1 lb propane cylinder
 

I'm going on my first airplane camping trip this weekend and have a question. My camping stove uses a 1lb propane cylinder, which has a warning label not to bring on an airplane, is this something I have to worry about or just a general warning not to bring on an airliner? I'll be flying upwards of 10k heading to West Yellowstone and would hate to have it explode or have a valve blow out in the baggage area. Anyone have any experience here?

I think I am qualified to answer that question...............

The problem you will have with that cylinder is if you leave it in the aircraft with the canopy closed. Heat will cause the propane to expand. And excessive heat will cause the relief valve to release the pressure before the cylinder splits open.

If you can find BUTANE for camp stoves it will work just fine above about 40 deg F. and have a much lower storage pressure.........

Example..... at 60 deg. Propane pressure is 92.5 psi. Butane pressure is 11.5 psi.
at 100 deg. Propane pressure is 172.3 psi. Butane pressure is 37.0 psi.

A cook stove requires less than1/2 pound of pressure (11" wc) to operate. Butane will be at 0 psi. at 32 deg. F.

CAUTION!! In a closed canopy on a 80 deg. F day, the pressure will exceed the capacity of the relief valve and gas will escape from the container. If there is a source of ignition, your aircraft will be........................... well, you get the picture.

This is why I use and recommend a white gas stove. A bit old school but in all the backpacking I've done, from -5*F to over 13,000' feet, out of the group I hike with I'm the only one who has not had a stove failure.

My preference is the Colman Exponent Multi Fuel Stove. The reason is simple, it works and there are no parts to get lost or clogged with dirt.

I'm with Bill (if not a bit "older school"). My camping stove is still the Svea !


it runs on just about anything including AvGas :-)

I'm with Bill on liking white gas (or multi-fuel) stoves. no issues of pressure bottles, and growing up camping in Minnesota, in the winter, they were the only thing that would light- you had to sleep with the pressure bottle fuel cans in your sleeping bag in order to get them to light in the morning. And the multi-fuels fork with whatever flammable liquid you can find....pretty much (haven't actually tried 100LL...)..

Paul

Glen,

Those are also great stoves!

Paul is correct, you have to keep those cans of fuel warm so they will light. The other problem is that unless you weigh them, you don't know how much is left.

+1 on SVEA, although they are relatively hard to find these days. Look online.

I simply drain some fuel from the tank. Note that lead plugs the orifice once you shut it down. There's a simple cure, though: each stove comes with a tool to clean the orifice, and as long as you use it at the end of each session (or before the next one), there is no problem.

Whisperlite International
 

It will burn white gas, jet A, avgas, mogas, fuel oil... remarkable little stove. As stated above, propane stoves are useless in cold weather but my Whisperlite has never failed me.

You shouldn't cook with 100LL as you will be eating Pasta LL.

See note above about losing and clogging parts.

Ya just gotta know where to look. Campmor.com has them.

Bill;
One small correction on the Coleman Exponent Multifuel stove :)
They DO have a loose part: The Kerosene generator.
That generator makes it a true multi fuel stove, and My first choice as well.
Oh, and an other little Coleman bit;
My dad always had coleman gas lanterns, early on I got into propane lanterns, then Iso-propane lanterns because they are quieter.
Then I got interested in Kerosene pressure lanterns, with all the Petromax lore, Brytelite etc. I did a lot of research, ending up on a lantern guild website, the Coleman large Kerosene lantern was rated the safest.
Yes you need to pre heat the generator with alcohol, which you can buy by the pint at any hardwae store. White gas stoves and lanterns are a bit toxic and shouldn't be used indoors, whereas the Kerosene burners are a bit safer, although you would still want good ventillation.