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#243891 - 03/27/12 09:05 PM Canister Refiller -- WARNING
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Hey, gas canisters are expensive. Why NOT just refill them with cheap gas from a bulk propane tank?


A "bulk" propane tank


Yeah, and on eBay you can get a cheap canister refiller that will do just that.

A very dangerous canister refill adapter


But refilling backpacking canisters with this particular canister refiller is inherently dangerous. Find out the whys and wherefores in my latest post:
Canister Refiller -- WARNING

HJ
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#243894 - 03/27/12 09:48 PM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: Hikin_Jim]
ILBob Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 02/05/10
Posts: 776
Loc: Northern IL
No idea if this is a real problem or not. I don't know what the little canisters are rated for. It does seem plausible though.
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#243895 - 03/27/12 09:53 PM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: ILBob]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: ILBob
No idea if this is a real problem or not. I don't know what the little canisters are rated for. It does seem plausible though.
lol. Thanks for your vote of confidence.

Backpacking canisters are generally intended for a blend of gasses, typically propane with either butane or isobutane. When you blend gasses, the resultant mixture has a vapor pressure somewhere between the various vapor pressures of the constituent gasses.

Now, go look on line or in stores. You will find no brand with more than 30% propane. A little flimsy (by comparison to 100% propane car camping canisters) backpacking canister just isn't built for 100% propane.

HJ
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Adventures In Stoving

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#243897 - 03/27/12 10:02 PM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: ]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
You certainly won't catch me anywhere near such a disaster-waiting-to-happen.

HJ
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#243899 - 03/27/12 10:20 PM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: Hikin_Jim]
ducktapeguy Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/28/06
Posts: 358
I am assuming you're referring mostly to the lightweight gas canisters for backpacking stoves? In which case I would agree with you, I'd never try and refill them.

Here's a diagram on the vapor pressures of different mix ratios

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/propane-butane-mix-d_1043.html

You can see that propane has a much higher pressure compared to butane

However, I do have a coupler for filling the small 1 lb propane bottles from the larger bulk tanks, but those 1 lb bottles are built a lot heavier than a standard stove canister. Even though I've read refilling those aren't recommended, but I've never had a problem and the risk seems much lower.


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#243900 - 03/27/12 11:02 PM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: ducktapeguy]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
I am assuming you're referring mostly to the lightweight gas canisters for backpacking stoves?
Nothing "mostly" about it. smile I am referring to the lightweight dome shaped canisters for backpacking stoves.

Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
In which case I would agree with you, I'd never try and refill them.
I believe they can be refilled safely -- just not with 100% propane.

Originally Posted By: ducktapeguy
However, I do have a coupler for filling the small 1 lb propane bottles from the larger bulk tanks, but those 1 lb bottles are built a lot heavier than a standard stove canister. Even though I've read refilling those aren't recommended, but I've never had a problem and the risk seems much lower.
The key thing here is to know the max weight before you start and never refill to greater than that weight. Overfilling is a sure way to have problems.

HJ
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#243904 - 03/28/12 12:26 AM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: Hikin_Jim]
MDinana Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/08/07
Posts: 2208
Loc: Beer&Cheese country
Originally Posted By: Hikin_Jim
You certainly won't catch me anywhere near such a disaster-waiting-to-happen.

HJ

Where's Blast? I bet he invented that tube!

(I'm joking! I hope ... )

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#243906 - 03/28/12 01:02 AM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: MDinana]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: MDinana
Where's Blast? I bet he invented that tube!
Maybe not, but I bet he could have, er, a "blast" with it. lol.

HJ
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Adventures In Stoving

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#243907 - 03/28/12 01:27 AM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: Hikin_Jim]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Originally Posted By: Hikin_Jim
Originally Posted By: MDinana
Where's Blast? I bet he invented that tube!
Maybe not, but I bet he could have, er, a "blast" with it. lol.

HJ


Have no fear, Blast is here! Let just order the gizmo and...funny, the back of my neck suddenly feels warm confused

...oh.

-Blast, being glared at by his wife. frown
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#243910 - 03/28/12 02:15 AM Re: Canister Refiller -- WARNING [Re: ]
MDinana Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/08/07
Posts: 2208
Loc: Beer&Cheese country
Originally Posted By: IzzyJG99
At this point I think Blast needs to wear this shirt at all times for the safety of others.

Why is that NOT in either safety lime-green or safety orange? I'd buy it!

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