Canister failure: has this happened to you?

A 50/50 propane/butane mix will be at 61 psi at 70 degrees. A 30/70 mix is only 45 psi.

Hi Dan

> This question goes to Roger or anyone else who has experience with a full canister
> laid on it's side.
> Will it squirt liquid fuel?

Yes, of course it will squirt out liquid fuel. Nothing magic there. Er … I am assuming the valve is OPEN for this.
If you are talking about waving around a canister all by itself without a stove connected, then the answer is of course it won't.

That is how a remote canister winter stove works after all. It USES that liquid feed to avoid cooling the canister.,

Cheers

The reason for the question was due to recent concerns for stoves being used during "fire bans"

Canister stoves are allowed and others not.

Murphy's Law always comes into play ;)

A canister stove can be tipped over while in use and spray burning fuel as I learned today.

It was just a thought. IF, the law makers knew about this, they may reconsider ;(

We may want to delete my comment :-)

"Canister stoves are allowed and others not."

Overgeneralization.

White gas stoves would be allowed also.

–B.G.–

> White gas stoves would be allowed also.
My understanding is that in many cases they are not allowed. The hazard with them lies not in the normal running but in the fireball priming.

Cheers

"My understanding is that in many cases they are not allowed."

Where is that?

I've never found any jurisdiction where white gas is prohibited.

Besides, if you are getting a fireball, you are doing it all wrong and wasting fuel as well.

–B.G.–

Hi Bob

> if you are getting a fireball, you are doing it all wrong and wasting fuel as well.
Oh, I agree in principle, but have you read the official MSR instructions for lighting the XGK? They explicitely mention a fireball during priming. The actual instructions say:

1. Release only 1/2 tablespoon of fuel. Open control valve 1 turn and let fuel flow for 3 seconds. Close control valve. Look for fuel in burner cup and on priming pad.
2. Light fuel
A brief soccer ball size flame is normal.

I can understand some Park authorities not being happy with this idea during mid-summer.

Cheers

Hmmm. Perhaps the MSR company meant that in jest, even if the lawyers wouldn't like it.

I got pretty good with my XGK back in 1996. We were on a very high expedition, so fuel usage was important. Due to cold and wind, we were all cooking in the tent vestibules. After the first two days of practice, I got to where I could release only about two drops of white gas for priming (appearing around the orifice), and then start the stove on low pressure from there.

Besides conserving the fuel, I was avoiding the fireball. All I used as a flame guard against the tent vestibule nylon was one sheet of aluminum foil.

At the end of ten or so days on the mountain, my cooking team had used one-third less fuel than any of the other teams. Of course, there we had no fire danger in the least.

–B.G.–

Hi Bob

> Besides conserving the fuel, I was avoiding the fireball.
> my cooking team had used one-third less fuel than any of the other teams.

I think this illustrates the problem very well. Yes, you were perfectly safe and knew exactly what you were doing. But what about the newbie camped near you? Fireballs-R-Us!

The Park authorities have to make the rules to cover everyone, especially the complete idiots. They cannot discriminate. For myself, I am happy that their regulations make me a (little) bit safer from the idiots.

Cheers

Roger, in this specific instance, there were no newbies. This was Aconcagua in Argentina, and the national park rangers had few rules of any kind to enforce. I believe that there was near-100% use of white gas and no other fuel.

–B.G.–