filling butane cylinder

Ex-Tech wrote:
You might find it hard to find anyone to fill your tank

I decided, to leave my 5 lbs butane cylinder at home.
So refilling isn't an issue any more.

When I arrive in the states, I will look for someone who can help me to install any kind of propane canister in my small gas-locker, which is only 13 inches tall, diameter 8 inches.
I will stay for 18 weeks, but I don't use the stove every day. 5 lbs should be enough for the entire trip. I would buy 10 Coleman cylinders with 16.4 oz each, but with all the adapters they do not fit in my locker :-(

I know the campingworld stores. Are there other places where I should ask? I start at Baltimore, MD.

Peter

You might find it hard to find anyone to fill your tank since it looks like it doesn't have the Overfill Protection Device type valve which is now required here to be legally refilled.

deleted ,as my post almost duplicated a couple others.

Your best chance in getting your cylinder refilled with butane is at a commercial welding supplier. Along with selling welding supplies some refill oxygen, acetylene, propane and I believe they may refill butane cylinders.

Yes, disposable green 16 oz cylinders are sold everywhere. Walmart, Home Depot, and big grocery sores like Long's. Maybe Autozone. Walmart and Home Depot could also have adapters that you need. There is a chance that you will have to remove a barb fitting from you hose (where it connects to butane tank) and install a barb fitting that works with 16 oz green cylinder. I think with 13 inches height you can fit 5 lb tank, it is 12 inches tall, 8 inches diameter.

Not sure how easy is to refill it or exchange for a full tank. Most people are using 20 lb or 30 lb tanks with their RV, but occasionally I also see these 5 lb tanks.

Walmart Kmart and grocery stores all sell the disposable cylinders. YOu will pass at least 5 of them every day you travel

Thanks to all for your answers.

Tomorrow I will bring my RV to the harbor of Antwerpen (Belgium).
I decided to leave my 5 lbs butane cylinder at home.

When I arrive in the states, I will look for someone who can help me to install any kind of propane canister in my small gas-locker, which is only 13 inches tall, diameter 8 inches.
I will stay for 18 weeks, but I don't use the stove every day. 5 lbs should be enough for the entire trip. I would buy 10 Coleman cylinders with 16.4 oz each, but with all the adapters they do not fit in my locker :-(

I know the campingworld stores. Are there other places where I should ask? I start at Baltimore, MD.

Peter

I would say - if the trip is longer than 8 weeks or more trips to North and South America are planned, get a refillable 20 lb tank and appropriate fittings to connect to your stove.

If it's less than 8 weeks, buy green Coleman cylinders one per week (and again, appropriate fittings to connect it).

There "seems" to be no problems with running a butane stove on propane. Not the same gas (or not the same orifice), but it worked for me (with some odd effects that I wrote about, possibly related to burner or orifice diameter). If your butane stove will have real problems, then buy some cheap portable propane stove.

In any event, propane is in your future.

dougrainer wrote:
Butane and Propane are the same thing. The difference is Butane is for warmer climates as its boiling temp is higher. Propane is for colder climates. Filling with Propane will not cause any problems in the USA. Doug

No they are not the same thing.. But they are close enough to the same thing.

ONE thing though, I doubt a propane pump jockey will fill the tank for him.. Not an "Approved ACME type valve" don't you know.

Might be easier to get an adapter that will let you use a propane tank on your rig.. Then you can get an exchange tank, However what you do with it when you are done I can't say. but if you can find a place to rent you a tank that would work.

The cost is a bit higher than a refillable tank when it comes to the gas, but You'd have to buy a tank in that case.

I am not sure that REI or other camping stores would have exactly "butane" in those small (230g or 450g) disposable canisters. I suspect that all you will find in this size, will be butane-propane mix sold under the brand of MSR or Primus.

These small disposable butane-propane canisters cost more than green Coleman propane canisters and are only available in big camping stores - not in hardware stores. Cost and availability was the reason for me to convert my backpacker Primus stove to propane. Coleman cylinders are heavier but for car camping this didn't matter for me.

Considering the cost, in 7-8 weeks you will spend extra $30-40 on MSR/Primus canisters, and for this money you can buy a propane portable 2-burner stove.