|
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Gear Forum Propane/Butane canister fail! |
Author
Text
07/11/2019 01:24PM (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Check your propane butane canister before your trip for proper pressure.
I recently bought one from Walmart Coleman brand that definitely had fuel in it but no pressure it would light weakly and go out. I could feel it was full. Luckily I brought a spare (MSR brand) or I would have been SOL.
I recently bought one from Walmart Coleman brand that definitely had fuel in it but no pressure it would light weakly and go out. I could feel it was full. Luckily I brought a spare (MSR brand) or I would have been SOL.
07/11/2019 10:27PM
Just spitballin' here but... The pressure is a product of the vaporized portion of the fuel. While the issue could be related to the blend of propane/butane/isobutane, it was more likely related to the canister being overfilled. Too much liquid would provide too little volume for a meanngful amount vaporized fuel. My guess is that if you allow the stove to burn off some of the excess, the preformamce of the offending canister would improve.
I had to pass a couple physics courses but, that was in the distant past. So, a very small amount of very faint and fading knowledge applied to the problem. Most likely wrong but, I've tried.
I had to pass a couple physics courses but, that was in the distant past. So, a very small amount of very faint and fading knowledge applied to the problem. Most likely wrong but, I've tried.
07/12/2019 07:45AM
GBTG: "Check your propane butane canister before your trip for proper pressure.
I recently bought one from Walmart Coleman brand that definitely had fuel in it but no pressure ."
If it had fuel in it then it will make pressure. As you know, propane and butane are a gas at ambient pressure therefore, if you hear fuel inside, it was pressurized to make it liquid. I have a small stove with a clogged valve that occasionally needs some work to get the flame to stay lit.
Tom
07/12/2019 07:46AM
That is a not uncommon thing. Bad valve on the canister. Tomcat listed the more frequent problem, no shutting off.
OCDave, highly unlikely from the manufacturer, but often happens with home re-filled canisters, but not as you think. Overfilling can create dangerous over-pressure in warming canisters, bursting or worse potential. Canisters are filled by weight of fuel not volume. And filling will cool the canister, as it warms (even a few degrees, stove does not need to be operating) up it can exceed the build limits of the canister.
butthead
OCDave, highly unlikely from the manufacturer, but often happens with home re-filled canisters, but not as you think. Overfilling can create dangerous over-pressure in warming canisters, bursting or worse potential. Canisters are filled by weight of fuel not volume. And filling will cool the canister, as it warms (even a few degrees, stove does not need to be operating) up it can exceed the build limits of the canister.
butthead
"never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" George Carlin
07/12/2019 09:07AM
This happened to me on Lake Saganaga last month. The canister was an Optimus brand. I had a little 110 as a backup but it was a five day trip and I was concerned I wouldn’t have enough fuel. I kept trying the Optimus by reinstalling the stove hoping it would cooperate but it didn’t. Then in a highly caffeinated moment I tightened the stove on with a great deal of force. The canister made a hiss and behaved normally after that.
07/12/2019 04:46PM
In the collective experience of bwca.com, if a canister is removed and does not seal....is leaking, when one reattaches it to the stove does that fix the problem permanently? can you then detach it from the stove? or are you just stuck using the valve on the stove as your new seal?
Never criticize someone until you walk a mile in their shoes....by then you'll be a mile away and they will be shoeless!
07/12/2019 05:37PM
Leaking valves on a canister release contents fast and get frigid making re-attaching difficult. If successful little usable fuel remains. I have always let the offending canister vent till empty. My personal observations.
butthead
butthead
"never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" George Carlin
07/13/2019 07:56AM
I have used plenty of those canisters and found that they always worked when the stove is tightened past the point of what you feel is safe to twist (not a good feeling!) but they always worked. Also, when they've leaked after I take the stove off they always quit leaking after a half minute or less. For these reasons I just quit trying to save money by using them and spent the little extra on the more expensive fuel. They probably work as expected on Coleman products, but I don't use any Coleman brand blended fuel stoves.
“The more you know, the less you carry” Mors Kochanski
Subscribe to Thread
Become a member of the bwca.com community to subscribe to thread and get email updates when new posts are added. Sign up Here