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comparison of gas options for hiking or camping

Introduction

there are a range of options for portable gas for hiking or camping, each with their pros and cons

LPG gas cylinders
- are usually stamped with a TARE weight which is their weight when empty
- a “4kg” gas cylinder usually has a TARE weight of 4.5–6.6 kg and can contain 3.7kg of gas when full so will weigh TARE + 3.7kg when full
- the pressure inside them is generally high at 600-900kPa
  - a pressure regulator is usually needed to attach to most appliances and this reduces pressure to a more manageable and controlled 2.75kPa
    - caravans often have this regulator at the gas cylinder and thus you don't need to add extra regulators into the system for each appliance connected to the gas line - these must be fitted by licensed gas fitters.
    - some appliances have an internal regulator such as the Mr Buddy camping heater, but these may also need a fuel filter to be used at the heater end of the hose to avoid it clogging up

hiking gas cartridges are made light with thin walls and use a MIX of isobutane and propane - DO NOT refill these with propane only as they may explode as propane has much higher vapour pressures and requires a much stronger cartridge!
- they can be refilled with butane or with a similar butane/propane mix by using an EN417-to-EN417 adapter with an on-off control, but it may take some hours as fill rate may only be 25g/hr

LPG gas cylinders must not be transported long distances inside a vehicle
- it is illegal because any leak (eg. valve moved to open during transport) can cause a major explosion!
- the ideal location is secured on a roof rack or possibly in a roof pod - in either case they must be upright and preferably protected from full sun
gas may suddenly EXPLODE if
- gas leak in an enclosed space which is then exposed to a spark or naked flame (eg. inside a car, inside a tent/house, inside a BBQ)
- gas container is subjected to high temperatures such as in a fire or being close to stove flames (a risk of butane aerosol style canisters if an overly large pot or pan is used for the device)
  - if propane vapour pressure inside LPG gas bottles rises to a critical level which occurs around 60degC, the pressure relief valve will start releasing propane - this could cause an explosion so keep it out of the sun and away from hot areas
  - propane also auto-ignites at over 450°C
- gas container is punctured
- you refill a EN417 butane cartridge with propane only
- explosions may also occur if there is a nearby flammable liquid such as petrol exposed to the flames of a gas stove
sudden large flames may occur unexpectedly
- at a gas leak from a hose connector
  - BEFORE lighting a gas appliance and also after turning off the gas cylinder, ALWAYS check there are no leaks using a gas leak detectors
    - failure to do so may result in severe burns due to flames from the leak source, or worse, a gas explosion (especially if in a poorly ventilated enclosed space)
- flammable materials nearby catch on fire
  - eg. stove tips over or someone wearing flammable clothes gets too close
nearly all gas devices can pump out odourless lethal carbon monoxide, especially when on low settings or when gas is running low - ALWAYS use in ventilated spaces - carbon monoxide poisoning - the silent camp killer

How much gas do you need?

hikers generally can get by with about 25g gas use per day if they are careful and mainly just using it for boiling water for their drinks or rehydrating foods
many camping devices such as portable heaters use about 120-175g/hr - see gas heaters for camping making them considerably more expensive to run than diesel heaters even if running off a 8.7kg LPG bottle

Comparison of Australian gas options

feature	butane aerosol can	hiking cartridge	propane canister	2kg LPG	3.7kg LPG	8.5kg LPG
main uses	small camp stoves	“pocket” hiking stoves	camp heating, blow torches, camp stoves	gas lights, 2-3 burner stoves designed for 3/8″	small BBQs, most stoves, camp heaters, pizza ovens	BBQs, large stoves, caravans (fridges)
fitting	MSF-1a / A4 bayonet	EN417 screw	BOM / Coleman	Companion 3/8″	LCC27 or older POL	LCC27 or older POL
issues	butane will not work near 0degC	expensive, may be impossible to replace in regional areas	moderately expensive unless refill	heavy, can't be transported inside vehicles, proprietary fitting, no Swan'n'Go option so may need a new one after 10yrs	heavy, can't be transported inside vehicles	very heavy, can't be transported inside vehicles
availability	many shops, supermarkets	camping stores only	hardware stores, camping stores	hardware stores, camping stores but refills may be harder to get	petrol stations or hardware swap'n'go	petrol stations or hardware swap'n'go
pros	cheap, available	very compact, works in the cold, great option for hikers	refillable	good for gas lights, proprietary stoves	good compromise for car campers with roof rack or pod	best for home use or caravans as very big to transport, but gives the cheapest gas
gas type	butane or isobutane	butane/isobutane/propane mix	propane	propane	propane	propane
working pressure	2atm	4atm	14.8 to 17.3 atm?	14.8 to 17.3 atm?	14.8 to 17.3 atm?	14.8 to 17.3 atm?
hydrostatic test proof pressure				24.7 to 29.6 atm?	24.7 to 29.6 atm?	24.7 to 29.6 atm?
amount of gas	220g	230g/430g	465g	2000g	3700g	8500g
up front empty cylinder cost	nil	nil	nil	$34	$45	$55
Swap n Go or gas purchase cost	$11 for 4 ($14 for isobutane)	$13 / $18	$12.50	refill	$25	$35
cost per 100g excl. empty cylinder	$1.25	$5.65 / $4.19	$2.70 (but potential to refill from LPG)		$0.68	$0.41

NB. LPG gas bottles must be within 10 years from the stamped date to be permitted to be refilled
NB. do not allow gas bottles to heat up by sitting in the sun or otherwise - the vapour pressure inside rises exponentially with temperature and the bottle can potentially start leaking via their pressure relief valve if temperatures inside exceed 60-80degC if their hydrostatic test proof pressure is exceeded

Comparison of gas types

	butane	isobutane	propane
chemical formula	C₄H₁₀	C₄H₁₀	C₃H₈
boiling point	0.4°C	-11.75°C	-42°C
Vapour pressure
at 1.4°C	kPa	kPa	507kPa 5atm
at 21°C	215kPa	311 kPa	859kPa 8.5atm
at 25.6°C	kPa	kPa	1013kPa 10atm
at 58.1°C	kPa	kPa	2027kPa 20atm
at 94.8°C	kPa	kPa	4053kPa 40atm - this is why the bottles can explode!
relative density to air	2.0	2.1	1.53
flammable concentrations in air
flame temperature	1970°C	1975°C	1967°C
energy content MJ/kg	47.4	45.6	49.6
issues	will not work at near 0°C or below	more expensive than butane	much higher vapour pressure so need much stronger container, you can't put propane alone into a butane/propane cartridge - it will explode

Gary Ayton's camping and photography wiki

Table of Contents

comparison of gas options for hiking or camping

Introduction

How much gas do you need?

Comparison of Australian gas options

Comparison of gas types