Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Thu, 11 Oct 2007 07:34:24 -0400, Gogarty
wrote:

Use Scotch. The single malts burn quite well, and if you don't need to cook,
you can drink the stuff! Cognac also burns well.

Moonshine straight from the still, is 80 to 90 percent ethanol. And
you can dilute it and drink it. Much better fuel than scotch which is
often only 35% alcohol. I as usual I deny everything.

Casady

Scotch these days is 80 proof (40%), as are most spirits such as gin and
vodka. Used to be 86.8 standard and 90 to 100 for gin. Another way to cheat
the consumer.

The liquor store (round here anyway) sells the student's favorite
inadvertent suicide tipple. It's called Everclear. It's 190 degrees
proof (95% alcohol.) They just don't get why alcohol could be lethal,
in less than a bottle. So some bite the dust, every year.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Propane vs Alcohol
 

If you go with the alcohol stove, you can save a lot of money on
fuel-- buy it at the hardware store as "denatured" alcohol (the cans
say for stove use also on them.) I found the cost about 1/2 of
marine store retail! I had an origo two burner that was fine but
slow. It was also a pain to fill the canisters - very hard to do
without spilling when underway.

I am about to install a LPG system on my Cal 31 and am going to put
two tanks behind the steering wheel and built a seat over the tanks.
The cockpit drains will serve to let any leaked propane flow downhill
and overboard. I just bought the new fiberglass tanks that won't
corrode and cost about 1/
the alluminum cost. These tanks also let you see the liguid level in
the tanks. Great invention.
Greg


On Oct 9, 10:10 am, Gordon wrote:
My Pearson 365 ketch currently has a pressurized alcohol Kenyon cook
stove. This sucker has got to go!
Propane would probably be the best way to go but finding a place to
put the tank is a major PIA. I don't like hanging things on railings.
Looks crummy and tends to loosen stanchions. And I don't like extra
stuff on deck. Converting a space in a locker to meet all safety
requirements also seems like a PIA.
Also the cost. Tanks, solenoid. pressure regulator, hoses, sniffer,
installation of wiring and hoses, yada yada
Go, I'm also considering Origo alcohol stoves. Non pressurized, no
tank, no hoses or electrical. However, alcohol is expensive and can be
hard to find if doing extended cruising and you don't want to carry too
much on board. Also, alcohol doesn't have the BTU's of propane.
So, any good advice?
Gordon

Propane vs Alcohol
 

"Brian Whatcott" wrote:

The liquor store (round here anyway) sells the student's favorite
inadvertent suicide tipple. It's called Everclear. It's 190
degrees
proof (95% alcohol.)

Way back when the State of Ohio was the sole retailer of spirits, you
could buy "190" all day long.

It was equivalent to moonshine, but you knew it was safe.

Add some triple distilled water and you could make your own vodka to
whatever proof you desired.

It is also kept in any hospital pharmacry, at least it was in my
college days.

Lew

Propane vs Alcohol
 

Lew Hodgett wrote:
Way back when the State of Ohio was the sole retailer of spirits, you
could buy "190" all day long.

It was equivalent to moonshine, but you knew it was safe.

Add some triple distilled water and you could make your own vodka to
whatever proof you desired.

It is also kept in any hospital pharmacry, at least it was in my
college days.

Lew

I have a few bottles of the pharmacy stuff left. The military uses it to
clean electronics, and I use it to clean all sorts of things. It isn't
the same as what you buy in the store as everclear - this stuff is super
cleaned of impurities and other chemicals. Never tried drinking it
though, my taste buds run more towards dark rum.
Red

Propane vs Alcohol
 

I have a few bottles of the pharmacy stuff left. The military uses it to
clean electronics, and I use it to clean all sorts of things. It isn't
the same as what you buy in the store as everclear - this stuff is super
cleaned of impurities and other chemicals. Never tried drinking it
though, my taste buds run more towards dark rum.
Red

Hey Red, Be very carfull about drinking that stuff you have. It might
be the super "dry" alcohol that uses Benzine to extract what little
water is in the ETOH mixture. What I can remember is the 95% ETOH is
okay to drink its the 98% that will kill you cause of the added
benzine to extract the water.

A wise grad student clued me into that significant diffrence, advising
that drinking the liquid found in the 2 gallon jars filled with dead
fish was drinkable IF it was 95% ETOH and strained to catch any scales
and ecto parasites that fell off in the preserving process. ya thing
lemon flavored vodka is good.........? Ummmm, try Bering Sea Sculpin
flavored lab alcohol. Now thats a real drink!
Bob

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:00:49 -0700, Bob wrote:

... drinking the liquid found in the 2 gallon jars filled with dead
fish was drinkable IF it was 95% ETOH and strained to catch any scales
and ecto parasites that fell off in the preserving process. ya thing
lemon flavored vodka is good.........? Ummmm, try Bering Sea Sculpin
flavored lab alcohol. Now thats a real drink!
Bob


Now THERE'S a manly drink!

:-)

Brian W

Propane vs Alcohol
 

Bob wrote back to say:
Hey Red, Be very carfull about drinking that stuff you have. It might
be the super "dry" alcohol that uses Benzine to extract what little
water is in the ETOH mixture. What I can remember is the 95% ETOH is
okay to drink its the 98% that will kill you cause of the added
benzine to extract the water.

Thanks for the warning Bob, but no worry - I don't plan on drinking it.
There's nothing on the bottle that alludes to benzine on the assay list.
Some things on the label on the bottle says:
Ethyl Alcohol, Absolute, ACS
Flash Point 57deg. F
Specific Gravity at 15.56deg. C .... 0.794
Made by AAPER Alcohol and Chemical Co.
Shelbyville, KY

It does smell good though...
Red

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Oct 16, 6:46 pm, Brian Whatcott wrote:
On Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:00:49 -0700, Bob wrote:
... drinking the liquid found in the 2 gallon jars filled with dead
fish was drinkable IF it was 95% ETOH and strained to catch any scales
and ecto parasites that fell off in the preserving process. ya thing
lemon flavored vodka is good.........? Ummmm, try Bering Sea Sculpin
flavored lab alcohol. Now thats a real drink!
Bob

Now THERE'S a manly drink!

:-)

Brian W


Hi Brian:
Do you thing Wilbur would approve and deem fish flavored lab alcohol
as amply manly and adequately nautical?
Bob

Propane vs Alcohol
 

Another option you might consider is CNG (compressed natural gas).
Unlike propane, NG rises, and that opens up a whole bunch of storage
opportunities. Once thought of as the best solution for boats, CNG
has fallen out of favor, as it's expensive or impossible to refill in
some places. In my way of thinking, that means you might find someone
getting rid of a perfectly serviceable CNG rig for next to nothing.
If you'll be cruising in areas where CNG is available, you might be
able to set yourself up nicely without much of the PIA you describe.

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:44:00 -0700, Bob wrote:


Hi Brian:
Do you thing Wilbur would approve and deem fish flavored lab alcohol
as amply manly and adequately nautical?
Bob



I'm uncomfortable to think I might be able to predict a Wilbur
reaction & response - so I'll pass!

Brian W