problem with soda can alcohol stove

[jalbright79]

I just made an soda can alcohol stove but having some issues with it. I fill it with about 2 tablespoons of Crown denatured alcohol it lights and primes perfect. The issue I am having is it doesn't stay lit very long maybe only a couple minutes, not long enough to boil 2 cups of water. Anyone have any ideas?

[patman25]

Few things I figured out via trial and effort in making some diy stoves.

1. The hotter your can gets, the faster the alcohol burns.
2. If you put your "jets" to high, the can won't stay warm enough at the bottom to keep the alcohol boiling.

I did a few different designs, and the best I found was the pressurized jet stove. A little tougher to make, but seems to be the best one I made.

On the fly I know I can make a chimney style stove out of one can that works pretty well also.

I loved experimenting with the stoves, and I find that's the best thing to do, just keep building and trying different combos until you get what works for you.

[patman25]

Also, you should really look at buying or building a caldera cone, that cut my boil time from 10 mins to 4.

[Spokes]

Lots of different "soda can" stoves. Exactly what kind did you build?

If it's a pressurized jet style and you over prime it your burn time won't last long.

I've built all kinds and seem to always end up going back to the simple Super Cat.

[RWheeler]

How big are the holes you made in the can? I found that if I used anything bigger than a thumbtack in making my penny stoves, they'd burn way too quick to be useful.

Pictures or a description of the design you used would be great help.

[jalbright79]

here it is100_1046.jpg100_1047.jpg
holes are made with a thumbtak 16 holes

[RWheeler]

The lip that your pot rests on looks like it may be a little bent. That might be making your pot sit unevenly, and not properly pressurize the jets. Other than that, I'd say just try making another one. It really is a type of art and they'll take a few tries to get down right. Try to make the holes between the center and the sides (that triangle gap you have on the inner wall) a little smaller, that way it feeds fuel to the jets slower once it's pressurized, too.

[jalbright79]

I actually don't sit my pot on top of the can it sits probably about an 1/2 of an inch above it on an homemade pot stand. Would it be better if I didn't use a stand? Making the triangles on the inner wall makes alot of sense I will deffently do that. When you say make holes between center and the sides, do you mean lower them so they are on the sides correct?.....thanks for all the input this will safe me alot of time of trial and error

[RWheeler]

Well with the center open like that, it's not going to pressurize and it's going to burn through the fuel very fast. That might explain your problem!

Try filling the stove again, lighting it, and once the jets on the side ignite, set your pot on the stove. It'll snuff out the center, so that only the jets ignite. It'll control fuel use a lot better.

Don't try to modify that or build a new one til you try this, and let me know what the burn time of using it that way is.

[jalbright79]

yep that was the problem that large hole was letting all the alcohol burn to fast. I also added a little bit more of the alcohol and now it work perfect. Thanks so much for the help i really appreciate it.

[RWheeler]

No problem! Glad it worked out!

[bulldog49]

I just made an soda can alcohol stove but having some issues with it. I fill it with about 2 tablespoons of Crown denatured alcohol it lights and primes perfect. The issue I am having is it doesn't stay lit very long maybe only a couple minutes, not long enough to boil 2 cups of water. Anyone have any ideas?

Yep, buy a canister stove.

[rocketsocks]

I just made an soda can alcohol stove but having some issues with it. I fill it with about 2 tablespoons of Crown denatured alcohol it lights and primes perfect. The issue I am having is it doesn't stay lit very long maybe only a couple minutes, not long enough to boil 2 cups of water. Anyone have any ideas?

Try 4 tbs.