Your Opinion on Non Pressurized Alcohol Stoves

[cabo_sailor]

All I can say is that I was there. I saw the damage, the smoke pouring out of the cabin, heard the yelling and screaming and later helped replace the burnt wood. As you state, I have no deep knowledge of the Origo or how they function. Frankly, at this point I really do not care if I am believed or not. I'll not waste any more time. As to contacting Origo, I doubt they would fess up and the event took place probably 8 years ago.

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

All I can say is that I was there. I saw the damage, the smoke pouring out of the cabin, heard the yelling and screaming and later helped replace the burnt wood. As you state, I have no deep knowledge of the Origo or how they function. Frankly, at this point I really do not care if I am believed or not.

I believe your story, but I do not believe that it was an unmodified Origo burning alcohol that your friends were using. We'll see what Origo (swego) has to say since this is a pretty serious situation that you are describing. I really want to know if I'm wrong.



-Sven

[READY2GO]

Originally Posted by doug86

As someone said, you are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. The facts about BTU properties of the two fuels are not subjective. The habits of cooking certainly vary considerably...



Yes, but I think the question is: How much cooking can you do with that gallon? Perhaps you have some personal experience that would help the OP.

I stated in the post that alcohol had less btu's, the fact is that it is not a noticeable difference. It's like using 87 octane in your car rather than91, 99% of cars you can't tell the difference.

As I stated in the post you quoted from, one gallon lasts us about 2 weeks. We live on our boat, so it is used every day. I have not timed each use.

Breakfast: Boil water for coffee and cook bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Most days soup or toasted cheese or hot ham and cheese.
Supper: Whatever sounds good.

[David_Old_Jersey]

My guess is that constant use would be more economical - mine had a tendency to evaporate if not used (even when I remembered the rubber covers ).......so it seemed like I was topping it up far more than was neccessary for the use I was getting from it - because I was!

For very occassional use Gas / Propane probably better for that reason. But not enough for me to "upgrade" and I have a spare one sitting at home, so mainly just a time / aggro thing. Albeit if my boat came with a Gas / Propane Cooker installed I wouldn't change it out - I also use gas for light ..........and that with a Camping gas lantern that is over 30 years old and I smoke

[BAYBOATER01]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

My first boat had a pressurized alcohol stove/oven with a separate tank. It worked fine so long as I was watching it, otherwise it had a tendency, in the oven, to run away. My friend's boat across the dock had the Origo range/oven. He and his wife had baked some muffins and were on board ours. The wife went back to their boat for a smoke and started yelling. Even though they had turned off the oven, the knob didn't work and their oven "ran away". My friend grabbed a hose and ran below to quench the fire and the stove, being red hot, blew up. It scattered bits of glass from the oven door all over the place and the wood all around the stove/range was severely singed. To their credit, Origo, sent him a new stove when he contacted them.

Those kind of things, plus the pre-heat needed, convinced me to go to propane. It's dangerous as well but with a proper installation and few safety monitors, I'll live with it. Also, as mentioned in prior posts, propane is more versatile for fine cuisine.

Rich

Not to be too picky but the title of the thread is "non-pressurised alcohol stove". A pressurised alcohol IS dangerous and can run away, a passive, or non-pressurised stove is safe, efficient and we have used them on three different boats over twelve years without any incident. Our first boat had pressurised alcohol and it scared me every time we lit it.

[dfelsent]

Pressurized alcohol is much scarier for me than propane.
Unpressurized alcohol has the invisible flame issue. Propane has the invisible gas issue. Wood has the weight and volume of fuel issue but dang in Maine in the fog it keeps you dry.
All fuels have dangers. Pressures alcohol is the worst from my experience. Except pressurized gasoline. I have never used that except outdoors on shore. Scary even then.