Campingaz (pronounced as 'camping gas'), formerly Camping Gaz, is a brand of compressed, mixed butane/propane[1] gas for the small, light weight cans[2] 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. For the larger refillable cylinders the contents are butane.[2] 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.
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The Camping Gaz company was founded in France in 1949.[3] Introducing a small, blue, refillable gas cylinder, directly fitted with special stoves and Welsbach mantle lanterns, the company rapidly expanded to foreign markets. In 1996, Camping Gaz became part of Coleman, Inc. [4] (now part of the Jarden Corporation). The brand name was changed to Campingaz in 1998.
The small Gaz cartridges are constructed of thin metal and typically used in small cooking rings and gas lamps. Inserting an original 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. These must be completely empty before they are removed from the appliance, otherwise gas will still escape which is a fire hazard. However, the "Plus" range of self-sealing cartridges, such as the CV 300 Plus, can be disconnected and reconnected even when not empty when they are fitted to compatible devices with the Easy Clic plus connection. The "Plus" range is more expensive than the traditional cartridges but have the advantage of being able to be disconnected.
Larger Gaz refillable cylinders come in three sizes. The 901 cylinder contains 0.454 kg of gas with cylinder dimensions of H150mm D110mm, the 904 contains 1.81 kg with cylinder dimensions of H170mm D203mm and the 907 contains 2.72 kg with cylinder dimensions of H250mm D203mm (the largest commonly used size, cylinder type 907, contains 2.72 kg),[2] and are resealable, so they need not be empty when disconnected. The container is fitted with a M.16x1.5 internal screw thread [5] 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.
Campingaz bottles are sold all over Europe with lower than average availability in Scandinavia and Iceland[6] and certain countries outside Europe (Australia, Canada).
Masses
CV270 mass: 375g. Canister mass: 145g
CV470 mass: 640g. Canister mass: 190g