SWAP’n’GO Frequently Asked Questions. FAQs on swapping, safety, out-of-date bottles, interstate transfer service, safe bottle disposal service & more.

Please see our BBQ LPG Gas Bottle Sizes page for size information on 9kg and 4kg bottles.

FAQ • Frequently Asked Questions • BBQ Gas Bottles & Swap

The following are many of the frequently asked questions about SWAP'n'GO, BBQ gas bottles and gas cylinder exchange from customers and discussions in online forums.

If you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free to send us an Online Enquiry. Questions that have general interest, and the answers, will be added to this FAQ page.

Why should I use SWAP'n'GO instead of refilling?

It's faster
It's safer
The bottles are always in date
You know it has been filled correctly and double leak checked.

Swap any 9kg or 4kg gas bottle at your local SWAP'n'GO^® outlet

Please click on your area of interest for more information:

SWAP'n'GO

Why is SWAP’n'GO safer than refilling?

Manually refilled cylinders can be incorrectly filled causing the cylinders to vent gas through the pressure relief valve that is part of the main valve. This can happen, with an overfilled cylinder, as the gas gets warmer and the pressure builds. Venting can be a very dangerous situation if it occurs near people or an ignition source and especially in vehicles.

SWAP’n’GO^® fills the cylinders by weight on very accurate digital scales. The total fill weight is calculated based on the empty weight of the cylinder plus the gas. The scales are reset for each cylinder to achieve the proper full weight. So, you can rest assured that the bottle you buy from SWAP'n'GO is safely filled.
SWAP’n’GO also performs two leak checks on each cylinder before it is delivered to your local dealer.
We always check the inspection date on every cylinder we fill and only those with valid dates are filled. Cylinders with expired dates are inspected internally and externally, have new valves fitted and have a new date stamp applied.

How do I swap my gas bottle with SWAP'n'GO?

Swapping is quick and easy:

You just go to your nearest SWAP’n’GO outlet.
Take your empty gas bottle to the cashier for checking and payment.
Then swap your empty gas bottle for a full one from the SWAP’n’GO storage cage.

What sort of gas bottles does SWAP'n'GO accept for swap?

You can swap any brand of gas bottle that is up to 9kg in size. You can swap a medium gas bottle for a large gas bottle and we even accept gas bottles that are out of date (expired test date) and cannot be refilled without re-inspection.

There are some basic requirements to swap:

The bottle must have a foot ring and protective valve collar/handle
It must have a normal BBQ valve (POL) or camper valve installed. We do not accept cylinders with Primus valves
Excessive dents, gouges, rust or other damages are not acceptable.

How often do gas bottles require testing before they are out-of-date?

Gas bottles must be inspected every ten years. You can find the test date stamped into the neck ring of the bottle. No one is allowed to refill a gas bottle with an expired test date. If your BBQ gas bottle is out-of-date you have three possible solutions:

Pay to have an independent testing company retest the bottle, replace the valve and have a new test stamp date imprinted on the bottle.
Buy a new gas bottle. If you would like to recycle your old cylinder, just contact SWAP'n'GO on 1300 652 003. We will direct you to your nearest Elgas branch or depot for drop-off. There is no charge for this community service.
The most cost effective solution is just to start using SWAP'n'GO. We accept out-of-date gas bottles at no extra charge.

Does SWAP'n'GO accept out-of-date bottles?

Yes! We accept out of date bottles at no extra charge.

What if I don't have a gas bottle to swap?

No problem. You can purchase a full SWAP’n’GO gas bottle without a trade-in.

How can I safely dispose of an old or damaged gas bottle?

First, please do not throw your old bottle into general waste or regular metal recycling bins, as it can cause a safety hazard for the tip and recycling workers.

As a free community service, SWAP'n'GO accepts any old 9kg or 4kg gas bottles for safe recycling. We safely remove any traces of gas, remove the valves and put a big puncture in the bottles so that the metal recyling workers know that they are safely decommissioned.

If you would like to recycle your old cylinder, just contact SWAP'n'GO on 1300 652 003. We will direct you to your nearest Elgas branch or depot for drop-off. Once again, there is no charge for this service.

Note: We are also happy to help the community by accepting old gas bottles from local councils and tips at no charge. Please contact us for more information. Please also note that this disposal/recycling service is provided through Elgas company owned locations and is not available through Elgas dealers or distributors.

Can I return my bottle and get a refund if I don't need it anymore?

When you purchase or swap at SWAP'n'GO you own the bottle. Unfortunately, there is no basis for issuing a refund.

You might consider giving your bottle to family or friends. Local clubs that do sausage sizzle fund raising would also appreciate the donation. You can also dispose of them at a local council recycling centre or you can leave the bottle at your nearest SWAP'n'GO depot.

Do I own the gas bottle I receive?

Yes, when you purchase or swap a gas bottle from us, you own the SWAP’n’GO gas bottle you receive. Also, you are free to choose swap or refill when it is empty.

I am moving interstate and the removalist company won't take my gas bottle on the truck. What can I do?

SWAP'n'GO offer an interstate transfer service where you can to take your bottle to your nearest current Elgas depot and reclaim another one at the Elgas depot nearest to your destination.

You leave your bottle and receive a confirmation letter to take with you, including our contact details at your destination. Once you have relocated, you may collect a full bottle of the same size for the price of a normal swap. There are no additional charges for this service.

This service is only available between Elgas Depots. Retail outlets, such as service stations, do not participate in this offer.

Please contact SWAP'n'GO on 1300 652 003 for more information or to arrange for this service.

How do I know a SWAP'n'GO gas bottle is safe?

At Elgas, we pride ourselves on our bottle quality. All SWAP’n’GO gas bottles are either new or quality checked and have been refurbished by trained technicians.

How can I tell if the gas bottle I will receive is full?

Every SWAP’n’GO gas bottle is precision filled to either 8.5kg (large bottles) or 3.7kg (medium bottles) and leak tested by Elgas technicians. Look for the yellow seal on the neck of the gas bottle which indicates that it has been quality checked and filled to safe industry standards by Elgas SWAP’n’GO.

How much does a 8.5kg or 9kg gas bottle weigh when full or empty?

The full weight of gas bottles can vary based on the weight of the empty bottle. The weight of the empty bottle, or tare weight, is stamped on the neck ring of the bottle. To calculate the full weight, you add 8.5kg to the empty (tare) weight of the bottle and the total is the full weight.

How do I check how much gas is left in my gas bottle?

Carefully pour a cup of hot water down the side of the bottle and a line of condensation should appear at the level of the remaining gas. If no line is apparent, you can also wait a few seconds and run your hand down the cylinder. It will feel cool to the touch at the level of the gas. If you see no line and feel no difference in temperature, chances are the bottle is empty. Remember to always use care with the hot water.

For safety reasons, NEVER open the valve on an unattached gas bottle to check for remaining gas, even if you think it is empty.

Also, please remember that gas bottles are designed to be full at 80% or just over 3/4. This allows for the natural expansion of the gas during warmer temperatures.

An alternative way to check the bottle contents is by using a scale. The tare (empty) weight of the bottle is stamped on the neck ring. The difference between the scale reading and the tare weight should indicate approximately how much gas remains in the bottle.

Why are the cylinders filled with 8.5kg or 3.7kg of gas?

The filling of “9kg” cylinders with 8.5kg of gas was a safety initiative of the Australian LPG industry. The same is true of "4kg" cylinders being filled with 3.7kg of gas.

LPG cylinders are designed to be full while allowing 20% of the space, called ‘ullage’, for the natural expansion of the LPG. Unfortunately, there are many LPG cylinders that are labelled as 9kg or 4kg but are actually smaller. Filling them to 9kg or 4kg creates a safety issue, as overfilling can result in gas venting from the pressure relief valves. This is especially true in the warm Australian climate.

However, filling them correctly and safely meant that the Australian suppliers were misrepresenting the contents as 9kg or 4kg when it was actually less. This put the industry in the untenable position of being either unsafe of misrepresenting the quantity of gas provided. Neither of these was acceptable.

The solution was to take into account the cylinder size variations, standardise on 8.5kg and 3.7kg refills and label the cylinders accordingly.

Why does swap cost slightly more than refilling?

The simple answer is that you are getting much more than just the gas.

Here are some examples of the extra services we provide to our customers:

We refurbish cylinders to ‘near new’ condition
Cylinders with heavy rust damage are shot blasted down to the bare metal and repainted
All cylinders are washed to remove dirt and BBQ grease
Over 50% of the cylinders are repainted before refilling
We check the inspection date on every cylinder we fill and only those with valid dates are filled.
We accept out-of-date cylinders at no extra charge. We then inspect them, refurbish them, put in brand new valves and then apply a new date stamp.
SWAP’n’GO use digital scales to ensure proper and safe filling and we perform two leak checks on each cylinder. Our safety record is second to none.
We transport the cylinders to and from our refurbishment and filling plants so that you get a ‘near new’, fully inspected, accurately filled and leak checked cylinder ready to go with no waiting.
We discard thousands of cylinders every year that do not meet our quality and safety standards. We also make them ‘safe’ for recycling by removing any traces of gas so that our recycling friends can stay safe, too.

I still have a little gas left but not enough for a BBQ, what can I do?

Everyone wants to get the full value out of their gas bottle. The simple solution that many people use is to have a second gas bottle. Then, you can run your first bottle completely dry and quickly switch bottles without a frantic run to your local servo. You can then swap the empty bottle at a more convenient time.

Don't have a second bottle? No problem. You can purchase a second full SWAP’n’GO gas bottle without a trade-in.

Why are there less places to refill now?

Due to the popularity of SWAP'n'GO, staffing issues and safety concerns, all of the major oil marketing companies removed refilling from their company owned sites a few years ago. The remaining refillers are independent service station operators and multi-site groups, although some have major oil company branding.

The numbers have now stabilised and no further significant reduction of refiller sites is expected.

Elgas is one of the largest suppliers of LPG to refillers and we support them as well as our SWAP'n'GO network. In fact, many of our independent customers have both SWAP'n'GO and Elgas refill gas.

What is the best way to safely store a gas bottle?

It is best to store gas bottles outdoors in a well ventilated space.
Gas bottles should never be stored indoors.
Gas bottles should always be stored upright.
Do not store gas bottles near an ignition source.
If you store your BBQ or patio heater indoors, when not in use, you should always detach the gas bottle first and store it separately outdoors.

Where can I swap my bottle?

Swap any 9kg or 4kg gas bottle at your local SWAP'n'GO^® outlet