View Full Version : How long does a Primus gas tank last?
I have a Primus stove and an 8.9 oz. tank for it. I've only used it a time or two. Anybody have any idea how long one of these tanks is good for? I'm trying to figure out if I'll need to carry two tanks for a seven day section hike, with two people eating off of it.
Thanks in advance.
JaxHiker
08-31-2011, 14:37
Depends on how much you're going to be using it. Every meal? Just dinner? Hot drinks along the way? It should be fine for 2 for a week but it really depends on usage.
I'll be using it for pretty much every meal (for two people).
Tom Murphy
08-31-2011, 14:57
Spend the next few nights cooking your supper and see when it runs out.
deeddawg
08-31-2011, 15:48
There are too many variables to accurately answer your question with no more info than you've given. They all boil down to how long and how strong will you burn the stove each time, and how many times a day? Are you just heating 2C water to boiling with no wind in the summer (then letting the pot sit in a cozy to finish cooking) or are you needing to keep a liter pot at boil for 30 minutes on a windy day with nothing blocking the wind? Do you cook one meal a day or three, plus a couple other pots of water for tea or coffee?
Tom Murphy's advice is best -- take a decent digital kitchen scale, measure the tank weight before and after several simulated meals; measure in grams and you can quickly get an idea of how many grams a day of fuel you'll be using. THEN you'll have enough info to make a good estimate of whether you need a 2nd tank.
I guess I should have specified that I wasn't looking for an exact number of hours that it would burn. I was hoping someone would comment that they've used the same tank for two weeks of hiking and eating every meal off of it without it running out, or perhaps that theirs only lasts for 6 or 8 meals. Maybe it's a bad idea, but I'm perfectly willing to base assumptions and make plans based on someone else's anecdotal data.:)
Stir Fry
08-31-2011, 18:00
I use it when I hiked with my wife. Cooked 2 meals, Roman for lunch, wee split a pack. Split MH dinner at night,coffiee in the morning and after dinner. About 6 cups a day. Lasted at least 7 days. Never took her out for longer. when I'm by myself it lasts about 14 15 days.