Usefulness of small stoves

[phatch]

There's a lot more factors than just heat value in the fuel. Stove efficiency is a big one and most stoves are less than 50% efficient in the first place. The Snowpeak only makes it to 30%. Wind screens are a big improvement in getting heat to the pot. The right sized pot is another important one.

My experience is you have to match the stove, the flame size of the stove to the pot, and all that to the right windscreen for a really good setup.

I was playing around yesterday with some different alchohol stoves I've built on the trangia designs. With an ounce of alcohol, I could boil 16 oz water in a 5 inch backpack pot with a windscreen at 4500 feet. Pot weighs 7 oz.; stove .4 oz windscreen 1.5 oz. Temp was about 68. took about 5.5 minutes, no lid on the pot. The lid reduces that time about 45 seconds. Yes, I burned more fuel than the coleman fuels and similar, but the light stove weight and small bulk more than makes up for it. There are those who report efficiencies approaching 70% from similar designs, but they did a better job on the construction.

I need to tweak my burner some more. These pics aren't mine, but from the instructions I used to build mine.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Can you post the instructions or give us a link?

TAL

 

[phatch]

http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/gear/pepsiGstoveinstruct.shtml is the basic soda can alcohol stove.

This link has some apparent improvements, but I just found him and need to try some of his ideas. http://hikinghq.net/sgt_stove/ion_stove.html

Phil

 

[frediver]

Looks like this thread has taken a life of its own!
I think the 1st question to answere is, What type of fuels do you expect to use? What is the most common in your part of the world?
Coleman gas type, canister fuel (butane/propane) threaded or non threaded cylinders, kerosene, or Alcohol?
The stove you picture will work, not real well but if it's all you have its what you will use. Do you have a good supply of fuel for it?
Any stove you decide to use will always work better with a good wind screen. Just be careful not to heat the fuel tank to much if the wind screen encloses the fuel tank. Fuel tanks have been known to overheat then dumpor vent fuel. If you are not careful you could have Lots more fire than you want or need!
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[longbow50]

I'm one of the Esbit users. I can carry a weeks worth of fuel in the pouch with my stove and not even notice the weight. I mean, all I use it for is to heat up water for coffee, oatmeal and the occassional field mouse stew.

 

[rep]

Thank you for your additional info, Mr. Linton. One more thing, while I'm on-line. Esbit users know that Esbit tablets burn cleanly, with minimal residue, but cost 25 - 50 cents per tablet. Last year, at the beginning of a bicycle tour, I read a posting on some website about using "charcoal starter tablets" as a cheap substitute for Esbit tablets. Naturally, i bought a pack and tried them out. Unfortunately, they burn very smokily indeed, and make a general mess. But they are cheaper!