I know that MAPP vs. propane has been debated here before but my question has to do with the BTU content of each (as in a 14 oz. cylinder of each). Since MAPP is nearly double the cost of propane, am I correct in thinking it contains double the BTU per cylinder? I have always used propane but am now giving the MAPP a try and find that it is much hotter with less flame than the propane. Just curious.

"The effective BTU output is a measurement of the quantity of BTUs that actually go into the work piece when heated," said Paul Minter, VP / General Manager, TurboTorch. "Our lab tests have revealed that MAP//PRO has approximately a 10% greater BTU output over Propane and a 14% less effective BTU output than MAPP."
[news.thomasnet.com]

You won't find MAPP Gas any more.
It was discontinued. The replacement gas is MAP-PRO.

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Interestingly enough last weekend I needed a fresh bottle and I stopped and visited Smockman...

Okay here I am in the plumbing section and I'm standing there looking at solder, paste, torches, propane but there is not a bottle of MAP-PRO to be found.

I finally find a Smockman that didn't see me coming and run away... Just my experience that Smockman has an uncanny ability to avoid customers that actually need his help...

I ask him where he hides the MAPP gas and he tells me...
I comment that I would have assumed the plumbing aisle with all the pipe sweating stuff would be a natural place to keep it...
Smockman then proceded to tell me that we aren't supposed to use MAPP gas for sweating pipe cause it burns hotter than Propane and will overheat the fittings...

Just another pearl of wisdom from Smockman...

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Why did the original company that made mapp gas shut down?
Why does the mapp gas pro not put out the same amount of btu as the original mapp gas.

When did they stop making MAPP? Is it still in the same yellow bottle or did they change the bottle? I've got two cans of what I thought was MAPP but now I'm not sure.

While I was writing my reply I went to the Benrnzomatic site and see the yellow can is something called "Mx" - Max Power Propylene. What caused all of this to come about?

If I didn't say it you wouldn't have known...
Same yellow bottle but it says MAP-PRO
[www.worthingtoncylinders.com]

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I did some more digging and Wikipedia said one of the components to make MAPP, Propadiene, is getting more expensive and therefore there is more money to be made by using it in plastics. If you're really in the market for MAPP, I found this [www.airgas.com]. Notice how it says "call for price", that's almost always a sign that if you have to ask, you can't afford it.
Wow, just noticed this, MAPP temp = 5300 and the 'new' MAP-pro is only a measly 3600, Propane is 3450. Why would they discontinue a product that was 2000 degrees hotter than propane and replace it with something that was only 150 degrees hotter? Who would use the new Map-pro over propane? Does anyone really notice the 150 degrees? I think more people are going to be moving towards acetylene at about 4500 degrees, that is unless acetylene is getting scarce now also. One more thing, now that I've got a MAPP torch head, it's prety much useless now because I don't think you need the old style MAPP head with this new, lower temp gas right? You could probably get away with the propane head becuase the temp is so close. What a rip off, they always discontinue the stuff that works, asbestos, DDT, Enamel paints, and now MAPP.



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haha smockman ... should have told him your tag line .. the bit about "knowing what your dumb at".

Sounds like the guy that put an inch and half pressure cross in my sack when I asked for DWV last week.

Me: "I need DWV, not this."
Him: "It's the same thing, but it's better."
Me: "So you sell a lot of these better crosses?"
Him: "Tons."
Me: "These a new thing?"
Him: "No .. not really."
Me: "Well .. I'm not proud .. just give me the inferior cross and I'll be on my way."

HD, and other company, help assume that some customer is going to go "postal", so they hide out in the back rooms. Ever notice how one can turn a corner if he thinks you are trying to catch him, and then completely disappear by the time you reach that corner?

They can be "very" smart, because there are so many things they are dumb at.

As long as there is carbide and water, we will have acetylene, just not as convenient as MAPP, MAPP+, or propane. I bought the final stock of the wholesalers MAPP so I am set for a while.

There is more to the soldering process than just the actual flame temp. There is the total energy, measured in BTU, applied to the workpiece. Since the melting point of the solder is around 450º, the difference between temps in the thousands is not so much the point as the total amount of heat energy applied to the work.

I didn't notice that much of a difference using the map-pro over mapp.

Neither did I...

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Has anyone seen the new 'Green' (recyclable) MAPP-Pro tanks?, by the
looks of them, one would need gorilla hands to hold it.



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This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.

They are promoting the fat tanks to be used with the hose attachment so you can run your hose and tip line and have the tank on your hip in a holster.

Thanks for all the comments. Mapp (Mapp-pro) is new to me as far as usage goes and I'll try it a while longer before I make an opinion as to whether I continue using it or go back to propane.

The torch tip makes more difference than the type of gas in most cases. A swirl tip will heat faster with propane, than a pencil flame will with MAPP. And then there are propane torch tips that will not handle MAPP until you change them.



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The "green" part is this: comes with a special "green key"..you put that in when you are used up. It supposedly drains very last drop of gas, making the cannister eligible for recycling at a steel recycler, as opposed to tossing in the landfill. Anyone going to rush over to the recycler with these? Is there any bounty on scrap steel???

i think all that fat tank crap is a waste of money, and if your using mapp and burning up your fittings then you dont belong having a mapp tank in your hands or soldering for that fact to begin with. i cant stand those hardware store "plumbers" they have plenty of pvc 90's but nothing you might really need well iguess its ot supposed to be a store for pros. just the everyday security guard or single mom that trys to tacle the problems to save a couple bucks or the wife that has to call a plumber to fix what her husband "fixed" hence the taglin "do it your self center"