Propane Or Butane ?

[mikey4444]

I have bought a new push-along gas room heater. Its says it gives out 4.1kw with all three panels alight, but I fancy it isn't as warm as it could be.

At present I am running it on butane, but the instructions say butane or propane. If I used propane instead, would it be much hotter ?

[waterboatman]

It shouldn't make a lot of difference mikey, but why not give it a try and see?

[mikey4444]

Boaty.....thanks for being so quick !

I was always under the impression that propane was much hotter than butane. I have a spare propane bottle in the garage, so I think I might try it. Another thing...even though the instructions say butane/propane, I was a bit concerned that the hotter flame might harm the burners, but perhaps not ?

[DTCwordfan]

Mikey, in practice, your standard butane gas cylinder contains both, 60 per cent propane in winter and 40 percent in summer, the reason for this being to allow for adjustment to temperature. In winter, butane will not flow as it's boiling point is -4C

[DTCwordfan]

For the record, Butane's calorific value is 133000 kjoules per kilo and Propane is 101000......so there's the answer to that - the logic being the number of C and Hs in each as they break up....

[DTCwordfan]

in practice the burning temperature in air is nearly identical...butane 1970C and propane 1980C

[mikey4444]

DTC....now a bit confused !....so butane is hotter than propane ?

[DTCwordfan]

the burn temperature yes, the calorific value, no. To be clear, the calorific value is the energy contained in a fuel or food, determined by measuring the heat produced by the complete combustion of a specified quantity of it.

[DTCwordfan]

sorry, switch the results. butane has a higher energy value.

[mikey4444]

So, if I can sum up DTC....it isn't going to make much difference either way....have I got that right ?

( sorry for being a bit thick ! )

[DTCwordfan]

In short, yes, not that much difference except at low temperature and we have passed that this year - I think.

[mikey4444]

Thanks my friend !

[bhg481]

If your heater is indoors there will be no advantage in using butane. Propane is available for eg, caravans where the cylinder is outside and may give problems in winter. In our early years of marriage we lived in a caravan where the gas cylinder was completely outside (ie, not inside a locker) and, on frosty mornings, we had to pour a kettle of boiling water over it before we could use the gas.

[mikey4444]

bhg.......my house can be pretty icy some winter mornings as well !....thanks !

[The Builder]

Stay with butane, Mikey. It's recommended for portable heaters indoors.

Propane is for outside use, including caravans and camping.

[bhg481]

Reading your post, Builder, I realised that I said butane when I meant to put propane. In other words I agree with you that butane is the stuff to use.