I'm a long time Jetboil rip off advocate. But recently I've been thinking about a super light liquid fuel set up.
Never having used a liquid system I thought bio ethanol would be the cleanest option as opposed to meths.
A test fire has revealed a sooty pot. I realise it's not the end of the world but I had hoped it would have been clean...
you'll be getting soot from the carbon/aromatic denaturants in it. You could try using a zero/low odour kerosene as these are designed for closed environments like this https://www.ryeoil.co.uk/shop/odourless-kerosene/ -you'll also have the benefit of a higher clarorific content compared to both ethanol and meths. If you can get hold of some HVO easily you could also try that - ODK is safer though.
Ah cheers, YouTube seemed to suggest bio ethanol would be clean. I wonder if there's different grades, in terms of refinement.
As I say it's not a huge deal but gas burns clean and I'd rather not have to deal with sooty pots.
People add a bit of water sometimes.
What burner and stove are you using.
I use bioethenol sometime and just live with it but i can't say i've noticed it being particularly awful. Just use a bag over the lot its only messy if you try and clean it.
Its also a lot less sooty than burning twiggs
i doubt it was pure ethanol as it would have cost you >£30/L on excise duties alone, so it will have been adulterated in some way - likely with a mix of Isopropal alcohol, methyle ethyle ketone and benzoat, or if it was an ethanol "cube" it will have had an acid in it, though that would not normally produce a soot. It is entirely possible you are not getting a proper burn, so the alcohol gets too hot and produces carbon - not unheard of, some stove designs restrict airflow, and thus oxygen entering.
It's a Featherlight 700 using this..
https://www.diy.com/departments/la-hacienda-bio-ethanol-fuel-2000ml/540224_BQ.prd
I think you really need some kind of pressure to burn liquid fuels cleanly, don't you?
You could try using a zero/low odour kerosene as these are designed for closed environments like this https://www.ryeoil.co.uk/shop/odourless-kerosene/ -you’ll also have the benefit of a higher clarorific content compared to both ethanol and meths. If you can get hold of some HVO easily you could also try that – ODK is safer though.
In a primus / whisperlite style stove maybe, not in a meths burner!
In a meths burner just put a couple of drops of water in the bowl with the meths, it's just enough to prevent it depositing soot on the pan as it reduces the calorific value and oxygen demand of the fuel.
Never having used a liquid system I thought bio ethanol would be the cleanest option as opposed to meths.
Industrially "Meths" tended to be the purest way to get ethanol if that's what you wanted (we used it as a solvent for another product) as IIRC it was about 99.9% ethanol, with the rest being purple dye and bitrex. They don't mix methanol into it anymore as the kind of people drinking meths weren't worried about the health effects so it was better just to make it unpalatable rather than dangerous as well.
Most other forms were either azeotropic, or mixed with other alcohols, glycerin etc to make a product.
It’s a Featherlight 700 using this..
You might struggle to get a completely clean burn because as Molgrips alluded to, to get a decent burn the fuel needs to be vaporized and well mixed with the air. Those stoves don't do much mixing so there's always going to be a reduction zone in the center of the flame where carbon forms.
Just wipe it on the grass when you're done.
If you look at the likes of Bearbones 22g stoves the pot seals the top and meths is vaporized and escapes via the jets on the side where it mixers with oxygen then burns. Beercan stoves do something similar, often using an old pound coin or something to cover the center hole which stops fuel escaping that way and forces it out the jets on the rim.
www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/22g-8g.jpg
I’ve used that same fuel, it does burn clean as long as there is enough O2 getting to the flame. That Featherlite system looks very enclosed, were you trying it out indoors? It might need a touch of a breeze to work to get enough oxygen in there, it might be worth trying it again outside
I was going to suggest a bidet. It's all about the kerning.
Cheers folks, will try with a drop or two of water and in a breeze. Every day's a school day.
My lightweight solution may not be too lightweight given I have to carry fuel.. hadn't considered that.
Meh.
Alcohol stoves are definitely the lightest weight option, but it takes a little refining. My whole cook kit weighs 250 grams, including fuel for 4-5 boils, stove, pot, lighter, pot lifter, windscreen and cloth.
