I just purchased a Vision32 with the Origo alcohol stove/oven. I understand how to fill and operate it. Any suggestions on use ?? Does the alcohol evaporate ?? How fast ?? can you cover and save it ?? How fast does it heat, i.e. coffee etc. ?? I've never used an alcohol stove before. Is it better/hotter/faster than propane ?? Thanks for any advice
Origo Alcohol Stove questions
- Thread starter Gene16575
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Pressurized?
I replaced a pressurized Kenyon kerosene oven/range with a two-burner Origo alcohol range. The Origo is non-pressurized, just two canisters with alcohol. I purchased two "caps", just thin rubber pads that cover the openings. These keep the alcohol from evaporating when not in use for long periods. I am sure that it does not heat as fast as propane. But to me it is unnoticeable. The tea kettle whistles in under five minutes. Everything I cook seems done just as quickly as if I were doing it at home on the electric range. I do not have(nor need) an oven so I cannot comment about that aspect. For the safety and relative cost I do not know how you could beat that little Origo. I think that I got those covers from the Related Link.
I replaced a pressurized Kenyon kerosene oven/range with a two-burner Origo alcohol range. The Origo is non-pressurized, just two canisters with alcohol. I purchased two "caps", just thin rubber pads that cover the openings. These keep the alcohol from evaporating when not in use for long periods. I am sure that it does not heat as fast as propane. But to me it is unnoticeable. The tea kettle whistles in under five minutes. Everything I cook seems done just as quickly as if I were doing it at home on the electric range. I do not have(nor need) an oven so I cannot comment about that aspect. For the safety and relative cost I do not know how you could beat that little Origo. I think that I got those covers from the Related Link.
Not a lot different than Propane.
Gene: There is not a lot of difference between propane and alcohol as far as BTU's. If you look at the specs I think that most of the propane stoves are rated at 8000 btu's and the Origo is about 7,000. I also think that this will be based on having the canisters full. We heat up water every morning (when we are at the boat) in a 4 cup kettle to make coffee. Then we pour the boiling water thru a melita coffee funnel. I am guessing that it takes about 8-10 minutes to boil. We have cook a ham in the oven. It does not cook as hot as the oven at home, but probably gets to about 300 degrees F.
Gene: There is not a lot of difference between propane and alcohol as far as BTU's. If you look at the specs I think that most of the propane stoves are rated at 8000 btu's and the Origo is about 7,000. I also think that this will be based on having the canisters full. We heat up water every morning (when we are at the boat) in a 4 cup kettle to make coffee. Then we pour the boiling water thru a melita coffee funnel. I am guessing that it takes about 8-10 minutes to boil. We have cook a ham in the oven. It does not cook as hot as the oven at home, but probably gets to about 300 degrees F.
Have one
We have an Origo stove and oven, and love it. In terms of cooking time, it is very similar to cooking over natural gas. It will blacken the bottoms of certain pans, so we use soft scrubs to keep the pans looking good. In five years we have noticed no soot in the cabin. Origo sells some pricey covers, so we keep the burners covered with fat rubber jar grips available at most grocery stores (a flat soft rubber disk about 5" in diameter). The burner is turned off by a sliding metal disk that snuffs the flame which is operated by the burner knobs, but these are not air tight, and all of your alcohol will evaporate in a few weeks unless you seal them with some kind of rubber or plastic lid. With the rubber covers there is no loss from evaporation. On a seven day vacation cooking at least one meal a day for our family of four we use about a quart of fuel. We tried baking cookies in the oven, which is heated be a single burner identical to the stove. The single burner is not enough heat, so we just use the oven for heating things rather than actually baking. In summary: clean, efficient, economic, safe and a lot less complicated than LP gas. More questions? E-mail me through the H30 membership register
We have an Origo stove and oven, and love it. In terms of cooking time, it is very similar to cooking over natural gas. It will blacken the bottoms of certain pans, so we use soft scrubs to keep the pans looking good. In five years we have noticed no soot in the cabin. Origo sells some pricey covers, so we keep the burners covered with fat rubber jar grips available at most grocery stores (a flat soft rubber disk about 5" in diameter). The burner is turned off by a sliding metal disk that snuffs the flame which is operated by the burner knobs, but these are not air tight, and all of your alcohol will evaporate in a few weeks unless you seal them with some kind of rubber or plastic lid. With the rubber covers there is no loss from evaporation. On a seven day vacation cooking at least one meal a day for our family of four we use about a quart of fuel. We tried baking cookies in the oven, which is heated be a single burner identical to the stove. The single burner is not enough heat, so we just use the oven for heating things rather than actually baking. In summary: clean, efficient, economic, safe and a lot less complicated than LP gas. More questions? E-mail me through the H30 membership register
Can rubbing alcohol be used in an Origo stove?
We are building a mobile jungle clinic for the remote SW coast of Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu) with the help of a group of engineering students at the University of Utah. The aluminum and fiberglass construction looks a bit like an oversized Tuff shed. Team accommodations are in the loft above the ground floor clinic area. We do need facilities for cooking as well as sterilization. Since we would already be carrying rubbing alcohol an Origo type stove/oven might perhaps just be the ticket. Has anyone tried to burn rubbing alcohol (i.e. propanol) in this type of stove? Another question is: how long do Origo burners typically operate on a single alcohol charge? Thanks Flying Dutchman
We are building a mobile jungle clinic for the remote SW coast of Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu) with the help of a group of engineering students at the University of Utah. The aluminum and fiberglass construction looks a bit like an oversized Tuff shed. Team accommodations are in the loft above the ground floor clinic area. We do need facilities for cooking as well as sterilization. Since we would already be carrying rubbing alcohol an Origo type stove/oven might perhaps just be the ticket. Has anyone tried to burn rubbing alcohol (i.e. propanol) in this type of stove? Another question is: how long do Origo burners typically operate on a single alcohol charge? Thanks Flying Dutchman
Medical vs reagent propanol
Medical rubbing alcohol is 70% alcohol:30% water. Won't burn very well at all. Straight propanol will burn, but not as readily as ethanol and certainly not methanol. Probably won't work for your needs, since in order to burn it has to be preheated. We do similar activities up north running sled dog races. HEET (methanol) is the standard fuel. As common as a jug of milk up north, since it is used as a fuel tank de-icer. Not sure it would be so available in the tropics.
Medical rubbing alcohol is 70% alcohol:30% water. Won't burn very well at all. Straight propanol will burn, but not as readily as ethanol and certainly not methanol. Probably won't work for your needs, since in order to burn it has to be preheated. We do similar activities up north running sled dog races. HEET (methanol) is the standard fuel. As common as a jug of milk up north, since it is used as a fuel tank de-icer. Not sure it would be so available in the tropics.
Henk in answer to your question
I would recommend an 'all fuel' backpack stove. I have a Swvea that I have used for many years. It's main advantages are: It will burn any type of fuel It burns very hot It does not smell It is about 6 inches square and 3 inches high I have burned alcohol, diesel fuel, unleaded gas. Coleman fuel. All have burned just fine. You can find them in pack stores. They are mainly used for expeditions where Coleman fuel or Butane are not readily available. Good Luck Ward
I would recommend an 'all fuel' backpack stove. I have a Swvea that I have used for many years. It's main advantages are: It will burn any type of fuel It burns very hot It does not smell It is about 6 inches square and 3 inches high I have burned alcohol, diesel fuel, unleaded gas. Coleman fuel. All have burned just fine. You can find them in pack stores. They are mainly used for expeditions where Coleman fuel or Butane are not readily available. Good Luck Ward
Origo
Mine is a single burner. I filled it and turned it on full just to see how long it would burn. I lasted about 40 - 45 minuts. I made covers out of old mouse pads but I think any rubber or plastic would work.
Mine is a single burner. I filled it and turned it on full just to see how long it would burn. I lasted about 40 - 45 minuts. I made covers out of old mouse pads but I think any rubber or plastic would work.
Oven important for dry sterilization
Otherwise a multifuel camping stove would be the ticket indeed. Any multifuel stoves with oven accessories out there, perhaps? From a logistic point of view the most readily available fuel is of diesel, as the participating vessels carry that, of course. Until now our teams have used pressure cookers and butane burners for steam sterilization, which is more forgiving on the instruments since it happens a lower temperatures. However, the total weight of the cooker/burner/bottle assembly, the logistics of regular butane replacement and safety concerns argue about continued use of this approach for the new, ultralight clinic design which is emerging now. With regard to Mike's remarks, I agree that a 70% propanol and 30% water mixture will probably not burn very hot. However, it should still burn pretty easily as even a 60% ethanol beverage can be lighted at the dinner table. Since the calorific value of oxygenated hydrocarbons can be fairly closely predicted from hydrogen and carbon weight percentages alone, it is interesting to consider that pure propanol (C3H8O) contains 60% carbon and 13.3 % H, with ethanol (C2H6O) and methanol (CH4O) weighing in at 52.1% C, 12.9% H and 37.5% C, 12.5% H, respectively. So, if the methanol you were using burned hotter than ethanol or propanol it must have had a lower water content, I think. Fair winds, Flying Dutchman
Otherwise a multifuel camping stove would be the ticket indeed. Any multifuel stoves with oven accessories out there, perhaps? From a logistic point of view the most readily available fuel is of diesel, as the participating vessels carry that, of course. Until now our teams have used pressure cookers and butane burners for steam sterilization, which is more forgiving on the instruments since it happens a lower temperatures. However, the total weight of the cooker/burner/bottle assembly, the logistics of regular butane replacement and safety concerns argue about continued use of this approach for the new, ultralight clinic design which is emerging now. With regard to Mike's remarks, I agree that a 70% propanol and 30% water mixture will probably not burn very hot. However, it should still burn pretty easily as even a 60% ethanol beverage can be lighted at the dinner table. Since the calorific value of oxygenated hydrocarbons can be fairly closely predicted from hydrogen and carbon weight percentages alone, it is interesting to consider that pure propanol (C3H8O) contains 60% carbon and 13.3 % H, with ethanol (C2H6O) and methanol (CH4O) weighing in at 52.1% C, 12.9% H and 37.5% C, 12.5% H, respectively. So, if the methanol you were using burned hotter than ethanol or propanol it must have had a lower water content, I think. Fair winds, Flying Dutchman
OH, OH, it happened!
Henk 'went off'! Ya gotta love it! Welcome back Henk. How's it going down there? How about a hurricane report.
Henk 'went off'! Ya gotta love it! Welcome back Henk. How's it going down there? How about a hurricane report.
Having used all of these
I will stick with methane, ethane, propane, butane, or whatever mix of those I can find. Every alcohol (anything ending with "ol") stove I have used takes longer to heat and reaches lower temperatures and is more expensive to use. The pressurized alcohol types are often more cranky than I am. They end up causing more pollution because they often get thrown overboard. Alcohol does spill and the flames are not very visible and that can be a hazard. Any of the alcohols do however make a good cleaning solvent. Gaseous ("ane") fuels have other dangers and problems but that is still my choice. Easier to use, more heat, more available and cheaper (except maybe CNG) Anyone else remember the 1950s when nuclear waste was going to provide heat for cooking and ironing clothes? Too cheap to meter!!
I will stick with methane, ethane, propane, butane, or whatever mix of those I can find. Every alcohol (anything ending with "ol") stove I have used takes longer to heat and reaches lower temperatures and is more expensive to use. The pressurized alcohol types are often more cranky than I am. They end up causing more pollution because they often get thrown overboard. Alcohol does spill and the flames are not very visible and that can be a hazard. Any of the alcohols do however make a good cleaning solvent. Gaseous ("ane") fuels have other dangers and problems but that is still my choice. Easier to use, more heat, more available and cheaper (except maybe CNG) Anyone else remember the 1950s when nuclear waste was going to provide heat for cooking and ironing clothes? Too cheap to meter!!
Yes Henk Coleman Oven
Henk, Sorry, I didn't realize the oven was important in my last advice. You can get a fold up Coleman oven for about $35.00 USD. It will fit on top of any stove and will maintain temperatures over 425 drg. F. They weigh about 7 pounds. Their only draw back that I am aware of is they are hard to maintain temperature in windy conditions without a windscreen of some type. I have attached a link to one store that carries them. This would still work on a multi fuel pack stove. and your whole set up would be under 10 pounds. Ward
Henk, Sorry, I didn't realize the oven was important in my last advice. You can get a fold up Coleman oven for about $35.00 USD. It will fit on top of any stove and will maintain temperatures over 425 drg. F. They weigh about 7 pounds. Their only draw back that I am aware of is they are hard to maintain temperature in windy conditions without a windscreen of some type. I have attached a link to one store that carries them. This would still work on a multi fuel pack stove. and your whole set up would be under 10 pounds. Ward
Ward, I love the foldable Coleman oven idea!
Especially, if it could indeed be used in combination with a multifuel stove. Did I indeed hear you say you had used diesel oil in these multifuel stoves? If so, how much sooting did you experience? My fear would be that all cooking wares become blackened and need to be scrubbed everytime. Of course, it is all a matter of how effectively the diesel fuel is nebulized and how well the resulting aerosol is mixed with air.... Fair winds, Flying Dutchman
Especially, if it could indeed be used in combination with a multifuel stove. Did I indeed hear you say you had used diesel oil in these multifuel stoves? If so, how much sooting did you experience? My fear would be that all cooking wares become blackened and need to be scrubbed everytime. Of course, it is all a matter of how effectively the diesel fuel is nebulized and how well the resulting aerosol is mixed with air.... Fair winds, Flying Dutchman
Thanks for the kind welcome, Fred
I already posted once or twice right after our return from Vanuatu nearly one month ago. As I intimated then, I do have indeed a scary "storm story" to tell (in which we very nearly lose Rivendel II on the reef). Although there fortunately is a happy ending it was such a protracted ordeal and I made so many mistakes that I am still looking for more time (and courage) to post a detailed account plus discussion. If I don't find a window soon I may start by posting Nelleke's straight-from-the-heart survivor tale first and then follow up with a technical discussion later. Fair winds, Flying Dutchman
I already posted once or twice right after our return from Vanuatu nearly one month ago. As I intimated then, I do have indeed a scary "storm story" to tell (in which we very nearly lose Rivendel II on the reef). Although there fortunately is a happy ending it was such a protracted ordeal and I made so many mistakes that I am still looking for more time (and courage) to post a detailed account plus discussion. If I don't find a window soon I may start by posting Nelleke's straight-from-the-heart survivor tale first and then follow up with a technical discussion later. Fair winds, Flying Dutchman
No Sooting at All
Henk, You're exactly right. The sooting is dependent upon how efficient the fuel is atomized. These types of stoves operate under pressure using an internal 'generator' to preheat and vaporize the fuel. Mine sounds and looks like a blow torch, but man it heats fast. The flame is a nice blue color just like propane regardless of the fuel I have used. I mostly use white gas because it doesn't stink as bad as diesel if I spilled some on my back pack equipment. When burning, there is no smell difference between the types of fuels used. To start the stove, you must preheat the burner/generator. This is done by pouring a small amount of fuel into a cup at the bottom of the burner and lighting it. This is the ONLY time the stove has any smoke or soot. If you use alcohol for this, it would cut done on the smoke considerably. When backpacking, I never bothered carrying different fuels. My particular stove has been discontinued, but I have attached a link to it's replacement. If you read the specs, you will see it can burn diesel and many other types of fuels. This stove was designed to be very light for backpacking. Since that is not your primary concern, I would build a case for it so the oven could be mounted on top of the case and create a compact oven stove system that would be easy to set up and quite stable. Good Luck and let me know if there is additional help I could provide. Ward PS. Since I have not used diesel in the stove often, my memory could be selective on whether sooting of pans occur. I will try a test this week using boat diesel fuel and let you know the findings.
Henk, You're exactly right. The sooting is dependent upon how efficient the fuel is atomized. These types of stoves operate under pressure using an internal 'generator' to preheat and vaporize the fuel. Mine sounds and looks like a blow torch, but man it heats fast. The flame is a nice blue color just like propane regardless of the fuel I have used. I mostly use white gas because it doesn't stink as bad as diesel if I spilled some on my back pack equipment. When burning, there is no smell difference between the types of fuels used. To start the stove, you must preheat the burner/generator. This is done by pouring a small amount of fuel into a cup at the bottom of the burner and lighting it. This is the ONLY time the stove has any smoke or soot. If you use alcohol for this, it would cut done on the smoke considerably. When backpacking, I never bothered carrying different fuels. My particular stove has been discontinued, but I have attached a link to it's replacement. If you read the specs, you will see it can burn diesel and many other types of fuels. This stove was designed to be very light for backpacking. Since that is not your primary concern, I would build a case for it so the oven could be mounted on top of the case and create a compact oven stove system that would be easy to set up and quite stable. Good Luck and let me know if there is additional help I could provide. Ward PS. Since I have not used diesel in the stove often, my memory could be selective on whether sooting of pans occur. I will try a test this week using boat diesel fuel and let you know the findings.
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