How to transfer canister stove fuel to other canister

[Paul S]

I have seen mention of a valve that allows one to transfer canister stove fuel to another canister. I was thinking that it might be nice to be able to take the fuel from partly-used canisters and consolidate it into perhaps a single canister.

I figure that you’d have to cool-down the canister to be filled first. Maybe put it in the freezer? And then, make sure you don’t over-fill the canister by weighing it and ensuring that it is not filled past its new-in-store weight.

 

Any tips, and, where to get the proper valve?

 

Thanks!

 

P.

 

[HkNewman]

Don’t know the exact model but a few thru hikers I’ve spoken with use them on the trail at the dirty old hiker box.  Think weight is needed officially as not to overfill the desired canister but maybe they estimate it by touch?

So probably no special conditions are really required if thru hikers are doing it.  It’s just carrying the weight and hoping there’s enough left over fuel to justify carrying it sort of thing.  Of course at home it’d be even simpler.

[Paul S]

Yes, I’d be using it at home.

[HkNewman]

At home was reading they prefer you use comparative weight measurements.

https://www.instructables.com/Refilling-Single-Use-IsoButane-Propane-Fuel-Canist/

[DWR D]

https://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-g-works-r1-gas-saver-refilling.html

 

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Please clarify your question.  Are talking about:

Isobutane to Isobutane?

Butane to and empty isobutane canister?

Propane to an empty isobutane canister?

Different solutions to differnt gasses

[Paul S]

MSR, from their specs:

“80/20 blend of isobutane and propane”

[Kyler B]

They are designed to be single use so I would maybe keep track of how many times you fill a cylinder. I would recycle the cylinder after a couple of fills.

I just take all the partially filled cylinders and heat them with warm water carefully. Then transfer them into a very frozen and cold cylinder. You shouldn’t do what I do because it’s not recommended by the manufacturer.

also the pressure is dependent on the mixture and quantity of the gasses so do your research weigh the canisters, don’t overfill and be careful.

The bottom of the cylinder is meant to bulge out in the event of an over pressure but I wouldn’t trust it to do that especially on a reused cylinder.

[Jerry Adams]

weigh the canister

8 ounce canisters weigh 5 ounces empty, so don’t fill to more than 13 ounces.

or, weigh the canister when you first buy it full, write it on the canister, then don’t ever refill it more than that

when the butane warms, it expands, so requires more room.  If you refill so it’s full at a cool temperature, then warm it up, it will rupture

4 ounce canister weigh 3 ounces empty, so don’t fill to more than 7 ounces

I find that it more important to warm up the donor canister than cool down the donee canister

another thing you can do is use one of these

to transfer butane from

to one of the butane canisters for stoves

or you can buy the cartridges from Korean grocer for $1.25 or $1.50 per 8 ounces

the only problem is these only work down to 32 F because they have a mixture of isobutane and nbutane

zillions of threads about all this previously

[David Thomas]

At home, I put the recieving cansiter in the freezer.  On the trail, you can cool a cansiter by using it a bit (without a Moulder Strip) until it gets a little colder.

Mild warming of the donor canister could be in the sun, or inside your jacket, or inside your sleeping bag while the receiving cansiter is left outsite.

I’m less nervous than most people about directing a Bic lighter onto a butane canister.  If the flame is directly below the liquid level, it will boil some butane (this is normal) and those vapors will condense in the cansiter’s headspace, so if you hold the top of it, your fingers will feel the heat the entire canister is subject to.  Don’t heat it beyond what is comfortable to hold.

Yeah, scavenging from hikers boxers is a fabulous use of a transfer valve.  Or, going in with other thru hikers to buy a 450-gram canister and refill everyone’s 110- or 220 canisters.

I’ve had good luck with this style ($11.50):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Valve-Canister-Gas-Convertor-Shifter-Refill-Adapter-Air-Vent-Camp-Stove-Cylinder/293921600684

And mostly with this style (used to be $20, now they seem to be $34):

I never used the vent button on it and it is bulkier, a bit heavier (still pretty small) and that shoulder prevents fully seating on a few canisters.

[David Thomas]

While I weigh all my cansiters and cylinders when full and empty and write both on the cansiter with Sharpie, you can google canister weights and something on BPL or Hikin’ Jim’s Adventures in Stoving will pop up.

If on the trail, I’d just shake it and assess if there was much head space in there.  Play with full, partial and mostly empty canisters and develop a feel for how the fuel feels as it sloshes around inside.

[Jerry Adams]

“I’m less nervous than most people about directing a Bic lighter onto a butane canister.”

Thanks for the idea.  I’ve done that several times now.  With my torch lighter (was that your idea too?)

If the stove is running slower than my patience, I just give it a few hits with the lighter.  Down below where the liquid is.  The torch lighter works while the stove is running

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

My boyfriend uses one of these transfer valve things. Puts one canister in the freezer, the other out in the sun. Works perfectly.

[David Thomas]

Jerry,

Yeah, I wrote up those 4-packs of torch lighters from Amazon ($7 for 4).

From how many listings there are and how few people smoke tobacco pipes anymore, I assume there’s some drug use for them.

Heavier than a Bic, but more heat, more wind proof and a lot more butane in them.  Downside is you can’t take them on planes (not in carry-on, not in checked).

I keep one in each car in case we need to defrost a lock or other frozen bit.  Not that we use the exterior keys on our cars anymore, but for padlocks on some of my systems or, potentially, a really tight lug nut, if heated, would initially expand more than the stud inside.

[Michael B]

that shoulder prevents fully seating on a few canisters.

David, do you know off-hand which canisters do not fully seat with that adapter? I like the throttle handle on that one better than just the knurled cylinder.

[Paul S]

Thanks for all the informative responses folks!

I have ordered this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Valve-Canister-Gas-Convertor-Shifter-Refill-Adapter-Air-Vent-Camp-Stove-Cylinder/293921600684

I’ll report back via this thread once I receive the valve and have tried it.

[Elliott Wolin]

I’ve had luck using a heat gun on the donor canister while transferring, very carefully on low and not for too long, and putting the receiving canister in the deep freezer beforehand.  I use this method to transfer butane from the cheap Korean butane stove canisters into empty regular canisters.  I mark them as being refilled with butane, along with the current weight.

I use the adapter with a valve.  Previously I used a cheap one w/o a valve and almost got frostbite when something didn’t seal properly and I had to unscrew everything while it was leaking furiously.

[Paul S]

I got the valve. Works great!

I put the receiving canister in the freezer for 20 minutes or so first, and put the donor canister in a pot of warm water for a few minutes. I can get nearly all of the fuel out of the donor except for a tiny  amount. I compared the weight of the cannister to a new/full canister (of the same brand) to make sure I don’t overfill.

 

Thanks for all of the great info folks!

 

[Jerry Adams]

when you transfer fuel out of a canister, some of it evaporates inside to occupy the space left by the liquid fuel leaving the canister

this cools the canister down

To get the last bit I’ll put it back in the warm water for a while

Similarly, the canister that you transfer the fuel to will warm up a little, you could put it back in the freezer

[Author]

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