Gas free boat

[Alan de Enfield]

4 hours ago, MtB said:

 

I don't think so. "Green Patio Gas" is not a real gas, it's an invention of the marketing gurus. I think it is a blend of propane and butane and if this turns out to be correct, it is not the same as "boat gas" (which is propane in the red bottles, or butane in the blue). 

 

And as Alan points out, the bottle connection is different.  

 

The interesting thing is when it comes to the gas training we gas bods do, "patio gas" is totally and utterly ignored in the syllabus! 

 

 

 

Always worth checking the facts (which I did before I posted that it is the same gas as on the boat - ie Propane)

SOURCE : From the Calor website :

 

What gas is in patio gas bottles?
Patio gas stored in green cylinders is propane, which is ideally for use in outdoor areas. This is specifically called Patio gas because it is designed to power outdoor appliances such as gas barbecues and patio heaters, and these bottles are compatible with a 27mm clip on regulator. 

 

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Always worth checking the facts (which I did before I posted that it is the same gas as on the boat - ie Propane)

  
 

I’m almost sure not all boats use propane. butane is used on boats too. 

[robtheplod]

6 hours ago, David Mack said:

The whole idea of using patio heaters in sub-zero temperatures in an era of climate change...

indeed... heating the outside is on a hiding to nowhere..

6 hours ago, David Mack said:

The whole idea of using patio heaters in sub-zero temperatures in an era of climate change...

indeed... heating the outside is on a hiding to nowhere..

6 hours ago, David Mack said:

The whole idea of using patio heaters in sub-zero temperatures in an era of climate change...

indeed... heating the outside is on a hiding to nowhere..

[Andyaero]

2 hours ago, MtB said:

  
 

I’m almost sure not all boats use propane. butane is used on boats too. 

 

 

 

And is that down to boatbuilder choice or what?

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Always worth checking the facts (which I did before I posted that it is the same gas as on the boat - ie Propane)

SOURCE : From the Calor website :

 

What gas is in patio gas bottles?
Patio gas stored in green cylinders is propane, which is ideally for use in outdoor areas. This is specifically called Patio gas because it is designed to power outdoor appliances such as gas barbecues and patio heaters, and these bottles are compatible with a 27mm clip on regulator. 

 

 

 

If that's correct then I can use it on the boat as a push on to screw on adapter is available. But is it allowed?

Edited June 17, 2023 by Andyaero

[Alan de Enfield]

33 minutes ago, Andyaero said:

 

 

 

And is that down to boatbuilder choice or what?

 

 

 

 

 

If that's correct then I can use it on the boat as a push on to screw on adapter is available. But is it allowed?

 

 

There are no rules about what gas you can use on a boat, you can use Propane, Butane, or mixed gases but because of the 'use in low temperature' characteristics of Propane it is the most commonly used on boats and other outdoor applications.

[Ronaldo47]

2 hours ago, robtheplod said:

indeed... heating the outside is on a hiding to nowhere..

indeed... heating the outside is on a hiding to nowhere..

indeed... heating the outside is on a hiding to nowhere..

But it does allow pubs to provide reasonably comfortable outside accommodation for their customers who want to smoke.

[system 4-50]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

There are no rules about what gas you can use on a boat, you can use Propane, Butane, or mixed gases but because of the 'use in low temperature' characteristics of Propane it is the most commonly used on boats and other outdoor applications.

Acetylene is nice.  A beautiful bright flame.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Andyaero said:

And is that down to boatbuilder choice or what?

 

Boater's choice. The pipes and the appliances are the same for both gasses, just a different regulator. (And a completely different regulator to fit a patio gas bottle!)

 

Each gas has an advantage over the other, so you takes yer choice. 

 

Butane stops working when the outside temperature gets down to freezing (just above actually). Propane always works no matter how cold it gets.

 

OTOH butane has a higher energy content than propane, so a bottle of butane lasts longer than an equivalent bottle of propane.

 

 

 

 

[David Mack]

I have a feeling butane used to be standard - it's certainly what my parents' boat had back in the 60s. I think propane took over as boats became used more all year and the cold weather advantages became more important.

[MtB]

21 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I have a feeling butane used to be standard - it's certainly what my parents' boat had back in the 60s. I think propane took over as boats became used more all year and the cold weather advantages became more important.

 

 

Yes very much so. When I bought my first liveaboard in 1977 we converted it from butane to propane, which seemed to be a new thing back then. Not so easy to get refills as butane back then. John Crevald at Old Windsor used to stock it. (A yard long since turned into riverside flats!)

 

 

 

 

 

[booke23]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

Propane always works no matter how cold it gets.

 

Point of order......below -42c propane also stops working. So don't take a propane stove with you on your next Antarctic expedition! 

[MtB]

11 minutes ago, booke23 said:

 

Point of order......below -42c propane also stops working. So don't take a propane stove with you on your next Antarctic expedition! 

 

I know it gets cold on the canals but I've never seen it at -42c.

 

(Forgive my unforgivable assumption we were discussing canal boating, here in the UK on UK canals!  ) 

[booke23]

7 minutes ago, MtB said:

(Forgive my unforgivable assumption we were discussing canal boating, here in the UK on UK canals!  ) 

 

Thread drift innit!

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, booke23 said:

 

Thread drift innit!

 

I blame this rather good Zinfandel....

 

 

(2021 "Tangled Knot", from M&S. Highly recommended.) 

 

 

[robtheplod]

15 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said:

But it does allow pubs to provide reasonably comfortable outside accommodation for their customers who want to smoke.

true... sorry looks like i was going on a bit.. not sure what occurred there!

[ditchcrawler]

15 hours ago, booke23 said:

 

Point of order......below -42c propane also stops working. So don't take a propane stove with you on your next Antarctic expedition! 

We use to use propane in heat exchangers to cool natural gas down, we had some quite large compressors

[George Shardlow]

On the subject of the Origo stove, these also run on Bioethanol and in France you can buy alcool à brûler (wood alchohol), very cheaply. If you buy in bulk Bioethanol is around £3 a Ltr. Whilst the original Dometic Origo 3000 (double burner) has been discontinued, you can get Compass24's version.

 

I use one in my campervan and am seriously considering one for my narrowboat. Then bake and grill in an airfryer.

 

Just a thought.

 

Martin

[BilgePump]

6 hours ago, mshakeshaft said:

On the subject of the Origo stove, these also run on Bioethanol and in France you can buy alcool à brûler (wood alchohol), very cheaply. If you buy in bulk Bioethanol is around £3 a Ltr. Whilst the original Dometic Origo 3000 (double burner) has been discontinued, you can get Compass24's version.

 

I use one in my campervan and am seriously considering one for my narrowboat. Then bake and grill in an airfryer.

 

Just a thought.

 

Martin

Origo stoves are great. Like posh Trangias. Meths cookers have been my go to all life. Easy to deal with.