Re: Stus-List Alcohol stove fuels. Best?
Lots of discussions, disagreements, personal opinions on this subject. One place where camping, backpacking and marine recreation overlap. Denatured alcohol will work, but is it REALLY the best bargain? How quickly will it heat your food? What you're looking for is $$/BTU or heating efficiency AND clean burning. You might find this video enlightening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt69fbNhCgs The video compares several alcohol fuels. Granted, the comparison is done in a non-pressurized stove but the comparison methodology seems fairly sound. The results were defined in terms of economy ($$$) for bringing water to a boil. In short, denatured alcohol performed poorly in terms of economic efficiency. The best performing fuel was an automotive gas antifreeze, HEET in the yellow container. HEET is primarily methanol. I suppose you can always go to a truck stop and get air brake antifreeze. Unfortunately, no actual stove fuel like Origo or Tru-Heat was tested. Alcohol stoves are designed to burn ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Unfortunately, you can't find 100% ethanol. Ethanol must be denatured by adding methanol to avoid liquor taxation. Nigel Calder says you need a minimum of 95% ethanol. Further, there doesn't appear to be any standard for denatured alcohol. Make sure any fuel you buy is labeled for use in alcohol stoves. Some denatured alcohols may be as little as 50% alcohol. Pressure alcohol stoves are more fuel sensitive than non-pressurized alcohol stoves because of the orifice. If the fuel contains oils or impurities, the orifice may become plugged. Before you burn any new fuel in a pressurized alcohol stove, burn several ounces in a metal dish and check for residue after the burn completes. Make sure any fuel you buy is labeled for use in alcohol stoves. Read the label. Look at the MSDS. There doesn't appear to be any standard for denatured alcohol. Some denatured alcohols may be as little as 50% alcohol. So, you might actually spend more $$ or incur more maintenance issues by using a cheap denatured alcohol than a fuel formulated specially for alcohol stoves. For the record, Touche' has a pressure alcohol stove. The Admiral and I use it often. I tried big box store denatured alcohol (labeled for stove fuel) and it worked but I personally prefer the Origo stove fuel. Just seems to work better. Might be my imagination or the fumes. :) Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 9:36 AM, Burt Stratton via CnC-List cnc-list@cnc-list.com wrote: This my first go-around with alcohol stoves. Seems to work very nicely. Cleaned it up filled it and brewed a big pot of coffee in no time. Is there any reason not to use plain old denatured alcohol instead of stove cooking fuel? Skip ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com
Re: Stus-List Alcohol stove fuels. Best?
Good point, I was wondering if the topic was about pressured or non-pressured alcool stove.. I use an Origo 2 burners stove ( non pressurized ), always used methyl hydrate ( much like the old gas line anti-freeze, before injected engines ). Good performance and not too expensive ( a gallon cost around 18.00 at hardware stores ). I also pour it if I have water in my gas tank ( Atomic 4 ). I tried denatured alcool once on the Origo but it was not as efficient to boil water ( and for the first coffee of the day minutes couts! ). Sylvain CC27 MkIII From: Dennis C. via CnC-List cnc-list@cnc-list.com To: Burt Stratton bstrat...@falconnect.com; CnClist cnc-list@cnc-list.com Sent: Monday, August 11, 2014 12:34 PM Subject: Re: Stus-List Alcohol stove fuels. Best? Lots of discussions, disagreements, personal opinions on this subject. One place where camping, backpacking and marine recreation overlap. Denatured alcohol will work, but is it REALLY the best bargain? How quickly will it heat your food? What you're looking for is $$/BTU or heating efficiency AND clean burning. You might find this video enlightening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt69fbNhCgs The video compares several alcohol fuels. Granted, the comparison is done in a non-pressurized stove but the comparison methodology seems fairly sound. The results were defined in terms of economy ($$$) for bringing water to a boil. In short, denatured alcohol performed poorly in terms of economic efficiency. The best performing fuel was an automotive gas antifreeze, HEET in the yellow container. HEET is primarily methanol. I suppose you can always go to a truck stop and get air brake antifreeze. Unfortunately, no actual stove fuel like Origo or Tru-Heat was tested. Alcohol stoves are designed to burn ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Unfortunately, you can't find 100% ethanol. Ethanol must be denatured by adding methanol to avoid liquor taxation. Nigel Calder says you need a minimum of 95% ethanol. Further, there doesn't appear to be any standard for denatured alcohol. Make sure any fuel you buy is labeled for use in alcohol stoves. Some denatured alcohols may be as little as 50% alcohol. Pressure alcohol stoves are more fuel sensitive than non-pressurized alcohol stoves because of the orifice. If the fuel contains oils or impurities, the orifice may become plugged. Before you burn any new fuel in a pressurized alcohol stove, burn several ounces in a metal dish and check for residue after the burn completes. Make sure any fuel you buy is labeled for use in alcohol stoves. Read the label. Look at the MSDS. There doesn't appear to be any standard for denatured alcohol. Some denatured alcohols may be as little as 50% alcohol. So, you might actually spend more $$ or incur more maintenance issues by using a cheap denatured alcohol than a fuel formulated specially for alcohol stoves. For the record, Touche' has a pressure alcohol stove. The Admiral and I use it often. I tried big box store denatured alcohol (labeled for stove fuel) and it worked but I personally prefer the Origo stove fuel. Just seems to work better. Might be my imagination or the fumes. :) Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 9:36 AM, Burt Stratton via CnC-List cnc-list@cnc-list.com wrote: This my first go-around with alcohol stoves. Seems to work very nicely. Cleaned it up filled it and brewed a big pot of coffee in no time. Is there any reason not to use plain old denatured alcohol instead of stove cooking fuel? Skip ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com
Re: Stus-List Alcohol stove fuels. Best?
I don’t think they add the methanol anymore. Too many people got poisoned. Instead they add some other chemicals (e.g. pyridine) that has a terrible taste and has a boiling temperature almost the same as ethanol (so it is close to impossible to refine it). I think those other chemicals cause the poor performance in alcohol stoves. Captain Phab stove fuel works well (I think it is the same or very similar to Origo’s). Marek From: Dennis C. via CnC-List Sent: Monday, August 11, 2014 12:34 PM To: Burt Stratton ; CnClist Subject: Re: Stus-List Alcohol stove fuels. Best? Lots of discussions, disagreements, personal opinions on this subject. One place where camping, backpacking and marine recreation overlap. Denatured alcohol will work, but is it REALLY the best bargain? How quickly will it heat your food? What you're looking for is $$/BTU or heating efficiency AND clean burning. You might find this video enlightening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt69fbNhCgs The video compares several alcohol fuels. Granted, the comparison is done in a non-pressurized stove but the comparison methodology seems fairly sound. The results were defined in terms of economy ($$$) for bringing water to a boil. In short, denatured alcohol performed poorly in terms of economic efficiency. The best performing fuel was an automotive gas antifreeze, HEET in the yellow container. HEET is primarily methanol. I suppose you can always go to a truck stop and get air brake antifreeze. Unfortunately, no actual stove fuel like Origo or Tru-Heat was tested. Alcohol stoves are designed to burn ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Unfortunately, you can't find 100% ethanol. Ethanol must be denatured by adding methanol to avoid liquor taxation. Nigel Calder says you need a minimum of 95% ethanol. Further, there doesn't appear to be any standard for denatured alcohol. Make sure any fuel you buy is labeled for use in alcohol stoves. Some denatured alcohols may be as little as 50% alcohol. Pressure alcohol stoves are more fuel sensitive than non-pressurized alcohol stoves because of the orifice. If the fuel contains oils or impurities, the orifice may become plugged. Before you burn any new fuel in a pressurized alcohol stove, burn several ounces in a metal dish and check for residue after the burn completes. Make sure any fuel you buy is labeled for use in alcohol stoves. Read the label. Look at the MSDS. There doesn't appear to be any standard for denatured alcohol. Some denatured alcohols may be as little as 50% alcohol. So, you might actually spend more $$ or incur more maintenance issues by using a cheap denatured alcohol than a fuel formulated specially for alcohol stoves. For the record, Touche' has a pressure alcohol stove. The Admiral and I use it often. I tried big box store denatured alcohol (labeled for stove fuel) and it worked but I personally prefer the Origo stove fuel. Just seems to work better. Might be my imagination or the fumes. :) Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA On Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 9:36 AM, Burt Stratton via CnC-List cnc-list@cnc-list.com wrote: This my first go-around with alcohol stoves. Seems to work very nicely. Cleaned it up filled it and brewed a big pot of coffee in no time. Is there any reason not to use plain old denatured alcohol instead of stove cooking fuel? Skip ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com ___ This List is provided by the CC Photo Album Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com
