Courtney Thomas wrote:
Have come into an old single burner and am considering it as a backup
source.

Opinions, caveats, advice ?


Opinions:
We have one and like it. It's easy to use, seems fairly safe,
produces quite a bit of heat, and has a pretty blue flame. And if
you run out of propane, it's a usable stove.

Caveats:
Be sure to use good quality alcohol - some types have a terrible
lacquer smell. (The really cheap stuff they have at Ace is
nasty!) Spillage is inevitable so be sure to fill the cartridge
on deck. It will produce quite a bit of water vapor so be
prepared for condensation. Make sure that your boat is well
ventilated.

Advice:
We've been told that putting a brick or large stone on the grate
above the flame will make it heat better, but we haven't tried
that. Of course the most effective places to put it are the same
places where it's most likely to get kicked over. Be careful.

Stay warm!

Cindy,

Mine is an old one ['63] and I've come onto it with no instructions,
etc. I'm not even sure that I have all the parts. The Origo
manufacturer, U.S. distributor, as well as W.Marine, Defender, and Swego
vendors also have no information on my model [HEAT-PAL].

Any help on how to set it up, operate, clean, etc. ?

I assume no wick. Mine has a red outer 'bucket', then first, inside is
the fuel container with a sort of vertical spout through which the fuel
arrives supporting a flame, I suppose; then, a plate w/center hole so
the 'spout' can poke up through. There's a sort of flame cover [I guess]
that fits over the 'spout' as well as up into the plate w/center hole.
Finally there's the perforated top 'basket' on which a pot could sit.

How do you put in fuel, and light it ? I see there's a sort of
regulating knob on the side.

Where do you get your fuel ? What price ?

I'll keep a fire extinguisher handy at all times.

I assume there's no danger of noxious fumes. Right ?

Finally, why aren't these things popular ? Origo touts safety on their
site.

Appreciatively,
Courtney



Cindy Ballreich wrote:

Courtney Thomas wrote:

Have come into an old single burner and am considering it as a backup
source.

Opinions, caveats, advice ?


Opinions:
We have one and like it. It's easy to use, seems fairly safe, produces
quite a bit of heat, and has a pretty blue flame. And if you run out of
propane, it's a usable stove.

Caveats:
Be sure to use good quality alcohol - some types have a terrible lacquer
smell. (The really cheap stuff they have at Ace is nasty!) Spillage is
inevitable so be sure to fill the cartridge on deck. It will produce
quite a bit of water vapor so be prepared for condensation. Make sure
that your boat is well ventilated.

Advice:
We've been told that putting a brick or large stone on the grate above
the flame will make it heat better, but we haven't tried that. Of course
the most effective places to put it are the same places where it's most
likely to get kicked over. Be careful.

Stay warm!


--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

I'd set it up by depositing it in the nearest dumpster. It's just too
old to trust.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Cindy,

Mine is an old one ['63] and I've come onto it with no instructions, etc.
I'm not even sure that I have all the parts. The Origo manufacturer, U.S.
distributor, as well as W.Marine, Defender, and Swego vendors also have no
information on my model [HEAT-PAL].

Any help on how to set it up, operate, clean, etc. ?

I assume no wick. Mine has a red outer 'bucket', then first, inside is the
fuel container with a sort of vertical spout through which the fuel
arrives supporting a flame, I suppose; then, a plate w/center hole so the
'spout' can poke up through. There's a sort of flame cover [I guess] that
fits over the 'spout' as well as up into the plate w/center hole. Finally
there's the perforated top 'basket' on which a pot could sit.

How do you put in fuel, and light it ? I see there's a sort of regulating
knob on the side.

Where do you get your fuel ? What price ?

I'll keep a fire extinguisher handy at all times.

I assume there's no danger of noxious fumes. Right ?

Finally, why aren't these things popular ? Origo touts safety on their
site.

Appreciatively,
Courtney



Cindy Ballreich wrote:

Courtney Thomas wrote:

Have come into an old single burner and am considering it as a backup
source.

Opinions, caveats, advice ?


Opinions:
We have one and like it. It's easy to use, seems fairly safe, produces
quite a bit of heat, and has a pretty blue flame. And if you run out of
propane, it's a usable stove.

Caveats:
Be sure to use good quality alcohol - some types have a terrible lacquer
smell. (The really cheap stuff they have at Ace is nasty!) Spillage is
inevitable so be sure to fill the cartridge on deck. It will produce
quite a bit of water vapor so be prepared for condensation. Make sure
that your boat is well ventilated.

Advice:
We've been told that putting a brick or large stone on the grate above
the flame will make it heat better, but we haven't tried that. Of course
the most effective places to put it are the same places where it's most
likely to get kicked over. Be careful.

Stay warm!


--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Doug Dotson wrote:
I'd set it up by depositing it in the nearest dumpster. It's just too
old to trust.
Gee, that's what my wife says about me!
These stoves and heaters are not rocket science. Just alcohol poured
over some wicking material with an aperature that opens and closes to
control heat production. Pressure alcohol units are a different story
and I would agree with Doug to toss a forty year old pressure unit. With
the Origo, if it works and is not rusted out, it's likely as safe as the
day it was new.

Also,on another comment, I've let my Origo stove run out of fuel on
many, many occassions (it's how I know I have to add more fuel). The
only negative consequence I've noticed is that my food doesn't cook
until I switch to the other burner. Never seen any damage to the stove.

Bill, I think that when the alcohol runs out, the flame burns the
wicking material, or at least tries to. Eventually, the material no
longer wicks properly since it is then largely carbon on top. Never a
good idea to let *any* wicked burring device run out of fuel. Same thing
happens to a regular kerosene lamp.









Bill Adams wrote:
Doug Dotson wrote:

I'd set it up by depositing it in the nearest dumpster. It's just too
old to trust.

Gee, that's what my wife says about me!
These stoves and heaters are not rocket science. Just alcohol poured
over some wicking material with an aperature that opens and closes to
control heat production. Pressure alcohol units are a different story
and I would agree with Doug to toss a forty year old pressure unit. With
the Origo, if it works and is not rusted out, it's likely as safe as the
day it was new.

Also,on another comment, I've let my Origo stove run out of fuel on
many, many occassions (it's how I know I have to add more fuel). The
only negative consequence I've noticed is that my food doesn't cook
until I switch to the other burner. Never seen any damage to the stove.

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 14:57:01 GMT, Bill Adams
wrote:

Doug Dotson wrote:
I'd set it up by depositing it in the nearest dumpster. It's just too
old to trust.
Gee, that's what my wife says about me!
These stoves and heaters are not rocket science. Just alcohol poured
over some wicking material with an aperature that opens and closes to
control heat production. Pressure alcohol units are a different story
and I would agree with Doug to toss a forty year old pressure unit. With
the Origo, if it works and is not rusted out, it's likely as safe as the
day it was new.

Also,on another comment, I've let my Origo stove run out of fuel on
many, many occassions (it's how I know I have to add more fuel). The
only negative consequence I've noticed is that my food doesn't cook
until I switch to the other burner. Never seen any damage to the stove.


I agree with Doug on both points. We chartered a boat in the 1980s
that had a two-burner Origo. A total of 8 weeks or so over a period of
years. Ran dry, no problem.

One problem that hasn't been mentioned in this thread, and probably
ra The cover that regulates one of the burners had its rivet crack.
This let a little air in when we shut it down for the night once.

It never stopped burning inside and was still smoldering the next
morning.

Be conscious of that possibility and you will feel it if it happens.
THere was no safety problem in this case, but it did use up some fuel.

That said, I would keep a 40-year old Origo. It generated enough heat
to steam lobsters.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC

Let's Put the XXX back in Xmas

smoldering? I don't believe you know what the word "smoldering" means. At
least not from your use of the word below:


Origo alcohol for heat ?
From: Rodney Myrvaagnes
Date: 12/5/2004 7:42 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 14:57:01 GMT, Bill Adams
wrote:

Doug Dotson wrote:
I'd set it up by depositing it in the nearest dumpster. It's just too
old to trust.
Gee, that's what my wife says about me!
These stoves and heaters are not rocket science. Just alcohol poured
over some wicking material with an aperature that opens and closes to
control heat production. Pressure alcohol units are a different story
and I would agree with Doug to toss a forty year old pressure unit. With
the Origo, if it works and is not rusted out, it's likely as safe as the
day it was new.

Also,on another comment, I've let my Origo stove run out of fuel on
many, many occassions (it's how I know I have to add more fuel). The
only negative consequence I've noticed is that my food doesn't cook
until I switch to the other burner. Never seen any damage to the stove.


I agree with Doug on both points. We chartered a boat in the 1980s
that had a two-burner Origo. A total of 8 weeks or so over a period of
years. Ran dry, no problem.

One problem that hasn't been mentioned in this thread, and probably
ra The cover that regulates one of the burners had its rivet crack.
This let a little air in when we shut it down for the night once.

It never stopped burning inside and was still smoldering the next
morning.

Be conscious of that possibility and you will feel it if it happens.
THere was no safety problem in this case, but it did use up some fuel.

That said, I would keep a 40-year old Origo. It generated enough heat
to steam lobsters.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC

Let's Put the XXX back in Xmas

Courtney Thomas wrote:
Cindy,

Mine is an old one ['63] and I've come onto it with no instructions,
etc. I'm not even sure that I have all the parts. The Origo
manufacturer, U.S. distributor, as well as W.Marine, Defender, and Swego
vendors also have no information on my model [HEAT-PAL].

Courtney

Wow! 40 years old! It may be different than the current ones.

Ours is the HeatPal 5000. It consists of two nesting aluminum
"buckets". One has a bracket which holds the heating part, the
other is a cover which helps collect and radiate heat. The
heating section has 2 parts: An Origo stove cartridge - a
canister about 2" hight and 12" in diameter completely filled
with a wick material with a hole in the top exposing about 3" of
the wick surface. The other is a cover for the cartridge which
has a flame diffuser, a lever that partially or completely covers
the flame to control the heat, and little grate for setting pots
and things on.

You fill the cartridge by simply pouring alcohol onto the wick
until it won't take any more. (Yes, it's messy.) The fuel is just
denatured alcohol or "stove" alcohol. This can range from the
Origo brand alcohol (expensive, but not much smell and less water
vapor) to the generic alcohol they sell in the paint section of
the hardware store.

Once the cartridge is full and you have it all reassembled, you
light it by sticking a match or a BBQ lighter tip through the
diffuser. It usually takes two tries because there's an initial
"pop" which usually blows out the flame. You control the flame by
moving the lever back and forth. The second bucket gets turned
upside-down and is placed on top of the first.

Our boat has excellent ventilation so we haven't had any problem
with gases. I don't think these produce much carbon monoxide, but
they do use oxygen. Use common sense and I think they're very safe.

Why aren't they popular? I really don't know. I think most people
only sail when it's warm and just don't want to mess with
heaters. Others want a built-in diesel or propane heater. We
bought our HeatPal when we were chartering in cold weather
(cheaper rates) and still use it on our own boat. We've also used
it at home when the gas was out.

I'd be really careful about a 40 year old unit. These things are
dirt simple, but combustion is a tricky thing. Be sure to try it
out of doors before you use it on your boat.

Cindy

Here's what ours looks like...
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...roductId=12130

Cindy,

Thank you for the clarifying remarks.

I think mine, though forty, is structurally the same as yours.

Sounds like I may need a new 'cartridge' though.

Appreciatively,
Courtney



Cindy Ballreich wrote:

Courtney Thomas wrote:

Cindy,

Mine is an old one ['63] and I've come onto it with no instructions,
etc. I'm not even sure that I have all the parts. The Origo
manufacturer, U.S. distributor, as well as W.Marine, Defender, and
Swego vendors also have no information on my model [HEAT-PAL].


Courtney

Wow! 40 years old! It may be different than the current ones.

Ours is the HeatPal 5000. It consists of two nesting aluminum "buckets".
One has a bracket which holds the heating part, the other is a cover
which helps collect and radiate heat. The heating section has 2 parts:
An Origo stove cartridge - a canister about 2" hight and 12" in diameter
completely filled with a wick material with a hole in the top exposing
about 3" of the wick surface. The other is a cover for the cartridge
which has a flame diffuser, a lever that partially or completely covers
the flame to control the heat, and little grate for setting pots and
things on.

You fill the cartridge by simply pouring alcohol onto the wick until it
won't take any more. (Yes, it's messy.) The fuel is just denatured
alcohol or "stove" alcohol. This can range from the Origo brand alcohol
(expensive, but not much smell and less water vapor) to the generic
alcohol they sell in the paint section of the hardware store.

Once the cartridge is full and you have it all reassembled, you light it
by sticking a match or a BBQ lighter tip through the diffuser. It
usually takes two tries because there's an initial "pop" which usually
blows out the flame. You control the flame by moving the lever back and
forth. The second bucket gets turned upside-down and is placed on top of
the first.

Our boat has excellent ventilation so we haven't had any problem with
gases. I don't think these produce much carbon monoxide, but they do use
oxygen. Use common sense and I think they're very safe.

Why aren't they popular? I really don't know. I think most people only
sail when it's warm and just don't want to mess with heaters. Others
want a built-in diesel or propane heater. We bought our HeatPal when we
were chartering in cold weather (cheaper rates) and still use it on our
own boat. We've also used it at home when the gas was out.

I'd be really careful about a 40 year old unit. These things are dirt
simple, but combustion is a tricky thing. Be sure to try it out of doors
before you use it on your boat.

Cindy

Here's what ours looks like...
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...roductId=12130




--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

I'd think that a old fire brick would help a Heat-Pal make thing's
cozy. I'm going to try it on mine. Good idea's.

Cindy Ballreich wrote in message ...
Courtney Thomas wrote:
Have come into an old single burner and am considering it as a backup
source.

Opinions, caveats, advice ?


Opinions:
We have one and like it. It's easy to use, seems fairly safe,
produces quite a bit of heat, and has a pretty blue flame. And if
you run out of propane, it's a usable stove.

Caveats:
Be sure to use good quality alcohol - some types have a terrible
lacquer smell. (The really cheap stuff they have at Ace is
nasty!) Spillage is inevitable so be sure to fill the cartridge
on deck. It will produce quite a bit of water vapor so be
prepared for condensation. Make sure that your boat is well
ventilated.

Advice:
We've been told that putting a brick or large stone on the grate
above the flame will make it heat better, but we haven't tried
that. Of course the most effective places to put it are the same
places where it's most likely to get kicked over. Be careful.

Stay warm!