There’s no quick way to simplify this… gas, gas hoses, gas regulators and the plethora of gas fittings can make setting up your camping stove & appliances an utterly confusing affair!
We’ll try and make things as clear as we can in this article. Let’s first start with the gas, or as we commonly call it in Australia, LPG.
What is LPG?
LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas.
At a basic level, LPG is a flammable hydrocarbon fuel. It consists of a mixture of carbon and hydrogen atoms which, when placed under pressure at room temperature turns into liquid.
The gas we use for camp stoves, many home appliances, gas hot water systems and in vehicles is LPG, but the actual gas in LPG depends on the country you are in and its designated use. There are two gases that come under the LPG heading – propane and butane.
In Australia, the LPG that is used to top up your refillable bottle at your local hardware or camping store, or the gas in the 9kg cylinder swaps is always propane. Whereas in New Zealand, for example, this LPG could be propane, butane or a mix of these.
The LPG used for vehicles in Australia is known as AutoGas and can be propane or a mix of propane and butane.
LPG gas is made up of petroleum gases. Image: Elliot Mann
What is the difference between Propane and Butane?
This is all in the chemical makeup – Propane being C3H8 and Butane C4H10. Their formulas differ but they contain the same base elements of carbon and hydrogen.
The pressure at which these gasses become a liquid, or, their boiling point for a given temperature, is a key difference.
Propane remains a liquid either when under pressure or at temperatures less than -42°C, which means it still turns into a burnable gas when released from pressure in very cold environments. At room temperature (approximately 21°C) the pressure of propane gas is about 860kPa, which is why cylinders being filled with propane need to be made strong, hence their weight.
Butane is also a liquid when under pressure or at temperatures less than about -0.5°C which is much higher than propane and why many lightweight hiking stoves that run on butane struggle in alpine environments. However butane gas, or n-butane to be precise, has a pressure at room temperature (approximately 21°C) of about 215kPa which means the cylinders can be made much lighter, hence butane is typically preferred for hiking stoves.
You may have also heard of iso-butane, this is similar but has slightly different properties than the n-butane mentioned here.
Despite butane and propane being closely related in terms of their chemical makeup, the combustion characteristics i.e. how they burn is quite different. The good news is that most (not all) LPG appliances are certified to what is known as ‘Universal LPG” meaning they can be used with propane, butane or any mix of these.
LPG is liquid under pressure and becomes gas when released into the atmosphere.
Is LPG the same as natural gas?
No. Natural gas is methane and has a different chemical makeup (CH4) which can’t be used interchangeably with LPG in the same appliance unless the appliance has been converted to do so.
Natural gas appliances operate at much lower pressures than LPG (1.1kPa vs 2.75kPa), more natural gas is needed to produce the same amount of heat as LPG and it requires a different oxygen-to-fuel ratio for complete combustion.
Natural gas is also cryogenically turned into a liquid to become Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) primarily for transport reasons, in particular for bulk transport overseas.
What gas can my LPG appliance use?
LPG appliances are required by law to be clearly labelled for which type of gas they are designed to use.
The gas types are: Propane only, Butane only, Universal LPG (which is either Propane, Butane or a mix of these) and Natural Gas.
So, check the information on your appliance to identify the gas type it is designed for as it can be dangerous or even fatal to use the wrong gas.
You can’t use natural gas interchangeably with LPG appliances. Image: Oil & Gas Australia
What gas bottles can you use for your camping stove?
This is dependent on the gas appliance.
Most lightweight hiking stoves and lanterns are only designed to be used with disposable cylinders that have a resealable valve and thread, allowing the cylinder to be removed for transport.
Compact canister or cartridge appliances and ‘lunchbox’ style stoves should only be used with butane canisters (the ones that look like a regular aerosol can). These also have a resealing valve with a bayonet ‘click’ type fitting.
Then there is the larger LPG cylinders which come in many sizes from about 1.25kg through to the large 9kg which a majority of other LPG appliances are designed to be used with.
Which one you choose is dependent on how you will be using your appliances, the amount of gas you’ll need before a refill, and how you will transport it. While we are on the topic, it’s worth noting that gas cylinders should never be transported inside a vehicle, caravan or camper trailer unless they are in a certified gas cylinder compartment.
Episode 19 of the Snowys Camping Show Podcast dives into a bunch of tips on Managing & Carrying Gas for Camping.
There are a few different sizes of gas bottles available.
One last thing that’s worth mentioning, and this gets a little technical, is something called the maximum evaporation rate. As gas changes from liquid to gas, it uses energy which it gets in the form of heat from the cylinder itself, the LPG inside and the surrounding air. This is why a gas cylinder feels cool to touch after use.
What this means is that if you use a small 1.25kg cylinder on a large 5 burner BBQ, the cylinder will quickly cool down to a point that the LPG is no longer boiling inside and turning into gas. The gas pressure then diminishes to a point that affects the performance of the appliance.
How do you make sure you’re using the right gas cylinder connectors and fittings?
Firstly, let’s cover the most common gas fittings you’ll find on a gas bottle.
Many 1kg through to 4kg cylinders have a male 3/8″ Left-Handed thread that points directly up from the top of the bottle. This fitting is often called ‘Companion’ but is used by many brands.
The POL fitting (derived from the manufacturing company, Prest-O-Lite), is found on larger 4kg to 9kg cylinders. This is a female fitting and points out sideways from the bottle. Many male POL fittings have a rubber o-ring and should not be over tightened.
Larger bottles generally have POL while the smaller ones have 3/8 BSP fittings.
Lastly but less commonly nowadays is the Primus gas cylinder thread. This is a proprietary fitting by Primus that has an internal fitting that only allows gas to flow once the fitting is fully inserted into the cylinder.
An interesting thing to note is that the 3/8 and POL fittings are a left-hand thread. So, the lefty loosey – righty tighty rule needs to be reversed here.
Most larger format stoves and barbecues will have a male POL fitting on the supplied hose whereas a 2-3 burner camping stove will generally have a female 3/8” fitting.
Ideally, you should use a gas cylinder with the same connection as your appliance.
Then, just to keep you on your toes, in April 2021 a new gas connection called LCC27 was introduced to replace the current POL fitting. The transition will happen over a few years with the old POL fitting slowly being phased out. This connection improves safety but instead of overloading you with the info now, we’ll decode everything for you and break it all down in another article soon.
Hoses will either come with a POL (L), BSP 3/8″ LH thread (R) or Primus connection.
Can you use adapters for your gas cylinder?
Currently ‘3/8”BSP–POL’ or ‘POL-3/8”BSP’ adapters are available for purchase, and you used to be able to use either bottle with either appliance. That said, as the current gas standards are undergoing review, the use of adapters may be ruled out. With this in mind, always follow what the user manual indicates for your respective device.
There are even ‘double adapters’ so you can run two gas appliances from one cylinder.
You can use a compatible adapter to use your appliance with a different bottle.
Can you use a longer gas hose with your camping stove?
While the current gas standards are undergoing reviews, and with current regulations and laws all in the name of safety – the simple answer at this point in time is no. In brief, you cannot lengthen the hose of a high-pressure stove – and while you may have previously been able to lengthen the hose of a low-pressure stove, this may not be permitted under the new gas standards. We’ll provide future updates when we know more information – but for now, in either case, you cannot join two gas hoses together.
We also recommend that, wherever possible, you use the hose that was supplied with your stove or appliance.
Most gas appliances will have a flying disc regulator.
Do you need the regulator on the hose?
The simple answer is that if the gas appliance in question came with a regulator, then yes, you need the regulator.
An appliance that came with a regulator assembly on the hose is referred to as a low-pressure appliance, whereas an appliance that simply has a hose directly from bottle-to-appliance is referred to as a high-pressure appliance.
Most gas appliances, except for some 2-3 burner gas stoves, have the flying disc-shaped regulators pre-set to 2.8kPa which is the pressure at which the appliance is designed to operate.
If the appliance you purchased came with a regulator assembly then you need to make sure you use the regulator in the system, and if/when replacing the hose and/or regulator, ensure you replace like-for-like.
If in doubt, check the information plate on the appliance where by law the safe operating gas pressure must be stated.
Here’s an example of what a regulator looks like on a Coleman stove.
Connecting a low-pressure stove or appliance to a caravan or camper trailer
The LPG gas supply that is permanently plumbed into a caravan or camper trailer is generally regulated to 2.8kPa at the gas bottle, meaning every gas outlet in the caravan is 2.8kPa. You cannot connect a high-pressure stove to this system.
You used to be able to fit a low pressure cooker appliance – with a regulator on the included hose, that is – to a caravan, via a bayonet fitting with an alternative hose that doesn’t have a regulator. There are only a handful of stoves suitable for this – Gasmate’s Double and Single Wok Cookers, Companion’s Wok Burner and the RV Stove & Grill, will work!
Be aware that gas systems in caravans and camper trailers are covered by standards and must only be installed or modified by licensed gas fitters. Currently, we’re unaware of the updated regulations regarding connecting a stove to a caravan. Once we receive further clarification, we’ll provide more information and updates in the future.
Here’s what a permanently plumbed gas supply on a caravan will look like. Image: Barry Childs
What about the gas fittings on the side of gas appliances?
These fittings can vary considerably, most 2-3 burner gas stoves will have either a coarse or fine thread fitting. Many have less common sizes to ensure you use the right regulators and hoses, for example, cast iron burners tend to have smaller ¼” BSP fittings.
It would be nice if we could simplify all these fittings to have just one or two universal types. But instead, there’s a whole bunch of variants you may come across, and if you’re looking for clarity on something we haven’t already mentioned, hopefully, the extra four listed below will help you out.
Cast iron burners generally have a 1/4 BSP fitting. Image: Hampdon Industrial
BSP
British Standard Pipe is a common type of thread used in Australia for gas and water connections. The acronym refers specifically to the thread type and is available in numerous sizes.
SAE
Society of Automotive Engineers is another thread type available in numerous sizes. These fittings are identified by the 45-degree tapered end on the male fittings and are less common on general camping stoves.
An SAE fitting has a 45-degree tapered end. Image: Caravans Plus
UNEF
United National Extra Fine (screw threads) is another thread type used for gas connections and is a bit like SAE.
BOM/Coleman/CGA600
This fitting is specifically for and found on appliances that utilise disposable propane canisters. We had to ask around, but we believe that the BOM acronym comes from the name ‘BernzOmatic” which is a USA based company that uses the CGA600 connection for their cylinders.
LPG gas bottles can be used with these appliances via BOM to POL and BOM to 3/8″ LH adapters allowing connection directly from the LPG bottle to the regulator for the appliance.
BOM fittings are for appliances that use disposable propane canisters.
One last note on cylinder safety
For the safety of you and those camping with and around you, read our Ultimate Gas Cylinder Safety Guide. The safe use and maintenance of your gas equipment is your responsibility, and a gas explosion is likely to ruin more than just your bacon and eggs.
If you have any doubts then get in touch so we can try and help, and for safety’s sake, don’t take shortcuts or try and bodge something up, it’s just not worth it.
A very big thank you to Ben Greeneklee who, with over 20 years of experience in gas appliance manufacturing and testing, helped us with the technical accuracy of the information in this article.
Got any questions or details you’d like to see added to this article? Let us know in the comments below and in the meantime, we’ll get busy on the details surrounding the new LCC27 connection that’s replacing the POL fitting.
Trekker, surfer, climber, mountain biker, runner, camper. Participator in most things… master of none.
is there an adaptor that allows LCC27 (LPG) tank connect to the Butane stoves?
Hi Ben, I currently have a permanent plumbing setup at the rear of the 15 year old slide-on camper. It is external and the two gas bottles have a steel floor with upstanding surround, as well as a rubber finished bottle holder at the waist, for two 4.5kg bottles
It is connected to the gas cooker on the other side of the slide-on with a jack on the inside of the wall for the hose to connect into and then plumb to the underside of the cooker – a SMEV 8000 2 burner with glass lid. Being at the back of the slide-on it is adjacent the door of the pop top bed of the slide-on camper, which I have been told is not acceptable for caravans. My question is whether such a configuration is ok for a slide-on, and if not whether there exists a slide-out cooker product that can be connected by a loose gas bottle (like a bbq).
Great article, thanks for any feedback,
Really excellent informative article. Thank you and well done.
Great post! Caravan Appliances truly bridge the gap between home and adventure. Your blog brilliantly captures the essence of these essential tools that make life on the road not only convenient but also enjoyable and comfortable. Have you seen these models https://www.awardrv.com.au/appliances/ ?
Thanks for the great article Ben. Can the length of a low pressure supply hose affect stove performance? We notice our Companion low pressure stove works better when we remove the cylinder and use a separate regulated low pressure hose than it does on our camper bayonet setup.
Hi Ben, I have a composite gas cylinder with an odd connection ( not POL )
It’s 15 mm female RH thread vertically on the valve. (
Is there an adapter for this?
I’m not sure sorry, Jeff, I’d suggest taking your cylinder to a camping store or gas fitter so they can see the connection and advise accordingly.
Can you tell me what’s happening here. Twice now I’ve turned my gas on in the morning and plumes of a smelly grey mist comes out of the burners.I’ve turned the gas off immediately moved it to a safe area and tried again later. it happened for a few seconds and then cleared so I continued using. I woke this morning to make my cup of tea and it’s happened again. Both times happened in the morning and it wasn’t cold., but gas was still in the line.
I put it down the first episode thinking I sprayed too much cleaning agent around it and it could of got into the vents. ..obviously not, for it to happen again.
It is a 3 burner Oztrail
Hi there Patricia, apologies for the late response. This is most likely a small volume of gas left in the line, assuming that’s what it smells like. We’d need to see a video or similar to understand what you’re referring to exactly. We suggest enquiring in our Facebook group, someone may have an answer there 🙂
Hope this helps!
This is a great, comprehensive article. Thanks for taking the time and for making it freely available.
I have searched several Australian web sites looking for the meanings of the various codes stamped into the metal at the top of LPG cylinders but have not yet found a definitive source of information.
Codes I have seen on “Swap ‘n’ Go” cylinders are T.M., E.W. and W.C. – all followed by a number of kg then T.P. followed by a number of Mpa.
After weighing the cylinders both full, part full and empty, I have not obtained readings that match those stamped into the metal.
This makes me a little suspicious about potential under-filling and, by extrapolation, the potential for a false test date stamped onto a cylinder.
I cannot prove this, but I am sure I have seen gas cylinders with test dates older than 10 years.
Sometimes SCUBA tanks that have exceeded their safety limits during annual testing, have been cut in half before being returned. Since safety is that important I would like to know that the LPG cylinder I attach to my BBQ is not falsely marked.
I would be very grateful if you could tap your sources to provide the information please.
Hi there John – thank you for your enquiry, and apologies for the late response! To clarify, ‘T.M.’ is the Total Mass of gas the bottle holds when it’s full. ‘E.W.’ is Empty Weight. ‘W.C.’ is Water Capacity – this tells the tester how much water the bottle holds (when a tank is tested, it is tested under pressure, full of water). ‘T.P.’ is the Test Pressure, and this is the pressure it must be subjected to in order to pass as fit for use.
Using your home scales may mean you don’t achieve results as accurate as you would when using an improved, regulated, and calibrated industrial scale at a gas bottle manufacturer.
There are significant regulations in Australia surrounding the production of gas bottles, so it’s unlikely they’d be falsely marked – but if you’re concerned, maybe take your gas bottle to an authorised tester to get re-tagged 🙂
Hope this helps!
I have a small 3 burner fold up camping stove that l used a 1 kg gas bottle to cook.I recently replaced with a 2 kg bottle and now cannot control the flame.It burns yellow and high only.
Any suggestions
Hey there Gess, thanks for your message 🙂 Hmmm… this is a tricky one. Assuming this gas is coming from a reputable source, is the stove regulated or unregulated? Is everything else identical between the two gas bottles?
Interesting article thanks.
My motorhome has an external 2 burner cooker attached to the side of the vehicle which hinges down and then is connected to the plumbed gas supply by a quick release bayonet type fitting. It functions well for a while then the flame wanders accompanied by a dull roaring sound. This happens even in a nil wind environment. It is a Swift Slimline cooker.
Any idea how to rectify?
Hi there Brian, thanks for your message and apologies for the delayed response – sounds like your cooker may need servicing or checked for repair? You can do this at a caravan/RV retailer or service centre 🙂
Hi together,
thanks a lot for this very informative and helpful article.
Anyway, I´m currently struggling a little regarding the “usual” connector of Australian 4-kg LPG bottles.
We are germans and will ship our RV to Australia soon, so I tried to find an adapter to connect typical australian bottles
mentioned above to our “standard german” pressure regulator in our RV.
I´ve learned so far, that our connection is called KLF (G.12, outside thread) and now like to know the thread size of your usual POL connection.
There are two available:
G.7, which is BSP -> British Standard Pipe
or
G.9, which is NGO -> US Standard Pipe
Both have an inner diameter of 21 mm…
To make things even worse I noticed, that both types are listed in the Australian Standard AS2473.2:
Type 20 (BSP) intended for “flammable gases etc.”
Type 21 (NGO) intended for “LPG, butane, propane”
It would be greatly appreciated if someone could enlight me :o)
Thanks a lot in advance and take care
Mike
Mike, too late for you i fear but for other’s info…we usually use Type 21. Lots of sites discussing the recent introduction of the LCC27 fitting mention it, e.g. https://www.aga.asn.au/lcc27-new-lpg-cylinder-and-appliance-connection-transition/
I have a camper trailer (Jayco) with a low pressure regulator attached to bottle with braided hose and output from regulator to camper by copper pipe. Can I attach a double adaptor at bottle and run a 2 mt hose to an outside low pressure camping stove (eg-Gasmate’s Double and Single Wok Cookers, Companion’s Wok Burner and the RV Stove & Grill) If I can I would have to be able to isolate that line when not in use as the fridge would still be using gas.
Thanks Ken
I will give you my two cents worth here, Ken, with the caveat that given I can’t see your setup nor am I a qualified gasfitter, I can’t guarantee my thoughts below will be correct. If you are unsure, I’d recommend having it looked at by a qualified professional. My points below also come with the assumption that you’re checking for gas leaks and using approved fittings.
Now that I’ve covered my bum, onto my thoughts.
You’d need a regulated supply for both the camper and the stove. Given the double adapters I know of only accommodate POL fittings the adapter would need to go on the bottle with the regulated camper supply coming out of one side and a regulated supply (hose with regulator) for the stove out of the other. The problem you’d have is what to do with the stove side of the double adapter when you are not using it as you’d need to turn it off at the bottle, and as you mention, the fridge would still need gas.
A better solution would be to have a bayonet outlet connected to the already regulated supply and fitted to the outside of your camper in a location that is convenient for your stove to be set up. This would mean fewer fittings at the cylinder hence reducing the chance of gas leaks.
I hope we are on the same page here, and this helps.
Cheers.
Hi,
I have a 2 burner camp cooker that I run off a 4 and 9 kg lpg cylinder. It works great and I use it a lot.
For space I bought a Coleman type regulator and Coleman disposable propane cylinders but they don’t work.
Any suggestions?
Hi there John – what brand is your stove? A Coleman regulator arm only works with a Coleman stove. Also, does your original stove have an inline regulator on the hose it came with? If so, this means it’s a high pressure stove, which won’t work with regulator at all (or any kind).
Hope this helps!
Thanks for this great article!
r.e. connecting a gas stove to caravan gas bottles. As you describe i have a bayonet gas point.
You mention that only a few stoves are compatible with caravan low pressure outlets.
I am interested in the 3 burner Eventemp stove (being sold by Snowys).
Is the reason this stove will not be compatible because it is difficult to access the gas point on the stove once you remove the regulator?
Unfortunately, there’s more to it, Caillin. None of the Coleman stoves are compatible with bayonet systems as their regulators cannot be removed or bypassed. Their design is very specific and prevents compatibility. Sorry mate!
Great artcle, clear and well illustrated…Do you know where I can get nozzle size 8075? The hole is extremely fine and I can’t unblock it; no needle is fine enough…
Thanks for the great feedback, Chris! I know there’s a place in Adelaide called, Maxbilt Trading Co, which would have various nozzles but, unfortunately, I’m not familiar with similar businesses elsewhere. I reckon if you do a search for gas products – sales and service, or gas fittings hoses and regulators in your area someone, somewhere will come up. Maxbilt’s website seems to be down at the moment so here’s their FB instead. Good luck
Can I use an adaptor to connect a disposable propane canister to the regulator hose on my bbq as a spare?
G’day Ken, there’s a fair bit of ambiguity with that one. It depends on what kind of BBQ you have – is it a portable camping style one, or a large residential one? There are different types of disposable propane canisters too, so it also depends on the particular kind you’re talking about. Feel free to give our customer support team a buzz on 1300 914 007 or shoot them an email service@snowys.com.au with images of your BBQ and hopefully they’ll be about to chat with you further in regards to your specific setup. Cheers mate.
Do you need special o rings for seals or can you use rubber.
G’day Peter, I’m almost 100% certain that all o rings for gas-related products are rubber. However, you most certainly need to ensure the correct size and that it’s approved for gas. If you’re based in SA, we can recommend Maxbilt Trading Co in Prospect – they’re bound to stock the right o rings for your needs. Cheers
We have a camper trailer and we have been told that the gas bottle has to be in a enclosed box with ventilation as per some regulations. Is this true?
G’day Alan, gas bottles should definitely be stored on the outside of your vehicle, caravan, or trailer, and away from direct sunlight with adequate ventilation. However, to gain the most knowledgeable answer, I reckon this might be a question for an authorised gas technician. Cheers mate.
very informative article. thanks! now I know more about butane
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Excellent, once again Snowys.
Great to hear! Cheers Duane
Thanks for the great article, I was wondering why I couldn’t easily find a camp stove extension hose to buy!
Cheers Dave! Yep, when it comes to gas it’s important to do it right and keep things safe.
is it safe to transport Propane bottles in the boot of an SUV or in the caravan boot?
I’d suggest checking local regulations, Nick, it’s best avoided or limited to transport to and from refill stations. For touring it is best to store them on the outside of your vehicle. There is a lot of information and opinions about this, check out this article – https://www.snowys.com.au/blog/the-ultimate-gas-bottle-safety-checklist/, and Elgas provide some info here – https://www.elgas.com.au/swapngo/bbq-safety-tips.
Hi Ben, what about the small aerosol type ones for small portable cooktops, where would you store those while travelling? I have a holder on my caravan drawbar for the 4.5kg bottle, just not sure where to put the small cans. Cheers.
Good question, Nick. I’m not exactly sure what the guidelines are for the butane canisters so don’t quote me on the following.
I guess you shouldn’t leave them in a hot car or in direct sunlight, but safely stored whilst driving in the cargo space of your vehicle is likely to be ok. Make sure you disengage them from the stove when in transit so gas does not accidentally leak and inspect them at rest stops.
There are probably guidelines on the actual packaging, but usually, some common sense should prevail regarding safety here. I am actually placing a small ammo box on my roof rack to transport small quantities of liquid stove fuel, a similar principle could be applied for these canisters.
planning on going camping and this is a great help. thanks!
How do you operate twin gas cylinders that are permanently set up on tow bar. The turn know is straight up and when I turned on the gas bottle, it seemed to be escaping out of the regulator. Could it be because the switch is up meaning both bottles are not on. I hope you understand what I mean
I have a delonghi gas cooktop electric oven combo in my rental and gas is via servo bottles outside pipes into inside of kitchen cabinet next to the appliance with a hose lever type setup. No instructions from owner or RE despite request . . I’ve never used gas before except on a bbq and can’t seem to get gas from the tank to the stove top with a setup that looks like this caravan one possibly minus some Pieces. Any advice on who I contact to check it’s all hooked up and safe as it should be and to demonstrate how to work it please?
G’day mate! Wish we had the expertise to advise on this one but without being familiar with the Delonghi and gas regulator setup, it would be best left to a qualified gas technician. The team at Maxbilt Trading in Adelaide is a wealth of knowledge so you could try getting in touch with them or find someone local to you. Good luck!
I have scoured the internet looking for a definitive answer on gas bottle transport for campers with an SUV (or car even). Not a caravan, not a ute, not a 4WD – an SUV without a boot.
Many say don’t store in the vehicle, while others say not in direct sunlight – the latter contradicting those suggesting roof racks.
We have a single 2kg bottle for a 2 burner stove, with apparently no viable means to transport it.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
That’s a tricky one mate and you’re right, everyone has a different opinion! We can’t offer a definitive answer as we’re not gas experts. Our advice would be to seek the professional opinion of a qualified gas technician but for what it’s worth, outside of your vehicle is recommended. With an SUV and no Ute tray or trailer, on the roof racks with protection from direct sunlight is an option, or there are gas bottle holders available that you might be able to rig up to the rear of your vehicle..? Good luck mate!
Hi.
I has a gas mate 1095D which I have had for around 20 years. I find i keep needing to replace the o rings in the hose each year. Finding it difficult to screw the hose into the gas burner unit. Should I be looking to replace the whole burner or just replace the hose as the unit should be okay?
G’day Peter, o rings do deteriorate mate and depending on how much use your stove gets, it’s not such a bad thing to have to replace them each year. Having said that, if you’re still using the original hose, 20 years is a long time so it might be worthwhile grabbing a new one – just double-check the threads are compatible. If all that fails, a new stove might be your best option. Cheers mate
Hello, I would like to connect my 2 burner bbq to a regulator and then on to a 9kg gas bottle. Is this possible as I don’t seem to be able to locate the appropriate fittings?
Hi, I like to know if it is safe to use a two burner camping stove with a 3/8, 4kg gas bottle inside as I like using gas to cook, but the little unit only has two hobs and I want gas. So? Is it safe to use in my own kitchen? Thanks
We would definitely not recommend using a camping stove indoors Hannah as they are designed for outdoor use only. Cheers!
Hi,
I was just in bunnings looking for a bigger gas bottle for my two burner camping stove. The attendant told me that i could not use camping stove with the POL gas bottle has they are not made to handle it. Instead recommended I use the 4kg 3/8 gas bottle.
is this true?
I’m not sure why they would have said this, Rowan, the gas inside the bottle is stored at the same pressure and a larger bottle simply means you’ll be able to go longer between fills. You will also need appropriate adaptors and to ensure you check for leaks at all joins.
It’s more of an issue the other way around if you are using a small bottle with a bigger stove whereby ‘maximum evaporation rate’ comes into play and the cylinder cools too much for the gas to boil. This is explained in the article.
It would be interesting to press them a little on why they see this as being a problem.
Hi – Great blog!
I have a Trangia stove and am considering getting the gas burner attachment which I believe has a primus fitting. However, I don’t see the primus type gas cylinders it uses at many stores and it seems a bit specialist.
The green Coleman Propane cylinders you mention in the blog seem to be easier to obtain and a bit cheaper.
Do you know if it’s possible to connect the Trangia gas fitting to a Coleman propane cylinder?
Cheers
If you want to use your Trangia stove with the gas burner accessory, you unfortunately won’t be able to use it with Coleman Propane cylinders, Steve. You will however be able to use them with screw type self-sealing isobutane/propane/butane canisters such as the IsoPro from MSR, JetBoil JetPower etc. Hope that helps Steve.
hi – Im interested to know why I can’t buy a long hose that would reach from a 4kg bottle located on my roof rack to my 2 burner cooker sitting on my tailgate table of my 4wd.
The longest I’ve seen are 1.2m which isnt long enough.
I saw a hose recently in Bunnings that was 4m long designed for a butane blow torch that looked like it might do the trick. any reason why I cant/shouldnt use that?
Brian R Perth
Good question, Brian.
This all comes down to safety. Most camp stoves are high-pressure stoves and using a longer hose can cause dangerous flare-ups, so for safety’s sake, and to stick within Australian gas regulations, you are best using the supplied hose which for most high-pressure stoves is about 1.2 metres long.
The only option for adding a longer hose is to use a low-pressure stove like those mentioned in the caravan setup section of this article, but there are very few options available. You’ll then need to get a longer hose which are only available commercially up to about 3 metres and attach it to a 2.8kPa regulator at the bottle.
So, long story short, you’ll probably need a new stove, another hose and a regulator.
I might add this detail to the article though, it’s a good question you raise.