BajaNomad - Propane fuel in Baja

Propane fuel in Baja

laloma - 10-25-2013 at 08:16 PM

We have a propane fueled van conversion.
Is it difficult to make the trek on the Baja Trans Peninsular Hwy. to Loreto/La Paz from San Diego using propane fuel?
We have a 500+ km average range. Any info is welcome.
Thanks in advance.

RV.Net discussion

windgrrl - 10-25-2013 at 08:34 PM

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/2634...

I have had no experience with fuelling a propane vehicle in Baja. We have had our small,, portable RV tank filled at a Gaspasa station near Los Cabos. There are similar stations along the #1, often on the outskirts of towns.

Be aware of the butane issue. No problems with our use of butane down south, but we leave the depleted tanks in Baja and fill them when we go south again. Gas trucks may make regular stops in residential areas and RV parks, sometimes it is a tank exchange program. Sometimes it is a fill from a bigger truck. The truck drivers in our area announce their arrival.

[Edited on 10-26-2013 by windgrrl]

pro painful

EdZeranski - 10-25-2013 at 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by laloma
We have a propane fueled van conversion.
Is it difficult to make the trek on the Baja Trans Peninsular Hwy. to Loreto/La Paz from San Diego using propane fuel?
We have a 500+ km average range. Any info is welcome.
Thanks in advance.

That is an interesting question. I've filled gas bottles in Maneadero, Loreto. Ensenada etc but have never seen a vehicle being filled. Geeze, Baja runs on propane. With a 500 click range it could be iffy between El Rosario and GN unless you could fill in LA Bay. After GN its not so far between spots. Good luck and safe drive!

EdZ Loreto/Colonia Zaragossa

Alm - 10-25-2013 at 10:15 PM

There are wandering trucks that fill tanks and bottles, but where are you going to find it when you need it? Propane plants are very, very few - I think 2 on the entire peninsula. It might not be a problem to fill 20-30-100 lb portable tank, there are semi-legal places in towns between those propane plants because everybody is using propane in kitchen, but I haven't seen a vehicle being filled.

Timo1 - 10-26-2013 at 04:34 AM

Lots of propane

We ran our 34 foot moho down to BA and back on propane

El Rosario on the left just after the hard left tun

San Quintin about two miles south of town on the left

GN just before the Y on your right

Santa Rosalia on your left just before "the hill"

These are all directions heading south

[Edited on 10-26-2013 by Timo1]

Mula - 10-26-2013 at 05:41 AM

I've seen suburbans being filled at the propane plants in Loreto and between Insurgentes and Constitucion, so no problem there.

windgrrl - 10-26-2013 at 06:19 AM

There is also a plant south of Miraflores, BCS. It's on the right and off the highway about .5 km.

larryC - 10-26-2013 at 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by EdZeranski

Quote:

No place to fill in LA Bay, unless you happen to be here when the truck comes through which is about once a month and usually on a Sunday morn .

propane filling

captkw - 10-26-2013 at 08:05 AM

I have no time on the road with a propane car in mex.. but there is propane just about anywhere there are people..you might want to look into the OPD adapters,,anyway, being I'm so use to the pemexs running out of fuel or electrical grid going down and no pumping...its all part of the trip...get out and GO !! btw its called GAS and the bigger filling places are ALL located out of town after a big blow up near.......I think mexico city...in La Paz they moved it out of town on the road to CABO but the city is growing fast and now is out/past the Gas place...and they don't use that smelly stuff for leaks ether...be careful with it!!!....and please give us a report !!...BTW,,I would think your longest run would be from San quinten to GN......K&T

[Edited on 10-26-2013 by captkw]

[Edited on 10-26-2013 by captkw]

maybe not so pro painful

EdZeranski - 10-26-2013 at 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC

No place to fill in LA Bay, unless you happen to be here when the truck comes through which is about once a month and usually on a Sunday morn .

Thanks for that info! I'm cutting and pasting information from the posts to a notepad file for future reference. LA is probably happy just to have the Pemex and better road

EdZ
Loreto/Colonia Zaragossa......waiting for the water to come back on.

DavidE - 10-26-2013 at 09:38 AM

Easy places to fill. BTW, LPG motor fuel is referred to as "gas para carburaccion".

5 Miles north of Ensenada on side of highway opposite the ocean.

4 Miles Before Colonia Guerrero right side of highway

El Rosario as mentioned above

After eagle monument on right side of road just before Guerrero Negro

At bottom of steep grade before Sta Rosalia on your left

Some of these places keep weird hours. All LPG motor fuel storage facilities are located outside of populated areas.

The last time I filled with LPG motor fuel I was charged a higher price per kg (2 kilos per US gallon) than they charged for "gas domestico"

Don't be surprised if your tank fills a lot slower than it does north of the border. Most of the LPG in Mexico has a higher percentage of butane which operates at a lower pressure. Your first fill or so, the pump may have to fight the propane pressure in your tank. I cannot tell the difference between the two gasses as far as economy or performance.

Weird hours

captkw - 10-26-2013 at 10:04 AM

Anit that the Truth...

DENNIS - 10-26-2013 at 10:13 AM

Two more stations in and around Ensenada that I know of:

[1] on Hwy 1, a quarter mile north of Maneadero.....ocean side of the road

[2] on Pedro Loyola, in Ens. That road runs parallel with Hwy 1....a quarter mile closer to the ocean....in from Smart and Final on the south end of the city.

I know........sorry about those directions, but it's the best I can do without well known landmarks.

laloma - 10-28-2013 at 04:49 AM

Thanks for all this great information.
Looks like no problem and all part of the adventure to find the gas and plan accordingly.
laloma