Alcohol stove fuel...

Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
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 .
I used an Origo stove knock-off for years. The biggest danger is filling the stove canisters in the cabin. Easy to spill alcohol and then it ignites. Fill the canisters in the cockpit and clean up any alcohol that spills. You don't want to be crying over spilt alcohol, either the kind that goes in the stove or the kind served on the rocks.
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
We have cruised with an Origo 6000 (the model with an oven) for over two decades. No pressure; it's very safe.

Here is how to fuel a canister with no spillage:
First be sure that the fuel canister you want to fill is cold. I always remove it from the stove body and park it in the cockpit. Have on hand a cleaned normal-size metal soup can, with a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of the bottom. Place that soup can on the center mesh on the canister top. Fill it up with whatever amount of alcohol you need. The flow rate is slow enough that there will not be any spillage.
Check for level the usual way, by tilting the canister 90 degrees and observing if any alcohol is visible at the edge of the center hole.
Nothing new under the sun, as they always say... I learned this little trick many seasons ago from another sailor.

We have used the pricy Origo alcohol blue-tinted fuel and alcohol from the hardware store at half the price. No difference that we can discern.

Reliable and simple in operation.
:)
 
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Mar 2, 2008
406
Cal 25 mk II T-Bird Marina, West Vancouver
Ahoy C22BC,
I've used Origo stoves for over 21 years and except for the expensive West Marine stuff that came with my first sailboat, have always used methyl hydrate from the local Rona store. Don't notice any difference except price.
Make sure you follow the filling instructions described above and refill when the flame starts to go orange. I decant the fuel from the 4 litre plastic container into a couple of well labled 500ml plastic drinking water bottles before heading out and store them in the bilge (Yanmar diesel). To fill, take the canister into the cockpit or onto the dock, invert the canister over the open bottle and flip the pair. You will never spill a drop because the canister holds about one litre.
p.s. to our friends to the south, we got rid of the cent/penny coin and all of saying like "my 2 cents worth" and "a penny for your thoughts" the many years ago. But I do have a real Canadian silver dime glued to my mast base.
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Katie Rose still uses pressure alcohol stove. Has worked well for 37 years now. Parts are still available.
 
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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I put the alcohol in a dish-soap bottle with the lift-to-open cap. Squeeze the fuel out, push the bottle cap onto the canister to stop flow.
 
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
I gave up using alcohol stoves 30 yrs ago. Takes too long to even make coffee! 1/2 the heating capability of propane tells the story. Chief
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
I gave up using alcohol stoves 30 yrs ago. Takes too long to even make coffee! 1/2 the heating capability of propane tells the story. Chief
Did you have an Origo or one of the old pressurized ones? My Origo-style stove (Cookmate) makes coffee and everything else just fine. I replaced a Force 10 propane stove with it and in practical life can tell little real world difference. I'm always puzzled when I see such comments because they completely contradict my experience.
 
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Oct 28, 2013
678
Hunter 20 Lake Monroe
Actually it is slightly more complex. The C-H bond is stronger than the C-OH bond so when it breaks more energy is released. The OH changes the gas to an alcohol.
You beat me to it LOL!!!

Sam
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
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
@capta I think that is an apples vs. oranges kind of analysis. The O.P. questioned the safety of using coleman fuel in an Origo 3000. I have one on my boat. And you cannot seal them up very tightly. You will get gas fumes in your boat.

I have also had a sailboat with an internal gas tank... and I had blowers and all of the other safety gear. But I will not be putting coleman fuel in my alcohol stove.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
You beat me to it LOL!!!

Sam
Actually it is slightly more complex. The C-H bond is stronger than the C-OH bond so when it breaks more energy is released. The OH changes the gas to an alcohol.

And it is even a little more complex than that. The rate of combustion also affects the burn temperature. And combustion is a reaction between a hydrocarbon complex and oxygen. If the oxygen is physically bound to the carbon, they can "find" each other much faster during the reaction.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
And it is even a little more complex than that. The rate of combustion also affects the burn temperature. And combustion is a reaction between a hydrocarbon complex and oxygen. If the oxygen is physically bound to the carbon, they can "find" each other much faster during the reaction.
There are lots of factors, many of which have long ago vanished my memory of Organic Chemistry from fall semester 1971. :yikes:

A chemistry professor at Nottingham University in England has an interesting series of videos on exploding hydrogen in which different variables are introduced. Hydrogen Video - The Periodic Table of Videos - University of Nottingham This is the first one, there are more on his YouTube site.
 

al4b

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Jul 18, 2012
5
Hunter 410 Kingston, Ontario
The original question is about a un-pressurized alcohol stove? Although denatured alcohol (ethanol+gazoline) has more BTU/pound than Methanol, the gasoline added to ethanol gives your boat the nice odor of a grease monkey garage. Ethanol is the alcohol you can drink, adding gasoline... while methanol will make you blind eventually. I use methanol. Remember all fire consume oxygen and produce CO2; if smoke is present there is most likely CO. NB many insurance policies forbid the use of alcohol stove as it is liquid that can be poured, has opposed to self-contained propane.

Yes, the methanol flame is often hardly visible, some(?) add a dash of salt to give it some red/yellow color; I never tried it. In both case: ethanol or methanol, water can be a fire combat tool; ABC fire-extinguisher is preferred. With Coleman white gas, naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gasoline, water is the last thing to use, those are not water soluble, alcohol is.
This year I installed an Espar diesel heater, not the same price, much more efficient and comfortable.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
There are lots of factors, many of which have long ago vanished my memory of Organic Chemistry from fall semester 1971. :yikes:

1971!..... you are doing pretty well. Many of my students can't remember what I told them the previous lecture.

:oops::rolleyes:o_O
 
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Jun 19, 2004
365
Island Packet IP 32 99 Forked River, NJ
Sorry folks but now I'm totally confused! Denatured alcohol has GASOLINE in it????
And I can't see where does C22BC say he was planning on putting Coleman fuel in his Origo stove? Please tell me where I went astray...
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Sorry folks but now I'm totally confused! Denatured alcohol has GASOLINE in it????
And I can't see where does C22BC say he was planning on putting Coleman fuel in his Origo stove? Please tell me where I went astray...
You are correct... apologies. It was capta who first mentioned a coleman camping stove as a back up. And it was not for an Origo 3000. My bad.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Sorry folks but now I'm totally confused! Denatured alcohol has GASOLINE in it????
I think it's actually jet fuel, put in there along with other additives, including methanol, so as to make it poisonous to drink.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Well this thread has certainly rambled. To recapture.

The question was Methanol or Ethanol in a non-pressurized alcohol stove? The answer is either works, ethanol (aka denatured alcohol) has a higher heat value than methanol (methyl hydrate). For heating small quantities, a bowl of soup, a pot of water for coffee or tea, frying an egg, there is probably not much difference in the time to cook. As the volume being heated increases, say a spaghetti pot with a gallon of water, the differences will be come more apparent.

If handled properly, alcohol is a reasonably safe fuel, but it does have some limitations as it burns invisibly, spilled fuel can catch fire and it won't be noticed until the boat starts burning. Ethanol also works to soften gelcoat, remove wax, and cleans up uncured epoxy.

In the learn something new every day department, Coleman "white gas" is also known as naphtha which is more volatile and explosive than plain old unleaded gasoline and can be used in certain Coleman stoves.

Finally, as I understand and recall the petroleum fracking column, Jet Fuel is essentially highly refined kerosene, which is highly refined diesel fuel, which is highly refined #2 home heating fuel, which is cleaner than bunker fuel used in freighters.

Did I miss anything?
 

PAUNKY

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Jun 7, 2015
1
BENETEAU 42 FIRST BRIDGEPORT
I remember my father saying that when you cook with alcohol you must have a pot of water. An alcohol fire can be put out by pouring water on it, which made it safe to use.
 
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Sep 3, 2013
38
Beneteau 331 Brewer's Warwick
Mar 11, 2015
357
Hunter 33.5 Tacoma, WA
I put the alcohol in a dish-soap bottle with the lift-to-open cap. Squeeze the fuel out, push the bottle cap onto the canister to stop flow.
Speaking of refilling Origo stoves. This was a problem UNTIL I discovered using a turkey baster. I just put the gallon of fuel in the sink, use a turkey baster which sucks out quite a bit at a time. Tilt the canister at 45 degrees and it just fills as easy as pie. No mess. I do like the soup can idea, but I'd be concerned about over filling.
 
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