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The vast
majority of outdoor cookery appliances used in Australia are powered by LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)
which is sometimes labelled as propane or compressed propane. This
is a clean fuel that has the big advantage of providing instant
heat. Its drawbacks are cost (it always seem to be rising in Australia)
and that awful feeling you get when the cylinder runs out halfway
through a barbecue and you're entertaining friends or (even worse)
relatives.
Fortunately both problems can be fixed very simply
- by buying an extra gas bottle. A couple of minutes and a spanner
are all it takes to get your steaks sizzling again. Another big
plus is that a reserve bottle also allows you to get full value
from each fill of LPG. No longer will you need to rely on your alcohol-damaged
memory to guesstimate if there is enough left in the bottle to cook
the meal. A gauge also works well but good ones tend to cost about
the same as another cylinder.
FAST FILL OR SLOW
A few years back, gas barbequers didn’t think twice about lugging heavy gas cylinders around and waiting – and waiting – while they were filled.
The reason they didn’t think about it was because they had no choice. Now, LPG users can choose between instantly exchanging their empty cylinder for a full one or picking up the phone to have a replacement cylinder delivered to their door.
These are great options for the time poor or those who physically can’t handle a cylinder weighing nearly 20 kg when full of gas. But if you want the most barbeque bang for your buck then the old-fashioned way is probably still the most economical proposition as you pay only for the gas. However, the cylinder is your property and you have to arrange to have it tested every 10 years at a cost of around $20.
Exchanging an empty cylinder for a pre-filled one at a servo or a hardware outlet can cost up to 50% more but you literally pay and go. It is really worthwhile to shop around when looking at exchange cylinder programs. At least one national hardware chain only charges an extra couple of bucks for its exchange cylinders. At times, they charge the same or even a bit less – which shows just how much management must hate staff being dragged away at peak times to fill gas cylinders.
The price to get into the exchange scheme is the same as doing it yourself – a new cylinder and its first fill will cost upwards of $60. Those who opt for the old-style ‘wait and watch while it’s filled’ can usually swap over to an exchange program by simply handing in their own cylinder provided it is not too old and in good condition.
The home delivery services tend to operate on an ‘order one day and we’ll deliver the next’ basis. This service usually carries a premium of at least 60% on top of the standard refill charge but the more you think about the convenience aspects the better these deals look.
And don’t think you're being short-changed when the label on the new cylinder reads ‘8.5 kg’ and the old one claims to be a 9kg cylinder. Those who know gas tell me that it’s all about truth in labelling as 99.9% of standard 9 kg cylinders cannot be refilled with more than 8.5 kg of LPG.
WARNING! Do-it-yourself repairs or alterations
to gas appliances could have results as spectacular as they are
sad. It's much more important to use a qualified, experienced gasfitter
or plumber than it is to find a lawyer who knows what he is doing
- trust me!
Leaking cylinders also have considerable potential
to not only take out you but also your family, friends and the neighbours'
cat. They must be inspected and stamped at least every 10 years
- and that's the law in most places.
For goodness sake, don't turn on the gas then
fiddle with the busted auto igniter before finally wandering off
to get a box of matches. Striking one might be the last thing you
remember for a very long time if enough gas has pooled in the base
of the barbecue. Always turn the gas flow knob off and wait a couple
of minutes before trying again.
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