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Gavin M
11-17-2004 22:14:08
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Re: Propane Stove in reply to Hubert L, 11-17-2004 16:09:07
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Are you using it outside? If the tubes, orifices, etc. are not obstructed, it is possible that the regulator is too small internally to adequately flow at a lower temperature (Canada) than would be seen in Trinidad. This is because the tank pressure is a direct function of it's temperature. Commercial or HD-5 propane is produced, transported, and stored as a liquid. In this neck of the woods (Alberta) it is typically about 96 -97% propane, 3% ethane, and 1% mixed butanes, with a few parts per million of ethyl mercaptan added to odourize it. The pressure of HD-5 propane (or commercial grade, uncommon anymore, as the propylene in it is more valuble for making alkylate, a high octane gasoline component, or plastics) is typically 200 psi absolute at 100 F, but 14.7 psia (i.e. atmospheric pressure) at -44 F. At any temperature below 32 F (0 C) the pressure in the tank will be quite low. If your regulator was designed for Trinidad temperatures, it will be sized for tank pressures appropriate to tropical temperatures. In Canada, in winter, on construction sites or other outdoor applications of propane heaters, it is common and neccessary to heat the propane to get it to vapourize. In this case the regulator is replaced by a steam or electrically heated vapourizer. When propane powered vehicles were in their heyday, say 20 years ago, a glycol (engine coolant) heated vapourizer-regulator was always used to supply a steady flow of warm, gaseous propane to the (propane) carburator, usually mounted on top of the gasoline carb in a "dual-fuel" application.
Enough said! I'm starting to sound like Hank Hill. Anyway, if there seems to be no obvious reason for the low pressure, it could be that the regulator is the wrong one for this part of the world. It could be re-calibrated, but it would probably be cheaper just to replace it.
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