Propane vs Origo

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

2 months in, I'm not as crazy about the Origo 1500 as I started out:

I'm still looking for a real-no-spill way to fill the canister.

I don't like waiting around to light it when alcohol is low.

Would it make sense to buy a few extra of the 'land mines' and fill one of those for an exchange when the one in use runs out or are the used ones too hot to be removed?

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Also, I boil water in the morning, and heat something at night but am averaging a gal a month for the first two months. This month I'm making an effort to fit the neoprene anti-evap flap in hopes of getting MTPG. More time per gallon.

The good side is, I really do not think it takes longer to boil water than propane. Still, I am thinking of going back to propane as I have a FG tank, the barbeque, and emergency Mr. Buddy heater already. However, I am somewhat bummed that it's not considered safe to just leave the tank secure but un-enclosed in the cockpit. Thoughts?

I think that might more depend on where you live. Outside of aesthetics, aren't they enclosed to keep salt water and weather off of them?

[Capt Rottnest]

Using the Origo for 5 months now. I don't have anything against gas, but I built this boat, and installing the Origo was very fast. Thats its one advantage. We do the trick of adding 5 to 10% water to each batch, no more alcohol odour.
I'm with Zeehag on the rest of the alcohol stoves, I used to own a non pressurised, non Origo brand. The alcohol appears to evaporate in the thin tubes that plumb the device then condense again, flood the bowl and cause flare ups. No plumbing in an Origo, so no flare ups. Can't fault them.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by frank_f

Would it make sense to buy a few extra of the 'land mines' and fill one of those for an exchange when the one in use runs out or are the used ones too hot to be removed?

Hadn't thought of that. Have been working on de/re-canting, siphons, funnels and so on.

I think that might more depend on where you live. Outside of aesthetics, aren't they enclosed to keep salt water and weather off of them?

Maybe. But I read here, on CF, that the enclosure was to keep propane from wafting down the companionway. Think I'll keep it as is, locked to a stanchion under the Magma. Way better chance it'll waft elsewhere.

The hassle of opening the stove, putting the flap over the canister, and the reverse is slowly annoying me enough to go back to propane. I've used propane for years without an unfortunate incident. Think I posted awhile back that the concern started back when I had one of the small propane cylinders leak ... and I didn't smell it ... even with my nose in the bilge.

[frank_f]

What if you used a sports bottle or an old dish soap bottle for refilling? You would have a sealing top that is highly directional and, in the case of the sports bottle, a wide mouth to decant into.

Plus, most sports bottles are a little better than a liter so you would get a full refuel out of one bottle.

There may be an issue with certain plastics and pure alcohol but sports bottles are cheap enough that you could always have a few on hand.

[Blue Crab]

Yeah, my current iteration is a Dr Bronner's bottle. Better but ... the loss from the store-bought gallon can is all but inevitable. I tried a turkey baster but it's too slow. Thought I had it with an old outboard squeezer but can't get any thruput.

Best would be a screw-in pump coming out of the gallon jug. There's a cheap gizmo at Amazon that looks effective but I'm reluctant to keep throwing money/hassle/time at it given the poor mileage per gallon.

A brain surgeon could refill the canister no drip no prob. I have less patience and any remaining has been worn thin. The inconvenience has begun to outweigh the safety factor.

I can see the Origo in the galley from my armchair in the main saloon (3' away ). It is shaking in fear, as well it should be! The rub is the stove puts out plenty of heat, stands alone, quality construction, and looks OK. I'd say it's perfect for a weekender but poorly designed for fulltime use. AND I DON"T EVEN COOK. In the end, if I have to seek therapy to cope, well, hell ....

I'd like to close with a tip o the Tilley to Bethflkeys for not jumping in with an itoldyaso! Thank you Beth. And others.

We're bound to have a psychiatrist among CFers. Is there a CF discount rate? Trust me, I also qualify for any senior discount as well.

[w32honu]

Origo (6000) users……….

I believe there was an earlier post with regard to oven temps…….

What are the max or average cooking temps achieved in your oven?

Can you give examples of the type of food you have baked in the Origo oven?

Scratch bread/Chicken/Ham/Turkey/Lasagna……….etc.


Thanks in advance!!!!

[w32honu]

We just purchased an Origo 6000. The temp gauge is scaled in degrees Centigrade. This may have been the reason for the previous posters low oven reading.........???? So the reading would be somewhat low but the actual temp would have been more than adequate. Have not had a chance to install and test our stove yet. Will post results when I do......

[Blue Crab]

Update: Using the quart-size Dr. Bronner's empty soap bottle works very well to refill the fuel canister sans spills.

[w32honu]

Tx crab......

[w32honu]

Update......

We converted from propane to the Origo four months ago. Criteria for us was to be able to carry a years supply of stove fuel which is much safer and easier with the Origo.

Stove works great! No complaints. Burns plenty hot enough. Oven temps got up to 225C (437F) before I turned it down. That is plenty hot enough to bake just about anything. Oven size is bigger then our past unit as well. So far we have baked cake, cookies, and bread with total success. . Stove top boils water and fries food with no problem.

The install was the easiest of any unit out there. It is easy to operate and to clean. But most important it is entirely safe to operate. We are refueling the burner units about every two weeks or so. Cruising cold Maine waters we heat water on the stove for bathing so our consumption is probably higher than normal. Rumor has it that consumption averages about one gallon per month.

Cheers

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by w32honu

Update......

We converted from propane to the Origo four months ago. Criteria for us was to be able to carry a years supply of stove fuel which is much safer and easier with the Origo.

Stove works great! No complaints. Burns plenty hot enough. Oven temps got up to 225C (437F) before I turned it down. That is plenty hot enough to bake just about anything. Oven size is bigger then our past unit as well. So far we have baked cake, cookies, and bread with total success. . Stove top boils water and fries food with no problem.

The install was the easiest of any unit out there. It is easy to operate and to clean. But most important it is entirely safe to operate. We are refueling the burner units about every two weeks or so. Cruising cold Maine waters we heat water on the stove for bathing so our consumption is probably higher than normal. Rumor has it that consumption averages about one gallon per month.

Cheers

I am an absolut minimalist (note I omitted the e) with a one burner. I boil water, I steam, I fry ... for one. Still using ~3/4 gal per month.

On the plus side, I absolutly (no e) don't get the folks who don't think Origos get hot fast enough. Beware the cut and paste sailor.

[Normanby]

I recently had an opportunity to test four burners at once:
An Origo single
A pressure Metho (alcohol to North Americans)
LPG (propane - the BBQ)
Natural Gas on the home stove

I boiled one litre of water on each and the Origo was fastest, pressure Metho 2nd, gas stove 3rd, the BBQ a distant last.

It's always puzzled me that so many boats use propane. It's soooo friggin dangerous.
We have diesels partly because the fuel is less volatile than petrol, yet we allow this lethal, heavier-than-air gas into the boat?
Madness

[w32honu]

I agree..........

Add pizza to the list for us. We are complete converts to the Origo!!!

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Normanby

I recently had an opportunity to test four burners at once:
An Origo single
A pressure Metho (alcohol to North Americans)
LPG (propane - the BBQ)
Natural Gas on the home stove

I boiled one litre of water on each and the Origo was fastest, pressure Metho 2nd, gas stove 3rd, the BBQ a distant last.

It's always puzzled me that so many boats use propane. It's soooo friggin dangerous.
We have diesels partly because the fuel is less volatile than petrol, yet we allow this lethal, heavier-than-air gas into the boat?
Madness

There are a fair number of propane fridges out there. I wonder why Dometic or someone else has not made an alcohol fired one?

[HopCar]

They do make a kerosene refrigerator.
https://www.lehmans.com/p-3505-domet....aspx?show=all