I just picket up a Coleman stove and had a fuel question. I don't plan on running any gasoline out if it. I don't mind the Coleman fuel, it is cheaper than the propane. But, is there an alturnitive to use that is just as good?
Thanks
Duane
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I just picket up a Coleman stove and had a fuel question. I don't plan on running any gasoline out if it. I don't mind the Coleman fuel, it is cheaper than the propane. But, is there an alturnitive to use that is just as good?
Thanks
Duane
:popcorn: Wondering myself as yesterday I was thinking of getting some for my lantern but the little store by me wanted $17 for a gallon!
From the net: "Coleman fuel is a petroleum naphtha product marketed by The Coleman Company. Historically called white gas (not white spirit), it is a liquid petroleum fuel (100% light hydrotreated distillate) usually sold in one gallon cans.[1] It is used primarily for fueling lanterns and camp stoves. Additionally, it is a popular fuel for fire dancing. Originally, it was simply casing-head gas or drip gas which has similar properties. Drip gas was sold commercially at gas stations and hardware stores in North America until the early 1950s. The white gas sold today is a similar product but is produced at refineries with the benzene removed.[2][unreliable source?]
Coleman fuel is a mixture of cyclohexane, nonane, octane, heptane, and pentane.
Though Coleman fuel has an octane rating of 50 to 55 and a flammability similar to gasoline, it has none of the additives found in modern gasoline and cannot be used as a substitute for gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel in modern engines. Its high combustion temperature and lack of octane boosting additives like tetraethyllead will destroy engine valves, and its low octane rating would produce knocking. However, it is quite popular as a fuel for model engines, where the low octane rating is not a problem, additives are unwanted, and the clean burning, low odor and longer shelf life are considered advantages."
Propane sure looks a whole bunch cheaper! I have never used C fuel in anything because all my camping & lighting equipment is propane for that exact $$ reason. And I use propane in my plumber's furnace (jet engine!) to melt raw alloys real fast.......much faster than any stove could.
I have read that some, in desperation, have used unleaded gasoline. Never heard if it blew up or not! If they are still alive, maybe they will chime in.
I would highly recommend either a turkey fryer or plumbers furnace (propane or nat gas) for melting large pots of raw alloy to clean and ingotize.
banger
Depending on the gas generator used in your Coleman Stove, you may, or may not, have an alternative.
The Duel Fuel Coleman stoves can run on Coleman fuel or unleaded gasoline. The ones that aren't rated for duel fuel Coleman claims they should be restricted to Coleman fuel.
NOW the reality is that just about any Coleman stove will run on unleaded gasoline, it's a question of how long. In some cases you're better off economically just running them on unleaded gas and replacing the generator more often. Amoco unleaded seems to be the favorite. The Coleman fuel does store better. It doesn't have ethanol in it and is basically naphtha.
You'll get mixed answers on this but I think you can get by with unleaded gas just fine.
Been using unleaded gas in my coleman for years, no problem.
Yes sir. Many years. If someday the generator should need replacing, I'll have paid for it many times by using cheaper gasoline.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hickok
And there you have it.Quote:
Originally Posted by imashooter2
Ok, what about Naphtha?
1) how will it run?
2) where can you get it?
For me, it is still cheaper to run the Coleman fuel than it is to use propane. Just changing out the Cylinders at the store is 50.00.
A looong time ago, my granddad ran leaded fuel (white gas,) in his, but can't really do that any more.
Just talking out loud.
Duane
Naptha you can buy at the hardware store. I think I'm going to give it a try in a lantern and see how it works there. I've used unleaded gas in my stoves no problem outdoors but I want to use the lantern indoors and don't want to be breathing all the extra **** in unleaded gas.
Naptha is actually a class of fuels and can mean different things. Coleman fuel is often referred to as "Naptha" or White Gas but that's a bit of an oversimplification.
As for the potential energy in equal volumes of Propane vs. Gasoline, check the available BTU's per gallon:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent
How much propane are you getting for that $50.00? That's high for a 20lb. (4.2 gallon) bottle.
Petrol, I honestly have no idea.
It it is more of the observation of 51.99 for a refill tank, (and I do have two of them,) vs 15 for a gallon of Coleman fuel. A gallon of Coleman fuel lasts a long time. LOL
Duane
The average 20lb propane tank, the typical size for a gas grill, holds approximately 4.2 gallons of liquid propane. At $3.00/gallon that only comes to $12.60 per tank and even at $4.00/gal that's only $16.80. It generally costs a little more to fill them than the going rate but not $51.99 for a 20 lb. bottle.
You have to look at more than just the cost of the fuel because not all fuels produce the same amount of energy.
Gasoline yields approx. 114,000 BTU's per gallon
Propane yields approx. 84,300 BTU's / gal
Diesel 129,500 BTU's/gal
Kerosene 128,100 BTU's/gal
Now it's not as simple as picking the fuel with the highest energy content, there are trade offs. Propane doesn't yield as many BTU's per gallon as gasoline, diesel or kerosene but propane burns clean and offers a lot of convenience.
However in terms of energy (BTU's or heat) produced per dollar spent, gasoline is very attractive. Like everything in life, there are compromises. Propane is easier to deal with and gasoline makes more heat and is often cheaper. Pick what works for you.
By the way, my camp stoves and lantern run off of kerosene. I have a small Coleman gasoline stove that is permanently dedicated to melting lead but it will never be used for cooking.
I have 2 propane stoves, (one Coleman and one brand "X",) and two Coleman fuel stoves. Lanterns are mixed propane and fuel 2 & 2 as well.
(It might make more sense if you know that I bought the duel fuel lanterns while stationed in New Orleans. I grew up camping with propane.)
First, I am going to have to find someplace that will fill my tanks instead of trading them out.
Second, I am going to take both on the Boy Scout camp out this weekend. (Why, because I can... LOL)
There are some pro's and con's not discuses. Smell of fuel, reliability while camping and depending on your stove for meals, colds affect on fuel, availability in geographic location, ect...
I appreciate all comments!!!!!!!! I have a lot to consider.
Duane
Naphtha around me sells for about $13-14/gal. I use it in my shop for several solvent and wood refinishing techniques. It is "lighter fluid" from the old days of Zippo lighters.Quote:
Originally Posted by TCTex
Rather expensive. Called " Varnish Makers & Painters Naphtha" on the can.
"White gas" was a refined hydrocarbon gasoline that had no additives in it (such as lead and the other stuff) that makes normal gas the color it is today.
banger
Update.
I found a "mom and pop" store that did cylinder exchanges for 16.00. There little cylinders were 2.99 and like 7.99 for a three pack.
However, they also had coleman fuel for 8.50 a gallon.
Duane
Not to steal the thread, but I heat my house with propane. To save money, every June I prebuy a certain amount of propane. I found out my delivery guy will refill my 20# bottles if I leave them behind the 500 lb tank. The amount used is charged against my prebuy amount, which is way cheaper than exchanging the tanks (which incidentally, to keep the price down, they only put in 17#, instead of the std 20#)
Not to help you steal the thread but yes, the amount of propane in an exchanged tank is always suspect. The tank exchange schemes are based on convenience. The average suburban dweller is more than happy to pay for the ability to swap out tanks at their local convenience store/gas station/grocery store than to find a propane filling station. It is also attractive for the retailer. It requires far less capital outlay for the retailer to install a cage full of pre-filed tanks than to invest in all of the equipment needed to fill tanks and pay someone to do it.
I prefer to have tanks refilled as opposed to swapping tanks out; It is almost always a better deal.
As for Coleman fuel at $8.50/gal, that is still way over 2x the cost of unleaded gasoline. Unless there was some huge advantage to running Coleman fuel as opposed to unleaded gasoline (odor, fumes, I don't know?), I'd run plain old unleaded gas.
As Hickok & imashooter2 pointed out, the savings of running unleaded gas vs. Coleman fuel far outweigh the cost of any potential problems and those problems appear to be greatly exaggerated.
My guess is that when gasoline had lead and other additives that would damage the gas generator on a Coleman stove, the Coleman fuel was a good deal. Now that unleaded gasoline is not only readily available but the only gasoline available, there is little incentive to purchase Coleman fuel. I'm certain that Coleman enjoys a very healthy profit margin when selling Coleman fuel one gallon at a time. I bet Coleman is more than happy to continue that practice but I question why consumers need to pay that premium.
Bring it on gents, I greatly appreciate the comments!!!
The title of the thread is Coleman stove fuel. I think we are still spot on!!
I will try the unleaded, but this weekend I think I am still going to use the off brand look alike Coleman Fuel with the Boy Scouts. I have found out they frown on the gasoline... So unfortunately, that is a veriable.
Duane.
Yall have been awesome and thank you!!!
ps, I just found a place that will refill my tank. Thought y'all would get a giggle out of that.
You mentioned gasoline, is your stove a dual fuel stove? If so, you can run gas in it as long as you filter it when filling it.
Steve
have used unleaded gas in my colmans with no trouble. when you guys want to get serious about refilling propane look into a wet leg for your tank, I have one for filling my tractor tanks and it works on the bbq bottles as well. we do the summer fill and have a couple thousand gallons of propane at the ranch, if push comes to shove we can get by for two years with out a refill.
rancher1913, and your definition of a wet leg is......?
Steve
A fill line on your propane tank with a valve so that you can refill your 20 lb propane tanks at the house. It has a dip tube to the bottom of the tank to get liquid propane (a wet leg)
When I purchased my propane tank a few years ago, I made sure it had a fill line. It sure is handy to have. I have 3 20 lb tanks and never run out of propane for cookers or smelter.
Brad
a wet leg is a line with a valve that goes into the "wet" portion of the tank and pulls liquid out. when you get a bbq tank filled they are using a "wet" leg to fill it. normal propane appliances use the gas off the top of the tank. sorry for the thread drift op.
I've been using normal gas in my Colemans with no problem to speak of for 4 or 5 years.
I'm another fan of filling off your propane bulk tank. We also have the filler attachment for the BBQ bottles to fill the small 1lb bottles. No more running out of any size bottle.
Just make sure to use the 100% gasoline, that ethanol **** is hard on the sealsQuote:
Originally Posted by Hickok
Non-ethanol unleaded gas is available at y local service station, and is what I run in my pickup. Would no-ethanol unleaded be preferable for Coleman appliances as well? I know a lot of folks who swear it is much better for small engines (lawn mowers, weed eaters and such)
Yes. Not only can the ethanol attack seals and such (including any brass or copper parts in your stove); it also burns leaner than pure gasoline.
Not here in NH all has ethanol. To get non-ethanol you have to hunt. Most get the non at the the local small airport but it is Light lead.Quote:
Originally Posted by 6GUNSONLY
I will buy the Coleman fuel for my stove and lamps, for the difference in price it is worth it to me as I use less than 5 gallons a year. Note I am not THAT thrifty.
Just as a test I've run a Coleman lamp on pure cyclohexane, but my test ended when the fuel froze(the stuff freezes at 43deg F)
Where did I get it? easy the stuff is the standard calibration media for automated gas chromatography machines which were I worked were more common than coffee makers.
Because of it's melting and boiling points it is ridiculously easy to highly purify making it an ideal test media
Ethanol does not attack copper or brass METHANOL does thatQuote:
Originally Posted by Tracy
Back in the 1970s, my uncle used noting but regular unleaded in his Colman stoves and lanterns. I never noticed a difference between the odor of his or ours as dad used Colman fuel. In northern CA, non-ethanol is harder to find than hen's teeth, but a little easier in Oregon. When riding the Oregon Dunes, the only thing I run is non-ethanol, and all I they sell is premium. I ran a few tanks of regular %10 ethanol gas. What a difference between that and non-ethanol premium. I wonder if non-ethanol premium is too high of octane for a Coleman stove or lantern
You can use regular gas no problem in any coleman stove just ad fuel injector cleaner as directed on the container what it does is keep the tube that goes from your tank to the burner from fouling or if you want to stay pro active no matter what fuel you use take it apart once a year and run a .22 cleaning brush through the tube you will never have any problems other than moving parts wearing out. like pump gasket.Quote:
Originally Posted by TCTex
Or you can get a propane conversion tube it replaces the tank and tube with a new tube with propane fitting I got one just so that I have options tested and it works great...
Main thing I like white gas stoves for is that they work well in the cold. Propane, not so much. I hiked a lot of miles with the old Optimus 8R back then, bought another recently so I have a backup. Had huge logs dropped on it (replaced burner cup and fuel evaporator that clips into it, bent the pot stand wires back to shape.) Always use the pump I got for it, it helps turn it into a "full power almost instantly" heat generator. Only issue is, do not put your aluminum pot on it and THEN start figuring out where your water bottle is at (you'll melt the bottom out of your pot, friend almost managed that even after I mentioned it.) Butane / Propane are great in summer, easier to simmer gently on than the 8R is. Walmart sells stove fuel cheaper than Coleman's, also, one option.
I gotta call you on that one. I doubt your uncle is that old. :kidding:Quote:
Originally Posted by fcvan
..
Marina gas around here is almost universally alcohol free.
But it is considerably more expensive than auto gas.
Nor am I to remember how it smelled. oops (I'll fix that) thanks