Butane Adapter Warning

A butane adapter tin live a prissy matter to have.  I mean, if the weather's warm, why non but exercise inexpensive 100% butane canisters alongside your backpacking stove?  Cheap 227g butane canisters are available for most $1.25 at the cheaper stores whereas backpacking canisters unremarkably sell for most $6.00 for the same total of fuel.

There is nonetheless a butane adapter beingness sold that tin live actually DANGEROUS if y'all don't know what you're doing.

I've seen a few unlike colors, but most are dark in addition to facial expression something similar the below.

A butane adapter -- POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS

These adapters allow i to mate a inexpensive 100% butane canister alongside a touchstone threaded backpacking stove.

A cheap 100% butane canister of the type oft used inward restaurants for tabular array side cooking

These butane adapters get got a protruding "lug" on them.  THIS LUG IS IMPORTANT.

The lug on this adapter tin live seen close the hand of the photo.

The lug must remain pointed up whenever a stove is inward operation.  Let me explicate why in addition to what happens if y'all mess this up.  The lug fits into a gap on the neckband of the butane canister.

A butane canister (left) has a notch that the lug on the adapter (right) fits into

OK, let's claw the adapter to a backpacking stove's fuel hose.  ALWAYS claw upwards the stove get-go in addition to the canister last.  There is no valve within this adapter.  If y'all claw upwards the canister first, butane volition spew out inward an uncontrolled fashion.

A butane adapter attached to the valve on the terminate of a backpacking stove's fuel hose.

OK, we're all set, let's claw upwards the canister.

A butane canister mated to a backpacking stove via a butane adapter.

Note how the "lug" separates.  Part of the lug stays inward the notch inward the neckband in addition to purpose of the lug rotates to the right.  The purpose of the lug that stays inward the canister needs to remain pointing directly up.

OK, we're all hooked up.  Let's give the axe it up.

A backpacking stove running off of a inexpensive 100% butane canister

Well, heck, looks fine to me.  So what's the problem?

I'll say y'all what the employment is.  Remember inward the photograph higher upwards how I said that the lug needs to betoken at the sky?  What prevents the canister from rolling over?  NOTHING.  That's right.  There is absolutely zilch that prevents that canister from rolling or turning inward around fashion.  And what happens if the canister rolls?

The stove flares upwards uncontrollably if the canister rolls over.

WHOOMPH!  If the canister rotates or rolls for whatsoever reason, almost instantly, the prissy good behaved flames nosotros saw inward the previous photograph tin plough into the large xanthous flames seen directly above.  Note that the higher upwards photograph was taken after the flames had settled downward a bit.  I knew it would flare, in addition to I was expecting it (I turned the canister deliberately).  Still, I was surprised at but how BIG the flare was.  The flare extended out 18 or to a greater extent than inches ( 45 cm), mayhap to a greater extent than on the downwind side.  Uh, promise y'all weren't leaning over the stove to banking corporation check the stew when the canister rolled.

Why does it flare?  There's a fixed seat plastic subway scheme within the canister.  The plastic subway scheme points up, upwards toward that notch y'all saw inward the neckband of the canister.  The plastic subway scheme is designed to suck vapor -- which it does quite good so long equally the canister is oriented alongside the notch up.  But think that the bulk of the fuel inward a canister is inward liquid form.  If the canister rolls a bit, in addition to then all of a precipitous the subway scheme is plunged below the surface of the liquid, in addition to liquid fuel is squirted into the burner.  Whoomph!  A flare erupts.

A butane canister valve assembly.  The notch should e'er confront UP.

I believe that the adapter shown is fundamentally unsafe if the canister is position on its side -- which is the most desirable way to exercise a tall canister.  A harsh judgement, I realize, but in that place but is zilch to preclude that canister from rotating in addition to flaring.

What's that?  If your stove has a pre-heat loop, wouldn't it live OK?  Well, yes, but you'd ameliorate brand certain the canister doesn't whorl until the stove is warmed up.  Yes, y'all could exercise this type of canister inward side laying vogue on a stove alongside a pre oestrus machinery -- if y'all were careful.  So live careful.

I believe this type of adapter is prophylactic if the canister is standing up.  I strongly recommend that y'all exercise something similar a Brunton Can Stand similar the i shown inward the photograph below to stabilize the canister.  If the canister were to autumn over, a dangerous, uncontrolled flare would result.

A butane canister, upright, stabilized past times a Brunton Can Stand

That's my warning.  This adapter is generally not recommended.

Thank y'all for joining me on around other Adventure inward Stoving.

HJ

SUMMARY
1.  The adapter is good made, but it's equally good slowly for the canister to roll accidentally which could crusade a serious flare.  Therefore, this adapter is by in addition to large not recommended.
2.  Never exercise this adapter alongside a side laying canister on a stove without a preheat machinery (generator).
3.  If y'all are cautious, y'all could exercise this adapter on a stove with a preheat machinery (generator), but live aware that it's rattling slowly for this type of canister to become into liquid feed vogue accidentally which could trigger a flare if your stove hasn't warmed upwards yet.
4.  This adapter is prophylactic if the canister is used inward the fully upright position, so long equally the canister doesn't autumn over.  I strongly recommend that y'all exercise around way to preclude the canister from tipping over.

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