Propane use in mountains

For the past 15 years we have camped eastern Sierra campground with altitude 9,500 feet. We use propane for stove,fridge,heater, hot water tank...we have never had a problem.

Hi naturist you are dead wrong. Sorry.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi MCIbus,

You have the right idea--but it is backwards. Butane has a higher boiling point than propane (-1 C for butane, and -42 C for propane). In the south--it doesn't matter and butane actually has more "heat content" than propane. Where it is cold it does matter.

MCIbus wrote:
During the winter butane is often mixed with propane and keeps the tanks from “freezing up”.

Yes, @pianotuna, and salt has both higher melting/freezing and boiling points than water, but the mixture has a lower melting/freezing point than either.

While I do not know about the addition of butane as claimed by @MCIbus, I do know that the claimed benefit would be a function of the MIXTURE rather than of the individual components thereof, just as it is with salt and water.

The thinner air at high altitudes can/does affect propane appliance operation, but it's less noticeable with fridges/stoves than with furnaces. Above 5,000 feet or so the former usually continue to function although less efficiently while furnaces can quit altogether due to sail switch "unfunction".

Thetford advises that refrigerator functional changes will begin to be noticed at around 5500 feet, which is likely true for other brands, too. That's not to say the fridge will quit altogether, though.

Hi MCIbus,

You have the right idea--but it is backwards. Butane has a higher boiling point than propane (-1 C for butane, and -42 C for propane). In the south--it doesn't matter and butane actually has more "heat content" than propane. Where it is cold it does matter.

MCIbus wrote:
The only thing I could think of dose not sound right from the information that was given.
During the winter the propane tank got to cold and the liquid would not be able to evaporate at the speed that was needed, but this happens at high flows. During the winter butane is often mixed with propane and keeps the tanks from “freezing up”.

Never had a problem running the fridge on propane in these areas.

wow what some people think. I know it takes longer to cook and food gets cold faster in the mountains.

TDiddy51 wrote:
I have just been told...

What were the qualifications of the person stating such wisdom?

..been up to 10,000' EL running a propane heater, refrig and stove...no problems. :)

The only thing I could think of dose not sound right from the information that was given.
During the winter the propane tank got to cold and the liquid would not be able to evaporate at the speed that was needed, but this happens at high flows. During the winter butane is often mixed with propane and keeps the tanks from “freezing up”.