Gas BBQ - Propane or Butane?
Discussion
First and foremost apologies to the purists for having a gas BBQ at all. I do have a charcoal one for special occasions and when I have time but a gas one is just so handy.
Currently I've been swapping between both Propane and Butane bottles. The regulators are rated as follows;
Butane 29mb
Propane 37mb
My understanding is that butane is more energy dense, hence the lower regulator pressure which also gives rise to a smaller flame whereas propane to achieve the same (or similar) oomph needs more gas hence the higher pressure and bigger flame.
As far as I can establish, the only disadvantage to butane over propane is in cold weather it can be a bit sluggish, this may of course be just me. Other than that they do the same job equally well but a bottle of butane seems to last longer.
To those with more wisdom, the questions are; does it matter and what do you use?
The reason I'm asking is that my current bottle of butane is empty and I cannot decide if I should get another propane or continue to swap between the two or even go for all butane.
For reference the BBQ is designed for and will happily run on both.
Currently I've been swapping between both Propane and Butane bottles. The regulators are rated as follows;
Butane 29mb
Propane 37mb
My understanding is that butane is more energy dense, hence the lower regulator pressure which also gives rise to a smaller flame whereas propane to achieve the same (or similar) oomph needs more gas hence the higher pressure and bigger flame.
As far as I can establish, the only disadvantage to butane over propane is in cold weather it can be a bit sluggish, this may of course be just me. Other than that they do the same job equally well but a bottle of butane seems to last longer.
To those with more wisdom, the questions are; does it matter and what do you use?
The reason I'm asking is that my current bottle of butane is empty and I cannot decide if I should get another propane or continue to swap between the two or even go for all butane.
For reference the BBQ is designed for and will happily run on both.
WhatHappenedThere said:
A good question and one for me to follow. I've always used 'Patio Gas' in my Broilking, just 'because thats how it came' - but I have no idea if it is right !
One thing I do know is that the "oh so pretty" patio gas bottles are expensive compared to good old fashioned 'ugly' gas bottles. It might pay you to switch over if you do a lot of BBQ'ing.colin_p said:
One thing I do know is that the "oh so pretty" patio gas bottles are expensive compared to good old fashioned 'ugly' gas bottles. It might pay you to switch over if you do a lot of BBQ'ing.
I use the 13kg Patio bottles that sit under my Broilking :
but not that way round !As you note above Propane works better in cold temperatures (and greater altitudes FWIW), other than that there is no advantage of one over the other given your BBQ can run either.
In the past I had a BBQ on a very cold New Year's Eve and the BBQ used Butane ... it was sub-zero temps and the Butane simply wouldn't come out, so we ended up heating the butane cylinder under a propane patio heater.
IMHO, I would say it makes sense to swap your butane cylinder for a propane one on refill. Less hassle only having one type of gas, no changing of regulators.
Personally, I've switched all my traditional Propane cylinders to 13kg Patio Gas.
Yes there is a small premium come refill time, and it's the same Propane gas, but I find the Gas-Trac guage on the Patio Gas cylinders useful to show me how much gas is left.
In the past I had a BBQ on a very cold New Year's Eve and the BBQ used Butane ... it was sub-zero temps and the Butane simply wouldn't come out, so we ended up heating the butane cylinder under a propane patio heater.
IMHO, I would say it makes sense to swap your butane cylinder for a propane one on refill. Less hassle only having one type of gas, no changing of regulators.
Personally, I've switched all my traditional Propane cylinders to 13kg Patio Gas.
Yes there is a small premium come refill time, and it's the same Propane gas, but I find the Gas-Trac guage on the Patio Gas cylinders useful to show me how much gas is left.
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