Trangia Fuel

[rik_uk3]

Anyone else using Methanol in their Trangia's? Works just fine and not much over £1 a litre.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130352004866&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[slammer187]

It works well but you should probably wear gloves when fueling stoves....it seeps through your skin and can be fatal.
There was some talk about this for making methanol out of coal for third world countries but I think the idea was abandoned because of this problem!
IIRC there was 183 methanol related deaths in 1995 but I think I got the year wrong!

 

[nige7whit]

Anyone else using Methanol in their Trangia's? Works just fine and not much over £1 a litre.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130352004866&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

What !! You pay for it... ?

I had the good fortune to encounter some spare industrial meths at work recently (clear, no dye, no smell). I have mixed this with my other meths, to blend the two, and reduce the sootnig from the purple stuff.

 

[rik_uk3]

It works well but you should probably wear gloves when fueling stoves....it seeps through your skin and can be fatal.
There was some talk about this for making methanol out of coal for third world countries but I think the idea was abandoned because of this problem!
IIRC there was 183 methanol related deaths in 1995 but I think I got the year wrong!

Your right, but I don't spill fuel (years of practise ) or wash in the stuff. This is the first lot I've paid for as I was given a load last year and the price of meths even bulk buying has gone silly. I use a Heat Pal alcohol marine heater/stove in my Juno 800 but using meths would have made that prohibitive price wise, about £5 a night as opposed to £1.25 with the methanol.

"Methanol is also a widely used fuel in camping and boating stoves. Methanol burns well in an unpressurized burner, so alcohol stoves are often very simple, sometimes little more than a cup to hold fuel. This lack of complexity makes them a favorite of hikers who spend extended time in the wilderness" quote from Wiki but you get my drift.

 

[Twodogs]

Good stuff Rik
Whats the storage time on this stuff?
Twodogs

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

Wait, I don't understand. What's the difference between this and meths? I thought meths was (mostly) methanol?

 

[slammer187]

Your right, but I don't spill fuel (years of practise ) or wash in the stuff. This is the first lot I've paid for as I was given a load last year and the price of meths even bulk buying has gone silly. I use a Heat Pal alcohol marine heater/stove in my Juno 800 but using meths would have made that prohibitive price wise, about £5 a night as opposed to £1.25 with the methanol.

"Methanol is also a widely used fuel in camping and boating stoves. Methanol burns well in an unpressurized burner, so alcohol stoves are often very simple, sometimes little more than a cup to hold fuel. This lack of complexity makes them a favorite of hikers who spend extended time in the wilderness" quote from Wiki but you get my drift.

At that price it's worth the risk haha
I want to have a look at distilling Ethanol but I think the licenses are a bit pricey!

 

[EdS]

Wait, I don't understand. What's the difference between this and meths? I thought meths was (mostly) methanol?

No meths - methalated spirits is ethanol that has 5 -10% methanol added to make it undrinkable - custom and excise. It also has bitrex added these days as a safety feature, hence the taste.

Methanol is nasty stuff but the amount you will come into contact wit husing it for stoves is neglible - the CoSHH and safety data are for people using it on an industrial sale really

Methanol will work fine in stove but does not produce quiet the same amount of heat as ethanol based fuel -

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

Interesting. So wouldn't this stuff have a lower calorific value then, being methanol rather than ethanol - one carbon instead of two?

 

[armie]

Interesting. So wouldn't this stuff have a lower calorific value then, being methanol rather than ethanol - one carbon instead of two?

According to Wikipedia (don't have my chemical tables handy), methanol does have a lower calorific value than ethanol. I can't find a reason why though.

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

It makes sense to me that it would, for the same reasons that butane has a higher calorific value than propane. So I think you'll be saving on money with the fuel, but losing out on the weight of fuel you would need to bring.

It would be interesting to see a comparison of the two fuels for the same burner to see if the difference is significant.

 

[salan]

The dif between methanol and ethanol (from a practical use) is not enough to worry about.
For two cups of water you are prob talking of less then an extra min.
The dif in cost in the UK is horrendus.
I had a 500 ml bottle of pure ethanol(99.999% until you open it as it is hygroscopic). The duty was £17.50!!
I use methanol that i buy in 25Liter lots(99.999% pure).
With regards to the toxicity of methanol, yes it is but so is every other fuel.
Treat with respect and you are fine.
Alan

 

[alecf]

We've been using a big 5L tub labelled "alcool à brûler". Was cheap stuff from a french supermarket...
Its not purple either, its clear I think. Smells much the same though.

 

[widu13]

Been using methanol for a few months now. It's a LOT cheaper than even the bulk buy meths. Definitely much less sooting.

 

[rik_uk3]

It makes sense to me that it would, for the same reasons that butane has a higher calorific value than propane. So I think you'll be saving on money with the fuel, but losing out on the weight of fuel you would need to bring.

It would be interesting to see a comparison of the two fuels for the same burner to see if the difference is significant.

I,ve being buying meths in 5 litre tubs and its not that bad for what I use it for (in terms of price), but the big difference for me is using it in an alcohol heater which I why I switched over. My old Heat Pal will use a litre a night to heat the tent, plus another litre if I want to keep a kettle or stew on the go during the day.