Propane Camp Gear

[DancesWithKnives]

When oil came close to $150/barrel, my local supplier was charging $13/gal for Coleman fuel. Up in Western Alaska, it was roughly double that. However, propane did not jump nearly as much in either location. I'm thinking of converting to propane stoves & lanterns. The alternative would be stoves & lanterns that run on unleaded automotive gas. However, I've heard that unleaded gas stoves/lanterns are prone to clogging.

Any thoughts and/or recommendations?

DWK

[Altjaeger]

I have heard both ways on the unleaded gas appliances. I got a foul taste in my mouth for dual fuel lanterns back in the 1970s with military Coleman lanterns designed to burn leaded gas, the same as our vehicles. They even came with little tool kits to tear them down and clean them, which seemed about every 3-4 hours use. I know it is not a fair comparison as leaded gas has not been around a long time, but that tastes still lingers. I also know they have other additives in gas and for all I know they may clog jets too. I don't know if Amoco Gas Stations are still around or if their premium gas is still "White" gas. If so then that is the only fuel from a pump I would use.

I have a gas stove and two lanterns plus a propane stove and two lanterns. I also have one burner stoves for each type fuel. I am set for which ever way prices flow. Gas (Coleman Fuel) is better below about 45 being easier to flow and light than propane. One the other hand propane is much more convenient to use if tempertures are good. The propane appliances are also much lower in initial cost when purchasing.

If you want to get Coleman's "tree" and lines you can run multiple applianes of a large bulk bottle very economically. The down side is that you are tied to the tree. Also there is a device on the market that lets you refill the small bottles ( I know they are marked not for refill) normally used from a bulk tank at great savings.

Which do I use? Truthfully both. Sometimes I decide on conditions and sometimes whim or by what fuel is on hand. Sometimes when numbers are required I mix them. Since you have the Coleman fuel appliances I would get a second set of propane for when there is that large price difference in fuel.

[ncboman]

I use propane but I hate the lantern noise.


Also there is a device on the market that lets you refill the small bottles

I've got one of those and it works great. Best I can figure, I save 70% or more refilling the small bottles. :eek:

The bottles have to be cooler than the tank for it to work properly. When it's time to refill, I ride the tank in the truck with the heater on and warm it up.

Doan like messin with smelly fuel when I'm deer huntin so I quit using gas stuff altogether.

ncboman

[LampLighter]

The bottles have to be cooler than the tank for it to work properly. When it's time to refill, I ride the tank in the truck with the heater on and warm it up.



Exactly how we get those EPA refrigerant recovery jugs to " hurry up" ICE.

[ncboman]

Ohio is always cold in Nov but I often find myself refilling the bottles when temps are less than 20f. That's why I have to heat the tank.

The transfer device more than paid for itself the first time I used it and I've used it quite a bit since then. ;)

ncboman

[Greywolf]

yeah,
I was going to mention that the outside temps have a large effect on the LP.
And that dependent on the situation, LP puts a whole lot of moisture into the air as it burns.

[DancesWithKnives]

Gentlemen: Thanks for the advice. I've often wondered about how effective the refilling devices are.

DWK

[StringJumper]

I converted all of my gas devices over to propane a few years ago. My son joined Cub Scouts and they don't allow anything that uses gas. But I don't regret it. One of my least favorite chores was to refill an empty lantern or stove at 5:00 AM in deer camp when it's 20 degrees.

[Twanger]

I converted all of my gas devices over to propane a few years ago. My son joined Cub Scouts and they don't allow anything that uses gas. But I don't regret it. One of my least favorite chores was to refill an empty lantern or stove at 5:00 AM in deer camp when it's 20 degrees.

I prefer propane for cooking, particularly in the tent because it doesn't smell the place up like Coleman fuel. Ditto for my in-tent heater. I use electric lanterns for light inside the tent (not heat or smell) and with LED's they are so efficient that battery use has become a virtual non-issue. I still love the Coleman fuel lantern for outside the tent. It throws a huge circle of light, it's cheap, and heat and smell is not an issue.

[alan]

Also there is a device on the market that lets you refill the small bottles ( I know they are marked not for refill) normally used from a bulk tank at great savings.
Please tell me more about this device. What is it called/who makes it/Where can I buy it/ how do you transfer propane from large tank to bottles? Thanks, Al BTW, I recently bought the Coleman tailgater grill and reccommend it highly for camping, vacations, picnics, etc.

[Altjaeger]

It is called the "brass propane filler coupler" available from Northern Tool and Equipment. It is item #1726 for $18.95 plus shipping.

NC is the one who recommended and has used it. My understanding is you chill the small cylinders overnight in the freezer while warming the larger tank to maybe the 90s before making the transfer.

As I recall that will give you about 80% of the fuel found in a new cylinder. Hopefully NC will wander thrrough and fill in the gaps and correct errors.

[ncboman]

uh, yeah.

I got mine off ebay. It's called a MAC COUPLER. It works best when the small bottle is cooler than the tank and the tank must be turned upside down before opening the valve to fill the bottle.

I doan know about the 80% part. From a fresh tank, it fills em pretty full in about a minute. You can 'hear' and feel the fuel being exchanged until it's full. When the tank runs down, it takes longer to fill and they don't get as full.

I keep losing count of how many refills I get from a 20#tank.

ncboman

[Bill Mc]

One this to remember about propane.

Much to my Scoutmaster friends dismay, It just doesn't work when the temps get really cold. He found this out one cold January morning in extreme North Georgia while attempting to cook breakfast.

Good thing I has a gas burner.:)

[ncboman]

I haven't yet run into a situation where LP didn't work and I've camped in some very cold conditions.

ncboman

[M99ER]

Alan,
There are so many places who have them, I did a Google Search so you can have a choice. Tractor Supply, Northern Tool and many others not in the search also carry them.

There's also discussions on how to do it. Generally you have your bulk tank warm and your 1lb bottle fresh out from the freezer. Connect them together, flip the big tank upside down and then open the valve and wait till the hissing stops. If you only get it half full you can put it in the freezer a second time to fill it the rest of the way.

Link (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=8Pi&ei=FKYYStG2L5nKtgeo8tzxDA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=refill+propane+bottle&spell=1)

As to propane not working in the cold? It's true. When the temps get below +10F and you use the big tanks, they frost up, slow down and eventually stop working. If it's -15F they just don't work at all.

We used to point a 35KBTU propane fired torpedo heater directly at the 20lb tank in a friends garage just so the dang thing would stay lit.

[Rock Chuck]

I've been using one of these for over 20 years. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT overfill. Lay the bottle on it's side and don't tip it upright. If an overfull one gets too warm, it will bulge and could burst. You really don't want that to happen in your car trunk. You're better off taking several under filled ones than one overfilled bomb.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21LKJG%2BjIqL._SS400_.jpg

[alan]

Alan,
There are so many places who have them, I did a Google Search so you can have a choice. Tractor Supply, Northern Tool and many others not in the search also carry them.
You're right; Having never before heard of them , I just never noticed them or gave any thought to it until now From the warning labels, I was under the impression it was too dangerous . My new Cabelas catalog has it too. Thanks for all the info.

[tjhuels]

Have used gas stoves (Coleman, SVEA, Optimus, etc.) for 40 years. Not as convenient as propane, perhaps, but I keep mine clean and they have always been reliable (have had the same Coleman two-burner since 1969, and a Peak 400 for canoe trips since 1985. Both still work like a charm.)

Many of the newer propane stoves (backpacker versions) have fuel containers which cannot be refilled, not very eco-conscious. Also, most people don't refill their propane bottles, so a lot of that goes into the landfill.

TH

[Greywolf]

tjhuels,

speaking of camp stoves, I have a coleman single burner that is close to the same a s the 400 feather.
Think it might need a part or two. I have a spare generator, but I.m not sure it is the right one, as it looks the same all except the nut which has grooves cut in it around it's circumffrence. the one on the stove dose not have them.
The stove I have is a multi fuel which includes kerosene on it's list of fuels.
Do you think possibly this may be the generator for kerosene only? Would hate to find out the hard way that i put the wrong generator on it for use with white gas:eek:

Do you know, or know where I might find this information?

BTW
was considering a svea or one of the optimus' R8, 111, or hiker, any opinions on these?

[M99ER]

GW,
We'd need the model of stove and the part number of replacement part to research it out. You may want to contact Coleman directly for your answer however.

I have an older Coleman Peak-1 stove that took me forever to find a replacement generator for. But I figured out it was bad gas and now I have a spare replacement for one if anyone needs.

Found it at Campmor (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Home_)

[Greywolf]

Hey M99,

The mod #550B499 near as I can tell.

how's plans? Taking shape yet?

[M99ER]

Yep. Reservations made at a place with a brook to trap bait in,, about 150 yards away. I decided to hold off but my buddy and his son are going for sure. I'm going to concentrate on giving my dad a good time fishing locally as he is 82yo and he and my mom want WP fillets. I even cleaned yesterdays batch for them..

What's the part number for the generator you are questioning use and fit? The number you posted shows 2 different generators. One gas, one kero.

NVM,
I just found your answer. Here. (http://www.colemanaustralia.com.au/SiteFiles/colemanaustraliacomau/manuals/Exponent%20Multi%20Fuel%20Stove%20550B725.pdf)

It's a pdf manual for the Peak 1 stoves and states that the groove on the nut is to identify the generator for use with kerosene.

[Greywolf]

M99,

Don't blame you for spending time there with your Dad. Have not been hearing very many whopper stories around here lately anyway.
I would opt for the same if I could. White Perch was one of his favorites as well.
And fishing is the only thing we ever did together that did not involve a fight.

That tells me what I needed to know, and that is what the grooves mean.

I knew that that particular one would use kero, but wanted to be sure that the spare generator I had was in fact a kero generator.
Now I won't go putting it on the stove and finding out the hard way that it was not meant to be used with white-gas:eek:

And thanks for the copy of original paper work. That will be handy at some point in the future for sure.

[tjhuels]

"was considering a svea or one of the optimus' R8, 111, or hiker, any opinions on these?"

Have an SVEA, a R8, and a111. They're all basically the same unit in a different container. All work wonderfully, are small and easy to tote either backpacking or canoeing.

They all need to be primed (preheated) in order to operate: a dropper full of gas or alcohol around the burner plate, strike a match, let the flame almost burn out, then open the gas valve. Once going, they ROAR.

SVEA has its own little pot, versions of the 111 have a small aluminum cook kit.

All have a little cleaning needle for the gas jet, but in 30 years I've only had to use one twice, maybe. Just use Coleman Fuel only, or pure white gas, not unleaded from the pump.

You can get them quite reasonably at a garage sale or on ebay, on sale by the once-every-two-years camper wannabees.::p

good luck

TH

[Greywolf]

Thanks tjhuels,
I've been watching e-bay and trying to fige which one to bid on. But really needed to know the strength oe weaknesses of either type.
Both sound as if they fit the bill. And of coarse the Svea comes with a pot as a cover, hmmmm.
I think the one I buy will have coffee stains in the pot, soon!:D