Patio heater - Can I use butane too?

[Deleted User]

Comes with a propane regulator. BUT instructions seem to mention G30/G31 (which I think is propane/butane).

If I change the regulator to a butane is there any reason why I can't use butane?

Its manufactured by a US company (it was from costco) and I think generally propane is used for outdoors in the US (do to lower freezing point) but, not such an issue for us in the UK. Patio Gas the green one from calor) is butane which a lot of people use in BBQs.

nickcc

Propane boils off well below zero degrees whilst butane stops boiling off at zero. In other words gas will stop being produced at freezing point with butane but not with propane.

Patio heaters are often used in very cold conditions and BBQ's in warm/hot conditions that's why one uses propane and the other butane.

getmore4less

[quote=[Deleted User];discussion/5460747]Patio Gas the green one from calor) is butane which a lot of people use in BBQs.[/QUOTE]

https://www.calor.co.uk/shop/gas-bottles/patio-gas-bottles.html

[Deleted User]

nickcc wrote: »

Propane boils off well below zero degrees whilst butane stops boiling off at zero. In other words gas will stop being produced at freezing point with butane but not with propane.

Patio heaters are often used in very cold conditions and BBQ's in warm/hot conditions that's why one uses propane and the other butane.

Ah didnt know it was that high a temp i.e. 0 degrees. So yes I can see what you mean that a heater would, be used in colder temps so propane would be better.

Still not sure if I'd be outside if it was 0 degrees though lol. What happens to butane - does it just not work?

nickcc

Yes butane stops gassing off at freezing point.

[Deleted User]

getmore4less wrote: »

https://www.calor.co.uk/shop/gas-bottles/patio-gas-bottles.html

You're right its propane!

[Deleted User]

nickcc wrote: »

Yes butane stops gassing off at freezing point.

But is there any reason why, taking this into consideration, I can't use butane (with the correct regulator)? Reason being I've got a full butane cylinder.....

BTW - assume butane/propane use different regulators because of different pressures?

Would a propane regulator fit on a butane bottle or viceversa or is the connector different? I assume so because wouldnt it be problematic if you got this wrong?

Grenage

I don't see why it would be a problem, the butane will kick out more heat IIRC.

Paul_the_Painter

Regulator connector is very different between propane and butane, not sure what the Calor gas "Patio Gas" uses, but traditionally butane is a push fit, whereas propane is a left hand threaded screw in connection.
Regarding using in low temperatures, worth noting that as the liquid turns into a gas the remaining liquid cools (latent heat of vaporisation?) so if the butane stops gasification at 0 degrees, it's probably not usable for any length of time below about 5 degrees.

From a practical standpoint,if you've got a full bottle of butane use it, as the cost of a bottle of butane is far larger than the cost of a regulator.

In my patio heater and gas BBQ days i ran everything on propane though, for 2 reasons 1. It was cheaper, with the local supplier doing no deposit on 13kg bottles we were also able to have a couple of spares at any point. 2. We could BBQ in the winter time, nice shoulder of lamb or beer can chicken became a sort of tradition if there was any snow. Been converted back to charcoal now (didn't stop a while salmon going on the Weber on New Year's Day though.

[Deleted User]

Paul_the_Painter wrote: »

Regulator connector is very different between propane and butane, not sure what the Calor gas "Patio Gas" uses, but traditionally butane is a push fit, whereas propane is a left hand threaded screw in connection.
Regarding using in low temperatures, worth noting that as the liquid turns into a gas the remaining liquid cools (latent heat of vaporisation?) so if the butane stops gasification at 0 degrees, it's probably not usable for any length of time below about 5 degrees.

From a practical standpoint,if you've got a full bottle of butane use it, as the cost of a bottle of butane is far larger than the cost of a regulator.

In my patio heater and gas BBQ days i ran everything on propane though, for 2 reasons 1. It was cheaper, with the local supplier doing no deposit on 13kg bottles we were also able to have a couple of spares at any point. 2. We could BBQ in the winter time, nice shoulder of lamb or beer can chicken became a sort of tradition if there was any snow. Been converted back to charcoal now (didn't stop a while salmon going on the Weber on New Year's Day though.

Cheers Paul. The "Patio Gas" type which is Propane come with a similar push fit connector.

In fact, the heater comes with a push fit propane connector. I've also got a spare push-fit butane connector.

See someone above says butane burns hotter. Just wanted to be 100% sure that if I fired it up with butane it wouldnt cause problems with the heater (like too hot etc!) Its the glass tube tall type.

nickcc

Google search results state that propane is hotter than butane which in turn means you'll use less propane than butane to get the same heat output.