surgical spirit in trangia burner
- Thread starter greatbear
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Surgical spirit is either predominantly ethyl alcohol (ethanol) or isopropanol. Both will work in a trangia burner, but ethanol burns better and cleaner. However, depends on overall makeup - some only contain 70% alcohol for example, and depends what the other ingredients are.
I would say on balance, no. It will burn, but not well. Methylated spirit (mostly ethanol, some methanol to make it poisonous and dyes/flavourants to stop people drinking it) is the correct fuel.
From http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm:
"Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol, 2-Propanol, rubbing alcohol) Not recommended -
Found in drug, food and general stores (HEET in red container). Rubbing alcohol is generally only 70% alcohol and won't work in many stoves. Alcohol with 91% or greater alcohol content will work, but will leave a sooty residue on your pot and brown water in your stove. The heat potential for this fuel is high, but it doesn't generally burn completely (yellow flame and unburned soot) and is generally mixed with water that isn't burned and hinders fuel efficiency."
From http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm:
"Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol, 2-Propanol, rubbing alcohol) Not recommended -
Found in drug, food and general stores (HEET in red container). Rubbing alcohol is generally only 70% alcohol and won't work in many stoves. Alcohol with 91% or greater alcohol content will work, but will leave a sooty residue on your pot and brown water in your stove. The heat potential for this fuel is high, but it doesn't generally burn completely (yellow flame and unburned soot) and is generally mixed with water that isn't burned and hinders fuel efficiency."
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I offered a meths burner to a bloke sleeping rough today, who was saying that he was sick of eating cold food. He refused on the grounds that he'd used one with paraffin and got really mucky. I offered him some meths to go with it. He still refused. I think he had other issues.
Bit off-topic. Sorry.
Cheers,
Leif
Bit off-topic. Sorry.
Cheers,
Leif
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