Alcohol stove fuel...

C22BC

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Jan 22, 2015
99
Catalina 25 Harrison lake
I've recently picked up a Origo 3000 . Does anyone use methyl hydrate instead of denatured alcohol for stove fuel ? I know it can be used but not sure if the fume toxicity would be a issue . It is considerably cheaper .
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The heat of combustion for Methanol (Methyl Hydrate) is lower than Ethanol (Stove fuel, Denatured Alcohol). Ethanol has 12,800 BTU per pound of fuel while Methanol has 9,800 BTU per pound. For comparison Propane has 21,000 BTUs per pound.

So, while Methanol might be cheaper to purchase, you will use more fuel heat your food and it will take longer. Use Denatured Alcohol from the hardware store. Same as stove fuel and cheaper.
Heat of combustion - Wikipedia
 
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capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Our emergency Coleman multifuel camp stove uses gasoline. Can all 'camping' stoves use it too, or does it use a special burner?
 
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
According to the dictionary of sailing alcohol stove definition , improper use of a marine alcohol stove in conjunction with paid up insurance policy will "convert your boat to a liquid asset."
Be careful.
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Our emergency Coleman multifuel camp stove uses gasoline. Can all 'camping' stoves use it too, or does it use a special burner?
Coleman fuel, often called "white gas" is not the same as the gasoline you buy at the pump. Coleman fuel has an octane rating of about 55, gasoline starts at 87. Of course if you are interested in shortening your life expectancy and of those around you......

Coleman fuel also does not have the additives that gasoline has.

Coleman fuel - Wikipedia
 

C22BC

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Jan 22, 2015
99
Catalina 25 Harrison lake
Coleman fuel, often called "white gas" is not the same as the gasoline you buy at the pump. Coleman fuel has an octane rating of about 55, gasoline starts at 87. Of course if you are interested in shortening your life expectancy and of those around you......

Coleman fuel also does not have the additives that gasoline has.
Sounds like I'll stick with the denatured alcohol , the methyl hydrate is $10.49 for 4litres the alcohol is $25 for 2 litres up here , but I doubt I'll use enough to make a difference over the season .
Coleman fuel - Wikipedia
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
The heat of combustion for Methanol (Methyl Hydrate) is lower than Ethanol (Stove fuel, Denatured Alcohol). Ethanol has 12,800 BTU per pound of fuel while Methanol has 9,800 BTU per pound. For comparison Propane has 21,000 BTUs per pound.

So, while Methanol might be cheaper to purchase, you will use more fuel heat your food and it will take longer. Use Denatured Alcohol from the hardware store. Same as stove fuel and cheaper.
Heat of combustion - Wikipedia
FYI--the difference is due principally to the number of carbon bonds.

Methanol ----Ethanol -----Propane
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capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
"Any idiot can make a boat go; it takes a sailor to stop one" ... Spike Africa. 1964aboard the schooner "Wanderer" Sausalito, Ca.
On a unrelated note , " Wanderer " was on owned by actor Sterling Hayden for years and was in Tahiti in 1959 , may Dad boarded her at her moorage there , I have a picture taken at the time , it was quite the boat .
EXCUSE ME?
I think you owe me an apology! I'm not the uninformed idiot in this case.
Coleman Powerhouse 2 Burner DF Stove:
  • 2-burner camping stove has liquid with Dual Fuel technology
  • Stove burns Coleman liquid fuel or "unleaded gasoline"
  • Fuel sold separately
  • Boil a quart of water in four minutes
  • 17,000 BTUs in 2 powerful, high performance Band-a-Blu burners
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Easy to store and transport
As for the rest of your post, I was a crew member on Wanderer for some months and a friend of both Spike and Sterling for a number of years before and after sailing on the Wanderer. Omar Darr was captain then, Sterling no longer owned the boat, but was a frequent visitor when she was in Sausalito and on day sails around the bay. I sailed from Sausalito to Mexico via San Diego on her and she was indeed quite the boat.
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
The lower octane rating of Coleman fuel also means it has a lower flash point. If you spill

It will settle in you bilge just waiting for a spark
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,336
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Hey team, I think we beat this subject up last year. I was involved with most of the dialog. We're using denatured alcohol, not gasoline, not Coleman white gas, not propane. We could use virgin (taxable) ethanol, but apparently the everclear is expensive, and is best utilized as a beverage mixer, nonetheless a good backup. I believe the biggest concern was the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) generated by alternative fuels on these stoves. Nice chemistry lesson going on here though!

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/fuel-for-alcohol-stove.176186/
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
My 2 cents (4 in Canada) when you spill alcohol you can dilute with water and the fire goes out. The other fuels that are lighter than water will spread when you throw the water on. Hate to see you lose your nice boat.

All U Get
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The big problem with alcohol fires is that the flame is often colorless. You don't know that the boat is on fire until something else catches fire. The worst offenders were pressurized alcohol stoves. The alcohol would leak out behind the stove, catch fire and then set the boat on fire.

On another note, I was mistaken when I thought that Coleman fuel was safer than gasoline. It appears that Coleman fuel, which is naphtha, is indeed more volatile than unleaded gas. Regardless of that error, I'd prefer to have neither aboard my boat. :redface:
 

C22BC

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Jan 22, 2015
99
Catalina 25 Harrison lake
Thanks , lots of very helpful input ( as usual ), looks like I'll definitely stick with the denatured alcohol as per manufactures specs , and probably just keep a USCG approved metal bottle for refill . Mostly sailing on weekends and a couple longer trips thru summer . The Origo 3000 seems to be fairly safe when used properly .
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Of course if you are interested in shortening your life expectancy and of those around you......
Do not use gasoline!!!!!
I have operated and owned boats with up to four, 454 gas engines and hundreds of gallons of gasoline in the tanks, so I hardly think a quarter liter of gas in a sealed tank, is of much concern! Above and beyond that I actually read the instructions that came with the stove, and several articles about using this particular stove.
Certainly I have a healthy respect for gas, but as I've been using it just about every day of my life since I was 14, I'm not afraid of it. I guess those who are row or use electric outboards and drive diesel or electric vehicles.
However, for those who missed it:
Coleman Powerhouse 2 Burner DF Stove:
  • 2-burner camping stove has liquid with Dual Fuel technology
  • Stove burns Coleman liquid fuel or "unleaded gasoline"
  • Fuel sold separately
  • Boil a quart of water in four minutes
  • 17,000 BTUs in 2 powerful, high performance Band-a-Blu burners
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Easy to store and transport
 
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Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
The Origo's are very very safe. I doubt there's a safer stove for a boat. The 'land mines' can't leak. There's no propane lines, regulators, and solenoids. Pressurized alcohol stoves, unlike the Origo, are not nearly as safe.

Personally, I won't use a liquid fueled coleman stove in a campsite - and definitely would scare the heck out of me in a boat. Seen too many of em have problems.
 
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