View Full Version : Canister stove problem this weekend - need your thoughts
litetrek
11-10-2014, 10:50
I've been backpacking for 40 years and I've owned and used a lot of stoves over the years. I had a problem with my snowpeak giga power canister stove this weekend that I cant explain. I just couldn't get the flame higher than low. It took me about 10 minutes to boil 3 cups of water for morning coffee. No matter how high I turned the valve it just stayed stuck at a simmer like flame. There was absolutely no wind. It was 41 degrees so it wasn't too close to the temp where canister stove performance degrades due to temp. That said I didn't have it in my sleeping bag overnight because it just wasn't that cold. I was using an MSR isobutane small canister. I usually dont use the small canisters and I usually don't use this stove in low 40's temps. I have never had a problem with any canister of and manufacturer being defective.
Today I got the stove out, set it up on the kitchen counter top and it seems to be working fine. The only thing I can think of is that in order to fit the stove into my mug for packing I have to leave the gas valve open and I always forget to shut it off when I screw on the canister. So gas escapes and cools down the canister while I fumble around getting it lit. ...maybe that was just enough to get the canister temp low enough to degrade performance.
What do you think? Have you ever had this happen?
When you set it up today, were you using the same canister?
Slo-go'en
11-10-2014, 11:01
It probably was cold enough to affect the pressure, especially if it wasn't a new conister. Try putting it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or over night and see if the problem comes back.
Might not have screwed the canister down far enough to open the valve on the canister. Open the valve on your stove and screw it almost all the way down on a canister and take a listen while tightening it the rest of the way down. That last little bit makes a big difference in how much gas is getting to the stove. I use canisters in the teens several times per year, and have used them a couple of times at 0-10F with no problems, so doubt the temperature had anything to do with it. In cold weather, I just put the canister under my down jacket from the time I make camp until it's time to use it, and sleep with it in my bag or quilt so that it's ready for use first thing in the morning. Probably helps that I only need it long enough to bring ~20oz of water to a boil, too.
bigcranky
11-10-2014, 11:42
Sometimes bits of dirt or grit can get inside the valve on the canister and degrade performance like this. But it really sounds like a cold weather issue. Was it a new canister?
HooKooDooKu
11-10-2014, 11:49
Based on my experience, I'm thinking OwenM might be on the right path.
I've had situations where the stove wasn't lighting at all or staying lit and I had to screw the stove onto the canister tighter to get the valve inside the canister to fully open. This is actually the biggest blockade to me allowing my son to take over the task of cooking in camp. He's basically still not strong enough to FULLY tighten the stove on top of the canister to ensure it works correctly.
litetrek
11-10-2014, 12:59
When you set it up today, were you using the same canister?
Yes, brand new canister.
litetrek
11-10-2014, 13:00
Yes, brand new canister.
And it was the same canister.
Sarcasm the elf
11-10-2014, 13:29
I've been backpacking for 40 years and I've owned and used a lot of stoves over the years. I had a problem with my snowpeak giga power canister stove this weekend that I cant explain. I just couldn't get the flame higher than low. It took me about 10 minutes to boil 3 cups of water for morning coffee. No matter how high I turned the valve it just stayed stuck at a simmer like flame. There was absolutely no wind. It was 41 degrees so it wasn't too close to the temp where canister stove performance degrades due to temp. That said I didn't have it in my sleeping bag overnight because it just wasn't that cold. I was using an MSR isobutane small canister. I usually dont use the small canisters and I usually don't use this stove in low 40's temps. I have never had a problem with any canister of and manufacturer being defective.
Today I got the stove out, set it up on the kitchen counter top and it seems to be working fine. The only thing I can think of is that in order to fit the stove into my mug for packing I have to leave the gas valve open and I always forget to shut it off when I screw on the canister. So gas escapes and cools down the canister while I fumble around getting it lit. ...maybe that was just enough to get the canister temp low enough to degrade performance.
What do you think? Have you ever had this happen?
Interesting, while 41 degrees seems a bit warmer than I would expect to start seeing problems, the low flame you describe is exactly what my isobutane stoves do when I use them in cold weather without a 4 season mix canister.
A few years ago my buddy and I were on a winter overnight trip and just for fun we decided to boil water using a pocket rocket stove and a regular MSR fuel canister (not a 4 season mix), the airtemp was around 5 degrees (f) and while the stove lit, the flame stayed very low and was barely enough to melt the snow. It took the stove nearly an hour to get a liter of water to a near boil.
Starchild
11-10-2014, 14:43
Another vote for OwenM as I had that problem and that was the solution.
I just bought a SnowPeak Giga Power stove this past summer. I noticed that nice little design feature too, in order to fold the stove handle, you have to open the valve. I wonder if this is intentional as to relieve some pressure on the valve mechanism, or just a slightly poor design. Anyway, I eventually got used to having to close the valve before assembling the stove.
One thing that may help, I used to do it with my SVEA in order to keep the fuel tank from becoming too cold during cold weather operation, is to cut a small square of closed cell foam to use underneath the stove in cold weather. Worked amazingly well to improve performance of the SVEA.
peakbagger
11-10-2014, 17:55
Its pretty easy to diagnose cold fuel with a pocket rocket, fire the stove off and then wrap your hands around the fuel can, it will warm up quite quickly and the flame will increase significantly in a few minutes.
saltysack
11-12-2014, 08:05
I use the sp litemax...same issue last winter with a partial full canister but closer to 20 deg...sounds like temp issue..
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Damn Yankee
11-12-2014, 10:43
I noticed that nice little design feature too, in order to fold the stove handle, you have to open the valve
Same thing with my pocket rocket, slight turn to get it to fold between the pot supports.
Starchild
11-12-2014, 11:54
I noticed that nice little design feature too, in order to fold the stove handle, you have to open the valve
Same thing with my pocket rocket, slight turn to get it to fold between the pot supports.
Same with the Jetboil and that $5 no name Chinese stove.