View Full Version : Full Blast, 3/4, or 1/2?
LostInSpace
09-17-2006, 13:33
When using a canister stove to boil water, is it more efficient to use the stove on high (full blast), ¾, or ½?
I have been using my Pocket Rocket for a number of years. I generally boil from 0.75 to 1.0 liters of water at a time for two people. Most of the time I use it at somewhat less that full blast, probably more like ¾. My reasoning has been that full blast may waste some fuel because the pot does not conduct heat fast enough to make optimum use of the heat the stove generates. At ½ or less, the pot may be losing sufficient heat before the water boils so that this rate also wastes fuel. I have not been using a wind screen, although I try to use the stove in a sheltered location. I have not done any tests. My thinking is pure conjecture.
Has anyone run any tests? Any opinions? I’m sure there is no dearth of those on WB! :D
SGT Rock
09-17-2006, 13:38
PBL did some tests. Run it at half throttle. You may have to wait 4 minutes instead of 2 or 3, but you will use a lot less fuel.
LostInSpace
09-17-2006, 14:30
Well, that's good to know. Perhaps I should have included 1/4 throttle as well. For first time in my experience, this year my hiking partner and I ran out of fuel on the last burn of our trip. I'm not sure if I was burning up the fuel by running the stove too high, or she was by running it too low. I know there was one time that the water had not come to a boil for a long time, and the stove was burning low enough that it may have never come to a boil had I not turned the stove up. We discussed how we were using the stove, but I feel I was taking a position based on ignorance and conjecture rather than any fact.
SGT Rock
09-17-2006, 14:34
Well I think as long as you are out of the wind 1/4 throttle would be even mo' better. But at a certain point I think you need to overcome heat loss. USing a windscreen and a windblock should also help with this.
saimyoji
09-17-2006, 15:18
Yeah. An easy way to figure this out qualitatively is to listen to your stove and watch it flame pattern. If you crank up the gas and the flame pattern doesn't change much, your just wastin' fuel.
I have an MSR Superfly, a model very similiar to the Pocket Rocket. My instructions state not to use a windscreen. This is probably due to the fuel cell being located directly below the burner. I do try to employ a wind block, but I have not attempted a windscreen. I wonder if there is an actual safety issue with using a windscreen with these stoves???
LostInSpace
09-17-2006, 19:01
My windscreen does not heat up the canister. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16700
SGT Rock
09-17-2006, 22:47
I have an MSR Superfly, a model very similiar to the Pocket Rocket. My instructions state not to use a windscreen. This is probably due to the fuel cell being located directly below the burner. I do try to employ a wind block, but I have not attempted a windscreen. I wonder if there is an actual safety issue with using a windscreen with these stoves???
I don't know if there is an issue if you build the type I have or LostInSpace has, or get something like the SnowPeak windscreen. More likely they mean a windscreen like they include with all their gas stoves such as the Whisperlite that would encompass the fuel and the burner. A wind block that was a few inches away would not do this either, but just ensure you have an area of dead air near your stove.