Do You Carry the 1 lb Propane/Small Butane Canister on Its Side or Upright?

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

scaredycat72

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2021
Messages
296
Reaction score
432
Hi y'all,

Does anyone in a car/SUV carry their 1 lb propane/small butane bottles on their sides? I have some under carriage storage in my SUV and I want to carry my propane and butane in there but the bottles have to be on their sides. When I had my high top conversion van, I carried a ton of propane bottles, and even left them inside for 2 entire summers when I wasn't traveling, but I can't remember how I carried them. I think they were just thrown in a box in the back but maybe I did carry them vertically. I don't remember.

I've been watching other people on YouTube who use small propane bottles and they seem to pack the bottles on their side underneath stuff but I wanted to get some real feedback from others. What are y'all doing?

PS I know larger propane containers should definitely be carried upright and some people don't want them inside their vehicles, but I need to know what people who are carrying the little bottles are actually doing with them in their small space. Thanks!
 
The butane canisters sit on their sides while being used in stoves so it would seem that storing them that way would be safe. That's how mine are stored. LP always upright.
 
These things actually lose their seal after a while. I know this because I love to encourage people to give me their one pound tanks once they are used up. I can refill them at least ten times and some times twice as long as they keep working. You can test them with soap suds and a spray bottle. They work until they leak. I can refill them for less than a dollar a 1# tank with a 20lbs barbeque tank. I do it all the time. I always carry them upright. They work until they start to leak. So I built a ventilation system in my van to move anything low in the van outside. There's no point in dying or blowing up and living too. You should reuse them if you have that skill and the right tools.
 
Thanks y'all. I did some more research and I should be able to carry them on their sides just fine. The bottles will only vent if they get too hot. That seems to be around 130 degrees Fahrenheit but some sites did say 120 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't know if either number is right because my bottles didn't vent all summer in a closed up van but I'll go with it for now. Since it's cold, venting is not a concern. In the summer I should still be good since I have medical grade ceramic tint on all my windows.

I'm also going to email Bernzomatic and just ask them if it's ok to carry the bottles on their side. I'll let y'all know what they say.
 
I use the one lb canisters as backup to
my single 20 lb tank and only use them when the 20 is empty. As such I have them in storage for extended periods.

I’ve never worried about it in the slightest and never had a problem. I also use them in sun in a diagonal position. I do always buy new, maybe one a year on average.
 
Top