Trangia stove and Vango bio-ethanol runaway flames!

[Janne]

Methanol tastes fine. It is the denaturing additives that gives the various alcohols an unpalatable taste, and makes you throw it up.

 

[stevec]

Generally bitrix, though pyridine also used. I never ment that methanol makes it unpalatable, but being toxic it renders the alcohol unconsumable to those of us who like their eyesight

 

[Robson Valley]

Humans metabolize methanol/meths into formaldehyde. That kills you.

Humans tolerate metabolizing ethanol in wine/beer/spirits.
It is denatured, rendered undrinkable, to avoid alcohol taxes.
Even Jet B jet engine fuel is used.

The real lesson is do not ever believe the label on a fuel can.
Most of the time, there's more organic solvents in the can that they reveal.
That's the cheap way to get rid of waste organic solvent.
Don't dispose of it, sell it!

 

[petrochemicals]

Hello! I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I've used meths in the Trangia for years without issue but last time I was rushing for a bottle there was none in the shop, but they did have this bio-ethanol from Vango. Alcohol is alcohol right? Or so I thought and picked it up. I'd used it a couple of times and maybe it was slightly different but not in any way I really registered, well, it registered this time!
After running the stove on full for a while I attempted to use the simmer ring, it didn't work, it really didn't work. In fact the flames were licking all the way up past the entire stove and higher than the windshield I place around my Trangia Mini! When I removed the pan I could clearly see the fuel boiling in the burner so it's no wonder it was a bit... energetic? I have no recollection of this level of eruption with meths!
I've had one conversation online with someone who has experienced the same and as a result has moved on to a different bio-ethanol supplier who may have a subtly different blend and seems to have solved the problem for them. I assume lots of people simply run the Trangia burner on full until they are done and then snuff out, so it may not have caused them issues but as I often cook, for a long period, it may be a problem unique to me. Slow and low hasn't been an issue in the past but as a result of the runaway burning I got through a lot of fuel! It's not the cost that is the issue but the bulk. nearly 400ml of fuel for two meals and a coffee! Never did that much with meths.

The trangia mini has a problem( other than it being none foldable) with it being mounted on the ground, you can get a heat build up underneath it and there is no airflow around it. Depending on what you seat it on it can either be fast or slow. In hot weather (like yesterday). If you put it on sand or dry earth it can get pretty flamy pretty quick. Usually even with a suspended burner I try not to burn it with low fuel as you get the same result. Low fuel in a trangia means a big wick area with little to draw out any residual heat,high fuel means smalll wick area and lots to draw out the heat. You get high and low fuel burns correspondingly. I have had the meths boil on dry sand before. One thing to try is a little water in the stand to cool the burn down.

Never believe that the list on the fuel can is actually what's in the fuel can.
We ran our ethanol(?) through a gas chromatograph to see what was really mixed in it.
Epoxy propane, all kinds of crap. Every order was different.
They are liars.

I'm sure a lot of ours comes from the French 20 percent of wine they throw away, usually with a distinct 'sherry' smell to it. Very appetising I must say.

 

[tracker1972]

The trangia mini has a problem( other than it being none foldable) with it being mounted on the ground, you can get a heat build up underneath it and there is no airflow around it. Depending on what you seat it on it can either be fast or slow. In hot weather (like yesterday). If you put it on sand or dry earth it can get pretty flamy pretty quick. Usually even with a suspended burner I try not to burn it with low fuel as you get the same result. Low fuel in a trangia means a big wick area with little to draw out any residual heat,high fuel means smalll wick area and lots to draw out the heat. You get high and low fuel burns correspondingly. I have had the meths boil on dry sand before. One thing to try is a little water in the stand to cool the burn down.

I'm sure a lot of ours comes from the French 20 percent of wine they throw away, usually with a distinct 'sherry' smell to it. Very appetising I must say.

That all makes sense, it was a long burn so despite the low ambient temperature when I had the issue it could well have heated it's immediate area. Combined with the thin metal base to the windshield drawing heat in as I attempted to trap heat for a better oven effect I perhaps went over a tipping point that I hadn't reached with meths.
Thought provoking, thank you petrochemicals! And you, Petrochemicals

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