For quite a number of years now I have easily fitted 12kg gas cylinders to the regulator in my gas heater; it is such a simple thing to do. One click and you have instant heat. However, from about a year or so ago I have been having difficulties in doing this ‘manoeuvre’ because of the presence of a black O-ring placed in the groove on the cylinder valve.

It just cannot be done, with the exception of persons who happen to be gold-medal strongmen!

I have called Liquigas to complain but the customer care staff invite you to either go to Birżebbuġa with the cylinder so that you can have it changed to a ‘normal’ cylinder or wait for the gas distributor in your village and tell him to change it for you.

But how can he (the distributor) know which cylinders have the O-ring or not once the valve has a green plastic cover that hides this fact? He is neither too pleasant about changing cylinders as the removal of the green plastic cover indicates that the cylinder may have been already in use, although this is not the case, and people may object to him giving them a ‘cap-less’ gas cylinder.

The worst thing about this is the attitude of the customer care people. I have even contacted a technician to tell him about this problem. He told me that all you need to remove the O-ring is a small screwdriver and, hey presto, the problem disappears.

When I asked why put the O-ring in the first place if it can be removed he assured me that nothing would happen but I don’t like to meddle with gas cylinders for a very obvious reason.

I wonder if other readers have had the misfortune of getting the ‘odd’ cylinder once in a while. The authorities are always harping about safety measures and so on and this is a good thing. But what do they comment on my letter?

Finally, I challenge any of the Liquigas management to fit such a cylinder with the added black O-ring to a gas heater... but, of course, how silly of me! They can afford air conditioners with their pay, compared to my pension.

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