Here's another reference on Unleaded Fuel and Additives: https://classiccampstoves.com/posts/23513 sam
My original response to the idea of home distillation of gasoline was not very favorable. But now that I have seen the video and understand the reason behind the process, it seems more reasonable. The poster had a need for CF, could not obtain it and found a solution. Intense, yes. Stupid, no. DANGEROUS ? Yes, yes. But some times, you do what you have to do. Since making the above post, I have looked at the video a number of times and would suggest that anyone doing this to: 1. Salvage a 250 degree F. thermostat from an old clothes dryer and run a 12 volt relay circuit to turn off the electric heater at about 250 degrees. 2. Refrain from using a soldered can if at all possible. 3. And if you have to use a soldered can do not boil the liquid in it lest the solder create a leak. I think the above steps would make the project a bit more safe but not by much Ken H.
All these things are safe if you do it right with the right gear. Soldered tins are not the right gear. Petrols flash point is about 20C and boiling point is about 80C so a 250 thermostat might not give much safety margin. Keeping oxygen away at all costs would be a better way. When all else fails doing it outside would either be a good idea before you start or a result. Would I try this? no. Would I try this if there was no other method to get white gas? maybe. Some of the fringes of society here make a product called canibus oil Essentially they soak the leaves etc in isopropyl alcohol then boil off the alcohol normally in a normal hosehold cooking pot on the kitchen stove. Many rental houses have disappeared in the process.
Safer way to distill car gasoline is to use a bain-marie system, that is, the gasoline containing bouiler does not stay on the stove, but in a bigger container that is filled with boiling water. The stove heats the water, and as water boils its temperature stop rising and stays at 100 centigrade deg unrìtill there is water. 100 centigrade is more then enough to evaporate our valuable exane component of car gas. If properly organized, such a system is almost monkyproof, and in fact I use it since in Italy CF become a madly expensive rarity.
...as long as you don't use a naked flame to heat the water-bath anyway. Coleman fuel is available in the UK but at an exorbitant price. You still won't catch me distilling gasoline though. I simply buy Panel Wipe which is the equivalent of Coleman fuel. It's used in car bodyshops to clean the panels prior to spraying - still a bit expensive but perfectly safe to buy. Wherever it is these folk are distilling gasoline, is there no alternative at all to Coleman fuel available?
Well, the observation about naked flame is quite obvious, but all the same extremely sound. You in UK are lucky to have Panel Wipe, here in Italy, till ten or twelve years ago you could purchase white gasoline as stain remover, it was called "benzina avio" but since then the same name is now for a product that is a blend of exane (real white gasoline) and dichloropropane, a terrible, poisonus, clorinated hidrocarbon, that will corrode any stove in a matter of minutes, and poissibly kilol the owner with toxic fumes.
While an open flame can be avoided with an electric element, a thermostate and many kinds of switches can generate a spark that will easily ignite those fumes. Unless you can pipe in steam or hot water I think distilling flamable liquids in a kitchen is a sure way to remodel the kitchen or house. Even then, the toxic hazards are great enough that it is a bad idea.
Some of the low life here use the kitchen to distill things that make boiling petrol and alcohol very tame. Fire service in NZ attend about 1 P lab explosion a week. Police find twice that number. One P lab across the road from the central police station. Cops didnt drive to that one. Some houses that have been used for P lab are so badly contaminated its cheaper to demolish and wrap the whole lot in plastic before dumping at the hazardous waste tip than it is to fix it.
There's a place that sells farm machinery just down the road from me that sells Aspen 4, I think I paid £15 for 5L last time but as I mainly use it in my miners safety lamp it lasts forever... The only other place I use it is in my Coleman stove and so far it's worked fine.
Aspen should be relatively easy to get in the UK as I believe they have 215 distributors, their distibutor locator is http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/index.php?cID=247 .
Unfortunately, their locator is way out of date. Neither of the two listed distributors near me have sold it for at least two years, so call before making a trip. Terry
We don't even have an out of date list for Ireland I'm not pushing Aspen fuel on anyone btw, I just can't get Coleman fuel anymore. I normally complain about "Rip Off Ireland" (limited choice and high prices) but in this rare case Aspen fuel works out cheaper here than in the UK which might be due to pump fuel being a bit cheaper in Ireland. I'm also a regular chainsaw user but use pump gasoline for the saws as I couldn't afford to run them on Aspen 2S. Rounded to the nearest couple of cents current prices are something like... Pump Unleaded Gasoline 1l: €1.60 Aspen 4 1l €5.50 Coleman 1l > €12
Wow! More than three times the price of car petrol for Aspen! I know I have asked this before, but I don't think anyone ever answered: don't you have Aspen on pump at marinas? Many of them here carry Aspen, even if far from all. Last time I was there, the price for Aspen was only a bit more than 20% higher than regular car petrol. Quite affordable. But I still prefer the generic alkylate petrol they have in 4 litre cans at petrol stations. It has a much nicer scent (yes, scent ) than the one of Aspen alkylate petrol. My closest sea station. Pump four is Aspen, as you can see:
It is far too dangerous to distil gasolene in the house. An endeavor (love that word) such as this must have a backup plan, also known as a fireball plan. Just try to explain to the nice fireman that you were distilling gasolene on the kitchen stove. Ken H.
Here in Christchurch, New Zealand you can pay $15.99 for 1 litre of Coleman Fuel, and about $11 or $12 for 1 litre of Fuelite or Tergolite (white gasoline with no additives) . Distilling highly volatile, highly flammable liquids is planning for a devastating explosion and fire. Please don't try this at home.
I would suggest that if anyone is even contemplating a venture which requires a 'fireball plan' then that should surely be enough to tell them to stop right there. Anyone know exactly how fast the flame-front travels in a gasoline vapour/air explosion? I don't but I bet it's quicker than Usain Bolt
I have a failsafe fireball plan. sit on a chair , a long way away with a pair of binoculars . and watch the Darwin award candidate do his distillation . cheers kerry
If you can control the heat and keep the vapours inside the distillation equipment there is no reason it cant be done safely. All you have to do is ensure no oxygen can meet the petrol vapour. I will sit next to Kerry as we watch through binoculars.
