flyinglion2000 wrote:Jim I tried searching for a diagram or image of this feed tube so I can undertand it better. I googled quite a bit but to no avail. Do you have an image you can put up here? Where specifically is the "top". I am trying to determine if this feed tube is designed with the can operating in the horizontal position or in the vertical position. I would assume horizontal as that is a prevalent position of use for these types of cans (ie all those portable gas camping stoves that go for about $20+) at least here in Australia.
I played around with the Kovea Cobra and interestingly, the connection on the long can end is such that when its two legs are spread the notch in the collar of the long can is always uppermost (assuming a level surface). So presumably the boys at Kovea designed it that way with this situation in mind; that is when the can is horizontal with its nocth up the feed tube sucks gas not liquid.
It will vary a bit company to company, but this photo should give you an idea of what's going on:
You're surmise is correct: the vapor feed tube generally aligns with the notch in the collar of the canister. If the notch is up, then the vapor feed tube sucks vapor. If the notch is down, then the vapor feed tube sucks up liquid. To get the flare you saw in my photo above, I simply rotated the canister to the right. That's the danger of the Kovea type adapter. THERE IS NOTHING TO PREVENT THE CANISTER FROM ROLLING and producing a sudden, unexpected, uncontrolled flare. I think I may post a warning on my blog. The Kovea type adapter is fine for upright use, but who wants to put a top-mounted stove up on one of those "long" 100% butane cans? Everyone wants to use them in side laying mode. Not a problem if one's stove is a) already hot and b) has a pre-heat mechanism, but absent either of those, your stove will flare. The stove in my flare photo was quite hot at the time of the flare but had no preheat mechanism.
HJ