txmatt
Still Smitty's biotch!
Many years ago I had a lighter run out of fuel on me while I was backpacking. Fortunately I had a stove, flint & steel, etc; I did manage to get my cigar light. Since then I have always carried 2 lighters with me on hiking trips, just in case.
While shopping for stove accessories for a forthcoming backpacking trip, I came across an interesting widget; an adapter that lets you fill your lighter from stove fuel canisters; I won't need to worry about my lighter running out of fluid anymore.
There are two different ones on the market: "Brunton Fuel Tool" and "Primus Filling Adapter". Both are pictured below, I ordered the Primus. (The pictures are not actual size.)
What is interesting here is that the fuel these canisters contain is a mix of 80% Isobutane and 20% Propane. Typical lighter butane is N-Butane and it is my understanding that Isobutane is supposedly higher grade (like high octane gasoline). I am curious as to if this fuel mix burns any cleaner/hotter than the typical butane sold for lighters. It also opens up many brands of fuel in these canisters (MSR, Snow Peak, Primus, Brunton, Jetboil) It appears Optimus brand is 70% butane and 30% propane. I can surf brands and blends to find which is the cleanest and hottest burning.
Perhaps a chemist among us can tell me if propane burns colder or isn't as clean. I filled "old faithful"; my PB-207 lighter with fuel from a Jetboil canister today. It appears to me that it may be burning a bit higher, but I will have to do something a little more precise than eyeballing it to be certain. I will try to use this lighter and fuel exclusively for 5 or so tanks and see if I have any problems or clogs..
-Matt-
While shopping for stove accessories for a forthcoming backpacking trip, I came across an interesting widget; an adapter that lets you fill your lighter from stove fuel canisters; I won't need to worry about my lighter running out of fluid anymore.
There are two different ones on the market: "Brunton Fuel Tool" and "Primus Filling Adapter". Both are pictured below, I ordered the Primus. (The pictures are not actual size.)
What is interesting here is that the fuel these canisters contain is a mix of 80% Isobutane and 20% Propane. Typical lighter butane is N-Butane and it is my understanding that Isobutane is supposedly higher grade (like high octane gasoline). I am curious as to if this fuel mix burns any cleaner/hotter than the typical butane sold for lighters. It also opens up many brands of fuel in these canisters (MSR, Snow Peak, Primus, Brunton, Jetboil) It appears Optimus brand is 70% butane and 30% propane. I can surf brands and blends to find which is the cleanest and hottest burning.
Perhaps a chemist among us can tell me if propane burns colder or isn't as clean. I filled "old faithful"; my PB-207 lighter with fuel from a Jetboil canister today. It appears to me that it may be burning a bit higher, but I will have to do something a little more precise than eyeballing it to be certain. I will try to use this lighter and fuel exclusively for 5 or so tanks and see if I have any problems or clogs..
-Matt-
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