alcohol stove fuel

[chucky112233]

Hello all. Just wondering if anyone else has a pressurized alcohol stove and if so what kind of fuel do you use? I am in canada and denatured alcohol is methal hydrate but it say on the container not for use in pressurized systems....I am wondering if someone is using anothing type or kind of fuel?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

I have heard of people using HEET, the gas line treatment.
What system do you have?

 

[JCF350]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

West marine has some listed here. Didn't find any on iBoats.

westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/13917/377%20710/0/
stove%20fuel/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710&Ne=0&Ntt=stove
%20fuel&Ntk=Primary%20Search&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=0&keyword=stove%
20fuel&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5004&subdeptNum=15&classNum=590

Methinks they might be referring to the "Coleman" camp stove type where you have to pump them up quite a bit (to mist the liquid to into the preheater chamber where vaporises) vs pumping the alcohol stove just enough to move the fuel to the burner (where it vaporises and burns)

 

[chucky112233]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

I have heard of people using HEET, the gas line treatment.
What system do you have?

i have the homstrand alcohol two burner stove model 206.

 

[JCF350]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

I have heard of people using HEET, the gas line treatment.
What system do you have?

One of the reasons for using these alcohol stoves is the safety factor as the fumes are non-toxic. HEET uses methanol and "special additives". Couldn't find a MSDS on their site.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

Yea, they had it listed as a fuel for alcohol stoves.

 

[JCF350]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

Yep, says use Yellow bottle.

Manufacturer says use denatured alcohol though.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

Denatured alcohol is booze (ethanol) with enough pollutants like gasoline to keep someone sane from drinkng it. Depending on your local taxes, Everclear can be in the runnung for your stove if you are afraid of methanol. The local paint shop usually has denatured alcohol by the gallon tin and is low priced.

To call burned methanol poisenous gas is laughable. There are some sealing compounds that are desolved by it and not ethanol or isopropyle alcohol. Isopropyle is a good choiced also if it above 95% consentration. Most "rubbing alcohol" is 70% so the grocery store is usually not a place to buy it for fuel. All of the alcohols average around 11,000 BTU per pound as compared to gasoline's 19,000.

Good luck!

 

[JCF350]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

To call burned methanol poisenous gas is laughable.

Good luck!

My concern was not the methanol but with the "special additives". Without an MSDS how ya going to know?

 

[External Combustion]

Re: alcohol stove fuel

Those "special additives" constitute less than 2% of the fuel. Most is plain old gasoline. The worst byproduct is carbon monoxide and it is very low. The average air on a boat is more than enough to never wory about it.

Some manufacturers use benzine, so you would not wash your hands with it, but once again, it is very safe to use as a fuel.

I spent many years with a class A chemical suit next to my desk as I was the one expected to rush in to take care of those who neglected safety precautions in my industry. I still have a current suit and gear here at the house. I guess old fire horses will always follow the bells.

The point is, Coleman fuel is made up of the pollutants that denatured alcohol has. If you can be safe with Coleman fuel or white gas then you will be safe with denatured alcohol.

As a side note, tha most dangerous chemical that I know of, the one that takes more lives than all of the others combined; quick and sudden or slow and painfull, is ordinary gasoline. If you can put it in your tank to get to work without worry then you can understand all other chemicals can be sucessfully dealt with with proper percautions. Some are not worth the risk for casual use, some are. Pays your money, place your bets.