Alcohol Stove ......Alcohol
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jimq26, For now that is true but it doesn't
mean it is safe. Much of the problem with the pressurized alcohol was user knowledge. I have to say that it is just as important with propane. I am going to guess that if a boat had a stove on it in the 50's thru 80's that it was alcohol. You didn't here about many boats burning then. People were educated to use them. Today I bet there are more boat explosions than alcohol destroyed vessels. I don't know where or how to track facts on that but that would be my guess. Yes, pressurized alcohol has it's uncertian start time but a frequent user doesn't normally have problems. I still think it is a safer fuel when you know how to use it and what to do if something does go wrong. You don't have options when something goes wrong with propane of gasoline. again, just my opinion r.w.landau
mean it is safe. Much of the problem with the pressurized alcohol was user knowledge. I have to say that it is just as important with propane. I am going to guess that if a boat had a stove on it in the 50's thru 80's that it was alcohol. You didn't here about many boats burning then. People were educated to use them. Today I bet there are more boat explosions than alcohol destroyed vessels. I don't know where or how to track facts on that but that would be my guess. Yes, pressurized alcohol has it's uncertian start time but a frequent user doesn't normally have problems. I still think it is a safer fuel when you know how to use it and what to do if something does go wrong. You don't have options when something goes wrong with propane of gasoline. again, just my opinion r.w.landau
I am no expert on the subject
but I have used my own Origo (model unknown and from 1967) alcohol stove with satisfactory results. Watch out if you have curtains over your ports above the galley. The fist step with stoves like this is to pump some pressure into the alcohol tank (carburator). About 30 strokes should do it when you start seeing some liquid(alcohol, either methanol or isopropyl) seeping out into the burner head. Next you light the head to start a flame that will heat up the plumbing and maybe the housing as well and turn the fuel flow off. When the flame dies down from this (without igniting your vessel) you turn the flow back up (this assumes you turned it down or off during the initial burn) so that it readily turns into a gas and burns cleanly. Within a few minutes I have been able to boil water to make tea or coffe on our old stove if there is fuel and adequate ventilation.
but I have used my own Origo (model unknown and from 1967) alcohol stove with satisfactory results. Watch out if you have curtains over your ports above the galley. The fist step with stoves like this is to pump some pressure into the alcohol tank (carburator). About 30 strokes should do it when you start seeing some liquid(alcohol, either methanol or isopropyl) seeping out into the burner head. Next you light the head to start a flame that will heat up the plumbing and maybe the housing as well and turn the fuel flow off. When the flame dies down from this (without igniting your vessel) you turn the flow back up (this assumes you turned it down or off during the initial burn) so that it readily turns into a gas and burns cleanly. Within a few minutes I have been able to boil water to make tea or coffe on our old stove if there is fuel and adequate ventilation.
I never liked alcohol until I got the Origo
No pressure. I expected it to take forever to boil water, but I was pleasantly surprised at how hot it is. The little chimney inside makes it work. I used to like the old primus type kerosene stove that you preheat with alcohol, but you really have to understand how they work or you get a mess of black soot in addition to flaming curtains. I won't replace the Origo with propane like I thought I would when we got the H26. I already have the right propane stove, but the Origo works fine. There is one thing about alcohol, pressurized or non pressurized. You can put it out with water!
No pressure. I expected it to take forever to boil water, but I was pleasantly surprised at how hot it is. The little chimney inside makes it work. I used to like the old primus type kerosene stove that you preheat with alcohol, but you really have to understand how they work or you get a mess of black soot in addition to flaming curtains. I won't replace the Origo with propane like I thought I would when we got the H26. I already have the right propane stove, but the Origo works fine. There is one thing about alcohol, pressurized or non pressurized. You can put it out with water!
To answer the original question...
West Marine and most chandlers have alcohol by the gallon. I have used alcohol form the paint store (also sold as laquer thinner), but sometimes it has a worse smell than the stuff that says boat.
West Marine and most chandlers have alcohol by the gallon. I have used alcohol form the paint store (also sold as laquer thinner), but sometimes it has a worse smell than the stuff that says boat.
Alcohol vs. Laquer Thinner?
Alcohol and Laquer Thinner are in no way related. Laquer Thinner creates health hazards far beyond those of Alcohol, not to mention that laquer thinner will blow your ass from here to Kingdom Come. DONT DO IT !!!!!
Alcohol and Laquer Thinner are in no way related. Laquer Thinner creates health hazards far beyond those of Alcohol, not to mention that laquer thinner will blow your ass from here to Kingdom Come. DONT DO IT !!!!!
Hmmm, lots of justifications presented for using
alcohol. Things like pumping and moving curtains and putting it out with water and an educated user base is required, and, and, Oh, using a propane torch to warm up the alcohol stove and, Oh, the water myth again (water usually just spreads the invisible alcohol FIRE!),,,, and then there's the 30 steps required to fire-up an alcohol stove, but you guys can read. Propane; turn on the knob. Cook. Turn off the knob. Have dinner. Then cocktails. (not in that order) In the unlikely event that it should ever leak you'll know it. It stinks like hell! Turn off the bottle and find the leak. Almost never happens. Alcohol is a throw-back to ancient history before the machine age. NO,,NOT JMHO. The vast majority of experts say the same.
alcohol. Things like pumping and moving curtains and putting it out with water and an educated user base is required, and, and, Oh, using a propane torch to warm up the alcohol stove and, Oh, the water myth again (water usually just spreads the invisible alcohol FIRE!),,,, and then there's the 30 steps required to fire-up an alcohol stove, but you guys can read. Propane; turn on the knob. Cook. Turn off the knob. Have dinner. Then cocktails. (not in that order) In the unlikely event that it should ever leak you'll know it. It stinks like hell! Turn off the bottle and find the leak. Almost never happens. Alcohol is a throw-back to ancient history before the machine age. NO,,NOT JMHO. The vast majority of experts say the same.
What really amazed me was........
What really amazed me was that they still make and sell alcohol stoves. Like i said earlier "My stove/oven combo is currently being planned for replacement by propane." Anyone in the Kemah, Tx. area lookin for an alcohol stove/oven combo for a GOOD PRICE?
What really amazed me was that they still make and sell alcohol stoves. Like i said earlier "My stove/oven combo is currently being planned for replacement by propane." Anyone in the Kemah, Tx. area lookin for an alcohol stove/oven combo for a GOOD PRICE?
Alcohol
Sheesh ... Boiling water or any other cooking is just a function of BTU output. As far as fuels go, all that changes is the how much fuel you burn to get the BTU you need. An Origo stove has a 7000 BTU/Hour burner. A Force 10 (propane) has 4100/hr BTU and 8200/hr BTU burners. The water will boil in this order: 8200 BTU 1st 4.7 minutes 7000 BTU 2nd 5.5 minutes 4100 BTU 3rd 9.4 minutes What kills Alcohol for me is that you have to burn so much of it to get things cooked. Alcohol is only about 9,500 BTU/pound. Propane is about 21,500 BTU per pound. An 8 pound propane tank has 172,000 BTU and will run that 8200 BTU burner for over 20 hours. A gallon of Alcohol has about 62,000 BTU. You will burn almost 3 gallons (18 pounds) of Alcohol to get the same work as 8 pounds of propane. Stove Alcohol is about $25/gallon at West Marine, 3 Gallons is $75. Boiling 4 cups of water costs about 26 cents if you burn alcohol. Boiling 4 cups of water costs less than one cent if you burn propane. No wonder you alcohol stove guys are looking for bargain fuel. Maybe Starbucks uses alcohol to brew coffee? That explains the price!
Oh yeah ... propane is unsafe ... right ... so is my gasoline engine ... sigh ... Carry on ... Randy
Sheesh ... Boiling water or any other cooking is just a function of BTU output. As far as fuels go, all that changes is the how much fuel you burn to get the BTU you need. An Origo stove has a 7000 BTU/Hour burner. A Force 10 (propane) has 4100/hr BTU and 8200/hr BTU burners. The water will boil in this order: 8200 BTU 1st 4.7 minutes 7000 BTU 2nd 5.5 minutes 4100 BTU 3rd 9.4 minutes What kills Alcohol for me is that you have to burn so much of it to get things cooked. Alcohol is only about 9,500 BTU/pound. Propane is about 21,500 BTU per pound. An 8 pound propane tank has 172,000 BTU and will run that 8200 BTU burner for over 20 hours. A gallon of Alcohol has about 62,000 BTU. You will burn almost 3 gallons (18 pounds) of Alcohol to get the same work as 8 pounds of propane. Stove Alcohol is about $25/gallon at West Marine, 3 Gallons is $75. Boiling 4 cups of water costs about 26 cents if you burn alcohol. Boiling 4 cups of water costs less than one cent if you burn propane. No wonder you alcohol stove guys are looking for bargain fuel. Maybe Starbucks uses alcohol to brew coffee? That explains the price!
Oh yeah ... propane is unsafe ... right ... so is my gasoline engine ... sigh ... Carry on ... Randy
Elogquently put Randy!!
Got to save that post. Thanks Randy. This goes to reinforce why I am not crazy after all. Everyone in my marina uses Alcohol and puts me down for using propane. But then my very first expirience with the alcohol stove that came with my boat was an everlasting one. It was really a pants-full of experience. I pumped her up and turned on a burner, lit it off before I realized it was misting a tiny stream straight up for the ceiling. Of course it lit-off like a solid rocket booster! *yks Ripped that baby out and replaced it with ye' ol friendly green Coleman stove. Trusted those babies when I was growing up and they never let me down nor tried to combust me. ... So there! Tom 1980 MAC25 sv/Insagal
Got to save that post. Thanks Randy. This goes to reinforce why I am not crazy after all. Everyone in my marina uses Alcohol and puts me down for using propane. But then my very first expirience with the alcohol stove that came with my boat was an everlasting one. It was really a pants-full of experience. I pumped her up and turned on a burner, lit it off before I realized it was misting a tiny stream straight up for the ceiling. Of course it lit-off like a solid rocket booster! *yks Ripped that baby out and replaced it with ye' ol friendly green Coleman stove. Trusted those babies when I was growing up and they never let me down nor tried to combust me. ... So there! Tom 1980 MAC25 sv/Insagal
Alcohol Stoves Aren't Idiot Proof
With a little understanding and experience an alcohol stove works well. Part of the logic for alcohol or kerosene was that propane wasn't available many places in th e70's and 80's. Kerosene is supposedly available almost worldwide. The main thing to remember with alcohol is to turn on the fuel and only let a little alcohol come out during the preheat. All of our problems came from too much alcohol before it was warm. Once warm, alcohol is almost like natural gas. My boat was ne of the last pearsons to have alcohol stoves. Later 323's had propane lockers on the stern. As I noted previously on a cold morning warming the burner with a handheld propane torch works well and takes about a minute. I just put the propane flame on burner and after a few seconds turn on the alcohol. Once the alcohol is burning it's done. In warm weather the stove usually starts right up without any prewarming. Again don't add too much fuel during the preheat. My wife singed her hair using propane. She was lighting the stove and was interupted by one of our children. She didn't turn off the propane during the interuption. Then when she struck the match there was a big "POOF" and her hair was singed. It is easy to see how a sailboat full of propane would explode. At least if you set the boat on fire with the alcohol you have time to abandon ship.
With a little understanding and experience an alcohol stove works well. Part of the logic for alcohol or kerosene was that propane wasn't available many places in th e70's and 80's. Kerosene is supposedly available almost worldwide. The main thing to remember with alcohol is to turn on the fuel and only let a little alcohol come out during the preheat. All of our problems came from too much alcohol before it was warm. Once warm, alcohol is almost like natural gas. My boat was ne of the last pearsons to have alcohol stoves. Later 323's had propane lockers on the stern. As I noted previously on a cold morning warming the burner with a handheld propane torch works well and takes about a minute. I just put the propane flame on burner and after a few seconds turn on the alcohol. Once the alcohol is burning it's done. In warm weather the stove usually starts right up without any prewarming. Again don't add too much fuel during the preheat. My wife singed her hair using propane. She was lighting the stove and was interupted by one of our children. She didn't turn off the propane during the interuption. Then when she struck the match there was a big "POOF" and her hair was singed. It is easy to see how a sailboat full of propane would explode. At least if you set the boat on fire with the alcohol you have time to abandon ship.
TonyB more stove info
As noted alcohol stove are becoming rarer. What make and model do you have and how much do you want for it?? I might be willing to buy it for spare parts.
As noted alcohol stove are becoming rarer. What make and model do you have and how much do you want for it?? I might be willing to buy it for spare parts.
Tom H
I have a Galley Maid "Superheat". It has 3 byrners and an oven. When I sell it, it will go with the tank (looks like about 1 1/2 Gals), pressure gages and poressure pump. All are in 100% working condition. Not sure of how much $$ I want for it. Probably would take $300 for the whole shooting match. On the newer marine propane stoves, you have to hold in a button for a few seconds before the burner will stay light. If not, the flame will go out and the gas will be shut off automatically. This feature is there to shut of gas flow if your flame were to get blown out. Dont know how often you get to coast, but me or GF go to the Pascagoula area fairly often. Could save on shipping.
I have a Galley Maid "Superheat". It has 3 byrners and an oven. When I sell it, it will go with the tank (looks like about 1 1/2 Gals), pressure gages and poressure pump. All are in 100% working condition. Not sure of how much $$ I want for it. Probably would take $300 for the whole shooting match. On the newer marine propane stoves, you have to hold in a button for a few seconds before the burner will stay light. If not, the flame will go out and the gas will be shut off automatically. This feature is there to shut of gas flow if your flame were to get blown out. Dont know how often you get to coast, but me or GF go to the Pascagoula area fairly often. Could save on shipping.
Mine is a Kenyon Homestrand.
It works but needs to be taken apart and cleaned well. $300 might be too much just for parts. We might move the boat back to the coast this spring. By coast I mean Mobile probably to Turner's Marine. We like Mobile Bay though it can get very rough and the water isn't as pretty as Florida's. Mobile's big draw for us is that it's easy to take I65 to get there from Birmingham. Going to Panama city you have to drive through soooooo many little towns that it takes about 2-2.5 hours longer to drive even though it is closer.
It works but needs to be taken apart and cleaned well. $300 might be too much just for parts. We might move the boat back to the coast this spring. By coast I mean Mobile probably to Turner's Marine. We like Mobile Bay though it can get very rough and the water isn't as pretty as Florida's. Mobile's big draw for us is that it's easy to take I65 to get there from Birmingham. Going to Panama city you have to drive through soooooo many little towns that it takes about 2-2.5 hours longer to drive even though it is closer.
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