Refill Thermacell pads & cartridges
General Topic
Ok guys, my year of research and experimentation is over, I will write an article listing all my results and findings but here is the bottom line instructions for refilling your Thermacell pads.
Buy “Gordon's® Permethrin-10 Livestock & Premise Spray” (see link) and mix it one part Permethrin to six parts distilled water, put it in an eye dropper (visine bottle) or similar drop application type bottle. Put two to three drops in the center of your used Thermacell pad and let it soak in for ten minutes or so. Recharges your Thermacell pad for about 8 hours of use.
Here is a link to a video that shows you how to refill the butane cartridges as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4tnkcShT74
How much I the Gordon product?
A little better than a year ago I paid $5.99 for an 8oz bottle at my local Tractor Supply. At six to one mix ratio and using four drops maximum per pad refill, this should last you about 1,200-1,400 refills.
Could you carry the visine bottle with the Themocell, then put the drops on the "hot" pad? Or put drops on the old pad then light up?
I have been using Gordon's for about a year now.It works great and same with butane.I just put a little in ziplock with a couple pads.I will try mixing water & permethrin, its like syrup and hard to coat whole pad.We have plenty of mosquito's with no end in sight. Taken with Mathews Monster at 4yds.Gator was 9'and about 200lbs.
Snap, Yes you can, I do it all the time. In fact, I found these little dropper bottles at Dollar General that have breath freshener in them and they are about half the size of the Visine bottle and I have several of them stashed in tackle boxes, hunting gear, backpacks, Thermacell holsters etc. I have found however that when the pad is hot it takes more like eight drops to fill it for some reason.
Dollar, I found that straight permethrin by itself does not vaporize as well as when you mix it with distilled water. It is like the water acts as a “carrying” agent and makes the permethrin more effective. Kind of like when you put medicine in a vaporizer. Of course it goes without saying that it will last much longer when you mix it. The only drawback is that you have to make sure that you shake it well to keep it mixed.
Great tip.. I'll have to give it a try.. I have also been putting anise oil on my old pads, and use it for bear hunting while sitting in a tree over bait. Might have to try and mix a little DI water with the anise next time.
I did noticed that the pads didn't last as long.I heading back out Thursday with water diluted pads.I think that bottle will last a lifetime.
Anybody ever put some estrous urine in an old pad for your thermacell? I've thought about that myself.
I heard some talk about it but never tried it myself.Wasn't there a scent dispersal heat activated awhile back?
Seamus, Yep, I've put doe-p on my Thermacell many times, it works great. In fact, Thermacell sells an appliance just for that purpose called a Thermascent, but it is just the same thing as a Thermacell with empty pads to put your favorite attractant on.
Hey Dollar, how did that Diluted mix work for you today?
Now you've got me wondering if I could put this diluted solution pf permithrin on one of those chemical hot pads we use in the winter , those hand warmers.
Do you think that would work? Would beat the heck out of trying to fly with the thermacells.
It works great last longer than 4 hours per pad.We have had so much rain this past month there are plenty of mosquitos to try it on.I had been just soaking pads in permethrin and seemed dryer after use.Now they are a little more pliable.
tadpole,
The permethrin/water mix has to get hot enough to cause evaporation of the liquid. I don't think hand warmers would get hot enough to do that. I have an old meat thermometer that I can test the temperature differences with and I have some hand warmers, I will test you theory this weekend and let you know, but I'm guessing that it will not work.
Dollar,
That is good news, I'm so glad that it worked out for you.
Just a couple more tips for everyone. As I'm sure you know, when you use up the effective solution on a new Thermacell pad it turns white. To recharge this feature I just use food coloring. (I use green instead of blue) What I do is make up a batch in a small bottle with 1 tablespoon permethrin, 6 tablespoons distilled water and just 2 drops of food color. Also, just to add a pleasant fragrance for my Thermacell Lantern that I use when camping, I put in a drop or two of essential oil. I have tried several different fragrances but my favorite so far is cinnamon apple. Makes camp smell like apple pie.
I wonder if bacon bits would work?Ha
As much as I love bacon, I have a hard enough time keeping the dog away from the table at camp. LOL!
Pads worked like a charm last night.Got this gator just at sunset when skeeters are worst.
Process works great. I made up permethrin solution and used pads over weekend-worked great. I just finished modifying a cartridge to refill-piece of cake. Just need to purchase the butane. What brands do you recommend?
I found most work fine but I am using Zippo.
Whatever I find on sale! I've used about half a dozen different brands now and they all work the same as far as I'm concerned.
Good job Dollar. He looks like a nice one, what did he weigh?? It's been a long time since I've had gator chops... MMMM!!
He probably went 150lbs he was heavy.But they look skinny once their are out of the water.
Would somebody explain a little more about the V notch in the butane tip and getting the butane in the thermacell cannister? I've removed the check valve, but still can't get the cannister to take the butane. How deep is the notch? What am I doing wrong?
I start with the tip that fits in the Thermacell nozzle the tightest. I cut the V notch across the whole tip so it is on both sides. I use a triangle shaped jewelers file and go deep enough that a decent heavy sewing needle, say an upholstery needle, would lay in there fairly easy. That is pretty much all there is to it. If you aren't getting any butane to go in with the check valve removed, you probably just didn't cut your V notch deep enough.
