Butane or Propane (patio gas)

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Butane or Propane (patio gas)

Postby Sargan » 30 May 2017, 16:14

For several years been running my BBQ on Butane.
I just bought a new gas BBQ ... surprised that it came with a 75mbar Propane Regulator ..... (Red)
Now temporarily I just stuck on an old Butane regulator and connected to an existing Butane bottle.

My question is will I get higher heat output performance if I use Propane ?
Read on several forums ... that Propane burns hotter

Yet the facts seem to be:
Propane = 96 Megajoules of energy per cubic metre.
Butane = 126 Megajoules of energy per cubic metre.
So at basic level a m3 of Butane has a lot more energy.
However Propane regulators feed a higher rate of gas to compensate. (so does Propane get consumed much faster ??)
Propane regulators operate at 37 mbar and Butane at 28mbar

Much is often made that butane burns hotter - The maximum flame temperature of Propane is 1980 degrees C. The maximum flame temperature of Butane is 1996 degrees C.
Don’t see that 1% making any difference to how long it takes to cook a burger
Therefore both Butane & propane should give equal performance on any single unit – and in warm weather. Propane is far better as you get below 10C … but that of no interest to me for a BBQ

Also notice Calor are heavily pushing their Green Patio gas bottles – which are in fact propane and used with standard Calor RED regulators.


So have any of you noticed any improvement in Propane over Butane, is it worth me changing to Propane for more heat? or stick with Butane, cheaper and may last longer ??
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Re: Butane or Propane (patio gas)

Postby BraaiMeesterWannabe » 10 Jun 2017, 05:59

I reckon main consideration is whether you cook all year. Propane better for winter as doesn't freeze
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Re: Butane or Propane (patio gas)

Postby Sargan » 10 Jun 2017, 08:02

No .... def only BBQ in Summer.
That is why I was surprised it was Propane. .... it's more expensive per kW of output.
Then people like Calor are pushing Propane as the choice (I.e. Patio gas)
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