# of burns on propane tank?

[AHIKER]

A year or two ago I asked if anyone had measured the number of times one could fire up a propane/butane canister for cooking. I got a great answer that was "30 times heating two cups of water from a cold start". However, the message doesn't seem to be in here anymore and I can't recall if the canister size was the medium sized 11.3oz or the larger 16oz canister. Can anyone (or the original author) help me out here? It certainly will make a difference on a planned 22 day AT I am taking in late April. I don't want to get stuck running out of fuel!!! Thanks folks.

 

[Papa Bear]

That sounds like my answer.

It would be a 8 oz. net weight, since we measured about 1/4 oz. per boil. I guess that would be 11.3 oz. gross weight. [just looked at a canister sitting here: says 8 fluid oz., wt. 12 oz.] And for the record it was summer and using an MSR Pocket Rocket stove, using a 28 oz. titanium pot and it was boiling, not just "heating".

We got the answer 2 ways:

1) I counted the number of burns (meals) from a canister a number of times over the last 2 years.
2) my partner did a lab test (actually in his kitchen) where he weighed the canister after each burn on a accurate scale. So it was weigh-burn-weigh-burn, etc till empty. He quotes 1/4 oz.

That would be 32 burns under lab conditions. I found 30 in the woods is a good number.

Usual disclaimer, YMMV.

Pb

 

[AHIKER]

Thanks...

I appreciate your reply. I just read a book on meal preparation for AT thru hikers. They used a GAZ cannister (didn't say which size) and stated that they got 8 meals from each canister. I reallize that they are cooking pot meals as opposed to boiling water but that sounded quite low to me. I think that they were also cooking for two people so that would also make a difference. Since I use mostly freeze dried meals I will go with your estimates and carry a spare as "insurance". Thanks again.
Gordon

 

[Doc McPeak]

AHIKER, take a look at those pepsi can alcohol stoves. I plan to play with them this summer, but after seeing them in action on the LT, and hearing my friends and others high recomendations (many people here swear by them) they might be an option. I know they are a big hit on the AT.

That said, I do love my cannister stove. We used three 8oz. cannisters for 6 days in Yosemite in Sept. But most cooking was the full shabang meals and sautes and all that good stuff. And some cans do come up shorter than others. I love them for hot soup and grilled cheese on brisk summits on fall dayhikes.

 

[AHIKER]

Some research done

Thanks for your comments.
I did do some research on the alcohol stoves and found that the weight comparison is very close. The alcohol stove can be tricky and while on the AT in Virginia last spring a hiker had his blow up causing 3rd degree burns. In all fairness I have to say that he built the stove himself which could have added to the risk. He was all bandaged up but kept on hiking!!! I saw him near the "roller coaster" at a hostel mowing the lawn (to get free lodging) one handed!!! The other was in bandages. Anyway, the weight difference was NOT significant enough to make me change from butane/propane. The canisters are quite readily available now. Thanks again.