A gas cage is a steel enclosure that holds your cylinders upright, keeps them out of reach of thieves and children, and lets the gas company swap them without coming into the house. Cylinder theft is common in many towns, and a 48 kg cylinder is worth stealing. This page covers cage sizes for 9 kg, 19 kg and two 48 kg cylinders, the gas bottle lock and chain options for a cylinder without a cage, ventilation, mounting and estate rules. Ask once and local cage makers and installers will quote you for free, with no obligation.
Cage sizes: 9 kg, 19 kg and 2 × 48 kg
Cages are made to fit the cylinders they hold, so measure or name the size before you ask for a price. Single cages for a 9 kg or 19 kg cylinder suit a braai, a patio heater point or a stove piped through the wall. The most common cage is the 2 × 48 kg double, for houses and restaurants running two 48 kg cylinders on a changeover valve. Larger cages for four or six cylinders are made for restaurants, lodges and complexes. A double cage for two 48 kg cylinders lists at about R3,170, and a published cost guide puts one supplied and installed at about R2,000 to R4,500.
Gas bottle locks, chains and padlocks
Not every cylinder needs a full cage. Common options are:
- A lockable lid or door on the cage, closed with a padlock or a hasp and staple.
- A cylinder lock that fits over the valve so it cannot be opened or a regulator fitted without the key.
- A chain and padlock through the cylinder collar to a bracket fixed in the wall, which also stops it falling over.
- A wall bracket with a locking strap for a single 9 kg or 19 kg cylinder.
Give the gas supplier a key, or agree a time to open the cage, so exchanges are not missed.
Ventilation, mounting and where the cage stands
LPG is heavier than air, so a leak sinks and gathers at ground level. A cage must stay open to the air, with mesh or louvred sides and no solid floor that traps gas. Never box cylinders into a closed cupboard or a brick enclosure with a door. The cage is bolted to a firm level slab or to the wall, outside, in the open air, away from drains, pits, openings below it, and electrical switches and plugs. The gas installer applies the SANS 10087-1 distances when deciding the position.
Estate rules and theft
Many estates and body corporates have their own rules on where cylinders may stand, what the cage must look like and whether it may face the street. Ask the managing agent before you order. In areas with frequent theft, put the cage where it is out of sight from the road but still easy for the driver to reach, and use a padlock that cannot be cut with a small pair of bolt cutters.
What to include in your request
- Cylinder sizes and how many the cage holds
- Wall mounted or bolted to a slab
- Galvanised, painted or both
- Padlock, valve lock or chain wanted
- Any estate or body corporate rules
Gas Cages & Cylinder Locks for different clients
- Homeowners: a double cage on the side wall for the cylinders feeding the geyser and stove
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: matching cages placed where the body corporate rules allow, one per unit
- Restaurants, takeaways and bakeries: a large padlocked cage at the back door for the kitchen's bank of 48 kg cylinders
- Guest houses, lodges and venues: small cages at each chalet and a larger one beside the main kitchen
- Farms and smallholdings: locked cages at the farmhouse and poultry houses, far from the road
- Factories, warehouses and workshops: caged storage for canteen and heating cylinders in a fenced yard
- Campers, caravanners and event hosts: a gas bottle lock on the cylinder for the braai on an open stoep
- Gas installers, plumbers and dealers: installers and welders supplying cages with each new gas installation
Frequently asked questions
How much does a gas cage cost?
What is a gas bottle lock?
Does a gas cage need to be ventilated?
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Gas Cages & Cylinder Locks by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg