Does anyone know how long Colman fuel lasts> I got out our old camping stove and cleaned it up. It is 30 years old but still works great. How long can I store the fuel? How much should buy

-- Lea (Leadonna@yahoo.com), February 25, 1999

Answers

You better junk the old fuel coleman stove and buy a propane coleman camp stove for about $40 at Fred Meier store. Then buy a special hose connector $16 to hook it up to the 20 pound propane tanks $25 at Home Depot. They cost aboput $5.50 to fill up. One tank can last about 3 months for daily cooking. I have 8 tanks stored in my backyard, (well hidden). Propane is much safer then fuel!!!!! One fire or explosion and you're toast!

-- Freddie the Freeloader (freddie@aol.com), February 25, 1999.

Freddie a fellow Cascadian! "You can find it at Freddy's" LOL

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 25, 1999.

Lea,

Just so you don't go to bed without a direct answer: I've used Coleman fuel in my 2 burner that was over 2 years old...worked fine.

LP

-- LP (soldog@hotmail.com), February 25, 1999.

I really don't want to replace my Coleman stove. It works great and the fuel takes less space to store the propane. I have used it for years without any problems. I just didn't want to store lots of fuel now if it didn't store well. I have a moterhome with aq stove, oven and fridge. I plan on saving it's propane just for the fridge. Does anyone know how I can hook up extra propane tanks to the built-in tank it has? My hubby says it can't be done.

-- Lea (Leadonna1@yshoo.com), February 25, 1999.

Freddie,

Sorry, the Bear has to disagree reather strongly with you on this one. I think you're giving some bad advise.

I've been using coleman or coleman-like stoves and lanterns for about 44 years now without ONE single accident. (Started when I was 8). I've used them in just about all weathers and temperatures ranging form 100+ down to about 15 below. (They do get tricky below zero).

Propane is ALSO a fuel. A fuel under *pressure*. A fuel that, when it leaks from a joint or bad valve, consitiute a VERY volitile gas which can create an explosive atmosphere.

Absolutely no question propane is simpler to use. No pumping, No priming. No fiddiling. But safer. Naaaw.

One might seriously consider getting one of the new dual fuel appliances which give you the ability to use unleaded gasoline in case you can't get Coleman fuel (called white gas, but which is really naptha).

And just in case you think I might work for Coleman of have an interest in the company: I like the Petromax lantern even better - they're built to last a lot longer than my lifetime. I have one that is apx 50 yrs. old and still a better working machine than my new colemans.

-- Greybear, just my opinion, and you know about them - everybody's got one and they all smell

- Got Fuel?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 25, 1999.

Lea,

Hubby's wrong on this one. I have hooked up three different RVs with stand alone propane tanks. You have to install a cut-over valve and the appropriate hoses.

Do NOT do this yourself. Go to a reputable RV or propane dealer and have the work done. This is not a project to learn on. When done properly it is a safe operation, except for the inherent dangers of a volitile gas under pressure, which you have anyway to start with.

As to the storage life of Coleman fuel. I've used some I knew to be four years old. On another board this question came up and someone went back to their dads farm and found some that could be verified to be over 10 yrs old, still unopened. It worked fine in a stove and lantern and just for grins the gut ran a little in his chain saw, worked there too.

If I were planning to store any for an extended period (and I am) I would put the individual gallon cans in a larger (prefferably metal) can in the proverbial cool place. Secure it from young children. (The stuff is just too much fun to string along in the dirt and then light like a fuse.)

-- Greybear, who still likes Petromax better, actually his AIDA, which was the predecessor of Petromax and 50 yrs later ALL the parts are interchangable - now *that's* engineering.

- Got Matches?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 25, 1999.

Lea, I am storing Coleman fuel precisely to have a source of chainsaw fuel when things get tight. Since you have to add oil to chainsaw fuel (two-cycle engines), this replaces some of the additives found in normal gas. As long as the cans aren't opened it will keep for years.

-- De (dealton@concentric.net), February 25, 1999.

If unopened, you can store it in a cool, dry place for up to 15 years.

-- Scotty (BLehman202@aol.com), February 25, 1999.

When you open the can, it should smell clean, like fuel. If it smells sour or not clean, it will work but it will not do the stove a lot of good. i just fired up a lantern with some 15 year old fuel, just stored in the basement. The CAN looks like i ran it through the wars, but the FUEL was just as sweet and clean as new.

PS if it's turned ceriously blue, you might not want to use it.

Chuck, a night driver who once made a living repairing stoves and lanterns.

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 25, 1999.

I have 50 gallons of the Coleman fuel stored and have had some stored for 4 years and it still works fine. The liquid fuel is a little messy, but like anything else think safety. I also have a propane Coleman stove and I don't like it near as well as the liquid fuel one.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), February 25, 1999.

I am concerned that many people preparing for Y2K who have not used these devises and fuels before are going to hurt yourselves. Please be careful. I dont want to read your obits in the paper.

-- concerned (concerned@about.youall), February 25, 1999.

COLEMAN FUEL SHOULD ONLY BE USED OUTDOORS, because it creates carbon monoxide. Propane does not create any deadly fumes, it just uses up some oxygen, which anything that burns does. If you know peopjle planning to use Coleman fuel, please tell them this.

-- Shivani Arjuna (odnsmall@aol.com), February 25, 1999.

There won't be any obituaries, and there won't be any newspapers, and there won't be any firemen, and shit will happen. All it takes is one idiot to set the world on fire! Got fire extinguishers?

-- firefire (firefire@blazing.com), February 25, 1999.

I think you'd have to be crazy to store large amounts of coleman fuel, it's almost pure naptha and even more explosive than gasoline. One little leak from those (extremely) thin metal cans...

Tha carbon monoxide issue is important, too. NEVER use a coleman-or-gasoline appliance, be it a stove or a lantern, inside your home.

Propane is the way to go, even if it means getting a new stove. It's tons cheaper than the burn unit (sorry, Graybear, gotta disagree with you on this one).

-- scooter (noboom@round.here), February 25, 1999.

scooter, that's the exact reason they have horse races. Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.

-- Grerybear (greybear@home.com), February 25, 1999.

I always thought that Coleman fuel and propane were the same thing. I must be mistaken then... I have a Coleman lantern and 2-burner that uses propane. I use the one pound tanks for these. Don't I still have to worry out carbon monoxide when using these propane devices, especially indoors?

I thought I knew what to do, until I read this thread...

-- Russell

-- (Oh Boy@Y2K.com), February 25, 1999.

I have a Coleman stove that was stored with Coleman fuel in the tank for 20 years in a workshed. I took it out today and ith worked nicely with a nice blue flame.

Make sure you have plenty of ventilation.

Bye the way, can anyone tell me how long a tank of Coleman fuel lasts

-- Frank (frm100@aol.com), June 02, 1999.