Propane canister shelf life?

[Clint Boyer]

The local Bi-Mart store is having a sale on Coleman propane in the small canisters. I was thinking that the slick little heaters and cook stoves would make good emergency preparedness equipment.
How long will those canisters store and still be usable? All my other camp gear is white gas.

[RIKA]

I have used cannisters that were stored for more than 5 years without a problem. As long as they aren't rusty they should be okay.

RIKA

[Clint Boyer]

If I'm not mistaken, the cans they have on sale are some type of plastic. Of course the hardware would be metal.

I just didn't want to buy several cases to find out later they only last one year.

Thanks RIKA!

[RIKA]

You're welcome Clint. My Coleman cans are quite old; they are made of metal but have a band of plastic around the bottom and partially up the side, probably to make grasping and twisting easier or to protect the fingers from cold metal.

RIKA

[T. Daves]

We've had some at the lease going on 3 years still work just fine.

[neolithic hunter]

well if the canister is metal or plastic i think they should last a life time if properly carred for. now if there full of gas i don't no how long the can will stay charged, i would guess it would all depend on what type of valve it has. if it's all metal it will out last one that has an o-ring seal, i would guess. :cool:

[MileHighSailor]

I just used a can last weekend when I took my daughter camping. I think it had been in my garage for at least 5 years....worked like a charm.

[.45 COLT]

I keep a Bernz torch in each of my trucks. Sometimes I find a lug nut that just won't loosen, even with weasel piss. I change vehicles a lot more often than I change propane bottles. One of those bottles is at least 15 years old and still half full, so I'd say that the shelf life is somewhere between 15 years and forever.

DC