Everything and then some has been discussed at some point on BWCA, but was wondering what folks are doing with their spent fuel canisters these days. I have 2 pretty low and read you can puncture them and just throw them in the recycle metal bin. But that depends on your area I suppose.

See ya all on EP14 on June 12.

3R

This seems to vary greatly with area. My local recycling center's metal bin is signed (in multiple places) "NO FUEL CANISTERS". We've visited several National Parks where fuel canisters were being collected for recycling, and many of the iso-butane canisters suggest emptying, then puncturing/recycling, but we ultimately have to comply with local regs...

TZ

JetBoil Recycle video

Yes, you can, but yes you'll have to check where you are. If not regular recycling, there may be a hazardous waste collection day(s) in your area, or you may have to seek out an independent recycler, but there's usually a way.

At one time I came across a small bag of green plastic plugs. As I recall they were branded Coleman and they were to be inserted in spent small green fuel canisters to fully vent them and allow for recycling. I used them up and never found them again.

Church key them and recycle

I used to drill a hole in it to empty them, then I brought them to work and used our filter crusher to crush them. Then just tossed them in the metal recycling bin.

I just ordered a little valve to refill them. The cost was about $10.00. It's coming from China so who knows when it will get here. You can find them in stock online for much more though. There are several youtube videos describing the process. I'm going to buy the 16 oz. isopro cannisters to top off my 4 and 8 oz. cannisters for about half the cost of new.

deerfoot: "At one time I came across a small bag of green plastic plugs. As I recall they were branded Coleman and they were to be inserted in spent small green fuel canisters to fully vent them and allow for recycling. I used them up and never found them again."

Found a few of the Coleman Green Key Tool in the garage. In the past I used them to recycle spent fuel canisters. A quick web search indicates they are no longer made because many recyclers don’t accept the canisters.

deerfoot: "

deerfoot: "At one time I came across a small bag of green plastic plugs. As I recall they were branded Coleman and they were to be inserted in spent small green fuel canisters to fully vent them and allow for recycling. I used them up and never found them again."

Found a few of the Coleman Green Key Tool in the garage. In the past I used them to recycle spent fuel canisters. A quick web search indicates they are no longer made because many recyclers don’t accept the canisters. "

Follow the diagram on the package and you risk a nasty frostbite. Story told to me by a friend...

This is one of the reasons I've stuck with liquid fuel so far. Tried a canister stove once and hated guessing how much was left and having a couple partials around.

Blatz: "Church key them and recycle"

+1
That's what I do.

cyclones30: "This is one of the reasons I've stuck with liquid fuel so far. Tried a canister stove once and hated guessing how much was left and having a couple partials around. "

There's a simple solution to the how much fuel is left. Two actually:

Weigh it before use, weigh it after, subtract the difference from fuel for the amount remaining. The canister weight remains constant.

JetBoil also makes the Jet Guage

I use the JetBoil Crunchit and recycle them also.

boonie: "

cyclones30: "This is one of the reasons I've stuck with liquid fuel so far. Tried a canister stove once and hated guessing how much was left and having a couple partials around. "

There's a simple solution to the how much fuel is left. Two actually:


Weigh it before use, weigh it after, subtract the difference from fuel for the amount remaining. The canister weight remains constant.


JetBoil also makes the Jet Guage "

Yup. I weigh mine when new and Sharpie the weight on the bottom. An 8 oz MSR canister usually starts out around 13.3 oz or so.

You can also set the canister in the water and see how high it floats. MSR actually prints a gauge on the side of theirs to help judge.

Voyager: "I just ordered a little valve to refill them. The cost was about $10.00. It's coming from China so who knows when it will get here. You can find them in stock online for much more though. There are several youtube videos describing the process. I'm going to buy the 16 oz. isopro cannisters to top off my 4 and 8 oz. cannisters for about half the cost of new."

Have you checked into whether this is legal? Valves have been sold to refill green 1lb propane cylinders too but that is illegal under federal law. There are one pound propane cylinders that are legal to refill but the standard ones you buy are not. There's a good chance refilling the standard isobutane cylinders is also illegal.

cyclones30: "This is one of the reasons I've stuck with liquid fuel so far. Tried a canister stove once and hated guessing how much was left and having a couple partials around. "To solve this problem I take 2 canisters. When I use one I put duct tape on the side or bottom of it. When it’s empty I move it to the top of the canister. Then start the new one.
When I get home I replace the empty one and shoot the
It with my pellet gun to completely empty it.

Sh..Sh.Sh. Don't tell anyone , but I refill the green propane cylinders too.

WIMike: "

Voyager: "I just ordered a little valve to refill them. The cost was about $10.00. It's coming from China so who knows when it will get here. You can find them in stock online for much more though. There are several youtube videos describing the process. I'm going to buy the 16 oz. isopro cannisters to top off my 4 and 8 oz. cannisters for about half the cost of new."

Have you checked into whether this is legal? Valves have been sold to refill green 1lb propane cylinders too but that is illegal under federal law. There are one pound propane cylinders that are legal to refill but the standard ones you buy are not. There's a good chance refilling the standard isobutane cylinders is also illegal. "

I do believe the refilling is completely legal. It is transporting a re-filled tank that is illegal.
There are a slew of DOT laws pertaining to transport of refillable/bulk propane tanks (I have used some 4 pounders and they can be found in 1 pound size). Same applies to isobutane canisters but I do not know if any are approved for refilling by DOT laws.

butthead

There are videos about how to do it, and all kinds of little valves and adapters out there. You can connect two cannisters together and refill the smaller ones from the larger ones. Saves a few bucks. Or you can buy those different butane cans (the taller, smaller diameter ones) even cheaper and use them to top off your cannisters. If you use pure butane your cold weather performance will suffer. You can buy adapters to to put propane in your cartridges, which is dangerous if you end up with pure propane...the cannisters contain a propane/butane mix with a lower vapor pressure than pure propane. but you can blend propane and butane to replicate what the cannisters come with in the first place. The danger and possibilities are endless! Get a little digital postage scale to get your weights correct.

Of course it may be illegal to transport any refilled cannister, so I don't recommend anyone do it, of course.

Joe

Captn Tony: "

cyclones30: "This is one of the reasons I've stuck with liquid fuel so far. Tried a canister stove once and hated guessing how much was left and having a couple partials around. "

To solve this problem I take 2 canisters. When I use one I put duct tape on the side or bottom of it. When it’s empty I move it to the top of the canister. Then start the new one.
When I get home I replace the empty one and shoot the
It with my pellet gun to completely empty it. "

Just fixing the quote font.