View Full Version : Mini Trangia kit...huge flames
I've been using a standard Trangia military stove for a while. I purchased the mini kit (with the aluminum bowl, pot stand, fry pan, handle, etc) and the flames from this stove overflow to the sides of the pot and make it hard for me to use the handle. This has been done with HEET. I have no tried denatured alcohol yet.
Anybody else have this issue? Ways to fix it?
Toolshed
02-02-2009, 18:48
I have used that getup for about 4-5 years and did not have those problems. If the stove is heated properly and not overflowing with fuel, it should be fine. The flames might lick the side of the pot (This is the one with the red fry pan lid, right?) but not enough to cause concern.
The straightforward answer to this problem is that the pot support is too short (in order to fit into the pot). Cut down a 1 lb. coffee can one inch higher, make three pot support "legs" to hold the pot, and your problem will be solved. Alcohol does not burn completely until it receives enough oxygen. A low pot support prevents proper carburetion (fuel mixing). Same goes for all stoves of a top burning design. I don't use that design anymore as I've found the Supercat stove (a non-pressurized, or low pressure side-burner) to be lighter and more efficient. The Trangia is built like a tank, however. Try the above modification and see if it doesn't work for you. Unfortunately, the cut-down coffee can won't fit into the pot, and if you try to make it fit, it will scrape the heck out of the nonstic coating on the frypan-lid.
I am not completely familiar with your stove but it may be that you have the military version ( full size ) and what they sell to us civi's is the mini trangia ( smaller then full size )?. But, I may be full of it. I am sure someone on this site has the answer.
I think this is the one he has:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTRKpu_zBkU
I hope this is public information.
Toolshed
02-02-2009, 22:36
I think this is the one he has:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTRKpu_zBkU
I hope this is public information.
Yes Tinker that is the one I was referring to...The mini Trangia.
Ramble~On
02-03-2009, 12:17
I have one of these and have never had a problem with huge flames when using alcohol...must be the Heet.
Out of the 8 million different types of alki stoves out there I still prefer my Trangia.
The mini looks really small but it'll hold 3 cups of water.
Yes Tinker that is the one I was referring to...The mini Trangia.
Are you using the yellow heet? I've only used denatured alcohol in mine. Your boil times are guaranteed to go down if your pot goes up.
Try using your stove and raising the pot up just before it comes to a boil. You'll see how much more activity you get from the bubbles in the pot. Then put it back down, and the activity diminishes. The pot support is a tank, too. If you want to keep it, at least drill it full of holes to remove some material.
The only thing I REALLY like about the Trangia Mini (besides that sweet little frypan) is the fact that it really does simmer with the included attachment.
It's heavy but sturdy.
Fwiw, the less alcohol you have in the stove, the quicker it will bring any given amount of water to a boil (as long as you have enough alcohol).
The fact that you can fill it for a summer weekend and generally have enough alcohol for basic water boiling for 2 days is nice, but the down side is that you have to allow it to cool or it will melt or distort the rubber O ring on the cap. While it's cooling alcohol is evaporating. Better to carry your fuel in a separate bottle.
I am not completely familiar with your stove but it may be that you have the military version ( full size ) and what they sell to us civi's is the mini trangia ( smaller then full size )?. But, I may be full of it. I am sure someone on this site has the answer.
I have both, I'm having problems with the mini (civilian) version.
I will try denatured alcohol and see if that fixes it. If not, I will work to create a different pot stand.
I, too, have used a lot of different stoves but still prefer my trangia kit.