Origo cooker - is this normal?

[deep denial]

Hello. Brand new Origo 3000, fuelled with meths woodwork thinner recommended on this forum. On lighting it produced copious thick black smoke, and a yellow flame, we wondered if it might be burning something off for the first time. It has improved, but still produced soot and a yellow flame. I was rather expecting a blue one. If this is not normal, it is hard to see how it could be the cooker, as there is nowt to go wrong, but equally the fuel looks as though it should be blameless. I show a photo (with a bit of luck ) of the flame. The pan supports are already coated with soot, after two cups of tea:

 

[Sandyman]

The 3100 CookMate Portable Stove uses the Safe-Flame™ Non-Pressurized Canister System with a large capacity of 1 1/4 quarts of Alcohol per burner. This needs No hose, No pumping, No preheating. Environmentally Friendly Fuel using grain based alcohol. 6800 BTU of heating per burner - can boil 1 quart of water in 8 minutes. Stainless Steel long lasting construction - Dimensions 5 3/8" H x 18 5/16" W x 10 5/16" D. Weight 14 lbs.

Not sure you have the right fuel. Burning rich. Should be bunson blue.

 

[co256]

No no no....... definitely not right!!!

I have only used Methylated spirit, the purple coloured stuff you find in DIY stores etc.

Before you light the burner you do remember to remove the black evaporation stopper from under the cooker top don't you???!!!

Good luck!

 

[Spyro]

As you say nothing to go wrong with the cooker so has to be the fuel. Meths is available in 4 or 5 litre containers from most chandlers and much cheaper than the small 500ml bottles in DIY stores. They do produce a bit of soot but should burn with a blue flame.

 

[pikeyrm]

too much air getting in.

 

[Wunja]

I think the problem is that you're using it in the dining room, not the boat. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Like the others, I only use meths, but yellow flame indicates that there isn't enough oxygen for clean burning. So its either a blocked airflow at the bottom of the cassette, or the alternative fuel you are using needs more oxygen than Origo designed the unit to provide.

 

[VicS]

I really do not know what you are burning but that is definitely not right and nothing like the clean blue flame that you would get from meths. I do not believe meths would burn like that even if the air flow was completely obstructed. It looks more like what you would expect from a hydrocarbon such as white spirit or even paraffin.

I suggest you obtain methylated spirit and not attempt to burn some alternative.

Experiment tried, lesson learnt I think!

 

[ianfr]

No it is not normal. Mine burns with a blue flame. Use standard meths, available from any hardware store.

Ian

 

[mikejames]

No that colour is wrong. With meths there should be a little yellow in the edges of the flame. Still would expect a little soot buildup with meths but not that much.

Be careful because the vapour of what is burning may be a little more explosive and also be generating more CO from incomplete combustion.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I've had no problems wih my Origo in 4 years and no dirty yellow flame. I agree it must be the fuel.
I always use standard meths but I'm told that spirit alchohol obtainable from France burns even cleaner. Anyone experience of it?
Water in a gas flame will show as a yellow flame, could this be similar?

 

[graham]

I am using" Alcol a bruler 90%" bought in France where every big supermartket seems to stock shelves full of it.Less than half the price of meths bought in Britain and some say theres less smell when refueling etc.

Back to the original posters question .That flame looks completely wrong.You can barely see the flame on mine which we have happily used for 10 years on Brit and French fuel.