Origo cooker - is isopropyl alcohol a suitable fuel for it?

[Poignard]

I want to test a new Origo cooker. I have some isopropyl alcohol. Is that a suitable fuel for it?

 

[yachtorion]

I want to test a new Origo cooker. I have some isopropyl alcohol. Is that a suitable fuel for it?

I've never tried Iso in an Origo - only Meths and this stuff - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/vango-bio-ethanol-spirit-fuel-1l-p347362 - I found the latter much preferable. Rather than test it with an unknown fuel that won't replicate real use - I'd pop to B&Q or Go Outdoors and grab a bottle of one of the above!

 

[sarabande]

I've ordered and taken delivery of 24x1l bottles of bio-ethanol from

http://www.bioethanolfires.ie/brands/fanola-fuel-2.html


24l for £57. Just about the cheapest I can find at £2.38p/l. And delivery was 36 hours from order to arrival.



The properties of isopropyl alchol and ethanol seem to differ (see Wiki). I don't think it is worth the risk.

 

[VicS]

I want to test a new Origo cooker. I have some isopropyl alcohol. Is that a suitable fuel for it?

The physical properties are sufficiently similar to ethanol that it will almost certainly burn well in an Origo.

Maybe tend to deposit a little more soot.

Maybe fumes a little more irritating but compared with l'alcool à brûle our old mineralised meths was poor in this respect anyway.


Try it and report back.

 

[MarcJ]

http://ekofuel.org/bioethanol-fuel-for-fireplaces/all-bioethanol-fuel/24l-bio-ethanol-fuel-for-fireplaces.html
£52 for 24L delivered here....

 

[Poignard]

(...)

Maybe tend to deposit a little more soot.

Maybe fumes a little more irritating but compared with l'alcool à brûle our old mineralised meths was poor in this respect anyway.


Try it and report back.

My report:

The isopropyl alcohol burnt with a very yellow flame and the outside of a pan was quickly covered in soot.

The fumes were not objectionable but I did have the kitchen extractor fan running.

Enough water for two mugs of tea was boiled in 8 minutes.

The amount of soot deposited on the pan is not acceptable. I'd like to know from other Origo users if much soot is produced using the recommended fuel.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Alcool a bruler burns fairly blue, but pans used on Origo stoves do soot up

 

[yachtorion]

I've had a couple of Origo's and nothing had any significant sooting problems and when burning well you couldn't see much of a flame either.

 

[MartinMollusc]

I have a single burner Origo cooker in my Oysterman 16. Does a fine job on meths from the local hardware shop.

 

[ronsurf]

Add about 10% water to the fuel to reduce the soot. I use the ethanol stuff from France and the soot is very minimal compared to meths or anything else.


I once tried petrol in a Trangia out of desperation. I certainly wouldn't recommend that.

 

[Ukeluthier]

Pure isopropyl alcohol would likely be fine, but most of what is sold over the counter is sold as "rubbing alcohol" and is really about 70% alcohol and 30% water. It will burn, but not well.

 

[Joker]

Mix a little bit in to the meths when you open a new bottle and use it up that way.

 

[fergie_mac66]

My report:

The isopropyl alcohol burnt with a very yellow flame and the outside of a pan was quickly covered in soot.

The fumes were not objectionable but I did have the kitchen extractor fan running.

Enough water for two mugs of tea was boiled in 8 minutes.

The amount of soot deposited on the pan is not acceptable. I'd like to know from other Origo users if much soot is produced using the recommended fuel.

If yellow might give of monoxide

 

[sarabande]

ordinary meths leaves no soot at all on my Origo two burner. I have yet to try the bio-ethanol.

 

[Poignard]

Thanks for the helpful advice.

I found some meths in the shed today and tried that. Very clean burning with an odour pleasantly reminiscent of the model steam engine I had when I was a boy.

I'll try some bioethanol next.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Any hydrocarbon produces carbon monoxide when it burns including butane, propane and paraffin. (or is it dioxide?)

If yellow might give of monoxide

 

[fergie_mac66]

Its tiny quantity unless it burns without complete combustion sooty yellow flame

 

[Channel Sailor]

Alcool a bruler burns fairly blue, but pans used on Origo stoves do soot up

With my Origo using ethanol from b and q does not cause a soot problem of any significance. But note that is occasional use only. I only noticed it on the kettle after 6 months. But it does not bother me at all. Maybe If the pot used is too large then not enough air gets to the flame so then it can create soot.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I looked this up because it's important. Carbon dioxide is a normal product of combustion and is not poisonous but still dangerous as it depletes the oxygen level (just by taking up the space that the oxygen would have occupied). Carbon monoxide is poisonous and produced when fuel is burnt incompletely by a poorly adjusted gas burner for instance. I hope I've got that right now!

Any hydrocarbon produces carbon monoxide when it burns including butane, propane and paraffin. (or is it dioxide?)

 

[VicS]

I looked this up because it's important. Carbon dioxide is a normal product of combustion and is not poisonous but still dangerous as it depletes the oxygen level (just by taking up the space that the oxygen would have occupied). Carbon monoxide is poisonous and produced when fuel is burnt incompletely by a poorly adjusted gas burner for instance. I hope I've got that right now!

The combustion process itself depletes the oxygen level. Replacing it with carbon dioxide and water vapour.

Carbon monoxide might be produced by a faulty appliance. It will also be produced due to incomplete combustion as a result of oxygen depletion.
I am not sure which will get you. The low oxygen level or the carbon monoxide