Propane vs Alcohol Stove

[a64pilot]

I have it in the back of my mind that some countries won't refill fiberglass tanks, but I'm not sure.
Would be nice to know how much propane you have though, currently I know full and empty, nothing in between

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by Cadence

My only concern would be your cost of the cylinders even if your not a chef?

Currently about $3/bottle, (U.S.) which lasts me over a week. From a financial perspective, you have to do a whole lot of cooking to justify the cost of a traditional system over that. Don't get me wrong, I love a more professional system, but if one wants to keep it simple and frugal the one pound tanks may be more cost effective for many.

[CarinaPDX]

The recalled tanks were from Lite Cylinder Company, now out of business. No one will touch them, nor should they. But these Trident ones should be fine.

Many places don't fill aluminum tanks (of all sorts, like an AL 80 scuba tank) because they don't meet their requirements, so I would expect fiberglass tanks to fall in to the same category. That said, filling can be problematic even for steel tanks. My recommendation is to acquire a long propane extension hose with M/F tank fittings, then cut in half. Use the one that fits on the tank with a local tank fitting as a transfer hose, and the other with a local tank fitting as an adapter hose for foreign tanks. Never assume that the next country has an adapter for US tanks.

Greg

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by zboss

Those 1 lb propane bottles rust in days. Within a few weeks they rust through the bottom and leak. They are almost useless in a saltwater environment. I once saw someone that used pvc pipe to make a storage solution so they got exposed to as little salt air as possible. You are better off buying a 6lb tank and hanging it off the side and when you need to cook something inside the boat run a 20 foot propane hose down from the tank to the stove in the boat.

That can happen, but with some basic precautions, I've repeatedly stored them for months without ever having a single one corrode through.

[CarinaPDX]

While looking for the recalled tank info I found that short-changing customers on propane is a thing, and being able to actually see the level helps.

Greg

[nautitrix]

On a trip around the lakes on a 30 foot boat we did exactly what you are suggesting. We used a Coleman 2 burner camp stove screwed down in the galley. We used the small camping bottles and removed them between uses.
We thought about the safety and were conscientious in our use of the bilge blower before and after use. The best storage we have seen for the tanks was a piece of white pvc pipe band clamped to the rails with an end cap glued to the bottom and an unglued one on top. We never used the stove under-way and found the system quite adequate to our needs. I am sure there is not an insurance company in the world who would have covered us, The boat was on the home policy and I'm sure the propane installation would not have been covered.
That being said our current marine stove installation is supplied by a single fitting inside the boat (at the stove) and an electric solenoid cut-off at a rail mounted tank. The hose goes through the transom through a sealing gland and I feel much safer having removed an improperly installed inside tank locker.

[puffcard]

We actually have three means of cooking on the boat. CNG stove and oven, love it and they still fill in Va. We use it mostly for baking and pizza night. Have two tanks in cockpit locker. The two burner Origo 2000 strapped onto the CNG stove, works great and does the loins share. At first I didn't want any part of alcohol stove's after having a pressurized one in the 70's. Night and day, the ease of use and safely. We have a Magna grill, but I really hate the 1lb bottles. I was carrying them (1or2) in a cockpit locker and had a couple leak. So I need to find a better way to store them. Any ideas, I'm going to look into the PVC pipe or making a canvas bag for the rail. Think they would still rust. Propane just scares me to death.

When I was younger delivering new boats to the boatshow. I would put a can of chunky soup or beef stew on the engine and let the engine heat it up while I motored up the bay. Worked perfectly and very safe.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I used to store my little 1 lb grill bottles in a shallow cockpit locker.
Then one day if got water in it and as I was cleaning it out, I discovered it had a drain, that drained to the bilge, drain happened to be clogged was the reason it got water in it.
Well that wasn't going to work obviously so I then started storing them under the Bimini in a plastic bag, but somehow the bag wore a hole in it and the blankety things rusted on my coach roof.
I have now just given up on the things completely, mounted a 10 lb aluminum tank to the railing and use a hose to connect it to the grill.

Just no good way to carry the things, even if you see yourself up a nice bag to hang them on the rail, they are still going to rust

I had a propane dealer tell me the problem with aluminum tanks, is that you cannot detect corrosion. For what it is worth.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I had a propane dealer tell me the problem with aluminum tanks, is that you cannot detect corrosion. For what it is worth.

Aluminum oxide is quite easy to detect as a white powder.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have it in the back of my mind that some countries won't refill fiberglass tanks, but I'm not sure.
Would be nice to know how much propane you have though, currently I know full and empty, nothing in between

One of those cheap things that are like tape on the side of the tank seem to give a ball park idea.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I had a propane dealer tell me the problem with aluminum tanks, is that you cannot detect corrosion. For what it is worth.

Me thinks your propane dealer isn't very observant.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

While looking for the recalled tank info I found that short-changing customers on propane is a thing, and being able to actually see the level helps.

Greg

Or use a scale - propane is sold by weight.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have it in the back of my mind that some countries won't refill fiberglass tanks, but I'm not sure.
Would be nice to know how much propane you have though, currently I know full and empty, nothing in between

I fill my own from 20lb cylinders then use the rest of the 20lb cylinder for my BBQ at home. All you need is a 24in POL- POL pigtail.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by masonc

I fill my own from 20lb cylinders then use the rest of the 20lb cylinder for my BBQ at home. All you need is a 24in POL- POL pigtail.

Do you have to elevate the 20lb filling cylinder when you do this masonc? Does it drain from one tank to the other via pressure difference?

I have a steel horizontal tank which is sometimes hard to get filled b/c it spooks some propane service folks. It's an unusual shape and is 22 lb.

I'm thinking of getting a standard 20lb tank to use as my fill tank and then fill my horizontal tank from this one.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Do you have to elevate the 20lb filling cylinder when you do this masonc? Does it drain from one tank to the other via pressure difference?

I put the source tank on a bench, upside down, so it's higher just because that is practical. The propane is liquid and is propelled by the pressure difference. I cool the empty tank in a bath of ice water, although I think this is unnecessary.

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'm thinking of getting a standard 20lb tank to use as my fill tank and then fill my horizontal tank from this one.

For my next refill, I'm going to use a 100lb tank I have at my workshop, easy enough to invert and I can put the empty below it.
I've also got 420lb tanks, inverting one would require using my crane, which would be a bit over the top to fill a ten pound tank.
the main reason I fill my own is, the 20lb cylinders are subsidized but 10lb are not, so I would be paying twice as much for 10lb fills. I fill the 20lb at the subsidized price, fill the 10lb from it, then use the rest for my BBQ.