bunsen burner run on propane

[BrokenBiker]

my brother, who works for a medical suppliers has just brought round a bunsen burner that had been thrown out after having a new replacement was bought. There is nothing wrong with it, even has a test sticker on it from a few weeks ago.

as far as i know they run on butane, but could i safely run it on propane. Can see it being handy for smaller applications where the propane torch is too big

 

[PTvor]

All the ones I saw ran on natural gas - methane - apart from the ones in the mists of time which ran on coal gas. The coal gas ones were just a tube, but the end of the natural gas ones was a concentric ring with holes going into the tube to stabilise the flame.

I can't see why you shouldn't be able to run one on butane or propane but you might have to change to the right jet. When you buy a gas hob, you usually get a spare set of jets for LPG. With the ones I used, you almost always controlled the amount of gas going into the burner from the gas tap and adjusted the type of flame with the band.

If it has a maker's name see if they have a website. It might clear things up.

 

[the snooper]

All the ones I saw ran on natural gas.

same here, I doubt many labs will use gas from cylinders

 

[Malvern]

If it's for natural gas you would have to fit a new injector and adjust the air intake if there is one. It should be the same size for butane or propane the only difference between the two is the primary air mix. You would need to check with the manufacturer for the correct size injector.

 

[DAPPH]

Both my senior schools science , rural science labs & dom sci room had big propane tanks for their gas supply many many ( far too many ) years ago ,when we lived in the middle of Lincolnshire , town gas was not available .

I'd give it a trial after all you adjust the air flow on the burner to set the flame ..... see what you get, if no good ask if anyone on here is a kitchen fitter as most new hobs come with both sets of jets .
I have drilled out the old butane jets on an ancient baby belling ex 50 yr old caravan oven with hob to 0.4 mm drill ( off the eBay ) .... Now it's brill for lead melting for my see fishing weights ..sounds like a decent motorbike purring away .
You can get small qas taps from most decent plumbers merchants so even if the flame is too high you can make up an inline tap to adjust the flow .
( I don't know if these days you need to be certified , stupid or competent to do it though )

I'd offer you my LPG jets but my lass would box my ears well and truly for I had them put the LPG jets in as we run our gas hob on LPG.

One thing you may find is that the thread on the Bunsen burner jet is not the same as these Chinese gas hob jets .. so do be prepared to have to play & remember that brass ( if that's what the jet is made from ) breaks easily

The old jets used to have a British ( taper ) gas thread to run into a parallel hole .. the Chinese ones on our hob appear to be almost parallel and seem go into a tapered hole so get your magnifying glass & vernier calipers ready.

 

[outofthefire]

I bought 10 bunsen burners for 99p off ebay (I only wanted 1 but I can't resist a good offer ) not one of them worked on propane it is down to the jet. I don't know what size the jets are but I use mig tips for jets on my homemade propane forge burners.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i hooked mine up to the propane tank earlier and although it lit, i couldn't control the flame. Haven't really had a proper play yet or taken it apart to see what can be done but will bear in mind the mig tip jet idea

 

[Malvern]

i hooked mine up to the propane tank earlier and although it lit, i couldn't control the flame. Haven't really had a proper play yet or taken it apart to see what can be done but will bear in mind the mig tip jet idea

If you couldn't control the flame it sounds like a natural gas injector in there. An LPG one would be smaller. When doing my gas apprenticeship I learnt how to do the calcs for converting to different the different gases. Never had to use it the manufactures do that for you and sadly it was 40 years ago so I can remember how to do it now!!

 

[BrokenBiker]

If you couldn't control the flame it sounds like a natural gas injector in there. An LPG one would be smaller. When doing my gas apprenticeship I learnt how to do the calcs for converting to different the different gases. Never had to use it the manufactures do that for you and sadly it was 40 years ago so I can remember how to do it now!!

if i can be bothered to take it apart on the weekend i will measure the jet size and possibly machine a smaller one if i have a drill small enough, will mostly be trial and error though

 

[PTvor]

If you just want an Bunsen Burner which runs on LPG you could always just buy one for not very much. Yes I know, that's not really the point.

http://www.rapidonline.com/Education/Bunsen-Burner-13mm-LPG-52-0157

Judging from their website they are a bit confused about which run on natural gas and which run on LPG.

http://www.rapidonline.com/Education/Bunsen-Burner-LPG-13mm-52-0130

The thing I'd be most concerned about is the LPG plumbing. It has a nasty habit of collecting in low places. I don't say I wouldn't do it, just that I'd be concerned about it.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i only use propane either outdoors or in well ventilated areas, check my connections with soapy water and so on.

might just buy a no 10 or 14 size cup for my torch

 

[mantakev]

I own a Dental Laboratory and use natural gas, the propane bunsens are too hot IMHO..
The suppliers sell different bunsens for NG and LPG.
LPG bunsens are more expensive

 

[BrokenBiker]

cheers mantakev, heat wont really be an issue for me as it will only really be used for heating a bending tight angles in small size steel so hot is good for my application

 

[brightspark]

If you just want an Bunsen Burner which runs on LPG you could alw
The thing I'd be most concerned about is the LPG plumbing. It has a nasty habit of collecting in low places. I don't say I wouldn't do it, just that I'd be concerned about it.

yea my pit filled up with a full 10lb bottle of propane after the torch was accidentaly turned on and bottle wasnt turned off and sat there for a week before i noticed lesson learnt .turn the bloody bottle off after every use

 

[mantakev]

I may have a LPG bunsen in the lab you can have for free if I can find it

 

[BrokenBiker]

that is very generous of you mantakev. If you can find it send me a pm. Don't worry if you can't though, its not vital that i have one, just an easier way to heat small rod and bar and keep the heat local

 

[outofthefire]

If you just want an Bunsen Burner which runs on LPG you could always just buy one for not very much. Yes I know, that's not really the point.

http://www.rapidonline.com/Education/Bunsen-Burner-13mm-LPG-52-0157


http://www.rapidonline.com/Education/Bunsen-Burner-LPG-13mm-52-0130

The second one is for LPG but its just over £4 more for some reason.

 

[johnakay]

what use is the burner for in the shed.
are you going to have a go in mixing cocktails like this fella???

 

[BrokenBiker]

no lol more to do with keeping heat local on small dia rod for things like model engines and so on. My propane torch is too big really, smallest cup is a 25 and gives too much heat

 

[the snooper]

that is very generous of you mantakev. If you can find it send me a pm. Don't worry if you can't though, its not vital that i have one, just an easier way to heat small rod and bar and keep the heat local

sounds like he just wants to heat a small kettle to have a brew in his garage to me