10 White gas choices! (Read 36370 times)
Joe_Schmeaux
Inukshuk
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Location: Alberta
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Re: White gas choices!
Reply #20 - Apr 13th, 2011 at 8:17am
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There should be no high-molecular-weight paraffins in any kind of gasoline. (In chemical terms, propane is a paraffin, so I assume you mean solid wax, which is removed very early in the refining process.) If there were any wax solids in gasoline precipitating out at refrigerator temperatures, think what would happen to cars' fuel injectors when the temperature drops to -40. I have no idea where these stories come from.

Summer gasoline is formulated a little differently than winter gasoline: winter gas has a bit more of the volatile components to help it burn better in cold weather. But I doubt that will make much difference to camp stove use.

Probably the biggest thing affecting how easily gasoline will ignite is the number of "depressuring" cycles it goes through. If you store gasoline in a closed container, you've probably noticed that the pressure will build up. When the container is opened, the "pressure" escapes - that vapor contains more of the lighter (more volatile) components than the liquid that is left. Enough openings and closings and eventually most of the lighter ends will be gone and the remaining liquid might be a bit harder to ignite.

So it makes sense to dump unused unleaded into your car's gas tank and refill your Sigg bottles each trip with fresh stuff. Winter campers would automatically be using winter gasoline this way too.

If Coleman fuel claims to have more lighter ends than regular gasoline, then I'd expect you'd need a high-pressure jerry can to store it. After about the second time you opened the can, all of the lighter ends will have been boiled off and the liquid would have about the same composition as regular gasoline. So it sounds to me like just more marketing BS.

I'd forgotten about gasohol though - we don't have much of that around here, and I avoid it since (here) it costs the same per litre as 100% gasoline but contains less energy. (Each 10% of ethanol in the blend gives you 5% worse mileage). So avoid using gasohol in camp stoves.

Hope this helps.
  
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Oldie Moldy
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Re: White gas choices!
Reply #21 - May 9th, 2011 at 4:44am
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I use coleman fuel in the gallon tin. I would suggest that many  of the problems folks run into come from contamination, dirt and what not that gets into the fuel tank. These things will happen, the thing to do is be familiar with how to work on your stove. Maybe carry some spare parts for field repairs and of course the tools that will fit your stove. Kind of a neat independent feeling "by dab, I can fix that!"
Best Wishes, Rob
  
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