Propane or Butane

  • Thread starter Deleted member 21686
  • Start date

Deleted member 21686

Guest
I understand that propane does not freeze in the winter but why use Butane at all?
 
MORGANTHEMOON said:
I understand that propane does not freeze in the winter but why use Butane at all?
Click to expand...

both gases are a by product of oil refining, so I guess a market has been created.

Butane has a higher calorific value than Propane and runs at a lower pressure 28 mbar as opposed to 37 mbar.

The higher pressure in respect of propane means more gas through the appliance so the calorific values are compensated.

That said , Motorhomes now have 30 mbar regulators which allow the use of both gases without having to play around with regulators.

Channa
 
MORGANTHEMOON said:
I understand that propane does not freeze in the winter but why use Butane at all?
Click to expand...
Butane is more Calorific than Propane, [ burns hotter ] that is why it is regulated at 28 mb rather than 37 mb Propane, old type regulators. Butane does not freeze, it stops gassing from liquid at lower temperatures that is why some believe it has frozen.
 
Possibly because Camping Gaz once was the only game in town and available most places?
 
***** said:
Never used Butane for years and I would imagine that all wildcampers who winter camp don't use Butane.
Click to expand...

This one does... I know I should be using Propane but being too tight to fork out for a new regulator I carried on with Butane this winter and stuffed the gas compartment with rockwool. So far so good as It seems to be well insulated and had temperatures down to minus six in early December.
A 13kg bottle lasts me about 14 weeks in the summer (cooking and fridge) and eight in winter (gas heating). Would be very interested to know how long gas lasts for you lot.
 
***** said:
Never used Butane for years and I would imagine that all wildcampers who winter camp don't use Butane.
Click to expand...

By 'winter' do you include April?? :raofl::raofl::raofl:

About 3 years ago I was camping in April at a competition. First photo shows Saturday's heat wave - everyone in shirt sleeves (notice my bare arm in corner of photo).
Second photo was Sunday morning! :scared:

I am a propane gal! :heart:

n522203787_416787_4891.jpg

n522203787_413063_238.jpg
 
Butane gives you more heat per kilo of gas, and its said to smell better, but I can't tell the difference as I always have the van well ventilated when the gas is on.
 
Bernard Jones said:
Butane gives you more heat per kilo of gas, and its said to smell better, but I can't tell the difference as I always have the van well ventilated when the gas is on.
Click to expand...

You shouldnt tell a difference, both propane and butane are odourless, and a stenching agent is added to facilitate a smell in the case of a leak

That said it is normal to sometimes smell the gas when a bottle is changed as a volmume of gas is trapped at a higher pressure between the bottle and regulator and naturally it escapes when the pigtail is undone.

channa
 
Butane was always my gas of choice, this was due to the price/bottle size, and ease of connection / disconnection.

Since having the MH I toyed with the idea of using Butane in Winter and Propane during the summer, I have all the correct pigtails and bottles to be able to do this, however this year (2011), I didn't change back to Butane, didn't notice any difference in gas usage. I can't see 2012 being any different so my Butane bottles will get skipped.
 
I work with propane all the time in my job and the stenching agent is heavier than gas and the smell tends to be more prevalant when the bottle is running low. Top tip?
 
Bernard Jones said:
Butane gives you more heat per kilo of gas, and its said to smell better, but I can't tell the difference as I always have the van well ventilated when the gas is on.
Click to expand...

And I believe the French add some Butane to the Propane in LPG at the filling stations.
 
I use both Butane and Propane in my van as many part filled bottles come my way from House Clearances ,I simply change regulators as required , I changed my system to bottle regulators some time ago, foolproof and the only loss is about an inch of gas hose each time I fit a different Regulator. my system also allows me to use bottles from other Countries when touring ,by simply fitting the required regulators, My Gas Locker will take two 13 kg bottles.Simples.
 
hi. i stopped trying tocollect lots of regs . just collect lots of adaptors to the reg of your choice . i tend to go for the old uk butne or french reg. saves space. BES can supply lots.my spanish bottle i adapt to camping gas then to old uk butane. ideal couple of quid for them or less in maroc. i find it doesnt matter what gas you put through them it works.
 
Here's a link to Calors' cylinder grouping chart. If you haven't got an empty cylinder from the same group to exchange, then you have to pay the £30 refill charge. (Worth bearing in mind before you dispose of any unwanted Calor cylinders!) I don't understand the reason for this grouping, but I'm sure someone could explain it?

https://secure.calor.co.uk/ordercalorcylinders/SuitableCylinderExchange.asp

I tend to use butane in the warmer months and propane in winter. As others have said, butane is more energy efficient than propane, but propane is more reliable in lower winter temperatures.
 
propane or butane

MORGANTHEMOON said:
I understand that propane does not freeze in the winter but why use Butane at all?
Click to expand...

i don,t worry about wich gas i have the wife to keep me warm, but really i always use butane never had any probs in winter, even my gas supplier recomends butane, just use the snap on regulater. quick and easy. happy motorhoming anyway, live the dream.
 
***** said:
I also understand that is the case, therefore we run our tanks as low as possible before returning to the UK and refill with UK propane for the winter.:wave:
Click to expand...

asked my local tanker driver here in france who gets what

the industrial grade propane tank at the depot does the propane bottles , propane for industrial or domestic bulk tanks , and the filling stations for lpg ...all the same stuff ; same in spain

the reason people get problems in cold weather is that they top up their tanks and heavy ends accumulate at the bottom ; doesn't happen if you run the tanks empty , which is what I did for 20 years
 
scampa said:
Here's a link to Calors' cylinder grouping chart. If you haven't got an empty cylinder from the same group to exchange, then you have to pay the £30 refill charge. (Worth bearing in mind before you dispose of any unwanted Calor cylinders!) I don't understand the reason for this grouping, but I'm sure someone could explain it?

https://secure.calor.co.uk/ordercalorcylinders/SuitableCylinderExchange.asp

I tend to use butane in the warmer months and propane in winter. As others have said, butane is more energy efficient than propane, but propane is more reliable in lower winter temperatures.
Click to expand...

I think you will find it is no more than product planning a lot of gas companies repaint the bottles: change valves and fill with propane or butane dependant upon the seasonal expected demand.

Consider the bottle volumes are the same in each catergory the weight to which they are filled is dependant upon the gas.

Channa
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top