Garden Railway Forum

Hello everyone
I´m thinking of switching the original gas valves on my Regner locos to Ronson self venting ones. I wonder about the advantages of doing that? Here are some questions:
Do I have to fill with butane or can I continue using the butan/propan mix that Regner recomends?
And what about topping up the gastank? This is the most important reason for me to by Ronsonvalves. Now I can drive my Regners on one gassfill, and then have to wait for the engine to cool down before I can refill gas.
Very thankfull for answers.
Regards from Michael

I have a Ronson valve Installed on my Regner Konrad, it is easier to fill in my opinon than Regners stock valve.
Yes , you can use propane-buthane mix,
Yes, i run my konrad on one tank full
If you want to refill you dont have to wait for a cooldown but it is always easier to refill gastanks if they are colder than the supply cannister.

Thank You for your answer.
My next thought: As the Ronson valve beeing considerably smaller than the original Regner, will I therefore get more gas in the thank, and gain longer running time

Even though i did not time the difference in run times when i changed valves, i do not think the few mls of gas will make any significant runtime difference.

A last question, Benchie
Have you tried running Konrad on butane? Do you know the reasons to drive Regners on mixed gas?
Regards from up north

All my locomotives are run from gas cannisters containing 30% propane and 70% butane. From my experience with my gas fired steam powered boats butane alone does not light well in colder temps like the kind we have in scandinavia, Something to do with the different gas properties so i guess thats why Regner recommend prop-butane mix.

The usual reason for using 30P/70B as opposed to straight butane is that 30/70 performs better in cold weather. I have fired up my R/H 'Millie' outside on a breezy day with the temperature a few degrees below freezing on 30/70 with no probs. Butane gets increasingly sluggish below 10C, and is a more or less a no-go below 5C until things get warmed up, or you 'boil the kettle' inside.

Peter in AZ
Where, contrary to popular opinion, it gets d**ned cold.

I understand that you people know what you are talking about. My experience from the last two years of running is that my butane locos are much easier to light up than my mixed gas-Regner locos. But of course there can be other reasons for this.
Michael