Alcohol fuel test Methylated spirit VS bio ethanol. What alcohol fuel is best for camping stoves
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- WHICH WORKS BEST??
Bio ethanol VS Methylated spirit
Whats the best alcohol spirit for camping alcohol stove.
Well in my video I have tested two different types of alcohol spirits for you.
The is the BIO ETHANOL and the other is METHYLATED SPIRIT.
MORE ALCOHOL STOVE TESTS
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• Testing and reviewing ...
LIXADA WOOD BURNING STOVE
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• Lixada backpacking sto...
great vid dan , would like to see a 1ltr water boil race with different fuels , we now know bioethanol burns quicker , does it boil water quicker for same amount of fuel ?
There is an old saying.
" the candle that burns twice as bright,
Burns half as long "
Not a lot of people know that.
A small tip, put a small amount of water in the fuel, about 10% still burns very well but stops smoking, and stays on the kettle clean.
was about to mention this, works really well for meths
Would u add water to the bio fuel one aswell
@@scottishhitman I would not
@@scottishhitman I have never use biofuel yet....
Harder to light in cold conditions that's for the meths
If you look at the Safety Data Sheets for each, you'll find that the bio ethanol is 100% pure ethanol, while the meth contains about 5% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, and 5% butanol. The ethanol and butanol are both 100% clean burning fuels, but the isopropanol does not burn cleanly. That is the ingredient that makes the meth burn sooty.
6:20 Since the two fuels are nearly identical, they contain nearly the same amount of heat energy. It stands to reason that if one releases its energy quicker, it will be used up sooner. If you switch the fuels in the stoves and run it again, you might find that the biofuel still burns quicker/hotter, or you may find that the stoves were the difference, and the meths burn hotter/faster in the other stove.
i just today test burn my new trangia copy lixada burner whit hand cleaner isopropanol 70% and burtn wery clean and notr see good blue fire ,need dark room can see fire or touch hand up fire feel have hot, wery clean burn hand cleaning iso propanol alsoft 70% leopard medical brand co, pottle has.
The bioethanol used in this video is not 100% ethanol, the label states ≥95% ethanol, the other ingredients are probably the same as in the 'methylated spirits' with the exception of the purple dye, but the ethanol content of that is more around the 89-92%, which will explain the difference in burn characteristics.
@@ruairidhalexander7631 not need be 99% alcohol, can use hand disinfect IPA ethyl alcohol 70-94% all burn fine i just test hand wash IPA and burn fine 70% alcohol ethyl, and i cooking spaghetti. working well.
Great video. I'd be interested if the fuels burnt at the same rate if you swapped the fuels over in each burner.
Could the poster comment on this test?
Probably wouldn’t be worth another video
Definitely important. Two different stoves will perform differently.
I thought that was what was going to happen when I saw the four containers!
The meths smell does not worry me as I cook outdoors weather permitting. Under a large canopy if not. I add 10% water which seems to cure the soot problem. I get enough heat to cook with meths, the ethanol would probably burn food too easily.
But if you need hot water fast the ethanol would do the job nice and quickly.....
Horses for courses really. But I think I'll stick with the meths.
Great video, Thank you.....
If you need hot water fast you use a canister stove😂 in me experience nearly all Trangia type stoves will take 6-8 minutes to boil 1/2lt of water, ok, ok I know some of you will say “oh but mine only takes 4 minutes” but the fact remains on average it’s going to be 6-8 minutes . I use both, meths is smelly, dirty and relatively more expensive than bio if bought in bulk. On the other hand bio is cleaner, hotter burning, more or less odourless and cheaper, for me it comes down to availability. Come on guys do your own testing and have som fun! Dan, if you read this, as always mate thanks for all your hard work, much appreciated. Regards from Clive in deepest Dorset.
@@clivenewton7609 Good input from you Clive. I have used Meths in the past, but I agree with you Bioethanol is cleaner, odourless and is generally a better fuel for Trangia stoves in 2023.
Are they both “Trangia” stoves- ? If not that may account for the difference in flames- how about reversing the test,to see if the flames & burn times are any different
I thought the same too.
Ditto. Also, if the flame is more fierce will it boil faster making up for the quicker fuel use? I'm also keen to see the amount of soot from the bio ethanol
Alright mate. Don’t put the screw lid on first,as you will burn up the rubber seal ring it it. Let it cool first. The seal will last longer.
All the best.
Hey Dan, great test. Although the meths lasted longer doesn't mean it is better. The bio ethonol maybe just releases it's energy quicker. Its how you harness the energy coming from them that would be important. With the bio fuel you could use the simmer ring and reduce its use of fuel maybe to the same level as the meths and get a longer burn time. I don't know the calorific value of them, maybe one is higher meaning it has the potential to produce more energy (heat).
There are loads of people doing these test on youtube, The problem with meths is it can be a mixture of different alcohols so different brands may give different results.
I have a alcohol stove but don't use it when camping as the risk of knocking it over or some spillage in the environment would not be good. I love the silence of alcohol compared to gas.
I hope you have a fire extinguisher/blanket when you are doing this as it could quickly go wrong. Maybe mention something about safety in your videos.
Keep up the great content mate.
ATB-Phill
Hi, what do you use when camping? Thanks
@@saraha3498 hi Sarah. I tend to use gas. It's is safer and more controllable.
Take care
ATB-Phill
Life is dangerous dude. Stop worrying so much. You are in more danger driving to work. There are no safe spaces and not everyone gets a trophy.
Well seen a jetboil nearly put a tent up in flames when accidentally knocked over so it's a case of be careful no matter what you use if your not confident just take sandwiches 🤣
@@davidadams8890you’re**
Your test shows that bioethanol burns hotter, and faster. You should boil half a litre of water on each one and see how long it takes. For boiling water, my guess is that the bioethanol will win. I've heard you can add water to the bioethanol to cool it down a bit. :)
In the Netherlands Methylated Spirits is called "Spiritus". Besides a significant amount of Methanol it also contains a additive that causes vomiting when the stuff is swallowed. The colourant caused nasty deposits inside my Trangia burner.
Oh, bloody hell... 🤢🤮
Cheers for sharing that. So why do people keep using the methyl spirits - in particular the purple coloured shite - if it causes that, because it's so cheap? 🤔
Does regular Ethanol do that then if you burn it solely indoors? (not bio kind).
@@Johny40Se7enThank god they add that because you'd die or turn blind if you consume it instead of just throwing up.
That's a deliberate safety feature.
Bio ethanol will turn you blind instead or cause death.
As for burning, it's still much cleaner/less sooty than a candle is.
But it does clog up your trangia, you'll have to clean it every 1000 or so uses.
@@Johny40Se7en the irony is: it's not cheaper. Just looked it up, bottles of methylated spirits at most DIY places I could find are more per L than bioethanol in the UK.
I guess the thing is, if I was caught short, I'd use meths because you can get it everywhere. But I'd rather not...cos the Methyl Ethyl Ketone is poisonous, and also the data sheet for Butanone and Bittrex - that bitter taste both say that lung irritation and damage can occur if the fumes are breathed in....ugh.
@@harduphiker Agreed fella
I have to be honest and confess...... My names Alan and I'm an alcohol stove aholic..... lol. I have been using Trangia stove for many many years and still use them today. I have tried all kinds of different fuels and for whatever the reason, I tend to gravitate back to Meths. I would agree that the Ethanol is much cheaper, cleaner and safer, but I still use meth. Over the last year I have started to use a Crusader MKII stove set and love it, but the old faithful Trangia is always with me.
Nah then, is it my eyes or are they two different models of stoves? Trangia? And a trangia clone?
The bio burning quicker is not really a sign of less economical. It was putting more heat out, so you'd snuff it out once you'd boiled or cooked... So using less fuel.
It might be worth trying them both again with a simmer ring (probably burn for about an hour and half though lol)
If the stoves are two different brands, it's not a fair test?
Keep the videos up, some good content. Cheers
i has uses my old trangia ewery weeken trip last 26 year and woreking today well no newer has problem. perfect stove and set full trangia 27.3 set. what i give cristmas girft young boy and today working well.
Hi Dan those little bottles you had the fuel in look like the ones I have for soap, if they have a little flip top opener on top of the lid they are. Just wanted to warn you that they can possibly get flipped open in your rucksack, it happened to me once made a right mess. If your unscrewing the lid anyway might be safer to tape up that flip opening, they are good containers otherwise. Rob.
A boil time comparison would be good, presumably, the hotter burning bio ethanol would boil quicker, but who knows. You probably already know, but burners like the speedster burner are spill proof which is obviously safer👍🏻
Haa anyone tried mixing them to get a compromise between heat / burn length / lack of soot?
Interesting test Dan. I suppose if I was just boiling up some water, its the Bio. For cooking it maybe a bit too hot for something that takes a while. 🤔 Regards Allan.
This is perfect just bought a trangia and needed to know what fuels best , thanks mate
i has use trangia last 26 year and working today well i cooking spaghetti and test isopropanol hand cleaner 70% and burn perfect hot and clean.
What brand lighter did you use Sir ?? Nice and informative video fella. I personally like the bio ethanol as you want heat and clean burning flame. No one likes soot under the bottom of any pan. What is the gallon or 3.78 liters price at your end Sir for each fuel used ??
What was it you were testing?
Putting the lid on the already exhausted (out) bio fuel burner was unnecessary and doubtless damaged the Oring. Common sense and countless UA-cam vids say "Don't do it"
The burners are not SPACE HEATERS.
Test under working conditions, that is what they will be for, work that is not tests.
But as you found out the Bio pumps out more heat, so it's logical to deduce that it will boil the same quantity of water faster than the meths... or Bio will boil more water for the same quantity of fuel.
Each of us might have specific requirements, Weight, Cost, Speed, Smell, Clean burn, ...
But generally we use what we have, and if not happy we will swap it out.
I tinker about, mod this, try that; but then I am a tinkerer.
Most equipment does its job.
Thanks for the vlogs
Take care
They both have exactly the same energy density 21.2 MJ/litr. You can happily burn bio ethanol in your tent, as a fuel it is used as fuel for indoor stoves.
No, methanol is only 15.8
@@michaelbearyWho mentioned Methanol???????
Hi Dan, I think the word you are searching for is 'calorific value'. Bio ethanol has a higher calorific value than Mentholated spirit.
What would happen if I used gel with this just wondering 😂
Think I'd go with the meths. Steady flame did it for me. Would make cooking a whole lot easier
....or use the simmer ring?
Use a ceramic wool sponge for the bio ethanol and then it will outlast the Methylated spirit you can also use white fiberglass to make it last longer.
Also is spill proof! I have one of those burners...just waiting for the bioethanol to arrive. How I wish B&Q actually stocked La Hacienda stuff (in the video) in most of their stores!
Never tried the bio, I've used meths for ages and have no problem with the smell.
Hay Dan.
Great video. I tend to use Meths due to it been available at more places so easier to buy. I will keep my eyes peeled for the bio though.
Your comparison video is not comparable! If you are doing a fuel burn time test you should use the same burner! Using like burners takes no account of manufacturing differences. Or in your case you should have conducted the test again swapping the fuels over. Easier and cheaper (only two fuel fills) if you use one burner and time result then repeat test with different fuel.
I think the meths has more water initially before the 10% water is added. This makes it last longer. I would like to see what happens if 20% water is added to the bio ethanol.
The left one is burning yellow - means carbon monoxide. Not good.
Have you tried adding water to the meths ? I normally add 10% keeps you pans clean and burns just as hot
I just bought a trangia system and bought an aditional trangia gas burner. I made a cup of tea using Go Outdoors own bio fuel, took 8 mins to boil, used colman performace gas and took less than 3 mins to boil. The alchol burner is very quiet and been told it operates in all conditions.
Watch out for using the alcohol stoves in windy conditions. I tried in a windy coastal location and the food I had would not even reach boiling point. Had to give up in the end, and use my brother's gas stove! Clearly they are not good in wind. Okay in a sheltered location though, and when there is not too much wind. That was in a mini Trangia. Maybe the full size Trangias work better in wind, I don't know.
Youve started something here mate, im also interested to see boil tests with each fuel in each stove.
yotube have many make this test. search and looking
I'd be more interested to know which was the most efficient to boil or cook on rather than just how long it burned for - that doesn't mean too much in isolation really.
Thanks for doing the video anyway though 👍🏻
How's about equal amounts of fuels mixed together with 10/ percent water?
Two different stoves by the looks of them do a reverse test to see if you get similar results .... soot on your cookware ..... use a used teabag itll wipe straight off
As the bio fuel burns much hotter you will boil water faster so you wont use as much fuel, if one boils in 5 mins and the other takes 7-8 mins the bio wins. As I mention below, its not a fair test if the stoves are different.
See some boil tests. Be interesting to see which one boils water quicker or if they boil in te same time.
true have camping have time not newer have important how fast water boil no matter boil 5 min or 15 min newermind not important
Great video it would be nice to see you swap the stoves over by putting meths in the one with the ethanol and ethanol in the meths one to see if you get the same result.
Because I'm guessing that the burners are different makes/models so it could be that the one with the meths in is a trangia if I'm not mistaken and the one with the ethanol in isn't a trangia.
The trangia with the meths in might burn more efficient than the other one.
I've just bought a trangia and some meths for it.
I've heard that there's a company in Barnsley not too far from me called Ekofuel that makes a bio ethanol but it's about £25 for 6 litres.
@@Steve-h-v sadly seems meths is that sort of price now, so EkoFuel seems the cheaper option...can't find Meths cheaper than £4 per L, and that's at 5L. Maybe you need to buy gallons to get it cheaper?
I use the bio for the reasons A meths is crap in winter, bio is great in winter . As you say no soot with bio and it burns hotter
I'm just guessing, the more yellow flames the more soot.
Is the one on the right,the meths burner, a 3 crowns burner,
Reason I ask is because it hasn't got a proper thread for the lid
wow 1.99 for 500ml of meths.... just paid 3.50 for 500 ml in tesco.
What would Methanol be like not methylated spirits as it’s just ethanol with mineral spirit in it
To be a proper comparison you'd need to run the test again, but swapping the burners, this would allow for any differences between the way the burners use up the fuel.
The biofuel was hotter but burned out quicker. If you were to time it and see how long both burn, then you could calculate the heat generated.
It would be interesting to repeat your test and swap the two stoves. The right one seems not to be an original Trangia stove.
I agree. Trangias typically burn faster and hotter than the Chinese copies.. I have both..
I wonder if the burners made any difference as I noticed they were different and have you tried Isopropanol?
Links ist ein original Trangia Brenner, rechts ein Nachbau. Das Original brennt immer stärker, unabhängig vom Brennstoff.
I tried to buy bio ethanol last time I restocked fuel and couldn't find it at even an ok price. In a city. So I bought couple of bottles of meths from a small local hardwear store, cheaper than big shops. Am fine with it. Maybe next time for the bio.
Seen bio ethanol in B&Q
Great comparison video , I’ve got an alcohol stove on order so I’m just doing a bit of research . I’ve subscribed and will check your videos when they come out 👍
What is the lid with a hole for chocking up the flame?
Blue flame is full combustion, yellow is incomplete combustion
What happens if you dangle your 'helmet' into the blue flame?
Youve sold me on the bio another great review
The meths is a beautiful colour.
What about the smell? Does one smell more than the other when burning? And does one soot more than the other?
Hi William maybe a second video should be done about your questions. Thankyou for your watching
Also which boils 1/2 litre the quickest - at which point you shut off the flame then Re weigh residual fuel
Good point me ,this only mean I have a new video to make ,let's put it to the test
There different burners so not a fair test
Hi if you spill the meths you can smell it that makes it safer , get the wife to clean your pots job done
Not gunna drink bio are you tho it still stinks of alc
Meths is Ethanol with added Methanol. Methanol has less energy content than Ethanol so may burn longer but produces less heat'. Both produce the same toxic fumes which don't smell so neither is safer than the other, always use in a well ventilated are. I've been using methanol and ethanol for over forty years and in reality there is little difference in stove performance. Don't add water all it does is slow down cooking time. Nice video.
'meths' has not had any methanol in the formulation for around ten years at least in the UK and EU.
@@ruairidhalexander7631 True but you'll find some brands still list a methanol/ethanol mix.
@@rikuk3 it's illegal in the UK and EU to have any methanol in any 'methylated spirits' or denatured alcohol.
Which brands are you referring to?
Yes, but the purple one is pure alcohol (Ethanol) the same stuff as spirits you drink. What is the clear one?
The purple one is methylated. Methanol is poisonous and causes blindness or even can be fatal. Do not drink!
It's more combustible
I think the difference is: bioethanol is purer - usually more ethanol, which is what burns best in alcohol stoves, so it burns hotter and faster. The methanol and other addititves, even a little water in meths is what means it burns longer but colder. Apparently there is more calorific energy in pure alcohol, ethyl alcohol than methanol, but I'm not a chemist, just what my research has shown.
I think I'll stick to Meths. Far too much flame to lick around the pot and get wasted with the Bio. I rather like the odour from the Meths as it takes me back to boiling a brew on the Empire Stove in the beach hut 60y+yrs ago when I was a kid.
Thanks for the video - it was good to see the comparison.
By the way, I would say that the more stable flame of the Meths makes it quite possible - with care and in the proper stove set-up - to cook in the porch.
Meths for me, the flame is more 'tameable' for cooking/simmering and I can add water to make it even better for cooking (less heat and obviously less soot). Most hardware stores sell it and reasonably priced in bulk. I used to watch the American guys boiling 2 cups of water (500ml) in around 6 minutes and think, hang on it's taking me 8 to 10 minutes, until I realised they were using bio ethanol. If I wanted quickness I'd get the old gas canister out. Using alcohol burners is great and I'm constantly buying different stoves (and burners). Currently I'm trying a Toaks Siphon stove (although actually it's a burner) and that just roars, very, very light though. Keep up the good work with the videos very informative mate.
My, what a lot of comments! I am getting a Trangia and did some research on fuel, wandered round the town and bought some Meths, went into Blacks and bought a bottle of 'Firedragon' supposedly 'eco friendly' made from 'Denatured ethanol' whatever that is, will wait till the stove arrives to find out.
Interesting thought the bio lasted longer
Meths is handy if kids are about, colour and smell
I am afraid to tell, but I want. Burn times depend of the burner variance, also maybe of if it is ethanol (not so human toxic) or methanol (toxic). Maybe also added ingredients, sooting definately. So I can't much give you credit from this video in information value. They are always interesting though, so thank you from them :)
Burn distance matters, from burner to pot. How long the burner keeps going. Something like an inch (2.54 cm) and below keeps the Trangia type burners in quite blue hot flame. It won't much soot my pot bottom with my Sinol denatured ethanol fuel. Someone once tested about flame distances and found out that about 1.44 inch was fastest in making the water in pot boil. Flames kept in laboratory situation under the somewhat large enough diameter pot. Not much difference between 1.25 to 1.75 range.
About fuel consumption I would say, though not fastest. Less than an inch burn distance. Depends of the pot diameter too and material, Is an optimum.
So as a conclusion my opinion is that Hiram Cook's sweet spot (point?), one inch is quite optimal for most situations.
I try keep my meat consumption in about 150g a day, but I'm only a 75 kg guy. As a comment about your beefs :)
Why I prefer denatured alcohol, I boil my tea water for my single cup also at home and can hear when the temperature is right to stop and not let the burner go dry burned. Green tea about 8 ml and black tea maybe 10 --11 ml fuel. Needs of course my 30 ml cough syrap cup to feed my Trangia type chinese knockoff lol.
Methylated spirits is a mixture of Ethanol and Methanol. Methanol is highly toxic and can cause blindness and even death, where as Ethanol (Ethyl alcohol/bio ethanol) is just pure consumer grade alcohol found in your every day beverages. Both only produce carbon dioxide and water vapour when combusted though, so no harmful carbon monoxide etc, it's just the pre-combustion handling that's the issue...The methanol slows the combustion down by increasing the number of carbon atoms in the combustion chain for a slower and less efficient burn (hence the soot), but the liquid virtually contains the same overall energy (marginally less). So how long did a full stove of bio actually last for then???
yes methanol have toxic IF you DRINK this one liter need go hospital, if have hand or food powl little no matter, only have bad taste ands smell. no need newer worry die. or if die have totally idiot and drink lot all pottle methanol and this stupid need die ,this have only darwin law idiots die early than normal peoples.
No methanol in 'methylated spirits' in the UK or EU for the past ten years
The left side of the screen is Trangia, and the right side is a Chinese product. Looking at the lid part, the width of the screw is different. Chinese products have a wide screw pitch, and Chinese products do not burn well in either ethanol or methanol.
Would be interesting to know if the stoves are the same too. If I remember rightly Dan, one is trangia and the other a copy? Could make a difference.
that thought was in my mind.i have a chinese copy of the trangia and it seems to use a full load of bio in about 20 minutes always needs topping up before I'm finished cooking.
I add 10% water to my meths.. less soot very economical no brainer.. great vid.
I wonder; if you put 10% water in the Bio Ethanol it may reduce the ferocity of the flame, must test! The Bio ran out first but produced more energy, probably more volatile than the Meths. Let's see the test with both fuels having 7 to 10% water please.
Can you time how long they take to boil a set amount of water?
no matter how long go to boil water not important at camping.
Not really had much issue with sooting or smell with the meth.. and I do cook in the vestibule with it.. was looking at the bio cos I’ve seen it cheaper but that flame is super aggressive and I’d defo think twice about using it i the old vestibule.. in your vid the meth lasts longer due to it burning less aggressively or with more control.. I think if the bio burned with the same control as the meth they would both have very similar burn times.. closing note, youd defo warm up your tent nicely using the bio in your tent.. :)
Well I was trained to paint by the master Norman Greenwood from Barnsley and he would always use Meths to clean windows. 30 years on and I still use that advice. So my Lixada will always have meths.
"Fierce"
One burner is newer then the other clearly visible by the oxidation of the brass, a new trangia burner vs a well used one will have exact results as this in flame size and fuel use. A well used burner will have a lot bigger flame and burn quicker. Bio ethanol is a good trangia fuel though.
Hi didn't you have problems with the colouring agent sticking to the bottom of the alcohol burner?
You can slow down the rate the bio ethanol fuel is burning by adding a little water to the mix before you even light the stove.
English Woodsman you are the main man.... I watch your videos all the time for inspiration, but this video is inconclusive, you can't compare to different fuels using 2 different alcohol burners. the only way to accurately compare different fuels is to use the exact same burner.
Dan Yes the bio burns quicker... but the question is would they both boil the same amount of water for the same amount of fuel. Would the Menthylated spirits boil more water but take longer if as you said a quarter left.
just watched this Dan , cheers mate i just got my stove ,my choice is the Bio one ..just because it will boil stuff faster with the Heat it gives off
@EWM them small bottles from Pound land ? do they leek TA
Similar to the e10 petrol, you use more fuel since the change over, thus making e10 fuel point less and a lie 😂
anybody know Is the bio fuel safe to cook directly on the flame of? Ive always assumed the meths isnt right?
For me it was opposite: meth didn't produce any soot when bioethanol did.. I m. Still not sure what to use.
The one on the right looks like Swedish army Svea stove. They burn slower than the Trangia as I’ve done similar tests
I'd go Bioethanol purely for odour and residues with meths
Dan, are the stoves exactly the same. The threaded parts look different on them.
That’s strange, just watched a video where the bio burned longer than meths 🤔
Bio might boil quicker
You should of tried to swap trangia as well as they looked different
Otherwise the result are inconclusive mate
For me anything that doesn't leave me with sooty pans is the winner!
Bio burns hotter so obviously going to burn the fuel quicker
I like cooking nice meals.
Temperature control is notoriously difficult on alcohol stoves.
Usually being way too hot and focused.
So I much prefer bio ethanol over methylated spirits.
Because it doesn't burn as hot.
Yes if you only use your alcohol stoves for boiling water then methylated for the win.
But if you wanna bake an egg or grill a cheese toast.
Bio ethanol is a bit easier too cook on.
Also a simmer ring helps. I bought my little Speedster stove with a simmer ring for that reason. Or take an empty tea light and just simmer with a little alcohol in that.
Good start. Since its for cooking rather than light output, it'd be good to see not just if it lasts longer but the over heat. I guess you could see how many litters of water you could boil. The ethanol you'd really need the simmer ring to tame that output maybe? Experiments experiments.
Great experiment, cheers. I read that Methanol (purple or clear) isn't safe to burn indoors because it gives off hydrocarbons, what's your take on it? Also, if you're burning regular ethanol, rather than bio ethanol, is it true that it's got to be denatured or it gives off fumes too? 🤔
Bio ethanol definitely seems more energetic. I'd put a vertical fine stainless steel mesh mantle on it for safety, and put a reflective heatshield behind it to so it acts like an infra red heater. There's a UA-cam channel by a guy named *Robert Murray Smith* , he shows a simple heater made from tins on there where he did that very thing. Bloody wonderful 😊
Not sure about hydrocarbons - doesn't all things burning give off those? And of course Carbon Monoxide, why people die in tents every year - gas or BBQ or alcohol stove, it's dangerous to cook where there is no ventilation.
But the meths has extra additives which can be poisonous - and also methanol itself which Meths is a mix of ethyl alcohol and methanol - is poisonous. As in methanol can seep through the skin and poison you, don't get it on your hands! Probably not good to breathe in either....
Dan. So which one to you prefer ? I would still prefer no mess and smell even if it doesn't burn as long but what do you think ?
I have always used meths
i use ethyl alcohol 4 liter/one gallon cost 1,6 $ cheap and burn clean.
Cricky the testing game could go on and on with all the variables and combinations. For example the addition of water, full test would need to add different mixes of water to fuel, burn time, boil tests, and, I guess even mixed fuel test, if you're happy to mix water in with both, then how about mixes of Bio and Meth to bring the two together to get a fuel mix for all occasions: slow simmer, fast boil, higher mountain days and valley days. As outdoor enthusiast I guess we should all lean to "BIO" fuels, and reduce our carbon footprint, BUT, I can't get away from the convenience and safety of a gas canister burner, and not worrying about fuel spillage. I had a really "exciting" moment years ago with an old liquid fuel Primus stove, got the pressure a bit high on the hand pump and then kicked the whole thing over, thankfully it was on very wet ground and no where near my tent, those things were lethal! I feel the same way now about any liquid fuel. Don't get me wrong folks love the simplicity and easy of use and swear by their trangia, we've all had one - those old enough to remember the trangia or the primus being the only option switched to the trangia, but liquid fuel and synthetic fibres in tents and clothes - Nah!
I had a Primus and if you started 'pumping' before the burner got hot a jet of flame would shoot up from the burner and get all the nearby campers running.
Could you tell me where to get the ethanol from. Having problems where I live. Anybody help. Living West Wiltshire
B&Q stock it if you have a store near you. Just under £10 for 2L