Does fuel expire?

[Jarrett Lambright]

I got 3 unopened containers of snow peak fuel for my stove, havent gotten around to using them for a few years. Does this go bad if unused?

[Travis Leanna]

I doubt it. I'm sure Snow Peak could tell you for sure. Or Roger Caffin.

[Edward Alt]

if it's white gas, I'd say yes. Just like unleaded will gum up your lawnmower's carburetor after a while. Otherwise, I'm not sure.

[Michael Martin]

The fuel in a butane/propane canister won't go bad. But the canister itself can start to rust eventually, and the valve seal can deteriorate.

I write the weight of the canisters on the bottom with a sharpie and update it after every use so I can tell if the canister is leaking.

EDIT: I've used canisters up to 8 years old without any problems. YMMV.

[Roger Caffin]

Oh, I'm sure it will all go bad. You should send it all (and the stoves) to us … :-)

More seriously, canister FUEL cannot go off. The plated finish on the canister thread can get rusty, but you can check that yourself. If too rusty the seal against the O-ring might be dodgy due to the rust.

The valve seal inside the connection could, in theory, get too old, but not within the next 10 – 20 years I would think. And if it did you would be able to smell it immediately.

Cheers

[Nick Gatel]

Roger,

So these cartridges are okay? They are 25 years old. I think I have the last 6 GAZ GT106 cartridges left in North America. Cartridges weight 5.7 oz and contain 3 1/8 oz of fuel.

I also have a couple of these Gaz Globe Trotter stoves. Weigh around 8 oz.

The stoves nest inside the cookset (2 cups, strap and pot holder) for a total weight of 6.2 oz.

And for those long winter nights, I used to use this. Weight 13.3 oz.

Not bad for 1985!! I have always tried to go light.

At one time I had several cases of cartridges, and this is all I have left. Several years ago I trid to buy more, and none could be found. I even tried overseas sources and eBay. Too bad, it really is a neat little stove.

So do I still need to send the stoves and fuel to you? :)

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