The rear batteries can supply the fridge and the dieselheater 2-3 days before they run empty.

These batteries can be recharged by the engines alternator or by external 220V (gasoline generator) too, like in all James Cooks. The front batteriy is Independent and only used for starting the engine.

I don't think that solarpanels can produce sufficient electricity to run a absorber fridge permanently.
You will probably need propane for the fridge.

[cesarmax22]

you are probably right.

Yesterday, I met a guy who does reforms to motorhomes. He found a place to put the "garrafa" without adding a back trunk!

If we reduce the dirty water tank a little bit, and remove the original cylinder gas tank, then we have space to put the "garrafa" half below the westfalia (same place where the end of the gas cylinder is), and half of the "garrafa" inside the long sofa. That way, we can reuse the entire gas connection, since it's almost at the same position.

We will also do a box so the "garrafa" is isolated from the interior with a cap so it can be opened and the garrafa can be replaced from the interior. This was great news since having the "garrafa" on the back of the Westfalia implied a lot of work, plus all new gas connection.

I will post pictures if we get to do that.