Alcohol stoves have been common on production sailboats and powerboats for decades. Alcohol is a relatively safe fuel that, when liquid, does not explode. Its fires can be put out with water, but it has low heat content, burns with a sort of offensive odor and gives off a lot of water when it burns.
What kind of alcohol goes in a boat stove?
Methyl Hydrate
This fuel alcohol is cheap: about $2.50/L at the release of this vlog, vs about twice that for naptha or white gas, offers high power density, and burns cleanly with no soot.
How does an alcohol stove on a boat work?
To fuel them, alcohol is poured into a stainless-steel fuel canister, which is then placed inside the stove. The cook simply opens the stovetops burner by turning the flame adjustment knob and lights the alcohol using a handheld butane lighter or other long, grill-style lighter.
What are the disadvantages of alcohol stoves?
Cons of an alcohol burning camping stove: Slowing cooking time – you won’t have that cup of tea in your hands within 90 seconds that’s for sure. Wind and cold are not your friends. They burn fuel quickly.
Are alcohol stoves safe on a boat? – Related Questions
Do alcohol stoves work in cold weather?
Actually, alcohol stoves do work just as well in cold weather once you get them started. It just takes some understanding about how alcohol stoves work to get them going. Denatured alcohol has to physically get hot in order catch fire, where other types of fuel simply have to be exposed to flame to ignite.
Can you boil water on an alcohol stove?
Most alcohol stoves also have only one flame setting. This is fine for bringing water to a boil, but suboptimal for gourmets looking to simmer their meal.
Are alcohol stoves any good?
Possibly not the best option for “gourmet” hikers. Alcohol stoves are generally less fuel-efficient than other stoves, which means you will have to carry a little more fuel than you normally would. That being said, I have found the difference to be negligible in relation to the weight saved by the actual stove itself.
How long does an alcohol stove last?
The vapors escape from a ring of small holes to create a nice even fire. The flame ignites the vapors, not the liquid fuel. Two ounces of alcohol will burn for 10-15 minutes depending on the type of alcohol you are burning. Extinguish by gently replacing the cap over the flames and smothering them.
Do alcohol stoves produce carbon monoxide?
All alcohol stoves produce significant amounts of Carbon Monoxide, more than most canister stoves or multifuel stoves. The amount is probably safe outdoors.
How good are alcohol stoves?
SIMPLE AND RELIABLE.
Alcohol stoves are fool-proof. They are probably the least likely to fail or “break” because they don’t have any moving parts. You just fill them, light them, and you’re ready to boil some water.
Can you burn vodka in an alcohol stove?
Most vodka is too weak to burn. DO NOT EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT FUELS IN ALCOHOL STOVES. Some fuels will try to kill you quickly – other promising but more insidious types produce fumes which can cause brain damage. No intentions of trying anything other fuel approved for stoves or drinking alcohol.
Do alcohol stoves smell?
Contrary to claims that Ethanol Burners burn cleanly and without odour, there are times when you will smell odour from your Ethanol Burner.
What is the best fuel for alcohol stove?
Here are the best alcohol stove fuels:
- Crown Alcohol Stove Fuel.
- Klean Strip Green Denatured Alcohol.
- HEET.
- 99% Isopropyl Alcohol.
- Iso-HEET.
Can I use Everclear in an alcohol stove?
Everclear is great if you can get the 95% stuff. The non-isopropyl HEET is fine. You can find denatured alky at any hardware/paint store.
What kind of alcohol is used in an alcohol burner?
Fill the lamp with a suitable fuel: denatured or ethyl alcohol (also called ethyl alcohol, ethanol or ethyl hydrate) with an alcohol content of 90% or higher. You can also used isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol with an alcohol content of 90% or higher.
Can you use kerosene in alcohol stove?
It’s not recommended! I tried this many, many years ago when I ran out of alcohol and found some kerosene in a mountain hut. I soaked bits of cardboard in it, put them in the alcohol burner and lit it. The smoke was horrible, my pans became very sooty and the smell was awful but it did boil water – very slowly.
Does alcohol burn hotter than oil?
Weight for weight, at 9564.6cal/g, olive oil has around 2.7 times the heat of combustion of alcohol. Given that one of the major complaints about alcohol as a fuel for UL backpacking is the amount you have to carry to get the heat to eat, and olive oil is good to eat too, it’s worth investigating it as a stove fuel.
How do you extinguish an alcohol fire?
Use a CO2, halon, or dry chemical extinguisher that is marked B, C, BC, or ABC. An alcohol-type or alcohol-resistant (ARF) foam may be used to effectively combat fuel ethanol fires.
How much fuel does an alcohol stove use?
Alcohol stoves require about 1 oz of alcohol per meal.
Can you use isopropyl alcohol in an alcohol stove?
but I have a lot of experience with alcohol stoves and combustion. Yes, you can burn isopropyl alcohol in these stoves. It will burn ok.