Patrick
12-30-2005, 23:26
Got to talking about this on another thread, but thought I'd start a new one.
We were talking about using white gas in an alcohol stove. I've heard all kinds of warnings -- melting, explosion, loss of pets, etc, so obviously had to give it a whirl.
I grabbed five expendable models from the big bag of stoves and headed for the patio armed with a fire extinguisher and digital camera (with video!).
I used a SuperCat, homemade Ion, Anitgravity Gear Pepsi, and two old experimental wedding tin designs of my own.
In each stove I estimated about half an ounce of Coleman fuel. For the first round, I let them all burn with no pot. After that I picked a couple and used them with a pot and windscreen.
I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the results. For all but the Ion, the flames quickly shot up to an impressive height, but there was no real damage or even danger. The Ion once again proved to be the most efficient. The flame just shot out of the center hole. It was fairly high, but never got out of control. It burned for more than ten minutes, while the others all burned out in two or three.
I actually thought the Ion might have a shot at working with the white gas, so it was the first one I tried with the pot (1.3 liter ti). It started out real well, but the back pressure proved to be a bit too much and the flames quickly got out of control.
I thought the Pepsi stove had the best odds of blowing up given it's thin double wall design. I thought I had an even better chance of it after finding out it was necessary to let it heat up before putting the pot on, thereby increasing my time right next to it. No soap, though. Flames were out of control, but no explosion or disaster.
So, from now on, I'm going to scoff at anyone preaching certain death and destruction for white gas in an alkie stove. Not something you want to do, but not the end of the world either.
But enough talk, here are the pics.
1. The lineup
2. SuperCat burning
3. Pepsi burning with pot
4. Ion burning
5. Homemade burning
We were talking about using white gas in an alcohol stove. I've heard all kinds of warnings -- melting, explosion, loss of pets, etc, so obviously had to give it a whirl.
I grabbed five expendable models from the big bag of stoves and headed for the patio armed with a fire extinguisher and digital camera (with video!).
I used a SuperCat, homemade Ion, Anitgravity Gear Pepsi, and two old experimental wedding tin designs of my own.
In each stove I estimated about half an ounce of Coleman fuel. For the first round, I let them all burn with no pot. After that I picked a couple and used them with a pot and windscreen.
I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the results. For all but the Ion, the flames quickly shot up to an impressive height, but there was no real damage or even danger. The Ion once again proved to be the most efficient. The flame just shot out of the center hole. It was fairly high, but never got out of control. It burned for more than ten minutes, while the others all burned out in two or three.
I actually thought the Ion might have a shot at working with the white gas, so it was the first one I tried with the pot (1.3 liter ti). It started out real well, but the back pressure proved to be a bit too much and the flames quickly got out of control.
I thought the Pepsi stove had the best odds of blowing up given it's thin double wall design. I thought I had an even better chance of it after finding out it was necessary to let it heat up before putting the pot on, thereby increasing my time right next to it. No soap, though. Flames were out of control, but no explosion or disaster.
So, from now on, I'm going to scoff at anyone preaching certain death and destruction for white gas in an alkie stove. Not something you want to do, but not the end of the world either.
But enough talk, here are the pics.
1. The lineup
2. SuperCat burning
3. Pepsi burning with pot
4. Ion burning
5. Homemade burning