Thread: Portable gas stoves exploding

Originally Posted by Discomark

I'm sure you have all seen the sub $20 portable gas stoves they sell at Bunnings etc.

It seems that there have been a growing number of cases where these stoves are exploding when not used properly and in conjuction with the manufacturers operating instructions.

I was shocked when I just read on another forum that someone was using one as a heater with a frypan on top to act as a radiator!

There are numerous reports of these stoves exploding on the internet and if you search for "portable gas stove explosion" you will find plenty of incidents such as this one http://www.chemaxx.com/butane_explosion.htm

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=portable+gas+stove+explosion

Ive been using a golden bell one for maybe 10 years now it was a present from a friend, Now from memory there were no instructions it,s not rocket science to operate lift the cover place bottle in lock in place and turn on The only problem with it is altitude and extreme cold as the butane does,nt like both but can work tho not as efficent
Like i say been using for about 10 years with no dramas and will continue to (Danger Man)

This is interesting to me as on a camping trip years ago a friend was using mine to cook breakfast while I was down on the beach.
When I came back they were complaining it wasn't working properly or something like that.
I had a look and they had not turned the stove top over so it was still in the storage position. The stove was too hot to touch and all the plastic parts were melted. Even the metal parts were warping.
I thought it might explode but we vacated or tossed it or similar but nothing happened. So that was good. I emailed Coleman who called me back. I told them the user had jammed the engage lever down so bypassed the safety mechanism which stops you from using the stove without turning the stove.top over.
They offered a free replacement but I said no as it wasn't there fault.

I've seen one catch fire on a Forerunner tailgate from an ill fitted gas cannister. That could have gone pear shaped if we hadn't tossed it off the tailgate quickly.

Originally Posted by Utemad

I've seen one catch fire on a Forerunner tailgate from an ill fitted gas cannister.

Much the same happened to me.

Wow theres quite a bit of energy in those 220gm cylinders.

Check this out [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IpNnPdMCIg]Safety Alert 2: 220g Portable Butane Cartridges - YouTube[/ame]

You know, I bought one just because I saw it on the shelf somewhere several years ago and used it without thinking about it too much. But there was something about the way you had to get the canister in just right that I didn't like.

I think I might stick with the big Coleman stove. Any gas fitting with threads has just got to be better.

And I'll drop that idea I had about mounting a stove on the back of the Rangie and put it on a table a fair way from the car instead!

They have to get pretty hot to go bang. On a shooting trip once. At a mates farm we put a microwave out the back of the house on a loooong extension whacked a full can in it with some bolts for good spark action set it for 99mins took a good 45 mins to go bang shook the house we were inside I saw the door off the microwave flying throu the air . Blew the microwave apart was round inside in stead of square But as I write this I'm cooking my lunch on a camp cooker

Originally Posted by Discomark

Wow theres quite a bit of energy in those 220gm cylinders.

Check this out

I somehow think the board covering the burner and cannister is not the recommended way to utilise the heat.

and if you read the instructions it says not to cover the whole unit, i suspect this would be the main cause of explosions.