alcohol stoves

Posted by: sabre11004

alcohol stoves - 07/16/09 09:00 PM

I was recently looking at the different variations of the alcohol stove and I do think that I have got that thing worked out. I have a couple of basic Pepsi can stoves that work really well. I was reading what a difference that a wind screen could make in the efficiency of your stove, and have found that this is the answer to an efficient stove I have one variation that is about 3 inches tall, holds about 3 oz. of fuel, and will boil a liter of water in around three minutes. Now I don't know how efficient these things can be but I don't think that I have seen any more efficient than this one. I have had it (I made it around two years ago)around two years and have used it for every thing from over nighters to being on the trail for around two weeks and it has always worked flawlessly. Some times I will take two of these because if I want to cook I have to have a longer burn time than just one stove will allow. So while I am cooking on one of theses stoves, I have another ready and waiting full of fuel that I can just slip in place of the first one when the first one runs out of fuel. This gives me a 12- 20 minute burn time and that is usually more than enough to cook pasta or whatever it is that you need to cook When the fist stove runs out of fuel, I simply slip it out from every thing and slip the full one in it's place. You can almost have it lit before the actual boil stops and again it gives me a 12- 20 minute burn time. I think , from what I have read, that I have as an efficient of a stove that I have seen any where. I also use a "pocket rocket' as an emergency stove and it will not boil water as fast as my alky stove... If any one needs ideas of how I made my stove so efficient feel free to e-mail me and I will be happy to share....sabre11004 awesome awesome
Posted by: finallyME

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/17/09 11:34 AM

How about pictures and a description right here? confused
Posted by: jpanderson80

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/17/09 12:18 PM

Yes please post that info here on the design and the fuel usage. 3 min. boil sounds amazing from an alky!
Posted by: sabre11004

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/17/09 02:15 PM

Most of the posting that I do is from a work computer and I have no way to post any pics,(I am not sure that I could do it any way) unfortunately. Most of the improvement that I have gotten from these stoves have come from things like discovering what is the best height for the pot to sit over the stove. Also, a great help is to have the properly sized wind screen, both the closeness of it to that pot and the height of it. I have also experimented with a heat vent that sits on my wind screen and lets more air pass between the pot and the stove. It is just basically a lot of different variations of the "stove, the "windscreen", and the pot stand that have made the difference in it's efficiency and burn times. I cooked macaroni and cheese on it last night and I started it about the same time that dinner was started and trust me I was eating before any one else...You just have to get your self a few variations of these things and play around with them. I always test all my gear at the house before I actually go into the back country so as to avoid any accidents or maybe a piece of gear that does not work like it was anticipated to work...sabre... awesome awesome
Posted by: Trailrunner

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/17/09 10:22 PM

Sounds like a great stove but I don't see too many exact numbers here. Don't forget you're on a site where people split grams.

Figures please. They're even more important than pictures. I'd like to see:

Exact amount of water boiled.

Starting temp of water boiled.

Exact amount of fuel consumed. You wrote how much it holds but not how much it uses.

Exact time to boil.

Your definition of "boil"

Quote:
I also use a "pocket rocket' as an emergency stove and it will not boil water as fast as my alky stove...


That's a mighty bold claim unless the Pocket Rocket is on a nearly empty canister.
Posted by: sabre11004

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/18/09 11:22 AM

Amount of Water...............1 liter..(33.8 oz.)
Temperature of Water..........50-60 F
Alcohol used...
I use a little more than necessary because it seems that the actual alcohol "boil" is not only faster but I think hotter too!!!!
Boil Times...................31/2 to 4 minutes

I did put the both of them to the test last night and the Pocket Rocket did start to boil faster but the alky rolled it faster..Certainly, either one would be a great choice....sabre11004... goodjob goodjob
Posted by: EricKingston

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/18/09 02:30 PM

Setting aside test results, please, go ahead and post the build instructions.

Also, if you have the ability to take pictures, you can send them to me via snail mail or email and I'll post them on your behalf.
Posted by: sabre11004

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/18/09 04:05 PM

Hey, my wife said that she may be able to do that. I will work on some pics of the whole set-up and then maybe I can get them on here...sabre11004... thanks
Posted by: sabre11004

Re: alcohol stoves - 07/22/09 11:32 AM

I tried a different variation of the little alky last night and it failed me. I had a "two" burner set-up with a wind screen/pot stand and it was of too thin a material and it collapsed on me.(melted) I had a small mess but I always use a aluminum under-tray while I am doing my experimenting. Any way I am still working on the pics to send every one. I actually do have some pics made but I still will have to figure out how to get them on here. Be patient and maybe one day I will actually manage that...sabre11004... thanks
Posted by: chaz

Re: alcohol stoves - 08/04/09 01:52 PM

Depending on the length of time your out and packing xtra fuel for 2 stoves etc. It may be more weight effecient to pack a canister stove. At a certain point the alcohol becomes more weight. I like my pop-can stove and aluminum flashing windscreen. I carry 10 oz fuel max for it. I'm sure someone,
"PHAT chime in" has better data than I on the matter.
Posted by: phat

Re: alcohol stoves - 08/04/09 04:53 PM



Depends if you're concerned about the max weight you'll be carrying or the average over the whole trip.

Being a little more concerned about my pack at the heaviest,
I tend to start looking hard at using a canister stove at
more than about 7 person days of cooking. (Which does mean for
99% of my backpacking outside of winter I use alcohol)

Posted by: Folkalist

Re: alcohol stoves - 08/08/09 08:00 PM

Oh, Great Alky-Stove Whisperer (phat),
that is the most succinct explanation of alky versus canister per person per day "is it worth the weight" I've seen in a while!

And, of course, as you know, I'm already alky-stove impaired!
Posted by: jpanderson80

Re: alcohol stoves - 08/10/09 11:25 AM

LOL
Oh, Great Alky-Stove Whisperer (phat)
LOL

Thank you... that cracked me up.
Posted by: Folkalist

Re: alcohol stoves - 08/10/09 08:15 PM

I'm pleased to have brought mirth to a fellow Ewok.
Posted by: Bushman

Re: alcohol stoves - 08/10/09 10:52 PM

IMO a stove should be more fuel efficiant than have a fast boil time. I use a cat stove that can boil 2 cups of water with .5 fl oz of HEET, in about 4-5 minutes. This is great because most of the time i use 2 or less cups of water. If i am going to want to keep something boiling longer ill use 1fl oz of fuel.

I am going to try the soda can stove side burner design and see if it can be as efficiant as the cat stove. Oh yeah the cat stove i use is the two can design(one 5oz and 3oz can).

I find that adding a wick helps.