Where to fill up??

[Terry B 71]

Seems that the really dirt poor oil companies can't afford to keep services like filling gas bottles going at petrol stations. If they did, the CEOs would lose a few dollars from their million dollar bonus etc etc............. sorry but this Pees me off.

 

However that's all made up for 'cause they sell coffee now.

 

 

The Caltex at the bottom of town by Westhaven stopped filling gas bottles last year. I told them I would never be back for petrol and I haven't been.

 

The BP up the hill above Ponsonby has just stopped doing it as well. I'm gonna run out of places to fill my car if keep swearing off stations that don't fill bottles!!!!!!

 

Some garages will fill big bottles and not small ones. WTF?

 

And I can't do swappa 'cause I have aluminium bottles. And I have small bottles 'cause that's all the locker will fit.

 

Anyone know where I can get them filled - preferably somewhere between Sandringham and Westhaven..........

[ab1974 1]

Yep also be keen to know.

 

Just purely for information the BP at Oneroa still does fills - had run out of gas after the Route 66 and needed a fill up. Though on the way back we certainly worked out where quite a few public BBQs were! Quite a nice option to head into the beach for a BBQ rather than cooking on the boat. Though doesn't help make the coffee in the morning!

[Fogg 427]

The BP up the hill above Ponsonby has just stopped doing it as well. I'm gonna run out of places to fill my car if keep swearing off stations that don't fill bottles!!!!!!

 

Do you mean the BP opposite Jervois Steakehouse (on the rhs heading out of town) or the one a few 100m further down on the lhs (opposite Hamilton Rd)?

 

Cos as far as I know the latter one still fills lpg bottles?

[Terry B 71]

I mean the first station on the left leaving town - once you get past the old Three Lamps corner/post office. Not sure what road they're opposite.

 

They do fill bottles - but no longer small ones. And I couldn't get any sense out of them as to why!

[wheels 543]

Get yourself to a BOC. They have a slightly more potent mix than service stations do. Or in other words, theirs is pure or close to pure Propane. Service stations have a high percentage of Butane in the mix to stop it freezing as it turns from liquid to gas. In industry, as in cutting metal, we need as much heat as possible, so propane which has more calories per gram is used.

[Guest]

Get yourself to a BOC. They have a slightly more potent mix than service stations do. Or in other words, theirs is pure or close to pure Propane. Service stations have a high percentage of Butane in the mix to stop it freezing as it turns from liquid to gas. In industry, as in cutting metal, we need as much heat as possible, so propane which has more calories per gram is used.

 

+1 with regard to propane, you get to burn the whole bottle with no wasted space taken by low pressure butane, what f**ks me off the most is the "set" charge they have for filling regardless of what's left in the bottle seems that yes they weight them but that doesnt enter the picture with regard to charging for fill

[Guest]

Just filled up our cooker bottle for the motor home and heres the facts (as the Elgas guru told me via the phone a few days ago)

 

Wheels is on to it.

 

BOC owns Elgas and they source their LPG from their own source In the Naki.

 

Because They supply Shell (Z) and the South island Market bulk markets they need to have a higher Propane than Butane level.

 

they did not say it was pure but sait it was a min of 60/40 in Propanes favour.

 

Sometimes, in winter, it is as high as 80/20. The others are 40/60

 

This means a better product. less issues in cold weather...

 

They do a 9.5 kg swapper bottle and they appear very competitive.

[Grinna 2]

Powerstrip Industries in Mt Wellington will test and fill gas cylinders including aluminium tanks. Good guys and well worth supporting (happy customer, no other connection).

[John B 106]

Get yourself to a BOC. They have a slightly more potent mix than service stations do. Or in other words, theirs is pure or close to pure Propane. Service stations have a high percentage of Butane in the mix to stop it freezing as it turns from liquid to gas. In industry, as in cutting metal, we need as much heat as possible, so propane which has more calories per gram is used.

 

 

Ring first to establish the times they'll fill , they have some really wanky little rules now. Something like before 10 or 11 am and after 2 or some such bullshit. ( and no, you can't leave the bottle and pick it up later).

[Wannabe 0]

...If they did, the CEOs would lose a few dollars...

 

Keh!? You're swearing off businesses because they stop doing things that lose them money? Seems like a pretty big over-reaction to me. I think businesses should be applauded in cutting out the things that cause them to lose money (unless they are a charity of some descript)... I would imagine there are also a whole bunch of regulatory, OH&S, training, staffing, etc etc etc logistical issues that are associated with providing that particular money loosing service...

 

Having said that, I've had similar frustrations, driving around numerous gas stations looking for a 'filly'. At some point I will make the move over to swap-a-bottle, which obviously makes more economical sense for the service providers.

 

My 2c

[Terry B 71]

Wannabe, yep I reacted 'cause I was pissed off.

 

As I said earlier, my gas locker (like a lot of others I would think) wont fit the big bottles so swappa wont work for me.

 

And if you applaud that business attitude that you describe then look forward to having no facilities for boaties in all sorts of places that they are in now.

 

And if you followed that strict attitude then, as an example, country areas in NZ would have no electricity/water/roads/land lines etc.

 

Companies have some responsibility to provide - and it's not always profitable. I'm a little bit tired of the "only thing that matters is profit".

 

My 2c worth.

[John B 106]

I've bought 3 sets of tyres ( one set about an hour ago in fact)from a company because when a relative had a flat and I was doing the running around , they fixed it for free for me.

Goodwill still exists you know, and is difficult to measure, especially on a bit of paper or a spreadsheet.

[Fogg 427]

I think this is what Terry B was trying to say:

 

[Terry B 71]

Nice one AC!!!!

 

And I agree John B, but the goodwill tends to come from the people serving you - at the "front end", not from the company itself. My Mum goes to a shell station where she lives because the staff ALWAYS come out and fill her car for her - and smile. She's in her 80's and the service is really important to her. She jokes that the forecourt sometimes looks like an old folks home - the good service rumour has spread.

 

To be fair to the Caltex by Westhaven, the staff were hugely unhappy when management said no more gas bottle filling. They copped a fair few people like me who were not happy.

 

The more remote the decision makers are from the day to day customers, the more they make decisions that are remote as well.

[Terry B 71]

Okay, it just gets better. Just rang BOC - they no longer fill gas bottles (as of last week) according to the woman who answered the phone.

 

Her brilliant advice was try a petrol station.................

 

Looks like everyone is quietly going out of the filling side.

 

 

Looks like in a year or so all those little gas bottles in existence will no longer be of any use..................and I'll have to increase the size of the gas locker to accommodate the larger bottle.

 

Oh the joys of having everything a standard size. Utopia for accountants.

[John B 106]

Bad news about BOC, thats exactly what a spreadsheet decision looks like.

The reverse of goodwill of course, is ill will, and right now I wish I could cost them some revenue.

[tuffyluffy 76]

An alternative could be Rockgas. Im not sure if there are any outlets close to Westhaven, but i use them for all my gas refills out west. Their business IS refilling bottles. Ive got 2, 18kg tanks and 3, 9kg and they are always super friendly and good value - generally 25%+ cheaper than gas stations. Might be worth a look

[Fogg 427]

So what size are we talking about that is the problem here?

 

Are you saying that the typical 9kg or 4.5kg bottle many of us use on our boats are now not refillable?

[Terry B 71]

No AC - mine are smaller, and alloy. I'm pretty sure the size you have are the standard swappas aren't they??

 

Okay, here's a few places that do fill all sizes (I've just rung them - quiet day here in the office!) in case you need them:

 

Powerstrip, Gabador Pl, Mt Wellington - only on week days and you leave them there and pick up later.

 

BOC, only 1 place in Akl and thats in Bruce McLaren Road, Henerson. Weekdays only.

 

Firecorp, 386 Neilson St, Onehunga. Same service as Powerstrip.

 

 

Thanks for all the advice guys.

[Farrari 4]

From my own experience I am getting less and less options where I can fill my gas bottles.

 

Mobil up the road is only doing 9kg swap a bottle. BP refused to refill anything less than 4.5kg e.g. my 3kg and 2.5kg camping bottles. Caltex will refill but apply a minimum charge so its costing me 2x.

 

I'm not keen to lug a 4.5kg or 9kg bottle up on to the beach just to have a BBQ.

 

I carry a 4.5kg and a 2.5 kg alloy bottle on the boat. The former is because that is all that will fit in my gas locker and the latter because it is small and light for the BBQ.