How to Connect a Gas Cylinder to a Stove
Are you tired of not having enough liquid propane gas in your tank when you go camping with your stove? It’s a struggle to predict exactly how much fuel you’ll need on extended trips.
Liquid propane gas is sold in a container called a liquid propane (LP) gas cylinder, commonly known as a bottle. These LP gas cylinders hold so much more fuel, so they’ll hook up to your camping stove and give you many more nights of warm, hot meals.
But what if your camping stove lacks the necessary equipment to connect it to one of these LP gas cylinders? What parts do you need? Read on to find out exactly what you’d need to purchase before connecting these two essential pieces of camping kit together.
Getting a Larger Liquid Propane Gas Cylinder
Connecting a liquid propane gas cylinder to a camping stove is similar to hooking up two pieces of technological equipment together. The two items need to be able to communicate with one another by using the correct parts.
What is the size of your gas cylinder? Most liquid propane cylinders come in a rather small 16.4 ounce size. You can purchase much larger propane cylinders that come in sizes ranging from 10 pounds up to 15 pounds or even 20 pounds.
The Accessories and Parts You Need
Now that you’ve chosen the gas cylinder size you want to connect to your camping stove, then let’s list out the parts and accessories you will need:
- A metal regulator in top working order
- A specific propane hose that fits the size gas cylinder you have
- A propane adapter/converter for your size gas cylinder
The Camping Stove Regulator
You’ll want to make sure your regulator is in good condition and connects properly to the camping stove. This is the angled metal part that holds a smaller propane cylinder out away from the stove and at an angle. The regulator keeps the gas pressure steady, which is even more essential when the cylinder size grows. Without extra adapters, regulators are made for 1 lb. gas cylinder tanks.
The Propane Hose
Since your larger gas cylinder won’t connect to the regulator like the smaller 16.4 ounce size, you’ll need a specially designed camping propane hose. These are sometimes sold with adapters on them or you can purchase the adapter pieces separately.
Hoses usually run between two and five feet long. By means of the adapter, they connect your propane tank to the regulator. These hoses are commonly made out of rubber.
The Propane Adapter/Converter
With the rise in popularity of car camping, you can find these propane adapter/converters much more easily now. They’re available in larger stores like Wal-Mart or K-mart, in specialty camping and outdoors shops, or you can find them on Amazon as well.
Some adapters are created specifically for certain gas cylinder tank sizes, so make sure you purchase one that fits the size you have. The adapter/converter has one metal end that screws into the regulator and the other end screws into the propane tank.
Connecting the Gas Cylinder to the Camping Stove
Choose a flat surface outdoors in which to connect your gas cylinder to the camping stove. Make sure there’s little wind, so you can test the connection properly. Gather together the parts that you need:
- Camping stove with regulator
- Liquid propane gas cylinder
- Propane hose
- Propane adapter/converter
Step 1
Connect the adapter/converter to the propane hose. This is an optional step, since some propane hoses come with these accessories already attached.
Step 2
Locate the adapter fitting on the end of the hose that connects to the camping stove regulator. Carefully screw the adapter fitting to the regulator.
Step 3
On the other end of the hose, locate the black plastic connection fitting. Attach it to the top of the gas cylinder.
Step 4
Turn on the camping stove and light the propane. You should see the blue flame on the burner.
Tips For Happy Camping
Now, your camping stove is powered by multiple gallons of inexpensive liquid propane fuel. To get the most out of this new setup, make sure all the fittings are tight at their connections, keep your regulator clean and in top working condition, and disconnect all parts to store them properly when not in use. Leaks and spills can happen when the adapters aren’t as tight or there is too much pressure on the regulator.
FINAL VERDICT
But with proper care and use, this bigger gas cylinder will last you through months of outdoor camp stove cooking.
