Origo Fuel.

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jakeroyd

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Just bought an Origo Heat Pal as part of my long term plan to move to a swinging mooring.

I know these can burn Meths (or cda completely denatured alcohol) or IDA (industrial denatured alcohol)

The issue seems to be that Meths is ok but smells cos of the piridene added to make it distasteful to drink or IDA requires the issue of a permit from the HMRC to use up to 20litres per year AFAIK.

Have any forumites bothered to take the HMRC/IDA route or do you just buy Meths and put up with the smell ?

Are there any other issues with Meths ?

TIA
 
Ive just been trying the Bio Ethanal that B&Q are selling for their fires, in my Origio stove. It appears to burn a little hotter than meths and has less smell. Im a convert.
 
PhillM said:
Ive just been trying the Bio Ethanal that B&Q are selling for their fires, in my Origio stove. It appears to burn a little hotter than meths and has less smell. Im a convert.
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Ditto, bought 12 litres of Bio- Ethanol (from an Irish company IIRC) in handy 1 litre dispenser bottles on-line for somewhat less than I previously paid for 10l of meths in 2 x 5l bottles and it's excellent stuff
 
Ive just been trying the Bio Ethanal that B&Q are selling for their fires
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How do they get around HMRC's regulations?
It's ethanol so the same rules should apply as apply to IDA and CDA.
 
Ssssh don't tell them! The B&Q stuff is great, hotter and no more whiffy than gas. I need a cheaper supplier, at £5 for 2l it's a bit pricey still.
 
VicS said:
How do they get around HMRC's regulations?
It's ethanol so the same rules should apply as apply to IDA and CDA.
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It says its "denautranated" sorry dont get the spelling?? same as meths says but its clear and whatever they have used is much nicer than what they do to meths.
 
PhillM said:
It says its "denautranated" sorry dont get the spelling?? same as meths says but its clear and whatever they have used is much nicer than what they do to meths.
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"Denatured". It means it has been made unfit for human consumption by the addition of nauseating and/or poisonous substances.

There are three approved classes of denatured alcohol in the UK:

Completely denatured alcohol (CDA) - formerly known as Mineralised Methylated Spirits (MMS).. The familiar violet coloured spirit.

Industrial denatured alcohol (IDA) - formerly known as Industrial Methylated Spirits (IMS) and which is colourless. It is what people would like to be able to use in their Origos but which is not a use approved by HMRC.

and also Trade specific denatured alcohol (TSDA) - includes Denatured Ethanol B (DEB). It is formulated for specific trade uses.

IDA and TSDA should only be supplied to authorized users.


CDA contains "wood naphtha" or and approved substitute, crude pyridine, and methyl violet dye.
( pyridine is one of those things that smells so unpleasant that you are very unpopular in a lab if you take the cap of the bottle)

IDA contains wood naphtha, or a substitute. Nothing evil smelling and no dye.

Both CDA and IDA are clear. The visual difference is that CDA is violet in colour
 
Bilgediver said:
Lets enjoy it Vic while we wonder!!!!!!! It is available in B and Q and some Garden Centres as well as online.
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I must get some next time I am in B&Q. Trouble is the shop is so large it's blooming difficult to find things.

EDIT

No I wont. they dont stock it. Only in the big "warehouse" stores
 
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Thanks for all the leads Chaps.
I did not know I could use bio ethanol and obtain it without faffing with hmrc
There are lots of deals on ebay as well.
 
Bilgediver said:
And it is displayed next to the fires it is used with!
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Unless its out of stock. We have two near us: Eastleigh never have any in (but they do stock it) and Hedge End has less than 2 bottles - prob due to all the local origio users ......

Personally, I plan to drop in and pick a few up, I pass everytime on the way to / from the boat so I should be able to get a small stock in the garrage - perhaps 5 bottles - nothing massive you understand. But it should do me for a season or two.
 
I have an Origo and use meths in it. As a boy I knocked an entire bottle of meths over on the kitchen table. It was next to the Mamod steam engine and the surface of the table was soon covered with flame. But nothing bad happened and the grown ups didn't even know I'd done it, (although they expressed surprise at the fuel consumption of a Mamod stationary engine).

My memory lane orientated post is meant to illustrate that meths is safe(ish) - should people be concerned about an alternative fuel that 'burns hotter'?
 
Have just purchased 3 x 2l bottles of bioethanol from B&Q New Malden. They have over 10 bottles left if anyones passing. At the end of aisle 17.
 
Seem to remember they had petrol heaters ( yes, petrol) in light aircraft.

I think the Piper twin Comm had a Janitrol petrol heater in the cabin. Didn't kill anyone, or burst into flames.

So why not run you Origo cooker on petrol?
 
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