Fuel Bottle Woes

[Muddypaws]

I have a Sigg fuel bottle that I use for meths. It is now about twenty years old, and I must admit it hasn't been used very much in recent years.
Sigg bottle by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr

Just recently I got the bottle out to use it, and found that the meths that I thought was in it had turned into a yucky residue. My first thought was that the sealing washer no longer sealed. Then I found out that Sigg no longer sell fuel bottles, and consequently no spare parts for fuel bottles. I thought I could probably just use a suitably sized O ring.
After cleaning out the horrible residue, I found that the problem was in fact a small pinhole in the bottom of the bottle, caused by oxidisation of the aluminium.
Pinhole by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr

Clearly I need a new fuel bottle. So I thought I would ask the forum for recommendations.

I have looked online at MSR bottles, but they are designed to be pressurised, and I don't need that capability. Also they are made in China, which is not a deal breaker, but if I can avoid it I would.

I also emailed Sigg, and asked them if the coatings on the inside of their drinks bottles were safe for meths, but they replied that they are not tested as such, and so could not recommend that type of usage.

So does anybody use a Sigg drink bottle for meths carrying, or can anyone recommend another fuel bottle?
Looking forward to reading your suggestions.

 

[Chainsaw]

Trangia do a meths bottle which has a good pouring cap on it. Had mine for many years Info here just find a retailer near you.

 

[Broch]

I used my Sigg for 40% proof alcohol for about twenty years; I emptied it each time I got home mind (if I hadn't emptied it on my trek ).

 

[Riven]

I had exactly the same thing happen to a Sigg fuel bottle years ago so glad its not just me. Replaced it with the Trangia bottle and no longer leave meths in after a trip.

 

[underground]

Another vote for the Trangia bottle from me..

 

[Chainsaw]

I've had meths in my trangia bottle for 10 years solid, never been cleaned but has been emptied a couple of times then refilled as soon as I got more meths. It's plastic and in pretty much perfect condition.

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

Plastic drinks bottles are just as good and come in many sizes.

 

[Dave Budd]

I normally keep my meths in a plastic drinks bottle, though I do also have a glass bottle but I wouldn't suggest that for carrying out and about! It's always the seals on bottles that go for me, but pop bottles are free after drinking the contents so I'm not bothered.

 

[Muddypaws]

Thanks for the recommendations. I looked at the Trangia bottle some years ago, and I must admit that I was sceptical, thinking that a plastic bottle would not be tough enough. Now it looks like I was wrong.

Fortunately it looks like there are several shops locally where I could look at the Trangia bottle.

The other option I have is to use my existing Sigg drink bottle (about 18 years old) for my fuel bottle, and buy a new drink bottle.

Thanks again.

 

[Macaroon]

http://www.militarymart.co.uk/replacement-methylated-spirit-bottle/

I've used these since god was a boy and never had any problem with them; 250ml so if I'm out for a while I'll take two but even on long trips I've never used all that.

At £1.50 a pop it's a no-brainer for me..............Oh and they weigh nothing at all

 

[Nice65]

If you've got cash to burn, Klean Kanteen build high quality stainless flasks. Smallest is about 0.5 litre, or they do some for kids.

I have a couple of the 27oz/760cc Reflect Bamboo bottles for water and rate them highly. I managed to pick them up as part of a closing sale, the retail price is a bit scary. Very nice bottles though.

 

[sunndog]

Those trangia bottles are tough as old boots. I found mine in a hedge. Looked like it had been there years and the meths was still good
Its all good though. Those miliary ones or pop bottles....they all work

 

[Old Bones]

Just happened to spot this on Alpkits website - and on sale as well. Seven quid looks good value.

 

[Hammock_man]

Take a suitable size pop bottle ( 250ml, 750ml whatever) cover it in bathroom sealant, the white tooth paste like stuff. Then wrap it in some crape bandage. The bandage will allow the sealant to dry and harden. A flexible armour plated bottle for a little over a pound

 

[Chomp]

As 'armour', I've used a couple of small insulating beer can holders with a hole in the bottom of one to stick the neck of the plastic bottle through. A quick look online shows you can get neoprene sleeves for water bottles..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Neoprene...453027&hash=item33dce62a86:g:F~QAAOSwIJlaLCgH

 

[C_Claycomb]

I had an MSR aluminium fuel bottle and put meths in it...very quickly found that it was corroding fast and that aluminium is not suitable for holding alcohol fuels. The aluminium requires a coating to keep the alcohol away.
I did a quick Google around, and found this: "Alcoholate corrosion of aluminium in ethanol blends"
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:720728/FULLTEXT01.pdf
which shows that corrosion of aluminium by alcohol is a recognised reaction, not just some myth people talk about for camping fuel.

Since then, I have seen the light, and will not use anything other than used Cola bottles to carry my meths. They are very strong, very well sealed, and very light weight. I like the armour idea, but unless I dropped my bottle off a cliff onto rocks, I reckon a naked Coke bottle can handle anything I can dish out. They even pour nicely since the thread is on the outside, rather than inside as with fuel bottles. If you really wanted a pouring cap, you could make one by putting some holes in an extra bottle cap and swapping at pour time.

 

[sunndog]

I'v seen pop bottles run over by a car and not burst. I use mineral water bottles for water and don't baby them at all....plenty strong enough

 

[Muddypaws]

I had an MSR aluminium fuel bottle and put meths in it...very quickly found that it was corroding fast and that aluminium is not suitable for holding alcohol fuels. The aluminium requires a coating to keep the alcohol away.
I did a quick Google around, and found this: "Alcoholate corrosion of aluminium in ethanol blends"
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:720728/FULLTEXT01.pdf
which shows that corrosion of aluminium by alcohol is a recognised reaction, not just some myth people talk about for camping fuel.

Thanks for that link - looks very interesting. Not really keeping my ear to the ground with regards to developments in camping kit I had no idea that alcoholate corrosion was a known thing.

I only went with a Sigg bottle because my introduction to Trangia cooking was (many years ago) on an Outward Bound course, and that was the kit they used. I was given to understand that the kit they used was simple, reliable and fairly idiot proof. I guess that, even so, they probably have a high kit turnover, and as such, they wouldn't have experienced this type of corrosion.

Thanks for all the suggestions though - you've certainly given me something to think about!

 

[C_Claycomb]

In 2006 Coca Cola created special little football shape bottles. On weighing them, they were about the same as a 500ml standard bottle, but much smaller, and much, much stiffer. Same cap size. I bought several and have been using the same one for my meths ever since!

 

[Muddypaws]

In 2006 Coca Cola created special little football shape bottles. On weighing them, they were about the same as a 500ml standard bottle, but much smaller, and much, much stiffer. Same cap size. I bought several and have been using the same one for my meths ever since!

That would be the same weight as the standard bottle because of the way they are made. They start with a PET blank that looks like a test tube, but with the standard pop bottle threads and cap. Then they heat and blow mould it into a bottle shape. Pretty likely that they wouldn't use a special size blank to make a limited edition bottle.

That has given me an idea - if I could get a bottle blank then I could blow mould it into my otherwise useless Sigg bottle! I'm pretty sure that I'll never get around to it though.