Hello, I was wondering if there would be any issues hooking up and using a 1 lb propane bottle with the correct adapter with the Soto Windmaster? Propane here is much cheaper than isobutane, so it would save me lots of money. I realize that the pressure will be more and the temperature of the flame. I also know that iso butane also contains propane, so I was thinking the stove could handle it without issues. my secondary option would be refilling the isobutane canisters with cheap butane from the cylinder containers. Please let me know. Thank you, William
Which is what I do. The Windmaster is a small, lightweight backpacking canister-top stove, so the idea of hooking it up to a 1lb propane bottle plus a separate regulator doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. May as well use a propane stove.
Yes, I understand your point. The reason I want to use a Soto is that’s it’s a very efficient high quality stove and I’m hoping using propane, it will still be efficient and save me money in fuel. Even cheap butane is more expensive than propane here. A 1 lb propane bottle would last me a very long time and cost $0.49 to fill. Please let me know if the stove would be able to handle propane. Thanks
Hi, @WilliamH , In my opinion, the Soto Windmaster will not be able to handle the increased heat and pressure of a 1lb propane bottle. In some regular camping stoves, you see "Underburn", which melts parts, and can ruin the stoves that develop it, in short order. Be safe, and just go get a Coleman propane one burner, which can still be had fairly inexpensively, at swap meets and such. In fact, I bought one, brand new in the box, for $20 a few years ago. WELL worth that price, and that stove cooks like your range burners at home, and simmers wonderfully!! Use the Windmaster as it was intended to be used, and forget about hooking it up to a big propane bottle. Good luck, and God Bless! Doc
Iso butane does not contain propane unless it's an iso-butane/propane mix which should be stated on the canister. Propane is a saturated hydrocarbon containing 3 carbon atoms. Iso butane is a 4 carbon saturated hydrocarbon that is branched. N-butane is has all 4 carbon molecules in a straight chain. Saturated means all the bonds are single bonds and every available binding site has a hydrogen attached. Here's a graphical representation of an iso butane molecule: As for using propane in you're Windmaster, I'd give it a try. It won't hurt the stove any. Ben
Hey, Ben, I recall seeing photos of an MSR Universal, which experienced fatal meltdown whilst using it in an improper manner. The Windmaster uses parts that are very, very similar to the Universal. I'd most certainly not be so cavalier with my stoves in that way!! But, hey, if William is not worried about melting it down, and the subsequent replacement costs thereof, then hey, he can go for it!! Doc
I haven't tried it if that's what you mean. The metal burner is designed to use compressed gas. It might not burn correctly using propane but I can't imaging harming the metal burner by trying. What harm can you imagine? Ben Thanks for your post @Doc Mark I demure to the experience of others.
Thanks a lot for the replies. I will take them into consideration. Doc, for the Coleman one burner propane stove, are you talking about this one? Peak 1™ Butane/Propane Stove | Coleman
How much use are you planning on? Are you using this in your back yard to cook every day? Even a couple days cooking/month while camping doesn't equal much cost in butane over the year. You probably wouldn't break even on the propane adapter for years.
Here is a test of the MSR Pocket Rocket running on a 1b. propane canister. The Soto Windmaster is a similar stove. Ben
Good point. I use one of these when using my catalytic heater. Makes a 1 lb propane cylinder very stable. Ben
@WilliamH At home, I'd definitely recommend an actual propane stove as Doc has suggested. Out and about, if you're dead set on propane as a fuel in a backpacking form factor, I'd suggest the Kovea adapter with the pressure regulator, and a Kovea stove presumably designed with it's use in mind. I'd probably give what you're suggesting a try, but away from flammable materials and watching the stove carefully. I would also only use the Kovea adapter with the pressure regulator. There are adapters without the regulator available and in my opinion they are dangerous.
+1 on what @Marc just wrote. Due to the much higher boiling points of the 4 carbon molecules, the pressure inside a butane or isobutane cylinder is considerably less than in a propane one. It's the reason why propane cylinder walls are considerably thicker (making them much heavier too). Regards John
Here's some information I found on the various fuels. The vapor pressure of propane is about 122 psi at 70F and isobutane is about 31 psi. So these various mixtures fall somewhere in between depending on the mix. SOTO Power Gas 105 triple mix contains n-butane, isobutane, and propane in what proportions I don't know. Peak1: 70% n-butane, 0% isobutane, 30% propane Snow Peak: 0% n-butane, 65% isobutane, 35% propane Primus: 70% n-butane, 10% isobutane , 20 % propane MSR IsoPro: 0% n-butane, 80% isobutane, 20% propane Coleman: 60% n-butane, 0% isobutane, 40% propane Brunton/Kovea: 0% n-butane, 70% isobutane, 30% propane
So, I’m assuming the only concern would be the increased pressure. The adapter/regulator should be able to deal with this issue no?
@WilliamH asked: "Doc, for the Coleman one burner propane stove, are you talking about this one? Peak 1™ Butane/Propane Stove | Coleman" William, No, that's not the stove I was recommending. Here is a fine solution to your problem. This is a GREAT stove, and well worth seeking out, and buying! It was designed to use the Propane carts that you wish to use, with no worries, at all, and excellent performance!! This is, I believe, a long-discontinued stove. But, it can still be found on the 'net. Good luck, and God Bless! Doc
