Difference between alcohol & kerosene stove?

[deniseO30]

Leocat and they are apparently still in business Home

[cktalons]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

Usail

I also lived with Kerosene on my previous boat for many years without any problems. A 20 liter jug lasted many months. Available anywhere there is an airport. I had a pressurized tank that needed pumping (bicycle pump) twice a week and filling once a month out of the jug. This is for everyday cooking. No soot, no flare ups, no smell and a tiny bit of alcohol to preheat on any weather. Never had to clean the burners.

I don't want to hijack this thread away from its original purpose, so could someone PM me about getting rid of the kerosene odor? I have a Shipmate stove/oven pressurized system. I cleaned the burners regularly, and I believe it has a filter, but the system reeks when used. Since I lived with I couldn't detect the odor, but my family told me I smelled like rat poison. The odor permeated my clothes, sheets, books, everything on the boat. I've stopped using the stove and oven because of it, but if there is a way to make the smell disappear entirely, I may go back to using it. If not, I'll take it out of the boat and put it up for sale.

[deniseO30]

Not knowing your burner design I don't know If I can help much. You said it's pressurized so I guess you have residue inside the super heater (generator) tubes.. which could be the burners also. the fuel has to reach really high temps to vaporize into gas. Pics would help allot.

[MastUndSchotbruch]

Originally Posted by deniseO30

Not knowing your burner design I don't know If I can help much. You said it's pressurized so I guess you have residue inside the super heater (generator) tubes.. which could be the burners also. the fuel has to reach really high temps to vaporize into gas. Pics would help allot.

Agree. Properly gassified kerosene has no smell when burnt. This is very different from wicked kerosene (pun intended), like in a regular oil lamp, which definitely smells.

[cktalons]

All right, photos are here. If you need to see a photo of a specific thing, please let me know. I'm hoping you guys can help me keep this system. I'm anxious to bake something...

[Capt Len]

Make sure it's actually light weight kerosene and not something like stove oil or diesel. Available is nosmell lamp oil and a kerosene called 'deodorized spray base' Just a thought. I simply waited it out, got old, lost my sense of smell. No problem, even personal hygiene has become optional. Preheat is everything. maybe wrong burners made for naptha or alcohol.Or pressure in tank too low.

[deniseO30]

Cortney, I found this source for parts.. well the burners.. still researching how to's..
The burners were most likely made by primus

Kerosene Presser Lamps Parts
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Anyway.. educated guessing here.... but I'm thinking the "needle valve" is controlled by the knob. The pressurized fuel (be sure it's crystal clear, clean kero, per captn Len) is metered into the tube or generator at the burner.. the cup like thingy is for a starting fluid or gel (a must have) because that burner has to be preheated.

The burner generator must be hot.. hot enough to turn the fuel into gas (this is a barrel like part of the burner or a tube on some other types (coleman lanterns have a tube) as this happens, the fuel will eventually leave residue inside the tube and needle valve. Sadly. these burners work best on "high".. if they are set lower.. they may start to smell and make soot. any flame less then blue would be the indicator. The fuel pressure is very important.. still haven't found what it should be at. Higher is better for sure.

[Capt Len]

Although others on this forum have naysayed using a propane torch for pre heating (safety reasons), for years I successfully used one instead of methol hydrate in the preheat cup. Just filling it with kerosene and turning it on before it burns out will work but that really smells big. Timing is all. Gotta be hot and stay hot. Learn how to run low speed after you learn HOT.Clean fuel Good pressure ,hot preheat.

[UsailIbail!]

Hi cktalons,

No problem hijacking this thread. Any and all discussion of these stoves is welcome. I started the thread because I know little about the alcohol and diesel stoves and am comparing them to kerosene. I have learned a bunch about the alc and diesel burners thanks to this forum. What I CAN address is your kerosene troubles - I lived with a beautiful kerosene stove / heater that had the same burners as yours (at least as far as I could tell by your photos). Unfortunately, I sold the stove with that boat - how I miss it! Now if I could only get a stove that nice again for my new boat (hence my desire for education about alternatives).

In short - to run a kerosene burner; I kept a chemists squeeze bottle that only held a about 10 ounces of alcohol to prime the burners (small bottle for safety). Filling the heater cup about 1/8 full was fine, it needed to heat for about 1 minute with open alcohol flame before turning the kerosene knob on at all. DO NOT PRE-HEAT WITH KEROSENE! That would cause such a smokey mess! After the full pre heat turn the burner on and it should light off of the last alcohol in the cup. If you miss the golden window of that, have another ignition source to light the kerosene burner asap at this time. You only have a few seconds before the burners pre-heat is lost. The advice that was given previously that (more pressure in the system is better" is a disaster in the making. You often hear of sensational flair-ups while starting these burners... I have to think too much pressure is responsible for most of these these. A flare up is fairly common when you have not pre-heated enough... but they are not a source of hyped concern. When you have a nice flame one day (blue with very little or no yellow) see how far you can let the pressure dwindle to before it does turn yellow and then just operate a handful of psi over that (give the system a few pumps). If you are not able to get good flame check that all of the tiny holes are open that the gas spreads out through... you can use a needle file to clean them out and the cleaner they are the more efficient your burner will be. You DO NOT NEED ANY REFINED, OR SPECIAL KEROSENE. A regular grade is fine. But beware that the poorer the grade the more your burners will foul and require maintenance. You really should read about this and be able to pull the burners apart fully for cleaning.... if you are not able to obtain a nice flame from this information.
If your tanks don't leak and you run a clean flame your family will not know what you heat with. Be sure to toss a CO detector in your boat - carbon monoxide is deadly and nothing to mess with.... you clearly have a problem if your clothes smell and I am seriously concerned for your life. Get it straight and enjoy your stove. It is a nice one!

Good luck.

Sail on!

Jay

[deniseO30]

Jay, if your going to quote me please quote me in context. Thanks.

Some one must KNOW what pressure is appropriate. Higher would be better imho because one would get better atomization at the needle valve when the fuel is still cold.


"The fuel pressure is very important.. still haven't found what it should be at. Higher is better for sure. "