2

My LPG gas stove flame is little low now a days. I have cleaned all removable parts myself, but not helped. I suspect the low temperature on winter (~18°C in winter mornings, tropical region) might affect the LPG performance, may be I'm wrong.

Anyway, I'm trying to little heats up the cylinder under sunlight.

Is it true that the LPG stove performance reduces during winter?

Improve this question
  • Are you talking about an LPG tank outside your home or are you on a muni gas supply? Is your heating running off your tank? – GdD Jan 23 '19 at 9:42
3

If the cylinder is outside, it could well be too cold for the liquidified gas to evaporate fast enough. Propane is OK but butane is useless this cold. A mix of the two is often sold as propane is more expensive. A mixture can become richer in butane when used for prolonged cold periods, reducing its performance.

If this is the case, lifting the cylinder indoors for a few hours before cooking should help - take it out just before use and it should stay warm enough to get things going a bit better. Don't forget that the evaporation itself causes cooling, so it can get cooler than ambient.

This is a common problem in camping, searching for camping stove performance in the cold will give you more information.

Improve this answer
  • 1
    OP is in tropical region - ~18°C which is well above (20°C higher) than the temperatures you are talking about. – EdHunter Jan 24 '19 at 10:13
  • @EdHunter on my phone it looked like -18! – Chris H Jan 24 '19 at 10:28
0

A lower intensity flame has nothing to do in itself with summer or winter, nor with what gas is being used (butane, methane, propane, etc.).

The flame intensity is regulated by the pressure of the gas as it enters the burner.

So the gas pressure in your lines is lower now than it used to be. If the burner is connected to a bottle or other container of gas, this is an indication that your gas bottle is running on empty and you should start looking for a replacement/refill.

If your burner is connected to the house gas grid with your central heating (for example) and that to the city network, probably the higher demand for gas due to cold weather for heating has led to lower pressure in the pipes and thus a lower intensity flame.

If that's the case, contact the company supplying your gas and ask them about it, maybe they can do something, maybe they're just running at peak capacity and can't increase pressure.

Improve this answer
  • LPG needs to absorb heat to evaporate. The tank will lose pressure and temperature if discharged quickly in cold environment. – user3528438 Jan 24 '19 at 0:24
  • PV=nRT : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_gas_law – Wayfaring Stranger Jan 24 '19 at 3:41
  • @WayfaringStranger which is irrelevant unless the thing is being used outdoors. And anyway, adiabatic expansion of the gas when gas is flowing will cause the gas to cool more than is likely from outside temperatures. – jwenting Jan 24 '19 at 11:32

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.