Source of alcohol stove fuel

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Note...in case Rick was not clear enough...the issue is PRESSURIZED alchohol stoves vs. unpressurized.

Correct. Sorry, I thought I said pressurized...

Cam, do you have any further information yourself? I think you just said "issues", right?

[camaraderie]

Yeah Rick...my comment was due to my own experience with pressurized flare ups reaching to the cabin top sometimes. We always kept a pot lid handy so we could smother them. But there is a similar reference here on page 221 referring to them as Curtain Burners The Essentials of Living Aboard a ... - Google Book Search

[gc1111]

The only time I have had to use a fire extinguisher on a boat was because of a pressurized alcohol stove. A new crew member that didn't know how to light it released a lot of alcohol and then lit it. Kind of stupid on his part, but that is more than a potential problem with a pressurized stove.

And cleaning up after a chemical fire extinguisher is a LONG, TEDIOUS job!

[sailingdog]

Also, the book Seaworthy, by Boat US insurance... says a lot of boat fires are caused by pressurized alcohol stoves...and as they've gone away, so has the number of fires.

[jjns]

This is all very interesting.
Out Hunter H28 had Origo non-pressurized twin burner stove and we liked it, fuel consumption was a bit of an issue, but we liked it very much.
Our Ticon has the Homestrand pressurized twin burner stove. It seems to heat quicker than the NP stove, uses less fuel and takes up less room.
Also, there are no requirements for propane sensors, lines and vented wells for tank storage.
We contemplated making the switch, (Admiral likes her tea, NOW) but after pricing it out we figured it would take a couple of decades to offset the conversion cost. Not too mention, we would have to find a place to build a vented well and run lines through tight quarters, cut up the counter-top and lose the gimbaled stove. We shall be rebuilding the Homestrand this winter.
Propane is actually a lot more dangerous ti use, if you don't believe me, go turn on the gas in your BBQ with the lid closed, come back in 1 min and light a match near the Q, talk to me after your eyebrows grow back.
It is true that a pressurized alcohol fire could be nasty, a propane explosion would be a lot worse.
Inexperienced operators are not allowed to touch anything (dangerous) on our boat, let alone gas fired appliances.

[sailingdog]

JJNS-

BoatUS insurance has a book out called Seaworthy, and recalls cases over 20 years of boat insurance... in the book, pressurized alcohol stoves are among the most dangerous and responsible for a very large percentage of fire claims. Properly installed and used, propane is safer than a pressurized alcohol system.

[hellosailor]

Alcohol has the lowest fuel energy (coldest burn) of any common stove fuel, and also forms the largest amount of water vapor in the combustion products. So you need more time and more fuel to boil a cup of anything, and in damp weather you can turn a boat into a rain forest.

Other than that, and the invisible flame causing fires to spread before they're noticed...

I'm quite happy to live on cold food rather than play with alcohol stoves, pressurized or un.

[jjns]

SD -

Thanks for the info. I will take it under advisement. Funny our insurer didn't take exception to it.
Hopefully those burning issues were either lack of maintenance or shear stupidity.
We did contemplate moving to the Origo (based solely on dire warnings from a stove seller) but it would have meant losing the gimbaled mount and making a mess of the counter-top.
What is the life-span of propane hoses? Any worries about chafing lines, leaky connections, sensor failures? How often do you have to leak-check the system?

[sailingdog]

A prudent mariner would leak check their propane system every time they use it... I do... There's a pressure gauge by the regulator and what you do is open the propane tank to pressurize the lines...and then close the valve... look at the pressure gauge, and see what it says... in five minutes come back and look at it again.... if there is a significant difference, that indicates you've got a leak someplace.

[gc1111]

Originally Posted by jjns

SD -
........................
What is the life-span of propane hoses? Any worries about chafing lines, leaky connections, sensor failures? How often do you have to leak-check the system?

I have flexible hose from the deck mounted tanks to the stove. It is original equipment on a 1972 boat. Note that the entire run is out of the weather and sunlight.