Repairing or Replacing Origo alcohol atove

MySong

MySong

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Aug 20, 2019
48
Hunter 26 1001 Rocky Fork
Have a Hunter 26 with the original Origo stove. In the past few weeks am getting very little flame. It is taking 3 times as long as before to boil water.

-Yes I know you can't see much alcohol flame but it really doesn't get as hot as before
- I did refill the pots with denatured alcohol, that always worked before
- Not interested in Propane solutions

I know the Origo is no longer made so looking for a way to repair the pots or a decent replacement. Not interested in propane stoves.

Thanks in advance everyone!
 
dLj

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,912
Belliure 41 Back in the Chesapeake
While this stove is no longer made, you should see if the company that made them is still around. I have an old Kenyon alcohol stove no longer made but Kenyon was able to completely rebuild mine, and at a very reasonable price.

I have no idea if this also works for your stove but give it a shot....

dj
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,015
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
You could have gotten some bad alcohol or gotten some water contamination in the pot. New pots are available through Amazon and other places too. First I would try flushing with fresh alcohol carefully. Then refill and test before investing in new alcohol pots. Make sure the alcohol is listed as "fuel"..
 
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Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,295
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Not much to “fix“ on these alcohol stoves...

Not sure if the wick in the canister can be replaced or “trimmed”.

assuming the “chimney” is opening all the way, not much to do there.

As @kloudie1 said, maybe get a fresh can of alcohol and empty and refill the canister and see if that helps.

Greg
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,631
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
a. Rehab the canister. Let it dry completely (many days), then cook out in an oven (350F). This is to get rid of acumulated water and high boilers. This is the LEADING cause of low heat output in ethanol stoves. Then flame off the wick surface with a propane torch (it accumulates food residue) and brush off ash. This advice from Project Gaia/Clean Cook, current owner of the Origo technology. People in the third world use these daily and often burn poor quality fuel. [I spoke with them at length, multiple times, during the writing of an article]

B. Look on eBay for new canisters. They are a little pricey.

C. Contact Project Gaia in the US. They are trying to learn if there is a market in the US for canisters. I believe they can sell them at very competitive prices if there is a market. The canister design is unchanged.

Don't give up on your Origo!

CleanCook



 
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S

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,083
Currently Boatless Okinawa
I would try all of Thinwater's advice. If that does not result in an improvement you can live with, then send me a PM.
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,548
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Yes! you can still buy new canisters. And I agree... they are nice and better than propane. I love mine.
 
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Claude L.-Auger

Claude L.-Auger

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Dec 14, 2003
1,414
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
FYI I've been using Methyl Hydrate in those canisters for the last 20 years ! Cheaper than denatured alcohol and works great. No odors and good heat. You can get it at the big boxes. BTW, have not had to ever do anything to those canisters and they still work perfectly. Love my Origo ! Good luck
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,548
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Methyl Hydrate is the same thing as methanol. The vapors are toxic. Probably no more than gasoline but if you had a spill while you were sleeping it could go the wrong way.

Here is some more info...
www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org

Chemical Safety Facts About Methanol

Methanol is a nondrinking type of alcohol (also known as wood alcohol and methyl alcohol) which is mostly used to create fuel, solvents and antifreeze.
www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org
.
 
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Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,469
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Great help here for me as well. The PO of Bella removed the Origo and installed a microwave. We swapped them back. We have yet to have our alcohol stove cherry popped though. I.e. we haven't used it yet. We tend to cook up in our clubhouse.
 
O

odaydokay

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Jul 5, 2011
734
Oday 28 Madison, CT
You do not say if you have one burner or two burner, but if two and both gone down at same time, this might point to something other than the burners themselves as no one can use them perfectly 50/50.
 
Claude L.-Auger

Claude L.-Auger

.
Dec 14, 2003
1,414
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
rgranger said:
Methyl Hydrate is the same thing as methanol. The vapors are toxic. Probably no more than gasoline but if you had a spill while you were sleeping it could go the wrong way.

Here is some more info...
www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org

Chemical Safety Facts About Methanol

Methanol is a nondrinking type of alcohol (also known as wood alcohol and methyl alcohol) which is mostly used to create fuel, solvents and antifreeze.
www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org
.
Click to expand
Tks rgranger. I am well aware of of the properties of methyl hydrate and am familiar with its material safety data sheet. It is used only in my Origo stove for cooking and never used for heating up the boat. The canisters are inspected every time I need to refill them, and since I don't cook while asleep the risk of vapors is greatly minimized. And while I do like a drink, rest assure that I don't drink it even though it is in the alcohol family LOL. Thanks for the comments.
 
rgranger

rgranger

.
Jan 19, 2010
12,548
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Claude L.-Auger said:
Tks rgranger. I am well aware of of the properties of methyl hydrate and am familiar with its material safety data sheet. It is used only in my Origo stove for cooking and never used for heating up the boat. The canisters are inspected every time I need to refill them, and since I don't cook while asleep the risk of vapors is greatly minimized. And while I do like a drink, rest assure that I don't drink it even though it is in the alcohol family LOL. Thanks for the comments.
Click to expand
Understood.

I don't think the burning vapors are the issue. If your canister leaked (or the refil bottle) those are the vapors that are dangerous. The products of a proper flame would be the same regardless of which alchol you are using. The other thing to think about for fules is the flash point. Ethanol and methanol are about the same so no diff there. Don't try isopropanol though.
 
Mr Fox

Mr Fox

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Aug 31, 2017
204
Marshall 22 Portland, ME
I found an excellent one at Minnys yacht surplus. Perfect for spares and it’s great shape, probably never used, was less than 200.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Benny17441 said:
Find a used stove for sale and take a chance on the cannisters being better than yours.
Click to expand
I just came from BaconSails.com store in Annapolis (410-263-4880) to go looking for the canisters. They have three canisters. 25, 45, 95 each . The cheap one, take a pass unless you only need it to last long enough to sell the boat. The 95 is not worth more than twice the 45, and the 45 looks good and the best bargain. However, they do have a tabletop 2-burner version (3000?). NOT recessed. It has two decent-looking canisters, so for $150 seems a good price. The housing was hard to tell, as it was on a shelf and not closed up very well. They ship.
 
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