Snow Peak Giga Power

I just returned from a trip where I used my Snow Peak stove for the first time. I found that once the stove was turned off the canister got really cold. This would indicate some kind of high pressure leak. Five minutes after turning the stove off there would be condensation on the canister and I would guess that the temp of the cannister was near freezing. The instructions on the cannister says to remove when not in use but this seems extreme. Is this normal or do I have a defect or operator error? I could not hear or smell anything. I tried tightening or loosening the canister more but it always was cold.

I've found this is normal for canister stoves. My vague high school physics memory suggests it is because of the pressure drop associated with burning off some of the fuel.

Agree with above, I vaguely recall the same. Something about pressure and condensation -- not the same but roughly similar to how A/C coils get cold and air would condense and even frost it up -- but doesn't mean the freon is leaking...

The "phenomenon" (for not knowing the proper term) that cools down the fuel canister is also the reason why canister stoves are suboptimal when used in cold climes.

This is not unique to the Gigapower.

I always disconnect my canister when striking camp lest a leaky or accidentally opened valve leaves me with no fuel.

Methinks you will still find a fuel canister cool (if not downright cold) during and shortly after use -- even if you should disconnect the stove immediately. It's part of the process -- and not an indication of leakage.

Which is why the 'phenomenon' is not brand specific.

The cooling of the cannister is caused by what is called the heat of vaporization of the fuel mixture. This heat (of vaporization) must be added to the fuel to cause it to change from liquid phase to burnable vapor phase. The heat for vaporizing cannister fuels comes from the stove surroundings including the cannister as well as the fuel itself. Cannister stoves don't work as well in cold because the heat required to vaporize the liquid fuel is less available. Warming the stove with your hands or some other heat source simply provides more heat to vaporize the fuel allowing the stove to work better.

The lower atmospheric pressure at high altitude will also lower the fuel vapor pressure and thus the heat of vaporization but this only helps significantly with the more volatile fuel compounds.

Thanks. I know why the cannister is getting cold. It just seemed like it was happening after I thought that it should. If this is normal with cannister stoves I will just accept it.

This is my first time with the cannister stove. Sure is easy to use but I am not too sure that I like it better than the Brasslite I have been using. Stove progression: SVEA>Trangia>Brasslite>Snow Peak>--?Brasslite.