Dual fuel vs Gas stove

Hi Baz, you hit my dillema in one. Carrying the gas bottles. At the moment we have an old gas cooker, gas light and gas powered fridge. That's a lot of room taken up in gas bottles. Not to mention the problem if they run out and it's not convenient to nick into town for a refill!!

Looking at getting a dual fuel stove and light (as both need replacing), but wondered if anyone had experience with the dual fuel and thought they were a pain in the neck to use. If people are happy to use them, I'll buy them.

Cheers,

Jason.

Hi Phil, I currently carry STACKS of gas and that's kinda my concern. I don't like carrying bottles in the car and I need at least 2 bottles at the moment and large ones at that. Looking for feedback as to whether to move to liquid fuel instead.

Cheers,

Smocky.

Just re-read the thread.

I don't use (any more) a gas light (they're noisy, a fire hazard and hard to transport without breaking mantles) but with a Coleman gas stove and a gas fridge (mine is a Finch) I get about 10 days use from one 4 kg gas bottle running both those items. Gas lights just _eat_ gas.

Mike Harding

Ian,

You should have changed your gas retailer.
An honest retailer will weigh the bottle both before and after re-filling and only charge you the difference in weight of the gas put in.

Pretty simple really.

I checked the dual fuel unit out and decided it was just too big.
The Coleman 2 burner with electronic ignition is slim, light and does not block as there is no jets. There is also infinite control over the burner output from gentle simmer, to full flame.

The decision was a no brainer to me, but then I don't mind toting the bottles (2) around.

Yep you're right. I had my Coleman shellite stove accidentally turn itself on a badly corrugated road, so I made a little device to stop this from happening.

Shellite and unleaded (like LPG) should be stored outside the vehicle. Most of us turn a blind eye, I prefer to use the 4 litre Coleman container and will be storing it under my tray when I get around to building a hatch.

Cheers
Phil

I suppose anything is POTENTIALLY dangerous, The Coleman fuel though is better than petrol in that I believe it doesn't produce the dangerous fume cloud that petrol does. Petrol itself doesn't blow up, it only burns, it's the fumes that burn so quickly that cause explosions. White fuel doesn't do that, it just burns. Also, any fuel should be carried properly, and I don't think I'd be carrying the fuel inside the stove canister.

I re-read the archives on this topic and there is pretty much a split down the middle for support for dual fuel and LPG.

The other thing about LPG is that a 4KG gas bottle takes up a fair bit of room and is quite heavy. It will run the devices about as long as 1 litre of white fuel, so I was thinking that I'm saving a fair bit of space too.

Anyway, more thought needed by me I guess.

Cheers,

Smocky.

Smocky
Good points, especially the comparison of 1L to 4Kg gas. As usual I think I'll probably wait until the gas cylinders need re-testing and
re-consider.
Maybe Coleman stoves have come a long way over the years and I am still influenced by stories of 'Coleman Moments' [fire balls].
EV700

That's because you're using a high pressure gas cooker. I don't understand the physics of it (probably, they simply don't need high pressure gas!?) but the low pressure (more expensive) cookers are nowhere near as badly affected by low temperatures.

I remember late one night in the desert in south west Qld I could barely get enough heat to warm up a can of stew from my high pressure gas ring however my Coleman low pressure stove happily boils a kettle of water in a normal timeframe in -2 deg. C mornings in the High Country.

Mike Harding

G'day Pesty,

how do you run all them lights? I've got a 12v flouro that I do like, but you have to be near the car to use it. I've got a jump pack that I sometimes run it from, but not sure how long it will ast and kind of wanted to keep the jump pack for exactly that. About half the time we camp, the tent isn't right next to the car.

Cheers,

Jason.

Hi Jason
I have dual batteries in car and another in camper and the lights only draw 0.9 of an amp so will run for a long time.
So at 0.9 and 180 amps of batteries 1 light should run for about 150 hrs!
They also have switches on them so they get turned on and off as required.

Ah, dual batteries. Another item in the long list of wants I have.

To be quite honest, I find having leads running everywhere a bit of an annoyance. I still use one mind you for inside the tent, but use it sparingly and running from the jump pack.

I think when we camp by the car, to have a couple handing off a pole on the roofracks or something like that would be OK.

Cheers.

As I mentioned, above, the cold doesn't affect low pressure gas units but it will kill your $25 ring.

Let us know how you go with the dual fuel stove, I'm especially interested in knowing if you can get a _really_ low simmer from it for cooking rice using the absorption method for example.

Mike Harding

G'day Mike,

Didn't realise the Coleman LPG stove would be OK in really cold weather, but I'm glad I didn't trade it in yesterday.

I think Ray's is having a sale this week, so will be getting it and trying at home to learn. Will report back.

Cheers,

Jason.

If you're going the way of the DF lamp spending a bit (okay well a lot) extra on the Coleman Northstar model is way worth it. I had the double mantel DF lamp and it was great but the mantels broke often. When it died (salt corrosion made me toss it rather than rebuild - it got drowned by waves many times - always worked though) i looked in the model up - the Northstar, and it is amazing - soooo much brighter - completely different mantel that hasn't broken yet, and just an incredible light.

G'day porl,

I had a look at the NS and it was BIG as well as the price tag. Around $200 I think. The single mantle is around $100 so it's a fair price difference. I think the NS has electronic ignition though which would be well worth it.

Cheers.

hey smocky

the electronc ignition is the only ordinary part (which is why i didn't mention it) - have never had much success and just use a match now. I think you can get them for around $180 if you shop around.

If you go the lower spec coleman consider this mantel - i cut and pasted the info from a 2002 posting from this site:

"G'day Steve, we have a Gasmate lantern (model 2012) and the factory supplied mantles were absolutely useless. They would get a hole between lightings even when there was no movement of the lantern. Consequently the glass cracked on the 2nd lighting. Rang Ranger back and said the supplied mantles weren't strong enough, we would like a new glass. No go, they said you should check the mantle every time you light it. Your fault. We were going thru mantles and a second new glass, very p###ed off. Went into Camping Australia in Fremantle and mentioned the prob, no worries, try these,it's all I (the owner) use. Bought 2x packs of 3, thinking we would need them all out in the sticks. Put the 1st one in and it's still there having travelled over 1000's of Km's of rough roads and tracks, not packed carefully. Don't know if this type will fit your Coleman but it is a "Companion LM 176 medium single tie". Tough as. Hope you find one to fit. Grant"

Guys,

Coleman also do a Northstar lantern as an electric unit. Uses fluroescent tube and 8 x "D" size batteries. I only use mine for the camper trailer and get about 3 years out of a set of batteries. Also, the light just gets a little dimmer as the batteries run down, so you get plenty of warning of their imminent demise.

I only use this lantern inside the camper and a versalite outside.
Now leave the gas lantern in the shed.

I agree Robert, I won't be using ULP in mine, but realise that it is possible in an emergency.

Also, I won't be using mine inside a tent EVER anyway. I doubt many people would use any kind of flame based light inside a tent. Far too risky.

Cheers,

Smocky.