How can i stop my gas bottles freezing?

Question

I dont have mains gas, so I run my heating off gas bottles... they are kept in a Shed at the side of the house but I have to keep going out and swapping them (the ones that arent in use i keep in the garage). Any ideas?

Answer 1

Butane and Propane in cylinders are liquid gases held under pressure. When the liquid boils it turns to vapour (just like water) but at a much lower temperature. Butane at 0 Celsius Propane about -20. Therefore at temps lower than this the liquid will not boil to produce the vapour that you burn. So the gas is not freezing - it's just not boiling.

So in UK area Propane is better when stored outside - in fact all gas cyls should be kept outside. Don't store them inside and especially not in a cellar as the gas is heaver than air and will find the lowest place, and when in contact with an ignition point - kaboom! - end of house.
This "freezing" effect will also occur if the off-take is too great, so you may need a different Regulator or line. Contact a CORGI approved installer.
You could throw a bucket of water over the Regulator/cylinder to increase the temp and allow the gas to boil again.

Answer 2

You just need to give them a good shake, every now and then, you will know when as the pressure drops and the lights go dim, or the gas rings don't burn so fast, it is usually at most 2 or 3 times a day, last thing at night and first thing in the morning, it is only on the very cold days, I used to do this when living in a caravan during the week while working on a building site. My cylinders were outside no protection.

Answer 3

Sounds like the heater that you are using is to large for the amount of storage you have this will cause the problem of the tanks freezing.As you use the vapor in the tank it in turn lowers the pressure. The lower the pressure in the tank the lower the temp of the gas will be, it will in turn cause condensation to form on the bottles which will actually freeze when the temperature of the gas is cold enough .You could try hooking one or more bottles together this will give you more vaporization, or you could go with larger bottles if they are available this will do the trick also

Answer 4

What are you using, butane , or propane ? A few blankets thown over butane bottles, would be sufficient, it freezes around zero degrees c, propane freezes much lower. Anything above zero, will keep your butane bottles from freezing

Answer 5

if you are in the UK and using butane (blue cylinders) switch to propane (red cylinders). Propane doesn't normally freeze in this country. It may just be the valve wrap the top of the bottles and the adaptor in a babies duvet or a blanket

Answer 6

HI-,Propane gas (red Cylinders) Willnot freeze until well below 15% -, We have a caravan & we use the propane gas it is a hoter gas to, you will have no problems iff you change,D.F;

Answer 7

if you drain the propane too fast, the freeze happens.maybe a larger regulator & line. propane is heavy gas which can collect like a pool in the cellar=no cellar or area over cellar...good luck

Answer 8

keep them in warm water ever time you swap a bottle change the water to warm water again you probably arent getting more than 8 hrs out of one bottle.

Answer 9

try an cylinder jacket from a plumbers merchant the sort that gos round a hot water tank

Answer 10

store them in the basement or some where warm