Replacing old alcohol stoves
 

There are still many older boats with pressurized alcohol stoves.
These stoves are very dangerous in my opinion but replacing them with
the newer Origo type unpressurized ones is expensive and the Origo may
not fit the space of the old pressurized stove.
Years ago, I took the burners and rest of the fuel system out of my
pressurized stove and have simply been putting large Sterno cans down
into the burner wells so I can continue to use the stove top. Sterno
is slow. I have been looking at the designs for the so-called "Pepsi-
Can" stoves that burn methanol in a way similar to the unpressurized
Origo stoves but they look more efficient than the Origo stoves if
they are semi-sealed (the so-called "penny stoves").
So, I propose to make an insert for the old unpressurized stoves to
replace the pressurized part but still use the burner wells. It would
consist of an aluminum liner for the burner wells in which there would
be fiberglass to hold fuel for priming. Nesting in this would be a
thin copper "pepsi-can" style stove but insted of a single ring of
flames, I would have an inner ring of flames too for more heat. The
inner ring would get its air from radial indentations in the copper
top.
Next, I still do not like alcohol because its heat content is so low
and the flame is hard to see. So, why not use diesel? Could you get
it to vaporize like alcohol if the thermal conduction was good enough?

Replacing old alcohol stoves
 

On Dec 30, 11:38*am, Frogwatch wrote:
There are still many older boats with pressurized alcohol stoves.
These stoves are very dangerous in my opinion but replacing them with
the newer Origo type unpressurized ones is expensive and the Origo may
not fit the space of the old pressurized stove.
Years ago, I took the burners and rest of the fuel system out of my
pressurized stove and have simply been putting large Sterno cans down
into the burner wells so I can continue to use the stove top. *Sterno
is slow. *I have been looking at the designs for the so-called "Pepsi-
Can" stoves that burn methanol in a way similar to the unpressurized
Origo stoves but they look more efficient than the Origo stoves if
they are semi-sealed (the so-called "penny stoves").
So, I propose to make an insert for the old unpressurized stoves to
replace the pressurized part but still use the burner wells. *It would
consist of an aluminum liner for the burner wells in which there would
be fiberglass to hold fuel for priming. *Nesting in this would be a
thin copper "pepsi-can" style stove but insted of a single ring of
flames, I would have an inner ring of flames too for more heat. *The
inner ring would get its air from radial indentations in the copper
top.
Next, I still do not like alcohol because its heat content is so low
and the flame is hard to see. *So, why not use diesel? *Could you get
it to vaporize like alcohol if the thermal conduction was good enough?

I just looked into Hexamine stoves and like that solution better
because the fuel is much safer than alcohol. It burns with a bright
yellow flame and is supposedly has more heat content than methanol.
One can buy 24 tablets for $5 and each tablet burns for 9 minutes.
One can use multiple tablets for more heat. I'd like to design a
system for raising and lowering the burning tablets to enable one to
either rapid heat or "simmer" a pot.
These tablets seem expensive until you consider how infrequently you
will use them and the danger from the alcohol aboard your boat.

Replacing old alcohol stoves
 

I appreciate your concern and totally agree with your assessment of unsafe fuel onboard. After assessing all available fuels,
diesel is the only valid choice, but burning diesel without high pressure is inefficient, smokey and stinky. There are diesel
stoves and they all state that they work well, but in fact do not meet my idea of acceptable. My solution was to use an electric
stove. The space factor is easily made. Components and whole assemblies are readily available at low cost everywhere. Even if you
do not have a generator or have space for one, you can mount a small alternator on your propulsion engine sized for your needs. As
the stove load is resistive, frequency is a not issue, so accurate speed regulation is unimportant.
Steve

"Frogwatch" wrote in message ...
There are still many older boats with pressurized alcohol stoves.
These stoves are very dangerous in my opinion but replacing them with
the newer Origo type unpressurized ones is expensive and the Origo may
not fit the space of the old pressurized stove.
Years ago, I took the burners and rest of the fuel system out of my
pressurized stove and have simply been putting large Sterno cans down
into the burner wells so I can continue to use the stove top. Sterno
is slow. I have been looking at the designs for the so-called "Pepsi-
Can" stoves that burn methanol in a way similar to the unpressurized
Origo stoves but they look more efficient than the Origo stoves if
they are semi-sealed (the so-called "penny stoves").
So, I propose to make an insert for the old unpressurized stoves to
replace the pressurized part but still use the burner wells. It would
consist of an aluminum liner for the burner wells in which there would
be fiberglass to hold fuel for priming. Nesting in this would be a
thin copper "pepsi-can" style stove but insted of a single ring of
flames, I would have an inner ring of flames too for more heat. The
inner ring would get its air from radial indentations in the copper
top.
Next, I still do not like alcohol because its heat content is so low
and the flame is hard to see. So, why not use diesel? Could you get
it to vaporize like alcohol if the thermal conduction was good enough?

Replacing old alcohol stoves
 

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:55:33 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:


I just looked into Hexamine stoves and like that solution better
because the fuel is much safer than alcohol. It burns with a bright
yellow flame and is supposedly has more heat content than methanol.
One can buy 24 tablets for $5 and each tablet burns for 9 minutes.
One can use multiple tablets for more heat. I'd like to design a
system for raising and lowering the burning tablets to enable one to
either rapid heat or "simmer" a pot.
These tablets seem expensive until you consider how infrequently you
will use them and the danger from the alcohol aboard your boat.

There are several other small boat solutions that I like better. My
all time favorite is the one burner, fully gimbled Sea Swing that uses
a small propane cannister. Extra cannisters can be sealed in plastic
bags and carried somewhere above deck. You might be able to pick one
up on EBAY, and some have been converted to use a Primus stove.

http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/s...php?tid/10141/

I have one sitting in my garage that we used many years for distance
racing. It is great for heating up one pot meals while under sail.

Another option is the one burner butane cannister stoves that West
Marine sells. We carry one as an emergency spare on the trawler.
They aren't gimbled but cook with a hot flame and are very
small/convenient.

Replacing old alcohol stoves
 

On Jan 1, 10:34*pm, Wayne B wrote:
On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:55:33 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch

wrote:

I just looked into Hexamine stoves and like that solution better
because the fuel is much safer than alcohol. *It burns with a bright
yellow flame and is supposedly has more heat content than methanol.
One can buy 24 tablets for $5 and each tablet burns for 9 minutes.
One can use multiple tablets for more heat. *I'd like to design a
system for raising and lowering the burning tablets to enable one to
either rapid heat or "simmer" a pot.
These tablets seem expensive until you consider how infrequently you
will use them and the danger from the alcohol aboard your boat.

There are several other small boat solutions that I like better. *My
all time favorite is the one burner, fully gimbled Sea Swing that uses
a small propane cannister. * Extra cannisters can be sealed in plastic
bags and carried somewhere above deck. *You might be able to pick one
up on EBAY, and some have been converted to use a Primus stove.

http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/s...php?tid/10141/

I have one sitting in my garage that we used many years for distance
racing. * It is great for heating up one pot meals while under sail.

Another option is the one burner butane cannister stoves that West
Marine sells. *We carry one as an emergency spare on the trawler.
They aren't gimbled but cook with a hot flame and are very
small/convenient.

I agree that these stoves are very good but I am looking for a way to
utilize existing stoves in a safer way.

Replacing old alcohol stoves
 

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:55:33 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

I'd like to design a
system for raising and lowering the burning tablets to enable one to
either rapid heat or "simmer" a pot.

They already have suck a thing. It is called a ring stand.

Casady