Propane versus Butane

Sam_Steele

Sam_Steele

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Location
Winchfield, Hampshire
www.circumnavigation-uki.co.uk
We are putting in a gas cooker - finally saying goodbye to our paraffin cooker. But due to the size of our gas locker we can either fit a 2.92kg butane camping gas cylinder or a 3.9kg propane cyclinder. What are the pros and cons of butane versus propane? Does it have the same calorific value, cost, availability in UK, Ireland and further a field.
Thank you in advance.
Sam
 
Sam_Steele said:
We are putting in a gas cooker - finally saying goodbye to our paraffin cooker. But due to the size of our gas locker we can either fit a 2.92kg butane camping gas cylinder or a 3.9kg propane cyclinder. What are the pros and cons of butane versus propane? Does it have the same calorific value, cost, availability in UK, Ireland and further a field.
Thank you in advance.
Sam
Click to expand...

propane burns slightly colder but freezes at much lower temps
butane burns hotter but freezes @ higher temps
i would have propane every time
 
If you intend to go cruising, availability is everything, for instance here 4.7kg Calor is stocked everywhere, Camping Gaz is also reasonably widely available sometimes from caravan sites but is considerably more expensive. The 7.2kg Calor we use, is not so widely stocked except on carvan sites and garages but lasts well so it gives a good range.
Many local marinas and harbours don't seem to stock small propane bottles.
 
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The main consideration is the temperature at which the two are usable.

Butane becomes unusable below 3 or 4 C. Propane remains usable down to minus Lord knows what. (but I don't off the top of my head)

So if you use the boat in mid winter you'll need propane.

Other consideration, which becomes the overiding factor if you are not wanting to use at low temp, is the very high cost of Camping Gaz refills!
 
There are many threads on this subject, including quite recent ones on the Liveaboard forum. A search will help you to make a decision.

So far as the gas itself is concerned there isn't much to it on a boat as the temperature rarely falls low enough in UK to prevent vapourisation of butane. In Holland, where it did happen from time to time, we used to fill a thermos with boiling water before going to bed, and tipped it over the regulator in the morning, which kept the gas flowing all day. If you fit a 30 mb bulkhead regulator you can run all your appliances on either gas. I run my camper van cooker and central heating on propane (Autogas), it is indistinguishable from butane.

The fly in the ointment is availability. Most chandlers or water-side premises throughout Europe stock Camping Gaz. Very few seem to stock propane and in some countries it is almost unavailable. If you fit a Calor propane bottle you will not be able to exchange it anywhere except in UK (not even IOM or Ireland). In countries such as France and Spain, where propane is quite often sold in supermarkets, the bottles have different fittings from Calor and are usually much bigger.
 
vyv_cox said:
There are many threads on this subject, including quite recent ones on the Liveaboard forum. A search will help you to make a decision.

So far as the gas itself is concerned there isn't much to it on a boat as the temperature rarely falls low enough in UK to prevent vapourisation of butane. In Holland, where it did happen from time to time, we used to fill a thermos with boiling water before going to bed, and tipped it over the regulator in the morning, which kept the gas flowing all day. If you fit a 30 mb bulkhead regulator you can run all your appliances on either gas. I run my camper van cooker and central heating on propane (Autogas), it is indistinguishable from butane.

The fly in the ointment is availability. Most chandlers or water-side premises throughout Europe stock Camping Gaz. Very few seem to stock propane and in some countries it is almost unavailable. If you fit a Calor propane bottle you will not be able to exchange it anywhere except in UK (not even IOM or Ireland). In countries such as France and Spain, where propane is quite often sold in supermarkets, the bottles have different fittings from Calor and are usually much bigger.
Click to expand...

Calor is available in some Dutch marinas as i have bought it & exchanged cylinders
 
I find that working yards stock propane.
It is a bit cheaper than Butane and waaaayy cheaper than Camping Gaz.

I was able to use my gas kettle on the boat last weekend at 1`C.

I use a universal calor type regulator that does both propane and butane (less than a fiver from BES Ltd) and also carry a camping gaz tap and regulator just in case.
In emergency that will work. Pain having to temporarily carry en extra cylinder though.

I am lucky, I have room for 2 6kg Propane in my gas locker which will do me a seasona nd a half for 30 quids worth of gas. Thats using it most weekends and at least a 2 week holiday each year.
 
These bpeople stock all sort of adaptors for various different countries and systems. They also do a 're-fillable' cylinder which can be used abroad but not in the UK(unless it's in a Motorhome where you can refill with Autogas at a filling station. http://www.gaslow.co.uk/
Very useful if you get their catalogue or speak to them.
 
Sam_Steele said:
But due to the size of our gas locker we can either fit a 2.92kg butane camping gas cylinder or a 3.9kg propane cylinder.
Sam
Click to expand...

Just to point out that if you can fit a 3.9kg propane cylinder then equally you can fit a 4.5kg (Calor, Flogas etc.) butane cylinder: they are the same size - in fact they are the same cylinder, same test pressure etc., but with a different valve and paint colour.

If you do decide on propane then refilling cylinders at home from a larger e.g. 47kg cylinder makes the gas very good value (less than £1/kg currently). Not so easily achieved with butane as it isn't readily available in large cylinders.
 
vyv_cox said:
If you fit a 30 mb bulkhead regulator you can run all your appliances on either gas.
Click to expand...

Doesn't that depend on whether or not your appliances are modern enough (post 2004?) to be jetted to accept either gas at the same 30mb pressure?

I know, for example, that my cooker expects butane at 27-30mb or propane at 37mb. I think that if I fed it propane at 30mb the kettle would take a long time to boil. I have seperate regulators for butane or propane.
 
Steve_N said:
Just to point out that if you can fit a 3.9kg propane cylinder then equally you can fit a 4.5kg (Calor, Flogas etc.) butane cylinder: they are the same size - in fact they are the same cylinder, same test pressure etc., but with a different valve and paint colour.

If you do decide on propane then refilling cylinders at home from a larger e.g. 47kg cylinder makes the gas very good value (less than £1/kg currently). Not so easily achieved with butane as it isn't readily available in large cylinders.
Click to expand...

Highly dangerous to fill your own cylinders unless you know what you're doing. If you overfill there is a risk that liquid gas will pass into the pipework then expand 200 times at the appliance nozzle filling the room/boat/caravan with a ball of flame.
 
daveyw said:
Highly dangerous to fill your own cylinders unless you know what you're doing. [/QUOTE

Just fill to the specified weight i.e. 3.9kg in a 3.9kg cylinder. Tare weights are stamped on each cylinder and repeated on the aluminium disk beneath the valve at each cylinder re-test/re-valving. Apply common sense and it is totally without drama.
Click to expand...
 
While we're on the subject of liquid gas entering the piping, I came across a 'yachtblog' type site the other day where a guy was using his Camping Gaz cylinders upside down (i.e. liquid take off) because they fitted better in the locker that way :-) He reported no problems - EEK!

I'll see if I can find it again..

EDIT: here it is:

"I finally decided to set the Camping GAZ bottles in the locker upside down. The spare bottle is inverted in the picture. I inverted the active bottle, which allowed the locker cover to close and the bench space to once more be used for sitting. There is some risk that liquid Butane my enter the system and cause a serious flare-up on the stove, but I don't believe that will happen."

http://www.svsarah.com/Sarah/ewUpgradeGalley.htm
 
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Steve_N said:
daveyw said:
Highly dangerous to fill your own cylinders unless you know what you're doing. [/QUOTE

Just fill to the specified weight i.e. 3.9kg in a 3.9kg cylinder. Tare weights are stamped on each cylinder and repeated on the aluminium disk beneath the valve at each cylinder re-test/re-valving. Apply common sense and it is totally without drama.
Click to expand...

So you "know what you're doing". Most don't.
Click to expand...
 
Steve_N said:
While we're on the subject of liquid gas entering the piping, I came across a 'yachtblog' type site the other day where a guy was using his Camping Gaz cylinders upside down (i.e. liquid take off) because they fitted better in the locker that way :-) He reported no problems - EEK!

I'll see if I can find it again..
Click to expand...

Often wondered about that. Provided the regulator continues to control the downstream pressure I can see it working Ok.
I was actually thinking of trying it to see what happens (not on the boat ... in the garden with the camping stove )

But all the vaporisation will take place in the regulator, its going to get pretty cool around there maybe to the detriment of its insides.
 
VicS said:
Often wondered about that. Provided the regulator continues to control the downstream pressure I can see it working Ok.
I was actually thinking of trying it to see what happens (not on the boat ... in the garden with the camping stove )

But all the vaporisation will take place in the regulator, its going to get pretty cool around there maybe to the detriment of its insides.
Click to expand...

It might be controlling the downstream pressure but of what? Vapour or liquid? The liquid may pass thro the reg at 28/30/37mbar but as it warms to ambient temp against a closed valve it will rise to 2-5 bar! Far in excess of your appliance ratings. Then when you open an appliance valve, that 2-5 bar of liquid will rush out expanding as it goes. If I see SV Sarah I'd certainly be mooring well away from her!
 
is propane, being lighter than butane (though still heavier than air), more likely to disperse from any build up in the bilge?
 
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