Stoves FAQs

Coleman® liquid-fueled stoves generally will need air pumped into the tank more often and, when started, will burn with a yellow flame for a longer time if the temperatures are below 32°F/ 0°C.

These effects are related to both the stove and fuel. At low temperatures, it will take longer for the generator to heat to the point where the fuel will vaporize efficiently and the burners settle to a blue flame.

The performance of Coleman® Propane Stoves will not be affected by temperatures above 0° F / -18°C. As the temperature drops below 0° F, there will be a gradual reduction of maximum heat output down to -20°F / -29°C where the stove may fail to function.

Altitudes above 10,000 ft will have an effect on both propane and liquid fuel stoves. Because of lower air pressure and decreased oxygen at these altitudes, you will experience more yellow flame and less heat output. The stoves will not operate as efficiently.

It is normal for a.Coleman®. liquid fuel stove to burn with a large yellow flame when first started. Until the generator assembly is hot enough to vaporize the fuel, the stove will burn with a yellow flame. Once the generator heats up enough, the flame will turn to blue and settle closer to the burner. Under normal use, this can take from 20 to 60 seconds depending on the outside temperature. The colder the stove and fuel, the longer it will take. It is important to have the lighting lever on the side of the liquid fuel stove's valve in the ""up"" position when starting the stove and to leave the lever in the ""up"" position until the flame at the burner turns blue. When the lighting lever is in the "up" position on the valve, the fuel mixture fed to the generator contains less fuel and more air than when the lever is in the "down" position. Running this lean mixture when lighting the stove allows the generator to heat up enough to vaporize the fuel without building up excess fuel in the burner. If, after the flame at the burner turns blue, you turn the lighting lever to the "down" position and the flame at the burner turns yellow again, turn the lighting lever "up" for another thirty seconds. The yellow flame indicates the generator is not hot enough. On both liquid fuel and propane stoves it is a proper fuel and air mixture that produces the correct blue flame at the burner. On a liquid fuel stove, outside air and fuel from the generator are mixed at the Bunsen where the generator plugs into the manifold behind and above the burner. On the manifold, right behind where the generator plugs in, there are two holes that draw in air to mix with the fuel on the way to the burner. If either or both of these holes are blocked or if a spider or insect enters these holes and build a nest or web sac inside the manifold, the fuel and air mixture will be incorrect and there will be a large yellow flame at the burner that will not settle down to blue. On a propane stove, there is, under the cook top, a tube that runs from each burner to the valve at the front of the stove. Near the valve end of the tube are two holes that draw in air to mix with the fuel. These holes and the tube near the holes can also be clogged by a spider or insect nest or egg sac. This will cause a large yellow flame at the burner. For either stove, the solution is to run a small bottle or gun-cleaning brush or some pipe cleaners up inside the tube to dislodge the blockage and then to blow the Bunsen or tube clear.

Over-filling the fuel tank can also cause excessive flame on liquid fuel stoves. You should always fill a stove tank on a flat, level surface with the generator parallel to the table top. Do not tilt the tank while filling. Inside the filler hole is a short neck reaching inside the tank. The maximum fuel level should always be just below the bottom of this neck. If the fuel level reaches up inside the neck or is enough to require you to tilt the tank to keep fuel from pouring out the filler hole, the tank is over-filled and the stove can flood when lighted. This will cause large yellow flames that will not settle to a blue flame.

There are two causes for "popping" at the burners when a Coleman® stove is running or being shut off. The first is the presence of water droplets in the tank of a liquid fuel stove. Condensation can occur in the fuel can or in the tank of a stove stored for long periods. If water droplets are in the stove's tank, they can be drawn up into the fuel and air tube and, when they hit the hot generator and pass into the burner assembly, instantly turn to steam. This produces an increase of pressure in the burner assembly and will cause a "pop". This will occur while the stove is running. To cure this, empty the fuel from the tank and rinse the tank out with clean fuel to remove all traces of water. Refill the tank with fresh fuel. The second cause can occur on both liquid fuel and propane stoves. A proper mixture of fuel and air is necessary for a properly burning flame at the burner. The burner bowl surrounds the burner rings to contain the burner flame. If the burner bowl on your stove is not properly positioned and tightened down on the manifold, you can experience "flashback" at the burner. This means that the flame ignites the fuel mixture before it exits the burner. The flame burns inside the burner and does not appear inside the burner bowl. This can damage the stove's manifold. If your stove "pops" while running and the flame disappears from the burner, turn the stove off, allow it to cool then check the position and tightness of the burner bowl. There is a screw in the center of the burner that can be loosened to re-position the burner bowl on the manifold. Make sure the screw is tightened snugly on the burner before lighting the stove. Liquid fuel stoves can also experience a "flashback" if the end of the generator is not totally inserted in the manifold or if the Bunsen hole where the generator plugs in has been damaged. Make sure the end of the generator is fully inserted in the manifold and that the fuel tank is hooked on the front of the stove case. If the manifold is damaged at the Bunsen hole, you will need to replace the manifold.

It is normal for a liquid fuel stove to continue burning for up to two minutes after the valve is shut off. The fuel flow is shut off in the valve directly behind the knob but there is still fuel in the stove's generator. The generator will continue to push the remaining fuel to the burner until it is all burned.

If a liquid fuel stove continues to burn longer than two minutes after it is shut off, this indicates a problem with the valve not sealing. The only solution for this is to replace the valve stem or complete valve assembly.

Propane stoves should shut off within a few seconds of the valve being closed. If the stove continues to run, the valve will need to be replaced.

If a liquid fuel stove lights for only a few seconds then goes out or the flame pulsates, it could be one of four problems.

If the stove will not light or lights for a few seconds then goes out and there is no sound of air passing through the generator, there is either no pressure in the fuel tank or the generator is clogged. Make sure the tank is pumped up at least 35 strokes before lighting the stove. If there is still no fuel flow, try cleaning the tip of the generator. Turn the valve knob on the stove all the way clockwise until it stops. This closes the valve and pushes the needle assembly inside the generator through the hole in the gas tip at the end of the generator to clear any blockage. Under normal use, carbon will build up inside a stove's generator. If some of the carbon breaks free of the inside of the generator and blocks the hole in the gas tip, it will restrict or shut off the fuel flow. If, after you close and open the valve knob, you still get no fuel flow to the burner, the stove generator will need to be replaced.

If the stove will not light, or lights for a few seconds then goes out, but you still hear air passing through the generator, there is either not enough fuel in the tank or the fuel and air tube assembly in the tank has a lacquer build-up that is preventing the fuel from reaching the generator. Make sure the fuel tank is at least half full before lighting the stove. A low fuel level can make it difficult for the fuel and air tube to draw fuel properly. If there is plenty of fuel in the tank and the stove still will not light and continue to burn, the fuel and air tube may have a lacquer build-up preventing fuel from being drawn from the tank.

If a stove is stored for long periods with fuel in the tank, it can cause a coating of lacquer to build up on the fuel and air tube. The tube has a small hole at the bottom that draws in the fuel and one at the top to draw in air. If the bottom hole is obstructed, the fuel will pass into the generator and mantles in surges or not at all. You can sometimes clean the fuel and air tube by pouring out the fuel in the tank then filling it about halfway with denatured alcohol. Do not use rubbing alcohol as it has water in it and do not pump up the tank or open the valve while the alcohol is in the tank. Let the stove sit for 24 hours then shake the tank and pour out the alcohol. Rinse the tank with clean Coleman Fuel and refill with fresh fuel.

If the stove's burner still pulsates or will not light, you will need to replace the fuel and air tube.

We suggest that if you are storing your stove for more than two weeks, pour as much fuel as possible from the tank back into the fuel can. This will help reduce the build-up of lacquer on the fuel and air tube. In order to totally empty the fuel tank, you will need to run the stove until the tank is empty. Emptying most of the fuel from the tank through the filler hole is usually sufficient.