Flogas delivery issues

[LPGC]

You can fit 2 fillers... But I've known a potential problem when 2 fillers are fitted - At the higher pump pressures the one way valve on the filler that isn't being used can leak. Unusual and unlikely, perhaps the fillers in question had an existing problem, anyway such issue could be worked around anyway by fitting a manual gate valve in the pipework to each filler.

For the first time in memory today I had to run my own car on petrol to pick my daughter up. As I wrote above, just a few days ago most of the usual local stations I use were out of LPG when I needed to refuel a customer vehicle I had just converted but I managed to get gas at a BP (of all stations!) station in Castleford. Today I thought I'd drive via Castleford to pick my daughter up so I could fill up with LPG enroute but the BP in Castelford had also run out of LPG. I arrived early at my daughter's so I phoned Morrisons helpline again.. Any in Doncaster? No. Any in Barnsley? Yes! So after dropping my daughter back off at her home I drove home via Barnsley and managed to fill up with 94L of LPG at 72.9p.. Result!

I have been impressed with Morrisions helpline on 2 of the 3 occassions I've phoned them, but on a 3rd occassion (the middle occasion) I wasn't impressed... The guy who answered the phone told me that their fuel forecourts had effectively taken their phones off the hooks and orders from head office in the South were not to deal with enquiries about fuel availability. He stuck to this line even when I pointed out that the evening before the helpful lady at Morrisons customer support had used internal lines to phone multiple Morrisons forecourts on my behalf. I think this guy made up 'orders from head office' because he couldn't be bothered to do his job. Either way you look at it he made himself look like he couldn't be arsed to deal with customers requests for info or made his firm look like they couldn't be arsed.

[LPGC]

I haven't yet updated any of the LPG availability sites but the data on some of them seems very out of date. Which availability sites are you all using now? It seems a bit too much to ask to update all those we know of but in that case which do we forsake? Pity they don't share data... too many cooks etc.

[Avensist]

Well done Simon. Never seen availability getting this bad in nearly 20 years of running on LPG.

I usually use filllpg site and mylpg and update both of them when I do manage to fill up or cannot. Even when the price shown is the same as when I do fill up, I still update those sites, so others have up to date info.

The petrolprices site, used to do LPG but even back then they were very patchy and now they seems to have removed LPG from the prices shown. So, I stick to those 2 above.

[Brian_H]

Generally I use Filllpg and Autogas.app , less often use Mylpg.eu. Autogas.app is fairly easy to update, Filllpg if its working is fine, but sometimes takes a couple of attempts to update a price. Usually better off the app rather than the website as it doesn't have to load the map everytime.

I've failed to fillup yet again today, both local stations are out, Suspect MFG will have some in a few days although passing today I've noticed that they have the carwash bays dug up for some reason, Suspect that might be for electric charging bays, and it wouldn't surprise me if they have gone through the lpg line in doing so!

It does seem that the cheaper stations aren't getting anything at all round this way - Suspect this may be Flogas prioritising those that pay more for the gas in the first place.

[Avensist]

Another mystery solved, thanks Brian. On filllpg, I did wonder why some people update the price multiple times, and I know that quite a few are regulars and not beginners. I personally never had any problems updating the price, it does it first time but now I know why duplicate updates take place.

For me, the filllpg site seems to load very slow. Sometimes I get the error 'unable to connect to database'. Nonetheless, refreshing the page once or twice often get things back. I like the site as it shows the map with prices, often handy when setting foot in unfamiliar territories as it also shows nearby stations too.

In any case, like Simon says above, some prices are out of date so I try to do my bit in updating when filling up.

[Brian_H]

Thats usually what happens - The app tries to update, says its failed as didn't get the response expected from the website, so says its failed, and then the user tries it again until it works. Sometimes that can be down to poor mobile signal as well as website issues, but yes thats why. I suspect thats also why people keep adding stations that already exist (as they don't appear on the map when they are looking at it, so they add them again).

Sometimes you see people also enter a price, then realise its been entered incorrectly so go back and enter it correctly as well.

[Avensist]

I usually access it from my laptop or desktop so never had that issue. Hence often wondered why it occurred until today. Due to the coding used, can't be triggered by double clicking which some pensioners often do!

And yes, sometimes the station don't appear for a while or details of another station don't show up for few seconds to couple of minutes. So all in all, the server response is slow.

[LPGC]

I usually use Filllpg via a browser rather than the phone app (even use my phone's web browser instead of using the phone app). Quite often it shows a bare map with no stations on it whatsoever. When that happens zooming in or out can make stations appear but it can be unusable when stations don't appear at all or disappear when zooming in/out. It would probably be the most comprehensive site (since it shows date/time of updates etc) if it always worked properly(?).

Apparently some sites need confirmation from a second user before updating price/availability info? Due to infrequency of user updates it would seem to me that it would be better if such sites were updated on the first instance, especially if they also showed update history like Filllpg does...

[Brian_H]

Autogas.app needs most things moderating. Not including station prices though, those update when submitted. But won't show on the map until you reload the site. Any other changes to address, location, times etc need checking (and seems random if it gets through or not).

Update history would be nice, but doesn't seem like its on any of the others.

Filllpg isn't going to get any better. Richard just doesn't have the time to dedicate to fixing it unfortunately and that is highly unlikely to change. The bare map, partly loaded map and unable to connect to database are all issues I commonly see when trying to access it. It seems like a hosting issue to me, and I know other sites (forums particually) that are also using Ionos also report it not being a particually stable host.

[robertXX]

flo gas say ...

"due to the current gas shortage and resources we are having to prioritise vulnerable customers and domestic deliveries.
We have been advised that Autogas deliveries have had to be put on hold and that Keysites will be filled towards the end of next month."

[LPGC]

So there is a gas shortage then?

[Brian_H]

There seems to be an issue generally with fuel, particually Diesel, I've seen a few forecourts completely out, and when they get deliveries it seems to be less delivered than they wanted. I'd suspect this is an indication they expect the price to drop so are trying to avoid having fuel brought at higher prices, Though this doesn't seem to be whats likely to happen anytime soon.

Robert - was that an email from them or just a post from their website? The only message I've seen on there is from 1st Feburary? If at this point towards the end of March I can't see there being any domestic or vunerable customers that won't already have filled their tanks, so this seems like nonsense from them. Probabbly more likely just not enough drivers with the appropiate training/certification left working for them would be my guess.

[robertXX]

E mail Brian , i asked them about it , and that was their reply . received 17/3/22

[Gilbertd]

I spoke to my local depot on Friday and was told the same thing, domestic customers are being prioritised. However, they also said that they normally get 2 bulk deliveries a day and now they are down to one every other day. They are also down to only a handful of 47kg bottles too where normally they would have hundreds of them stacked up. There isn't a shortage just demand has gone up and the number of delivery drivers has gone down. Drivers are arriving at the refinery to collect and having to wait up to 12 hours before they reach the front of the queue. No idea how long it takes to fill one of the big tankers, but I can't see it being particularly quick.

[robertXX]

maybe they are avoiding buying stock until prices go down from the refineries ?

[Brian_H]

Well theres none about between me and Kings Lynn today, tried 7 stations on route and not one had any. And by the time I'd got to Bedford this morning I was on fumes as well.

Using the diesel tomorrow to drive to Thanet, hoping to find some gas on Wednesday on route is the current plan.

[Gilbertd]

Fuel duty rate is going down as from 6pm tonight (https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... es-2022-23) so, in theory, prices should drop immediately. If you can find anywhere that has any that is......

[Brian_H]

Sainsbury's Cobham at 65.9 this afternoon, so now got a mostly full tank. And not going to Skegness tomorrow now, so that will help a bit (going 5 miles from home instead).

The Esso on the North side of Heathrow had gas this morning, 94p though thats better than running on unleaded at £1.65 when I checked the pump at Cobham this afternoon.

[robertXX]

blimey 65.9.... now that's good .

[LPGC]

Is duty on LPG going down?