Anyone have a recommendation for a currently available adapter that's regulated? If I'm remembering right, Kovea used to be regulated, but I'm not seeing it's available anymore except for on offer from sketchy sites I don't trust. All the rest just seem to be straight physical adapters, no regulating going on, like this: Am I over thinking this, is a regulator not really needed?
Thanks Ben. I did look on eBay, same generic stuff as Amazon. I'm specifically looking for a regulated adapter.
@Marc I can’t help you with a source for an adaptor for the 1lb propane bottles, Marc, which are ridiculously expensive in the UK. Even so, I expected I’d be constructing one for UK Calor propane cylinder to lindal because there was no off-the-shelf regulating adaptor for that combination either. I wanted a regulating adaptor because I didn’t want anything over 14psi/1 bar to reach the butane stoves I would be using with it, THIS Optimus Gemini and THIS Robens Fire Finch. The propane regulator with a left-hand threaded connector connected to it … … the same left-hand threaded connector that a Camping Gas butane source uses, the black hose seen here can therefore connect up to bottle-pressure (typically 1 bar depending on ambient temperature) butane or 1 bar regulated propane cylinders. For the lindal connector I’d to scratch build. Optimus Gemini connected to it. Camping Gas powering the Gemini, or the option of a Calor propane source with the red regulator. When you speak of untrustworthy sources for what you want, do you mean they’re scammers or that their product is junk? Maybe both? John
John, this is all phenomenal. Not at all surprised you've gone down this rabbit hole and are way ahead of me. I might just be doing something similar. One supposed source for the Kovea adapter I've found had 1.9 stars on Trustpilot. Another localish store might have one, but their website specifically says the Kovea adapter isn't available in their B&M store and that it must be ordered online; their reviews for online sales are abysmal. There's another B&M store locally that used to carry Kovea, I might pop in and see what they still have on the shelves.
Thanks Ben, that's really close. That one still has just a check valve in it, not a regulator. The regulator really is what I'm looking for, else any of the $10 no name adapters would be perfectly suitable.
I've tried a couple of them, including the ''regulated'' Kovea. They never worked for me. The pressure in the green Coleman bottles was too great for Lindal valve burners. They just froze up or jammed.
Been curious just how "regulated" the Kovea adapter is too. If I find one I might rig up something to test how/if it's regulated.
An invaluable ‘user’ observation indeed. I’m beginning to think that a regulator less than two inches in diameter can’t do the job! An exception I suppose would be one incorporated in such canister-top stoves as the Soto Windmaster or MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe as a more sophisticated alternative to a needle valve, but designed to handle butane or mostly butane mixtures. Regularly whacking bottle-pressure propane through them would be a severe test.
There are tiny regulators in paint ball guns that'll handle 3000+ psi. Clearly small robust regulators can be built. All the cheap unregulated thread adapters seem to have piles of good reviews, so clearly they work acceptably well for enough people. Just insufficient market for a proper regulated adapter. My goal was to have the convenience of a gassie, the small weight and size of a butane stove, while still being functional at lower temperatures, without buying an Optimus Vega or Whisperlite Universal. There's a reason my Trangias get so much use.
@Marc Maybe introduce a needle valve at the propane bottle, using an adaptor such as you pictured in your initial post, coupled with a MSR ‘Low Down’ and a small butane stove with its own valve. My reasoning is that the needle valve at the propane bottle acts as a pre-set regulator, reducing the pressure reaching the stove to 14 psi or so (butane territory).
John, suspect that would work and be relatively elegant. I'd have greater confidence in the MSR valve handling propane pressures than most others. How many times have we all advised folks to just use the darned fuel the stove was designed for? Thinking I need to heed that advice.
@Marc I've got a Kovea adapter and to call the set screw a regulator is laughable. It's more of a flow restricting / limiting screw. I have mine turned all the way in and the gas flow / pressure is still too much for my taste.
@HunterStovie Aye sir, thank you. If the Kovea adapter is not really regulated then I'll give up looking for one.
