What kind of propane to use in filling system?

[Strida]

Everyone says to use BBQ Propane. WTF is BBQ propane? I don't think I have ever seen any kind of propane used specifically for BBQs but not necessarily for regular grills.

Anyways, right now I have some propane from a bunch of unused propane torch bottles. Will these be okay or do they have too much extra "stuff" in them?

I also have several canisters of some camping grill propane. Is this stuff pure enough?

If I use either one of these types of propane instead of the non-existant BBQ propane, will I still get decent results/will it destroy my system for some reason?

Thanks for answering my questions,
Derek.

 

[Flip-Mode]

As far as I know BBQ prop is just plain old household natural gas that comes in either the small bottles for BBQ's or the big bottles for the whole house.

 

[JD21]

BBQ Propane is just your run of the mill gas station/grocery store propane, Its 95% pure I believe. I've seen people use 99% pure, but I don't think it really makes any difference as the temps were not really any better. When I fill my single stage I plan on just unhooking the bottle from the propane grill
I'm not sure of the purity of the torch or small camping bottles, but I wouldn't figure it would be that different

 

[Strida]

Okay. I just hear everyone over @ XS freak out about using only BBQ propane for systems, and nothing else. I've heard people say that grill propane will corrode the system or something, but BBQ won't. I guess they're just being stupid and picky?

 

[Flip-Mode]

Okay. I just hear everyone over @ XS freak out about using only BBQ propane for systems, and nothing else. I've heard people say that grill propane will corrode the system or something, but BBQ won't. I guess they're just being stupid and picky?

What kind of system you got? Any chance for some pictures??

 

[JD21]

Okay. I just hear everyone over @ XS freak out about using only BBQ propane for systems, and nothing else. I've heard people say that grill propane will corrode the system or something, but BBQ won't. I guess they're just being stupid and picky?

I don't know exactly what they are considering "BBQ Propane" and "Grill Propane"
I plan on using the stuff we get from the propane store down the street we use it in BBQs, heaters, forklift, etc. The big bottles I believe have to meet a 95% purity level. I wouldn't use the stuff in the small bottles, the little green camping ones, or the propane torch bottles because I believe they have small amounts of oil, acetylene and few other thing to make them burn hotter.
Obviously the pure R290 you would get from a refridgeration store would be ideal. But if that was the case you might as well get R404 or R507

 

[Strida]

What kind of system you got? Any chance for some pictures??

My mom has the digital camera I use and she's traveling for work atm. Once she gets back I will post some stuff.

I plan on posting something in the alternative mods section because the PC is actually going to be built inside of a giant chest, which I've installed wheels on so it's raised off the ground. Air is brought in through the bottom by the big fan I got with the stuff from the dehumidifier I took apart, then the chest is sealed so that the air is all pushed out through a heatercore which is part of a watercooling loop taking care of my graphics card. I'll also have a bunch of insulation in the chest to keep it quiet, with suspended hard drives. I'm aiming for the chest to look unaltered except some cords coming out of the back when I'm done. I just need to take care of a couple leaks in my phase setup!

I don't know exactly what they are considering "BBQ Propane" and "Grill Propane"
I plan on using the stuff we get from the propane store down the street we use it in BBQs, heaters, forklift, etc. The big bottles I believe have to meet a 95% purity level. I wouldn't use the stuff in the small bottles, the little green camping ones, or the propane torch bottles because I believe they have small amounts of oil, acetylene and few other thing to make them burn hotter.
Obviously the pure R290 you would get from a refridgeration store would be ideal. But if that was the case you might as well get R404 or R507

I have a bunch of camping propane bottles left over from last summer that I might use. I'm going to investigate the purity level of them before I run it though.

 

[Strida]

Can't seem to find any information, so I've contacted Coleman through email and I'll hope they respond to me tomorrow. I'll also give them a call tomorrow once they're open.

 

[Strida]

Just an update, here's the email I got back from Coleman:

Hanson,

Thank you for contacting The Coleman Company.

Commercial propane has limits in accordance with several ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials.
Coleman propane meets all of the specifications as identified
as commercial propane.

It's commonly referred to as HD-5.

For further information you could consult the NFPA, National
Fire Protection Association-NFPA 58 code.
Thank you,

Libby
Coleman Consumer Service
1-800-835-3278

After a quick google, seems like the HD-5 means that the propane is at least 90% pure. Sounds good enough to me...

 

[LabRat23]

I have never heard of propane coroding anything. If it did, it wouldn't be stored in an ordinary carbon steel can.

 

[greenmaji]

Obviously the pure R290 you would get from a refridgeration store would be ideal. But if that was the case you might as well get R404 or R507

but... the refigeration store will sell R290 to someone that does not have a licence to handle regulated refegerants..

 

[LabRat23]

I wish the ppl in my area were that friendly. Here if you don't have the licence, they dont even speak to you.

 

[Strida]

Sounds more like big business/chain type stores. The people that sell refrigeration stuff here are either nice and open minded (locally run stores), or cold and unwilling to work with you since you're not a commercial customer (chain stores).

Obviously I prefer the locally run places.

 

[JD21]

I wish the ppl in my area were that friendly. Here if you don't have the licence, they dont even speak to you.

Thats the way 90% of the shops are here to, and the other 10% will only sell you parts, and insulation. They only sell gas "commerically" but they gladly charge it for you.
For a price
My buddy works at a auto ac shop, and his boss does custom industrial ac and liquid chillers on the side. I'll try to get some 507 from him, otherwise gas station propane it is

 

[adamwinn]

As far as I know BBQ prop is just plain old household natural gas that comes in either the small bottles for BBQ's or the big bottles for the whole house.

Careful not to mix up natural gas with propane. Natural gas is mostly made of methane as opposed to propane, and has very different properties.

Methane: CH4 - Boils: -161.4C Freezes: -184C
Propane: C3H8 - Boils: -42C Freezes: -189C

While natural gas isn't entirely methane, the difference is so large that it would be a possibly dangerous mistake to confuse them.

What I find so odd is how they freeze at nearly the same temperature, but boil almost 120C apart from each other

So I guess you could use methane, but it seems it would be limited to the realm of cascades.