How full is my canister?

[Bootstrap]

Just found this neat tip (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=23150) for figuring out how full a fuel canister is.

You start with an empty canister and a full canister.

1. Float the empty canister in water. Draw a line around the canister at water level.
2. Draw a line around the base of the full canister, at the same level as the line on the empty canister.
3. Float the full canister in water. Draw a line around the canister at water level.

The full canister now has two lines, one marks the water level when it is empty, the other marks the water level when it is full. As you use the canister, you can gauge how full it is by floating it in water and seeing how close it is to the empty / full lines you have marked on the canister.

[hikerboy57]

well, that finally answers that question.I'll have to check it out.Thanks for the tip.

[88BlueGT]

I like it, good stuff.

[Cookerhiker]

I'll have to try that. Thanks!

[mweinstone]

sorry. thats a myth. you are incorrect. math dosnt work like that. nor do fluidics, thermodynamics or boyancy. the flaw in your computation is large. failure is iminent. suggest recheck all findings. a full can can be made to float showing empty under 3 sets of condishions. an empty can can be made to float at your full line 3 ways.

[mweinstone]

there are two ways to gaurentee never ever running out without measured warning.

dont use canisters
carry canisters and dont use them

any stuff we use that leaves such refuse, batteries , canisters, filter elements etc,....disposable camers, steripens and more,......they leave such a disasterous line of crap behind you in life, that if you just turn around and look at your trash when your old,..it will block out the sun and hiking will be done on tv. thats what canisters can do.

[trailangelbronco]

Yep. Those cannisters filling up the landfills are why I use my alchohol stove. Of course, those yellow Heet bottle get recycled.

[fredmugs]

With a scale that weighs in grams it would be easier and a lot more accurate to weigh it instead of floating it. That information doesn't help much if you don't know what the burn rate is.

I may try boiling two cups of water in my jetboil tonight and see what the difference is. That would be handy information to have.

[mweinstone]

these canasters are so yesterday. rife with issues. i envision a way to buy a canaster on trail and transfer the liquid form gas into a light container or other peice of gear to be dispenced from there. the double wall container is for the publics safty when they are in mass. one in a pack in a plastic bottle of some kind might work better. or a bear rope thats actually a hose filled with it.

[veteran]

Brunton has a gas canister gauge for 8 Ounce Butane Canister.

Brunton's adhesive indicators stick to any 8 ounce butane canister to reveal the amount of fuel left inside.



http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/leathermanstore_2156_7133896

http://www.leathermanstore.com/brunton94.html

[mister krabs]

you can also splash the canister on a burning stove with a little water. Much like those gas gauges above. The canister will be cold below the line of the liquified gas.

[Rain Man]

I just weigh mine on my multi-purpose postal scale. No need for getting stuff all wet. Off thing for the Rain Man to say! :D

Rain:sunMan

.

[10-K]

When I used a canister stove I could tell it was empty because my stove wouldn't light anymore.

If my stove would still light, there was gas in the canister.

:)

[JAK]

I don't use cannisters. I frack as I go.

[Bootstrap]

For those who weigh your canisters - do you carry a scale with you? How do you know how full it is on the trail?

[jesse]

For those who weigh your canisters - do you carry a scale with you? How do you know how full it is on the trail?

Exactly, your method allows you to measure, in the woods. I'll have to try it.

[Panzer1]

The way I tell how much fuel is remaining in my canister is I just shake it. I can tell by how it shakes how much fuel is left. Experience is all you need.

Panzer

[mweinstone]

panzer hit the nail on the head.i can lift two canisters and tell witch is heavyer within one single gram every time without fail under exstreem condishions while jugeling flame underwater asleep with my shoes on. your hands can be scales if you learn to . this method is the simpelest.

those flexable self adhesive liquid crystle thermometers can do alot for a one. im working on a womans dress that contains that stuff outlineing naturaly a womans , or mans, hotty. i make womans clothes. so? who want to fight me about it? you tricks? over there laughing. matty makes weird stuff folks. thats right. get over it. i first discovered i was the inventer of the womans hotty dress made from liquid crysltl flexi therms years ago working on baconwhisky in an old knob bott.
the horror i created is pictured in the bottle showing how any liquid, (or thick oily drink in this case of horror) shows its level in any container when cold. and a thermometer can show cold liquid gasses levels yearound.

[Bootstrap]

The way I tell how much fuel is remaining in my canister is I just shake it. I can tell by how it shakes how much fuel is left. Experience is all you need.

OK. I'll have to save my next empty canister so I can compare.

[mweinstone]

if you held a partially full one and an empty one still in each hand, you would need one skillset to figure it out. if you shake them,...the inertia of the moveing liquid allows for a second mesurement . how much "travel"the canister has in your hand is a way of talking about how forsefully it moves side to side what with liquid slamming the wall in the direction of movement compaired to the deadweight feel of them.this shake allows for easyer mesurement .
panzers kinda like honeybadger. he dont care!

[Bootstrap]

if you held a partially full one and an empty one still in each hand, you would need one skillset to figure it out. if you shake them,...the inertia of the moveing liquid allows for a second mesurement . how much "travel"the canister has in your hand is a way of talking about how forsefully it moves side to side what with liquid slamming the wall in the direction of movement compaired to the deadweight feel of them.this shake allows for easyer mesurement .
panzers kinda like honeybadger. he dont care!

Hey, I can definitely tell what you're talking about by waving a few canisters around, with different amounts of fuel.

Thanks!

[gregpphoto]

DUDE! You found a use for middle school math, alright!


Just found this neat tip (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=23150) for figuring out how full a fuel canister is.

You start with an empty canister and a full canister.

1. Float the empty canister in water. Draw a line around the canister at water level.
2. Draw a line around the base of the full canister, at the same level as the line on the empty canister.
3. Float the full canister in water. Draw a line around the canister at water level.

The full canister now has two lines, one marks the water level when it is empty, the other marks the water level when it is full. As you use the canister, you can gauge how full it is by floating it in water and seeing how close it is to the empty / full lines you have marked on the canister.

[jainsworth123]

If you weigh and empty canister, weigh a full one, then subtract the weights, you have the amount of fuel in the canister. Record how much fuel it takes to boil you two cups of water, divide by the total weight of fuel in the canister. That tells you how many boils the canister will give you. You can then make checkboxes around the canister and every time you use up a boil, mark it and you always know how much you have left.
It also lets you know, to the day if a canister will work on a trip. For example, if your going out on a 5 day trip, and you have a canister that has 6 boils left, you can take that one, and not have to carry any unneeded additional weight with you.