Propel vs Compressed Air

[junglelord]

Have you considered the cans of computer cleaning "air" that come in a can with a trigger. If you have a Costco there they may sell them in three-packs. It is easy to adapt the trigger to a tire filler attachment if that is what is being used on the boat. It is a lot cheaper than Propel

Is it true you can run compressed air vs propel.
Being on a pension, I was wondering?
Thanks
Dean

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Is it true you can run compressed air vs propel.
Being on a pension, I was wondering?
Thanks
Dean

Sure, why would you?

You can't bang up a propel system with compressed air an get any more than a half-blow. 70 PSI of air in a typical on-board bottle has very little energy potential.

David,

[toppack]

With propel system liquid is converted to gas when it's dumped, so you get a much larger volume of gas per tank full, than with air.

[Subculture]

Dave what is propel gas made up of, is it mostly butane based?

I know a lot of modellers over here used butane for gas systems. You do have to be careful with it as it's highly flammable (so no smoking around your boat), plus it can eat some kinds of rubber, so I'm not sure how thta will work with Dave's stuff.

[toppack]

what is propel gas made up of,

I found out that It contains:
1,1,1,2-Tetrafloroethane, (which is 134A, a freon substitute, good for the enviroment)

So we can use the same stuff we use in our Car AC systems. Of course it's almost as expensive, unless you find a surplus deal somewhere.

No wonder it gets so Cold when converted to gas, and cracks the plastic, that's what 134A is supposed to Do (get very Cold)! ;)

[Subculture]

Ah right, very different animal to butane then.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Butane is a good substitute and no more harmful (plenty harmful) than the other hydrocarbon bearing liquefied gas 'propellants'. They all attack natural rubber, some more than others. The typical tire valve rubber element is a hydrocarbon tolerant material, but natural rubber products (the clippard valves come to mind) are destroyed in short order when subjected to pressurized propel and Butane. The air-brush propellants marketed by Tester's, Paasche, Badger and others are pretty much a methane-butane mix. Very flammable, very reactive to natural rubber.

We used to use Freon-12 as the expandable gas of choice, but the government weenies took that away from us and gave us that stupid substitute. Hence the use of air-brush propellant and the 'dust-off' type liquefied gas.

David,

[toppack]

. The air-brush propellants marketed by Tester's, Paasche, Badger and others are pretty much a methane-butane mix. Very flammable, very reactive to natural rubber.

David,

That's what I thought it used to be, but the air-brush propellant, I got recently from Tower-Hobbies, says 134A on the cans. Maybe the EPA made them change over to 134A?
It seems that the 134A version would be the best to use, for several reasons. :)

[Nuke Power]

I sent Mike an option for cheaper gas than propel w/ an equal number of blows. he posted it somewhere but, it involves making your own little adapter and a can of compressed air (like the type that are used on electronics) You can pick up a 3 pack for like 5 dollars at walmart.

[Albion]

Need Viton rubber for hydrocarbons

[redboat219]

How about using the small CO2 canister used on life jackets and BB guns?

[Kazzer]

WHy not simply buy this from us.

ABPT Propellant - 15oz $9.95

It 'ain't broke'!!

[Kazzer]

I sent Mike an option for cheaper gas than propel w/ an equal number of blows. he posted it somewhere but, it involves making your own little adapter and a can of compressed air (like the type that are used on electronics) You can pick up a 3 pack for like 5 dollars at walmart.

I did try this and although it all worked, the adapter was a little fiddly to get to convert.

I got a severe attack of the CBB's! (Can't Be Bothered) That happens a lot just lately.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

How about using the small CO2 canister used on life jackets and BB guns?

CO2 at room temperature, in order to remain in the liquid state, has to be maintained at around 800 PSI.

Lawsuit city. No thanks.

David,

[Slats]

That Stinks

Gas gotta love it

That Stinks