PSA: Stop using those cheap propane adapters on camp stoves

I nearly melted my face off last weekend at Yosemite because I thought a $8 brass adapter from Amazon would work fine with my Coleman stove. The thing started leaking gas after 10 minutes of cooking bacon. A buddy who works at REI told me those adapters aren't rated for the pressure from standard propane tanks, they're made for those little green cans. I switched to a $25 steel adapter from a local hardware store and it's been solid for 3 trips now. Has anyone else had one of those cheap adapters fail on them?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas16d ago

Yeah those cheap brass ones are straight up dangerous? Friend of mine had one pop a hose, fireball almost caught his tent.

thomas.river16d ago

Is it possible some of these failures aren't just the adapter itself, but people are using them on old Coleman stoves with worn-out gaskets? I had a cheap brass adapter leak on me, but when I took it apart I found the stove's O-ring was cracked and crusty. @the_lucas mentioned the fireball risk, but I bet a lot of those blowouts happen because the stove's connection point is already degraded and the cheap metal can't flex to seal. I cleaned my stove's threads and put a fresh O-ring in, then the same cheap adapter sealed fine for a full weekend. Not excusing the low quality, but sometimes the weak link is the stove, not just the part.

jackson.max16d ago

@thomas.river I've gotta disagree - cheap brass adapters are junk even on clean threads.