Butane Vs. Propane

cliff

cliff

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 Apr 2004
Messages
9,468
Location
various
Visit site
At the moment I am using Butane for cooking on the boat - correction SHMO does the cooking.

I am considering changing from the Camping Gaz cylinders to Calor Propane mainly due to cost and ability to cook during the colder winter months.

Unfortunately the gas locker will not take two calor cylinders although it will hold two CG cylinders so any spare calor cylinders would have to be stored in the lazerette.

Any thoughts on the subject?
----------
hammer.thumb.gif
“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
Skype id:cliffillupo
 
Hi Cliff,

I'm surprised you need the greater capacity unless you're living aboard, and even then, from our experience, a single C Gaz cylinder would last us about a month, so even in this rip-off country, not that expensive. We have only had a problem on about three occasions with winter/cold weather cooking, but got over the problem simply by putting one of the cylinders in the cockpit locker adjacent to the calorifier if it looked like especially cold weather was due.

Ok, the Health and Safety Gestapo would frown from on high I know, but the need was so rare, that we felt it worth the risk. It's not something I'd be happy with on a long term basis though.

Granted we only tended to cook more than one meal a day (far too hot!) perhaps 2-3 times a week, but otherwise used gas 'normally'.

The easy availability of CG, not only in this country, but also everywhere we visited (unlike Calor) was our other major consideration. We would make the same decision again.

Cheers Jerry
 
Spare gas bottles should not be stored in any locker other than one dedicated to the purpose and vented in the same way as the locker for the inservice bottle. In practice many people, I suspect, do as you suggest, and end up with them any way up as well.

Can you not contruct a simple inner locker within the lazerette that can be vented and that will keep the bottles upright and secure. You list woodwork as one of your hobbies!
 
standard calor gas is butane, the orange cylinders are propane camping gaz is also butane, but much more expensive than normal calor. You can buy a connector from a caravan shop, which allows you to connect a proper calor gas regulator to the top of a camping gas bottle.

The only reason for changing to propane (which works at a slightly different pressure and MAY need a different regulator) is if you are boating in cold weather, as propane has a lower freeze point.

Some of the gasflow regulators will cope with both propane and butane
 
For LPG (propane) and assuming using own refillable cylinders it is usually recommended that one empties the cylinder completely before refilling to avoid a build up over time of the butane which exists with the propane and boils off last.

Unless one has 2 cylinders then to do this one has to vent gas to waste before refilling. Convenient way is to have two cylinders and swap over when one empties - also means that you never run out at sea if a full cylinder always on hand.

In response to Cliff's question, I would never consider carrying any PG inside the boat except if as a propellent in an aerosol can or the lighters for the stove. Even the small can of butane for refilling the stove lighters goes in the gas locker.

John
 
Re: Butane Vs. Propane:re; Ships cat

generally speaking,its unusual for people to have their own refillable cylinders in U.K. and Europe.You simply return the empty cylinder ( on which you paid a deposit eons ago), and take away a full one, paying only for the gas.
I changed to propane (although I have regulators for both propane and butane ) in 2003 when the new gas system went in. A small cylinder lasts ages, as previously said. Mine lasts 6 months of endlessly boiling kettles. Most cookers will run on both gases,but propane does run at a higher pressure - you may find that your burners `pop` when you turn off the control quickly rather than slowly turning it down and off. The best bit with propane in our colder climate is that it works on the coldest days,afloat or ashore. Butane is a real pest in this respect.
 
Couple of points ...

LPG = Liquid Petroleum Gas and is NOT just limited to Propane , Butane is LPG as well.

Butane can fail to vapourise sufficiently at temps below freezing - making the burner spit or refuse to light. Propane vapourises at far lower temperature and is the choice for colder climates - such as where I live in Latvia.

I maintain a boat and holiday home in UK and only one time have I had trouble with Butane - that was with the HH at start of March season - when temp dropped to below freezing at night - making the gas fire splutter and go out. Cahnged to propane and never had problem since.

IMHO - unless you have desire to a) store gas bottle outside of any locker in open air - normally the bottle will work as most lockers are near waterline ... with subsequent slight temp protection (my boat suffers no problem with its Calor Gas butane in its self drain locker ...), b) really sail in REAL cold weather .... c) wish to venture further north and cruise winter months .............. then Butane is fine.

In moderate climates it really is down to personal choice and ease of supply.
 
We keep the spare camping gaz bottle in the anchor locker, held in place with shock cord. As the locker already has an overboard vent/drain, no further modification is needed!

David
 
Re: Couple of points ...

LPG = Liquid Petroleum Gas and is NOT just limited to Propane

Agree absolutely, strictly the term covers all liquifiable petroleum gases.

However, in most parts of the world propane (actually containing some butane as well, amount depending on the country and - sometimes - time of the year) is sold without further qualification as to composition to consumers under the name LPG. So no one should get the impression that if they are buying "LPG" that they are getting the lower vapour pressure butane.

John
 
True ... but

Sorry to labour this John ......... but reason that it is labelled LPG is because Propane is the normal supplied domestic gas bottled and piped in many european and northern locations ... actually a mix of Propane and Butane
To obtain Butane in most places like these is actually quite difficult ....... except if you want to fill a cigarette lighter !
It's a bit like a Vacuum Cleaner being called a Hoover - its association rather than fact - doesn't take long for label to say same ......
and I must qualify this now - my Inspectors cover approximately 8,000 M. Tons of Propane, 2000 M. tons of Butane each month as part of our Inspection work - along with full analysis .....

I don't disagree with you - but we have to be acreful as there might be someone who slips up on it and may have an accident.
 
Re: True ... but

Not sure what you are labouring to me Nigel cos you must misunderstand me /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif - I haven't said anything different to what you have said in your last post. In fact I think I said exactly the same thing except that I referred to most places in the world - I didn't limit my comment to Europe and northern countries.

In most places in the world if you buy "LPG" you get propane (with various amounts of butane in it) and when people go and ask for "LPG" (and that is what people buy propane as in most places) they expect to get propane. Is exactly what you are saying too?

In my original post I used "LPG" in those terms - most people in the world relate "LPG" and propane as being synonyms for the same thing. Strictly, as we both agree, that association is technically incorrect.

Also, as you say, it is quite difficult to buy butane here too, as it is in most countries (but not UK, in which I do not live), except as you say for filling butane lighters and such like.

John /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Cliff,

I have a setup (not on boat) where I fitted a T-valve in the supply line, then connected a Calor Butane regulator on one branch and a Propane one on the otehr, carry two bottles permanently connected. Run on Calor Butane most of the time - it's easily obtained. When we run out, or it's too cold, just swing the valve to the propane until you get more Butane, or it warms up a bit. The Propane bottle will last years like this, and keep you covered.
The valve and propane regulator cost about a tenner in a caravan shop.


Alistair
 
Just a quick one. I bought a gas BBQ the other day and instructions tell me to use Propane . Local gas man told me that I could use Butane for it but the pressure would be lower. He did say that burners designed for Butane should not use propane (because of the pressure difference)
 
Many burners have possibility to change jets depending on gas type .... if you use wrong jets you could find the flame unstable to adjust in extreme cases.
The biggest problem is the regulator and basically once that is changed many BBQ's and hobs will run ok.

When we fitted the new hob to our kitchen out here ... Butane is NOT available domestically - the hob was surprisingly fitted for butane .... so we had to change jets. But the action of the hob wasn't that bad .... just that we couldn't get the flame really low !! Other strange thing is that Zanussi had fitted a Butane connector to the gas inlet pipe ... which had to be bridged to propane ..... that was a pain!

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
I found this on the Alde heating web site in FAQ.

Q. Propane or butane – what type of LPG (liquid petroleum gas) should I use?

Propane. Alde UK recommends the use of propane in all Alde heating and SMEV galley systems within the UK.

The operating temperature ranges of propane and butane are very different, and will impact performance even at mild temperatures. Note also that gas in a smaller bottle will cool quicker as it is tapped than in a larger bottle, and bottles chilled overnight may not warm to operating temperature again during the day. Thus the size of a bottle and the temperature at which it's stored will also impact performance.

BS 5482 Part 1 states, "For butane cylinders, satisfactory service might not be obtained at temperatures of less than 10 °C; the most suitable temperature range is from 13 to 30 °C. For temperatures less than 13 °C, the use of propane should be considered."

Propane will operate down to -42 °C and is more suitable for the British climate.

Be aware that Campingaz (formerly Camping Gaz) is butane, and therefore not recommended for use our systems.

Calor Patio Gas and BP Light are Propane.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top