View Full Version : Super Cat Stove Test
UCONNMike
12-03-2006, 19:55
Hey Gang, need some help determining if the stove I just built is any good, or if it is operating poorly. I just built a Super Cat Stove with a 3oz cat food can and drilled 10 holes on teh bottom and 15 on the top level. these are some photos of teh test I just did 5 minutes ago. I used my Snowpeak Titanium pot, the Trek 700 (http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/scs005t.htm)
The flames on teh stove seemed to be going way too high, and moved well beyond the width of my pot
www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030026.JPG
www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030027.JPG
www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030030.JPG
Monkeyboy
12-03-2006, 20:33
Did you use denatured alcohol or isopropyl? Make sure you use denatured, burns cleaner and bluer (hotter).
Second, did you cut the right sized holes? Seems like too much air flow.....cut down size of holes or less holes. You can test this by plugging a couple with aluminum foil for testing to check.
UCONNMike
12-03-2006, 21:21
I cut the holes with a 3/16 " diameter as teh instructions said to do on Jim Woods page, I also cut teh amoutn of holes he recomends. And during teh test I was using Grain Alcohol (had nothing else). but it boils teh water in under 5 minutes each time.
Skidsteer
12-03-2006, 21:26
How much water and how much fuel?
UCONNMike
12-03-2006, 21:49
1 oz of fuel, 2 cups of water
Skidsteer
12-03-2006, 22:52
Hey Gang, need some help determining if the stove I just built is any good, or if it is operating poorly. I just built a Super Cat Stove with a 3oz cat food can and drilled 10 holes on teh bottom and 15 on the top level. these are some photos of teh test I just did 5 minutes ago. I used my Snowpeak Titanium pot, the Trek 700 (http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/scs005t.htm)
The flames on teh stove seemed to be going way too high, and moved well beyond the width of my pot
www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030026.JPG (http://www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030026.JPG)
www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030027.JPG (http://www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030027.JPG)
www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030030.JPG (http://www.maine2georgia.com/Super%20Cat%20Stove/PC030030.JPG)
How much water and how much fuel?
1 oz of fuel, 2 cups of water
Sounds about right for a Supercat. It's burning a bit fast, but that's what SC's do.
Try Tinker's Supercat design (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=151752&highlight=supercat+fourteen#post151752) if you're set on Supercats. It will give you a bit more effeciency.
1 oz of fuel, 2 cups of water
Did you weigh the ounce or get it by volume-big difference between them! Without knowing it mmakes it difficult to help you accurately.
First, I think you have far to many holes. It is burning far to high, far to fast, far to hot and should not require a full ounce/2 cups whether you measured or weighed it.Try using a paper hole punch and stagger 8 holes just below the top, then stagger 8 more below those in another row. You dont have to measure. Punch one hole down from the top. Go directly across from that one and punch another eyeballed directly on other side. Now punch holes splitting those 2 differences, then another in the middle of those spaces and viola-8 holes about equidistant. Now drop down some and punce out eight more staggered below each of those spaces for 8 more holes. Hole punch sizes are larger-1/4". I like potted meat cans since I dont have a cat.
If you are hung up on 3/16" holes, which work better in the arrangement above, try and find a small, hand-held hole punch kit which will give you different size hole options and will yield smooth holes, not burred, dented ones often left with a drill.
If you weigh your denatured alcohol, one half fluid ounce weighs .4 ounce and heats 2 cups nicely but not to a rolling boil-it takes .5 ounce to do that(70ish degree water, 70ish temps, garage like
Monkeyboy
12-04-2006, 09:37
If you follow the Jim Woods design (which is what Tinker linked to) it should work fine, with denatured, never tested with grain alcohol, but did with different types of isopropyl and got the same results you are.....
Go denatured and it should work fine......just don't drink it! :)
peter_pan
12-04-2006, 11:41
Agree W/HOI...
I've used this stove for two years...made many for others...and used many different pots...Clearly wider pots are better on side vented Alcy stoves (Which the Jim wood Cat stove is).... seek something in the 5.5 - 6.5 diameter range...
If you need a little more burn time raise the bottom row of vents 1/8 to 3/16 inches... that will increase your alcy capacity and subsequent burn time...
If you really want to use a mug size pot, about 4 inches in diameter... make the same stove ...few less holes... from the bottom of a Red Bull can with a folded lip for strength... realitive sizing is more compatable... works fine for me with an alum 4.25 inch dia cup pot.
Pan