My DIY Perlite Alcohol Burner! Super Inexpensive, Easy To Assemble And VERY Effective!
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- Howdy Folks! This is my DIY Perlite Alcohol Burner video. Years ago I watched a video filmed by Hiram Cook ( • Sterno can refilled wi... ) that demonstrated the "Perlite Burner". I decided to make my own DIY Perlite Alcohol Burner for my rectangular Esbit Solid Fuel Stove/Cook Set (Solid fuel cook set, 1100ML). That particular set is designed in a way that prohibits the use of just about any other fuel source other than solid fuel tabs. Using an Altoid's Tin and some Perlite, I was able to make an extremely effective and reliable alcohol burner for Esbit Cook Set. This DIY video will demonstrate how to assemble the burner and will include several burn tests to prove the quality of the burner.
Links:
Trangia Fuel Bottle: amzn.to/3q3jzxq
Perlite: Small Bag 2 Quart: amzn.to/3q4vJ9q
Large Bag 20 Quart: amzn.to/43IOIE0
ESBIT 1100ML Lightweight Solid Fuel stove and Camping Cookware Set, 1100ml: amzn.to/3OuFdnJ
My husband cannot understand my need to have different types of cooking stoves but I love having the different options and thanks to you sir I’m adding this one, lol! Read through the comments and found that the 1:1 ratio works the best so no need for me to reinvent the wheel. Thank you again for a great easy to follow presentation. God Bless
I've been told I'm a kit addict. Stoves and cook sets are one of my weaknesses. I also love to diagnose problems and create solutions that are always DIY. I am grateful you like the idea and I really appreciate your support. God Bless You Sister!
Never enough ways to cook!
@@TheArtisanbard In the unknown times we are living in then better to be overzealous in methods of cooking because having extra for loved ones that JUST DON’T get it will need something too!
@@cocacolafiesta exactly
Put him in charge of cooking and I bet he gets interested real fast.😮😊😮
Wow. Couldn’t make an easier little burner! I was ‘addicted’ to Altoids for a very employment-connected stress filled time of my life, and racked my brain for things to use the empty tins for! Made emergency sewing kits, mini-first aid kits, travel containers for medications, containers for straight pins, safety pins, holders for smaller screws/washers, misc. items,etc., and gave them away. You used to see them all over my house and garage😂. Thanks for posting this! New sub.😊
great! thanks for watching!
Best ashtray for outdoorsy smokers too; I often collect ANY/ALL practically shaped tins for repurposing eventually. Also, a few very impractical shapes/sizes, (or so ya think)!?!!! 😊
I make DIY D ration bars. I've found that an Altoids tin makes a perfect mold for them. I line it with one of those silicone sandwich bags that were trending everywhere. Cram and I mean CRAM the product into the tin. Level off with a pan scraper. Chill. The pan scraper is also good for scoring the bar for easier portioning. Enjoy!
Great idea! 👍 👌
Use a copper screen rolled into a tube the size of an empty bathroom tissue roll oven the flame to generate more infrared heat to make it work more like a small heater 😀
Great idea!
I would add a wire strainer mesh over the perlite, to keep It from spilling out when the tin is without lid.
YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!!!! THANK YOU! I will try it! If it works, it'll be a game changer! Thank You!
Thanks for warning about the flies. It kept me from damaging my laptop by swatting the flies. 🙂
Hahahahahaaaa!!!!
Well, I was late in coming across this video, but am so glad I did. It checks so many “brain candy” boxes for me; outdoor gear, alternative cooking methods, pocket stoves, tinkering, fabricating from scratch, SCIENCE! It just takes me to my happy place.
I had actually never used perlite before so had a fun time recreating your Altoids tin stove. Great stuff! I also did a few experiments to familiarize myself with approximate burn times based on various quantities of the 50/50 Perlite & alcohol mix.
Second on my experimentation agenda was to see if I could find a suitable alcohol burner application for my “Esbit CS585HA 3-Piece Lightweight Camping Cook Set” without having to make any permanent modifications to the Esbit stove housing. I want to be able to use denatured alcohol as a primary fuel source but not lose the solid fuel option completely. In doing that I needed to employ a small disc shaped container compatible with the Esbit set up, so I repurposed an old Pathfinder Mini Inferno tin. After constructing the round stove, here’s what I found as far as burn times; When using 2 Tbs. of Perlite and 2 Tbs. of denatured alcohol in the small round tin, the total burn time was 10 min. 24 seconds. That is compared to the same amount of Perlite and denatured alcohol in a rectangular Altoids tin which burned 6 minutes 45 seconds. So there’s quite a difference in the two results! I’m guessing the decreased surface area and increased depth of the fuel source in the Mini Inferno tin accounts for the increased burn time. And THAT I find very interesting and worthy of sharing. I also (thanks to you) have finally found a safe and suitable way to fuel my old Esbit cook set with alcohol. And that means my pack will no longer have that Ode de Esbit smell which is a cross between dirty socks and decomposing crustaceans. 😆
Thank you as always for taking the time to share your hobbies and experiences. All your efforts are greatly appreciated!
I would recommend one addition to the mechanics of the tin... I always put a small ranger band around and Altoids tin "kit" that I make to ensure it doesn't come open.
I love this. The Perlite also has a completely blue flame. The blue part of a flame is always much hotter per fuel usage. So it's much more efficient.
Thanks for the tip, watching and commenting!
Denatured alcohol usually has a solid blue flame. The methanol burns transparent and the ethanol burns blue. The net result is just a blue flame. A fun party trick is you can add boric acid or sodium borate (borax) to ethanol or methanol and you get a nice blue flame.
I'm impressed. I didn't know that perlite would work so well as a stabilizer for alcohol fuel.
I watched Hiram Cooks videos and, yeah, it looked pretty cool. But when I did it myself..... WOW! I was very surprised! I'm now a believer and practitioner!!!!!
the perlite is porous and readily absorbs the fuel in all its tiny nooks n crannies ... it is essential in gardening In containers for that reason ...
This is an absolutely genius idea.
Thank You! I didn't come up with the idea, but I'm glad I discovered Hiram Cook! I love this burner!
I’ve been building fancy feast stoves for years. I’m going to give this stove a try. Thanks for doing this video.
Awesome! I hope you like it as well as I do!
Pretty cool idea
Thank You! Glad you think so!
Very informative and I will be making some of these.
Really enjoyed the video and it’s thought provoking
Thank You! I'm glad you liked it!
Thank you for taking the guess work out of it for me!
Use to make high temp concrete with perlite. Blend it till its a fine powder like talcum and wire mesh it yo catch any chunks. Then mix it with pure portland cement, silica sand and plaster of paris. I would line the inside of propane bottles or steel ammo cans and use a propane burner i built. The cement will withdtand temperatures over 2k° for heat treating knives and stuff.
Wow! That is very cool! Thank you for sharing this!
Awesome video!
I use a poor persons stove, a danish cookie tin. I punched out lots of holes and use a cast iron trivet or grill to put kettle/fry pan on.
I had to raise the space between rim and bottom of fry pan/kettle.
Sounds like an awesome stove!
Great idea, now I have to look if there is something like that in my country. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Thanks, I hope you find perlite or something similar!
Thank you! I've learned so much.
Excellent!
the 5 hr energy drink bottles are 2 oz in size. these make great fuel bottles. also the measure cup from a cough syrup bottle is 30ml / 1 oz in size. you want to buy the one that has 15ml line & the 30 ml line on it. have you tried a 4 tblsp size tin?
Great video!👍
Thank You Very Much!
Was so excited to see this video...I had just been looking at stove that uses some sort of porous stone to absorb alcohol and then burn. This is obviously much cheaper and I can imagine it would be super light. Thank you for this video.
Thank You Brother! I've used it several times now and for that Esbit cook set, it works perfectly!
IF there were Altoids came in one giant tablet, it would help some people that never seem to be able to realize when they should stop talking!😜
Great ideas ❤
Thank you!
Homey. I really enjoyed this video and the demonstration. Much more detailed than I expected. You probably don’t remember me. I had suggested sealing the Altoid tins with foil tape. It was a couple years ago. I have been off YT videos about hiking as I have been recovering from a long medical condition. Really looking forward to seeing what you have to offer in the future and I hope to be back in the woods by the fall of this year.
I'm very sorry to hear about your condition. Prayers for complete healing! I do remember you and your suggestion, thus, I use it frequently now. I learn more from the comments than any of the info I relay. I love our community, what a vast amount of knowledge and experience found in these comments! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, I'm taking the advice of another commenter and I'm going to insert some steel screen in the tin over the perlite to prevent spillage. I'll release a short update video in a few weeks. God's Speed!
@@boonedockery7220 Thank you so very much for your kind words of encouragement. Two quick thoughts: 1) The steel screen is definitely a great idea. I am curious to see how it will impact the heating of the alcohol, due to the possibility of thermo-feedback. 2) I use text to speech, due to illness, and hadn’t intended to call you “Homey”. My iPhone had interpreted “Hi My Friend” incorrectly. No offense intended . Lastly, would you consider fiberglass stove gaskets in place of Perlite in a future test project? I have had some success using the fire rope in the Altoid tin with foil tape. And no screen needed. Enjoy the woods for me!
Thanks for the video, sir!
My pleasure!
Love this
Thank You!
Super clever.
and thank you again!
Pretty useful. Thanks
You're welcome! I'm glad you think so!
That aluminium tape works great for all kinds of projects similar to this one. I used to use it all the time as a kid/teenager to make cardboard box ovens. Not sure if you've done a video on those, it's not really for backpacking, but it's a fun project(especially for kids and teens) that can be used drop-camping or just in the back yard.
Hmmmmmmm..... Sounds like a project worth looking at. Thanks for the suggestion! Have a great weekend!
@@boonedockery7220 It makes great "shielding" for those of you who are into guitars, lining the cavities, and linking it all to Ground/Earth
Suggestions for your fly infestation, hang up some fly strips, they work. Also, turn on a fan or three, one blowing towards the entryway to keep them from being able to fly in.
Thanks for the tips!
Nicely done. I've done similar, but I use two layers of carbon felt in the tin.
Great tip!
Great video and I'll stay with using fiberglass insulation and stainless steel window screen. Thanks for your video and All the Best during the Holiday Season.
Thank you and all the best to you and yours as well!
Isn't the fiberglass bad to breathe because of the ultrafine fibers, especially when subjected to heat?
Smart! 👍
thanks!
Cool
Super ! 🙂👍
Thank you 👍
If you grab another altoids lid, and make a circle or square hole, you also have a simmer ring. :) Another thing you can do is put big holes all over the second altoids lid.
I tried perforating one lid with about 40 holes and it would not stay lit. I will be experimenting with a simmer ring. Being rectangular I may need to try 2 to three holes to prevent hot spots.
@@boonedockery7220 I hope it works out okay. :)
@@boonedockery7220 Great video; I appreciate your clarity and careful research! I was thinking about the simmering issue. Instead of punching holes in the lid, can you just put the lid on so that it covers only part of the perlite? With the rectangular shape, you should be able to slide it back and forth with a spoon or similar tool to adjust the flame while it's burning.
Also, yes, I was going to suggest some sort of screen to hold the perlite in. Otherwise, if the stove gets accidentally bumped, the perlite could spill onto the ground. Of course, at 3 grams per tablespoon, it's no problem to carry some extra perlite ...
Have you considered using carbon felt instead of perlite? Carbon felt (lantern wicks, welding blankets, soldering blanket , thermal barrier, etc.) is relatively inexpensive, absorbs liquids, won't drip, won't burn, wicks like crazy, and will also remove odor.
Myself and others use carbon felt in catalytic hand warmers (Jon-e, Zippo, Butterfly, S-Boston, etc.) where we replace the cotton wadding inside with the carbon felt. With cotton wadding, over time it singes, turning brown/black. Once it singes, it no longer wicks vapors to the platinum catalytic element, and they either don't light, or they work very inefficiently. Carbon felt does everything that the cotton wadding does, but won't singe. The added benefit is that the carbon felt removes most of the odor from your fuel. I was thinking that it might work in place of the perlite, and won't spill, even if turned upside down.
I have heard many praises of carbon felt. I really want to try it. I used perlite because I already had a lot for our gardening. Carbon felt is on my list and I love the fact that I can cut it to shape and if I drop it I can just pick up one item to put back in my tin. Living in "BUGTUSSEL", there is nowhere close to me that sells it. I might have to check Amazon. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, I really appreciate it!
Years ago I use to just use dirt. I would take my metal gold pan rake up some fine dirt off the ground into my pan then I would pour about 1/2 to a cup of gas into the dirt in the pan light it and put a great over it for my cooking pot or just use it like a fire pit the pan doesn’t get very hot and the fire last for quite a while but I had a gold pan with me and I didn’t have a altoid can. Something else I usually use fine dirt like talcum powder it holds the fuel better and the fire seems to burn a bit above the dirt and if you tip it the fuel doesn’t run out. Something else I’ve always packed can good with me because I never really got into trying to exercise living on powdered vegetables and Rahman noodles 50 years ago I never seen to many people with these super lightweight packs most of the people I seen back then had really large packs 50 to 150 pounds and there weren’t to many people talking about how many grams there stove was if they didn’t like the stoves they just cooked on a camp fire and if you had a tent it was more than likely made of canvas and even a small one was heavy. There’s a lot more I’d like to say about how everybody these days are trying to do forced marches instead of just going out and looking as the trees and the wildlife
Well Said! Thank You!!!!!
Great idea, need to try it - was used to use carbon-felt, but I have a lot of perlite laying around. It's not only for gardening purposes, but also as a fireproof insulation underneath the floor, so you can find it in any store for building supplies too.
Why do you insist on a 1:1 ratio - IMHO the amount of perlite doesn't affect the burn time or effectiveness. Only downside of your setup is, it's only full throttle - good for boiling water, but not for slow-cooking (simmering).
Just got an idea - how about making a simmer-ring out of two spare lids, one with a big hole, the second cut to size to cover the hole, mounted with a loose rivet to manipulate the opening?
Always learning something new and getting inspirations from watching you - thanks a lot !
You could find a larger one and cut it down to size.
Thanks for undertaking a well-thought-out series of experiences with this Altoid stove setup. The spread of the flame under your cook pan was so much more even. How might that compare with the regular Trangia burner? Would putting Perlite into the Trangia burner even out and prolong its burn time?
The Trangia burner is designed to heat the pool of alcohol to produce a higher degree of gasification. The perlite might impede that process.
Good stuff. I like where your head is at! I also like the idea of using the binder clip arm for a handle. What about if you left the lid on and attached and taped the inside and you use the altoids lid as a handle…?
If it will still fit in the stove and not interfere with the heat blanket, sure! Leave that lid on!!!!
I love these types of videos! I am definitely going to be making one of these. Have you tried using more alcohol than the 1 for 1? For instance, 2 tbsp Perlite and 4 tbsp alcohol? Does too much alcohol effect the vapor production?
Or have you tried filling the tin completely to the top with Perlite so youcan add more fuel?
I am always looking for longer burn times because I like cooking food instead of using the dehydrated stuff.
Keep up the great work!
Matt. 4:19
The 1 to 1 ratio works best. I have been experimenting further and will share the info in a future video.
I have chosen to "Follow HIM" and that has made every aspect of my life better!
Philippians 4:13
ilmu yang manfaat
Terima kasih!
Very interesting I wonder if salt was used or maybe mixed with the perlite would improve on this? Rock salt or possibly Himalayan salt.I believe salt can improve burning ,though some experiments will be interesting.
Hmmmmm...... I'll have to look into that.
Nice work, I like it very much. I'll try it as soon as I can. I wonder what it would be like to use it in a steel filter so that it doesn't spill.
let us all know if the steel filter works! Thanks
Great Idea John, love the video. I wonder what Kitty Litter would do?
Thank You! Kitty litter is more often than not made with clay or a clay-like material. It absorbs liquid very well, however, it traps the liquid in clumps. I think it would be worth trying just to see if it works!
Good video my friend. I'm going to make one of these burners in a few minutes. I'll be making a DIY stove for it too. Now all I need is a good recipe to cook so when will you be posting one? Blessings Brother.
Brother I just filmed a video in which I used the Esbit Cook set to cook Corned Beef and Cabbage, AND Breakfast Hominy. I just shot it last night and today, so it might be a few weeks before it airs.
@@boonedockery7220 All right! Lookin' forward to it my friend.
Hmm!? If I remember correctly denatured is 72%>. There is also isopropyl and undenatured alcohol. Which burns the longest?
How is burn time affected by pre-soaking the perlite? I can't remember the evaporation rate of the alcohol.
Something to consider. Is there a heat resistant paint on gasket you could use on the lid?
I tried perlite saturated with different fuels more than a decade ago and none of them did what I was hoping. In the case of alcohol, it only served to extinguish the flame before all the fuel was consumed. I had hoped that the perlite would create a radiant effect but it didn't. The only thing I found positive was that the perlite made the liquid fuels less likely to spill. Otherwise it causes a reduction in performance and efficiency. Packing the container with fiberglass wick does something similar without prematurely extinguishing the flame. It still doesn't make any additional radiant heat. I'm going to try a gas light mantle next when I feel like experimenting again.
What I did find useful was blending different types of alcohol. You can't burn pure isopropyl alcohol because it has too much energy output and will eventually boil itself out of control. If you blend it with ethanol or methanol, you can find a safe point where the output is still much higher than ethanol or methanol alone. I blend all three in equal parts and I get a longer burn time with a higher energy output. This is preferable for boiling water which is often all an ultra light backpacker wants. With this trick, I was able to use a popular one ounce titanium alcohol stove to boil two cups of water with a common pot and a foil type wind shield. With just ethanol, the same stove can't boil two cups of water on a single fill no matter what technique is used.
This would be an excellent video!
Hey Booney, nice to see you as always. What is your favorite mess kit? Do you have any videos of mess kits?
I answered you in your second attempt at asking. I'm sorry for the delay! It's been hectic lately.
@@boonedockery7220 lol thanks booney
Don't have perlite right now. But I do have lava rock - - the small size pebble kind used for embers in gas stoves. I will try in empty sterno cans. Looking for a long steady burn for clay pot heaters. Suggestions welcome.
.
Worth a try! Let me know how it turns out!
Informative & very helpful. Have you used a Pellet Tine & Perlite combination? That would eliminate having to seal the hinge holes of the Altoids tin with aluminum tape. Also, would a section of fiberglass screen or cloth hinder or effect the burn? It would hold thge Perlite granules in place. Your thoughts? Thanks a million. I've decided to subscribe because you DESCRIBE very clearly! May God bless you. (82 year old new viewer)
Thank You Brother! I have not tried Pellet Tine. I have tried steel screen. It did negatively affect the burn, however not enough to remove it. Having the security of not spilling the perlite is worth the minute difference in burn intensity. May God Bless You as well Brother! I Appreciate your support! PLEASE share any information as you can. I'm certain you have a lot of experience that would be a blessing to all that read the comments!
You mention that it's good to know how long of burn time for each of the "stoves" around the 25:00 minute mark, which is wise when you're out burning stuff. Since the alcohol evaporates fairly quickly, you could also let it sit after you've cooked to let the alcohol disperse so it A). doesn't leak when packing, and B). you don't have an open flame around camp while you wait for it to burn off? Any ideas how long that would take on either the 2 or 3 tablespoon versions? And how long will the perlite last for?
I did time it for both 2 and three. I will try to find my notes and will get back to you.
Next time you are at one of the Natural Food store, like Trader Joe’s, Nathen’s, Whole Foods, ect… look for the gum or candy tins the same size of Altolds but they aren’t hinged
If you want something slightly larger, the gift card tins at Cabela's are nice
QUESTION? Could you use another top and drill hours in lid and use it to simmer without putting the flames out.
I tried it and it didn't work. Not enough alcohol vapor could pass through the 60 holes I drilled through it.
Pop it in your pocket afterwards for a hand warmer :)
I recomend using a small can of tuna, fill it with perlite and then put a steel mash just between the perlite and the rim. Makes a round fire and the perlite stays wher it was when tiped over accidentaly.
Just after I filmed this I made a steel screen insert for it. I can turn it upside down now without a lid on it, and nothing falls out.
@@boonedockery7220And it is an safety improvemend comercial alcohol stoves dont have.
Now that was a eye opener! Perlite huh.....that used to be put in attics as insulation. What size fuel bottle do you have for the alcohol. Isn't denatured alcohol white gas? Thanks for another informative video.
I believe that bottle is 250ml. Denatured alcohol is not white gas. Most denatured alcohol is wood alcohol with chemicals added to make it taste horrible so people won't consume it. White gas is an Ultra refined version of regular gasoline which burns much cleaner than regular gasoline. NEVER use white gas (or any other kind of gasoline in an alcohol stove) as the vapor is far more volatile and will practically explode when ignited and bur much hotter than most alcohol stoves are designed to handle. I'm glad you liked the video! Thank You!
no, the orange flame indicates a mixture that is on the rich side of stochiometric, too much fuel vs oxygen.
Great video, Brother !!!
Love that idea !!
Question, other than that cook set, what other cooking "systems" would work well with that ???
The US Canteen cup "stove" ???
The UK BCB 1 or 2 "stove" bottom ???
A tent stake pot holder ???
Will it fit in one of those old hexamine/trioxane folding stove ???
Just wondering.
Keep up the great work !!!
OOoooooo I Love These Questions! There are several variables to consider with each.
Note: any metal container can be used as the burner.
1. Will the perlite container fit in the stove?
2. Is there enough space between the bottom of the cooking vessel and burner opening to facilitate efficient gasification burn?
3. Will the container be capable of containing the perlite after use?
I prefer stoves that have enough space and fits so that the heat is trapped. The US canteen stove does this well. Depending on the version of the UK stove it will work better with some than others. The trick is to trap as much of that flame blanket as possible under your cooking vessel as possible to create that even cooking surface. That maximizes fuel efficiency.
I'm VERY pleased you mentioned the USGI canteen stove. I owned several of them at one time, however I lost them in my house fire several years ago and never replaced them. I have one in my shopping cart right now specifically to test it with the perlite burner! Great minds think alike! Right Brother?!?!?! I actually have high hopes for this. I am in no way being a product basher here, just sharing an observation. There are several canteen stoves out there made like the old canteen shop/pathfinder canteen stoves. The need to be perfectly level and allow too much heat to escape. I like the trapped heat concept of the USGI stove much better.
Thank You Very Much For Posting This Comment!!!!!
@@boonedockery7220, Yes, we do !!!
You are welcome for the questions, Brother !!!
Thank you for the response !!!
Keep up the great work !!!
use half a concrete block and get an old gas stove burner to place on top ... not the ultimate in handy, but the two could be stashed out doors and all you need to bring is your altoid stove ...@@boonedockery7220
A really great idea and I'll have to try that. One question, couldn't you put a ranger band around it to prevent the leaking?
The Ranger Band would prevent the lid from coming off (thank you for that suggestion!) I was toying with the idea of applying a thin line of silicone around the inside of the lid to create a seal???? I'll have to give it a try to see if it'll work.
@@boonedockery7220 Please let me know how that works out for you with the silicone.
One other question: how well does the pan pour? I have a similar pan, a Trangia "Mess Tin." It works well for the most part; but when I boil water and then pour it into another container, some hot water always dribbles down the side of the pan. It's kind of annoying at times, especially when I need to trickle a pint of water into my coffee funnel. I was wondering if the Esbit has the same problem? Thanks!
I have had no issues with spillage when pouring due to the design of the pot. I have caused spillage a couple times but it was my fault.
Ooh perlite! Not thought of that (I have bought a little Speedster burner which used ceramic woll, same idea, also carbon felt(. As well as the comments down below about putting some mesh in, you could also put some silicon to seal them when being transported. Now, you'd not be able then to snuff it out, but I've heard these kinds of burner can be just blown out? If not, wouldn't the other side just snuff it anyway? Or the pot maybe?
A wind shield is a must for these burners!
@@boonedockery7220 Yes completely. I'd recommend making a Caldera C(l)one. I made one from cheap aluminium pizza platters - going to put that DIY hacks video up in a few days (was part of the current video but it made everything too long so it's a separate video now)
Question:
I'm looking to get an Esbit like you show, but right now I have a Vesta by insta-fire. It uses those sterno chaffing dish fuel cans.
Im wondering if i could put the perlite and dn alcohol in an empty ( thoroughly cleaned of course) spent sterno. These sterno cans have screw down lids, which could be beneficialfor transporting unspent fuel without fear of leakage. Even maybe with a rubber gasket? The Vesta has little indentions for the round cans, not a rectangular slot like the Esbit.
So .... is it possible, and safe, to create such a perlite burner with a sterno can for the Vesta?
Thanks.
I think that should work very well!
.
BOTH stoves burn ONLY alcohol vapor. This is why you can drop a lit match into diesel fuel, kerosene or motor oil as they do not vaporize fast enough to catch fire at room temperature where you can't do this to gasoline, acetone or benzene because they do vaporize really well at room temperature. With these, the vapor will catch before the match hits the liquid.
The Pearlite stove burns the vapor slower as the Pearlite acts like a candle wick retarding the amount of fuel being fed to the flame. The liquid alcohol stove is uncontrolled so the alcohol gets hotter and VAPORIZES faster.
A good analogy would be a wood stove and an open hearth fireplace. A wood stove burns a log for 3 to 6 hours where an open hearth fireplace will burn a log in 30 minutes. The difference is, in this case, air control. The Pearlite controls, to some extent, the temperature of the alcohol by acting as a heat sink but also feeds it to the fire, slower. The liquid alcohol is exposed directly to the flame, vaporizes faster and burns quicker. The yellow flame over the liquid alcohol means that the fuel / air ratio is too rich and is burning the alcohol inefficiently.
It's like if you've ever seen a gas stove burn yellow, especially in the movies. These are burning with too little air because the holes in the jets, the ports that control gas flow, are too large feeding more gas than air to the flame. They do this in the movies so that the audience can see it burning in the bright studio lights as a proper blue gas flame, in a brightly lit movie set, is invisible.
Bravo! I need to have you narrate my videos! Masterfully written!
@@boonedockery7220 Thank you.
Hello. Really enjoyed this video. Would you mind letting me know which brand of denatured alcohol you used? As I researched denatured alcohol, I read that it will give off some smell. You mentioned in this video or the video where you showed how to make a burning gel and your mentioned that it didn't give off any odor and you can use it inside your tent on a rainy camping day. Thanks for the info. Keep it coming.
To clarify, in my smaller tents I use it in the vestibule with the flap opened slightly. In my DD 4x4 it's massive and allows a little air flow, I've never had an issue with fumes.
I buy, whatever they have on hand at our local hardware store. The brands vary.
Is it possible to make something like this in a tall cylinder with lots more perlite to make a heater that lasts for hours ? Or will it burn itself out or get too hot?
Yes. There are a lot of tall tin cylinders you can buy. I would consider stainless steel for the idea you have in mind. Also, using pure high % alcohol should be used indoors. Denatured alcohol emits some stinky fumes.
Could I add a little tin plate that covers say half of the perlite that slow/simmer up the flame?
That should work. I haven't tried it.
Maybe you could pack them inside a small sealed container. So, even if they leak, it won't be a problem.
Hiram Cook used an empty Sterno can with a screw on lid with seal and it worked great! The trick is to find a sealable container that is relatively the same height as the Altoid's tin.
Howabout rapping the tin with a ranger band and putting the tin in a freezer ziplock bag?
I'd like to know whether carbon felt would work as well (or differently) as the perlite. Thoughts?
Although I have "NOT" tried it myself, my understanding is that it works very similarly. Carbon felt displaces the alcohol, whereas, perlite actually absorbs the alcohol creating a more even and consistent burn.
curious how this altoids burner would work with carbon felt as the media/wicking material.
From what I know of carbon felt it should work well.
Does the perlite give off fumes that can cause affiliation? If it doesn't, that would be great for fast heat.
No Fumes.
Gday, I used to use a lot of fiberglass to make moulds for a concrete company. The rollers tend to need cleaning of resin after use so I would put some sand in drink can I have cut the top off, put in some assotone we use for cleaning the resin into the can and light. would burn for 20+ minutes.
In a pinch i think you could use any size can or pot throw in any soil that is dry and loose enough to absorb the fuel and it should make it burn longer and even. Sand is nice because it really seals the fuel below it.
Just something off the top of my head, i havnt tried it but should work any clay base kitty litter.
Cool Ideas! I'll put it on my list to try! Thanks for sharing!
Perhaps there are easier options than the tape here.
Wedding cake tins or Tobbaco tins would give a more airtight seal and no need to use the aloy tape. Think of a tine kind of like those commercial BCB survival kit tins
Do you eventually have to change the pearllite
I do have a question. Can you put the perlite in the trangia stove and will it burn as long. Since you were testing the burn times I would have thought that you would have tested the trangia stove along with the Altoid cans to get the differences and I don't mind long videos anyway. Sorry just a thought and maybe that's what you were talking about when you said you had something else in mind. That was a great test and I certainly did enjoy the comparisons and I will be using it myself and teaching my grandchildren. Thanks for the video I certainly did enjoy it and I suppose my most favorite thing is your bloopers. Don't get me wrong I do love learning and you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks again
Brother, I should do a comparison. 2 tablespoons of alcohol in each (or 3) Thank you for the idea!
The Trangia burner is designed to heat the pool of alcohol to produce a higher degree of gasification. The perlite might impede that process.
@@boonedockery7220 I suppose it can't hurt to try but thanks for possibly considering it. God bless you my brother
Could you use perlite in a Trangia stove to extend the burn time?
The Trangia burner is an alcohol gasification stove. It must have liquid alcohol to achieve the desired process.
I wonder how a piece of wire mesh screening would work to keep the Perlite from spilling? Would it affect the burning results?
It works great! Been doing it shortly after posting this.
What happens if ya powder the perlite and mix in isopropyl alcohol ? will it act like gelled fuel?
No. It would basically be mud. it wouldn't wick the alcohol very well at all.
I was wondering if you could put pearlite in the Tangia type alcohol burners to make improvements of not
It would not improve upon the Trangia burner, by it's design, the main fuel reservoir needs to be free of any material or objects.
@@boonedockery7220 thanks , saved me a few bucks
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Put water and a few pennies in a sandwich bag. Hang it near entrances. Flies hate it. I've heard different theories on why it works. I don't know which one is correct but it worked for me.
flies have compound eyes which makes everything appear larger ... I use wadded up tinfoil in a bag
You'd better use a Zip Lock heavy duty freezer bag. I've also seen people use a 2 liter bottle full of water.
I've just done this with kitchen tinfoil after my sister who.lives on a farm showed me their bags around the balcony. I don't want plastic bags around so did it in an open top bottle. Omg it really works.
Ps tested the water, and the tinfoil took our tap water from being out of range, into perfect pH. Now 2 months later, we can't believe the water hasn't clouded over even, no growths, still as clear as when it came out of the tap. I'd live to know what tinfoil does to water and whether as it takes our bad pH tap water to a great pH, whether it can be used to improve drinking water in jugs and even tanks
@@anjiibryersbiofieldtherapy1682be cautious with this. Aluminum in drinking water is toxic and associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease,disease and Parkinson's.
Where would you get the soda bottle blanks from?
Thank you:o) Great information! How about just cat liter stuff and no perlite ? Cheers, Fred
Cat litter likes to absorb liquid, but doesn't like letting it go! It's also mostly clay which will bake with the heat and turn into dirt clods.
Can you use 70% rubbing alcohol in this? What a neat little burner for camping.
You can, however it's less efficient and produces a good bit of soot.
@@boonedockery7220 thank you! ❤️
In North Africa during ww British troops cooked on tin can stoves containing sand soaked with petrol - - same idea as the perlite
Very Cool!
I add a ranger band to keep it shut.
4 months LATER( I'm way late to the party) but, did you determine any effect on letting the alcohol soak into the perlite for a length of time as opposed to mix and start the fire?
It pretty much soaks in instantaneously.
Prescription pill bottles are mostly waterproof and I am sure alcohol would carry well in them!!!
Question: do you have to replace the perlite after awhile?
I've used it for way over a year and it's still in great shape!
How many times can you use the same Perlight, I suspect it could be many times over unless the Perlight is destroyed in some way.
I've been using the same perlite for close to a year now and it hasn't begun to break down yet.
I skipped through. Then watched the hole video and didn't hear you say it but what is the little cooking pot called that you used the alcohol stove in. I would like to buy one to use with my altoids stove..
It's the "ESBIT 1100ML Lightweight Solid Fuel stove and Camping Cookware Set" Here's a link: amzn.to/3L0sOFJ
Sorry if I missed it but how many times can you reuse the Perlite. ?
Indefinitely. As long as it isn't crushed, it will work. It's volcanic so the heat shouldn't degrade it. I've used it a lot and so far it looks like new.
Could you use isopropyl alcohol?
You could but it doesn't burn as clean as denatured alcohol.
What if you put some of the jell on the perlit
It wouldn't work so well.
How can we combine the perlite and the homemade jelled alcohol?
I would not. Two completely different processes.
Hey if you want during Halloween saint Patrick’s day add borax or boric acid to your alcohol (works with most except isopropyl) and it burns green. A nice use for denatured alcohol.
That's Very Cool! Thanks for sharing this!
What file do you prefer now the homemade alcohol jell or this method with the perlite and alcohol??? Have fun stay safe.
If I am going to "cook" when I go out I take both. The Alcohol Gel is best for cooking and the Perlite is best for quick water boiling.
@@boonedockery7220 thanks.
How long does it burn? I’ve got a very small greenhouse I’m trying to heat
I would suggest a portable heater, there are many on amazon with all different price ranges
zeolite does also suck up the alcohol.
Hmmmmmm..... I'll have to research Zeolite! Thanks for telling me about it!
Would you be able to suggest or build a DIY tray system, like the one you have, that one could build by themselves at home?
I work with homeless and i want to be able to give some semblance of home life for them.
Basically the same way Armed service personnel live out of their Bergen's. If you can't no sweat :)
Thank is an interesting idea! I will see what I can come up with. Thanks for suggesting this!
Considering how many homeless camps have burned down around here, I'd recommend professionally built stoves only. Many of these DIY ideas are much too dangerous, even though they do work OK when properly placed.
This is true.@@noyb7920