SAT stove

[Gray]

Pm received, in post tomorrow

 

[Andy BB]

seem to remember somewhere reading that, as temps dropped below zero, methanol became a better fuel than ethanol, as it produced more vapour at lower temps - I'm sure one of our scientific members can confirm or deny that!). However, I've had my SAT working well down to -20C on meths. My trick for lighting it in cold weather is to roll a small piece of tissue paper into a strip, place it on the "lip" around the Army Trangia put a few drops of meths on it,(or dip it first into the fuel in the trangia), and ignite. Never failed me yet!

 

[Gray]

Great advice as always, thanks guys

 

[ex member pyrophil]

seem to remember somewhere reading that, as temps dropped below zero, methanol became a better fuel than ethanol, as it produced more vapour at lower temps - I'm sure one of our scientific members can confirm or deny that!). However, I've had my SAT working well down to -20C on meths. My trick for lighting it in cold weather is to roll a small piece of tissue paper into a strip, place it on the "lip" around the Army Trangia put a few drops of meths on it,(or dip it first into the fuel in the trangia), and ignite. Never failed me yet!

I am getting one for my little boy so he will be out in the warmer weather only. good tip and it does work, helps warm up the burner.

 

[ex member pyrophil]

Pm received, in post tomorrow

Thank you.

 

[bilmo-p5]

A wick will always help lighting an open meths burner such as a Trangia, and anything will do; scrap of paper, blade of grass, matchstick etc. Just stick it in the burner so it's poking out of the top and then light it.

 

[Gray]

As said previously, the advice is gold and is very,very appreciated.

 

[ex member pyrophil]

Just looking on go out doors site and they have, fuel4 bio-ethanol gel fuel.
Contents:
Acetone denatured alcohol
Polymer thickening agent
Base activator
so guess acetone does help, this stuff sold as green.

 

[Gray]

Been out this morning and got my methanol. Conducted the same test with 1 ltr in the billy and the smaller cup 1/2 full. It took 16 mins to boil so well impressed with methanol, faster boil time than meths which took 20 mins. Damn site cheaper as well, 19 quid for 5 gallon

 

[ged]

Here are the vapour pressures, flash points and explosive limits of some liquid fuels.

Acetone 25kPa -17C 13-57%
Methanol 13kPa 11C 7-36%
Ethanol 6kPa 15C 3-19%
Gasoline 50kPa -43C 1.4-7.6%
Paraffin 0.5kPa 50C 0.7-5%

As you can see, acetone is much more volatile than the two alcohols, in fact gasoline has only twice the vapour pressure. The flash point of acetone is well below freezing point, but the alcohol flash points are both above 10C. This is why acetone is much easier to light than the alcohols at low temperatures. A long time ago, when I worked in the R&D labs at an explosives factory in Derbyshire, I once accidentally set light to a 25 litre drum of acetone (that was quite exciting) so I can personally vouch for the fact that acetone is very easy to light.

Acetone has a very wide range of explosive concentrations so from that point of view it could be thought of as considerably more dangerous than the alcohols and even gasoline.

Sources: Wikipedia and the Engineering Toolbox, e.g.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/explosive-concentration-limits-d_423.html
and personal experience.

 

[Gray]

I used acetone not long ago to remove some paint and you could tell how volatile it is just by the speed at which it evaporates

 

[ex member pyrophil]

I worked at a boat builders many years ago and we used acetone for cleaning tools. Use to dry on your hands really quick, and make them go really cold, if you didnt use your gloves or get it down the sides of them.