Would filling my tyres with propane be a bad idea?

I bought one of these.

Give it a try. I’d take a look at that saddle angle first though.

Surely the time to ask is -before- you buy it?

I used some of those to power some lightweight portable pneumatics at work once.
Some people still weren’t very happy even after I explained the odds on it igniting was quite slim 🙂

Surely the time to ask is -before- you buy it?

Very true. I bought it from a shop & had plenty of time to read the label but just assumed it was CO2. I shan’t hesitate to use it but was surprised to find the can contained propane. Something I would associate with camping stoves etc.

Now I am wondering why. Can the can be lighter than a CO2 cartridge because propane is held at lower pressure?

odds on it igniting was quite slim

Some picky people probably want a definition of ‘quite slim’ for their risk assessment 🙂

the temptation to create a slow leak, light it and go for a night right would be too great surely.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByemtRt_CP0[/video]

Yeah, punctures would be easy to find. Just wave a lighter around and see where it lights 😀

The molecular size of propane may allow it to escape from a butyl tube, worth a bit of research.

Other than that the standard response is why bother?

oh – i assumed it would be larger than co2??

but was surprised to find the can contained propane

I think you’ll find most aerosol cans in the cupboard under your sink contain propane or butane, its typically whats used as propellant since CFCs became unfasionable.

Anyone know where I can get a presta adapter for a heluim cylinder?

The molecular size of propane may allow it to escape from a butyl tube, worth a bit of research.

Propane = C3H8.
The same molecular weight as CO2, and heavier than N2 (the main constituent of air).

Don’t they fill F1 tyres with Nitrogen or something, cos it’s better somehow?

Nitrogen is ‘better’ for F1 tyres I guess because it’s properties are known/controlled, so they know exactly how much pressure change they will get with temperature change.
Air is likely subject to more uncontrolled variation (although it doesn’t have to be) due to varying quantities of water vapour present in it.

Ah.

Quikfit where offering to fill your tyres with Nitrogen for a quid a tyre, when I was last in there 😯
Nitrous Oxide might be good for a laugh 😉

I fill my tyres with a 78% Nitrogen mix, seems to work outstandingly in all conditions.

i am liking the idea of inflammable inner tubes. A whole new world of fire for me to discover!