Camping Gaz

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Campingaz is a brand of compressed butane[1] gas designed for use as a fuel while camping and caravanning. The fuel gas is compressed to a liquid and sold in characteristically blue metal containers. The brand name is also used on appliances manufactured for use with the gas: cookers, lanterns, heaters, grills, refrigerators, etc as well as more general camping equipment such as sleeping bags.

Disposable small Camping Gaz cartridge
Disposable small Camping Gaz cartridge
Refillable larger Camping Gaz cylinder
Refillable larger Camping Gaz cylinder

Contents

[edit] Company history

The Camping Gaz company was founded in France in 1949[2]. Introducing the blue refillable small gas cylinder, directly fitted with special stoves and Welsbach mantle lanterns, the company becomes rapidly an international one. In 1996, Camping Gaz becomes part of Coleman, Inc [3] (now part of the Jarden Corporation). The brand name becomes Campingaz in 1998.

[edit] Sizes and availability

The small Gaz cartridges are constructed of thin metal and typically used in small cooking rings and gas lamps. Inserting the Camping Gaz cartridge into the device pierces it and allows the fuel gas to flow. The canisters are held in place by a bayonet base, and are discarded when empty. They must be completely empty before they are removed from the appliance, otherwise gas will still escape which is a fire hazard.

Larger Gaz cylinders contain between 0.4 and 2.75 kg of butane (the largest commonly used size, cylinder type 907, contains 2.75 kg),[4] and are resealable, so they need not be empty when disconnected. The container is fitted with a 10mm external screw thread[citation needed] onto which a valve is connected. This is followed by the appliance (lamp, cooker burners etc.) attached either by a short rigid pipe or a longer flexible hose. These are typically used for applicances like multi-ring cookers, gas refrigerators, grills or heaters. When empty, the cylinders are reused by returning the empty container to a retail outlet where it is exchanged for a new one for the price of the fuel gas.

Camping Gaz bottles are sold all over Western Europe except Scandinavia.

[edit] Travelling with cartridges or cylinders

  • By air - compressed gas cartridges may not be taken on commercial flights
  • By road - Gaz containers can safely be transported by car, but it is advisable to avoid leaving them in direct sunlight. However, the manufacturer states that since they do not explode below 87°C, they would actually be safe in a car parked in sunshine, since cars do not get any hotter than 60°C.[4]
  • By tunnel - Eurotunnel permits the transportation of Camping Gaz through the channel tunnel,[5] although they do not permit vehicles fuelled by LPG. Carriage of any form of gas through the Tunnel is subject to a maximum weight limit as detailed on Eurotunnel website.

[edit] References

  1. ^ motorcaravanning.com Neill & Dilys King (2005). Bottled Gas or LPG. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.
  2. ^ Campingaz history. Retrieved on 2008-05-15.
  3. ^ Coleman to buy. Retrieved on 2008-05-15.
  4. ^ a b Coleman EMEA (2001). CAMPINGAZ. Retrieved on 2006-08-03.
  5. ^ motorcaravanning.com Neill & Dilys King (2005). European Info - assorted!. Motorhoming in Europe. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.

[edit] See also

  • Coleman Company - parent company, which started out making lamps and camping stoves
  • Calor Gas - a similar product owned by the Dutch company SHV

[edit] External links