Ok, so you suggest trying a mix of car petrol and kerosene? With which goal? What should I watch out for? Do you expect it to give more heat? Less smell when starting and extinguishing? It's definately much more expensive! Which ratio would you try?
@Simon Wenger I am unsure whether you are asking me or @Reflector . I am not suggesting anything, just trying to help bridge the language gap. The heavier fuel (kerosene/petroleum) is difficult to burn efficiently in a stove made for lighter fuel (reinbenzin/white gas). Mixtures are often used. The heat output is better with a heavier fuel through the same stove jet.
Automotive gasoline has additives to modify the characteristics of it for automobiles. There are additives to increase how easily the fuel combusts when pressurized ("octane rating" increasers) which may not burn as cleanly in a stove. car petrol (Benzin) Seeing this is the present fuel you have reliability with, then that's one to stick with especially given the cost as well. white gas (coleman)?(Reinbenzin) This is good for white gas stoves as in general it is very clean burning. From what I understand there are some inexpensive alternatives to Coleman proper like Aspen 4T or "panel wipe" in the UK. I am unsure of their availability outside of the UK. Petroleum Do you have any product names or images that I can try to look up data sheets on this for? charcoal lighter (is that the same as petroleum? or as 'kerosene'?) Not necessarily either. From what I've seen European charcoal lighter fluid is kerosene based but there may be exceptions, you will have to look at what you can buy in the area and look up the material data sheet. What I get from Walmart in the United States seems to be some kind of in-between of white gas and kerosene in burn characteristics. It is a lighter, easier to "boil" fuel that burns cleanly but it is not kerosene. Ethanol The Stormbreaker's jet is too small to run any alcohol, however I have had success in adding alcohol into fuel mixes (For the sake of an example ratios like: 70% white gas, 20% kerosene, 10% alcohol). Spiritus (which is maybe regular Ethanol....? smells the same) I assume this means "alcohol spirits" or perhaps wood spirits (methanol). No go when running it straight like ethanol for the same reasons. Also if it is methanol, methanol is a little corrosive because it forms formaldehyde as part of the combustion byproducts. If you want to try adding some kerosene (due to the price of it and potentially for cleaner burns) to your existing fuel, start with a small ratio in a small quantity. 8 parts automotive gasoline, 1 to 2 parts of kerosene and 1 part of alcohol. I would run the Stormbreaker outside at night (at home when you making dinner) on automotive gasoline and observe the flame characteristics (take a photo/memorize it) and then let it cool down and depressurize. Add the small amount of kerosene and then shake the fuel bottle up before pressurizing and run it again while observing the flame characteristics when the stove is hot. Repeat the shutdown/depressurization and add that 1 part of alcohol and run it again, observing the flame characteristics. You may want to only add half the amount at first and see if the flame characteristics are good before you continue adding the remainder of that part as too much alcohol can make the flame unstable as it will be a lean fuel mix. Given automotive gas may continue ethanol, I would consider doing this last. When controlling the ratios, you can slowly increase the amount of kerosene slowly along with alcohol for batches until you find that the startup is too difficult (too much kerosene) or the flame is not as blue (too rich) or if it has issues holding the flame (too lean). Moving back to your "good" mix where the flame is bluer than the stove running on automotive gasoline is your sweet spot.
Hey Simon! The post is a bit outdated, but I am very curious. thinking about upgrading to the Soto Stormbreaker, but I am very unsure. Because also of my way of traveling (by Bike &cheap) I consider just using the petrol (Benzin) from car Gas Stations. Can you say anything of your experience and what you would recommend, what you used with it on a daily basis?
In general I would avoid petrol and using white gas or maybe Aspen 4T only in stoves which have a generator . Even with white gas the generator of the Soto Muka have runtime of approx. 30h hours before carbon build up will causes problems Btw, some users seem's to have problems with underburn when trying to run the Stormbreaker in simmer mode.
So is there something you would recommend ?? I would only be able to get to Petrol Gas Stations. Of course I know white gas is best but not available and mire expensive in the long run.
I would take a roaring burner (unhappily loud) without generator like Optimus Nova, Primus Omnifuel. OmniLite, but the additional silent cap tends to underburn. Svea 123, no pressure pump and made from few parts. Or used Primus Himalaya, with cleanable generator. My experience with silent caps is that most of them will tend to underburn. Only a modified burner head from cadac works for me. (I got all of them, exccept the Svea) A swedish friend used the Coleman Sportster (silent) for several years with petrol without problems. But I dont' know, if the generator iss cleanable. When you located in Germany, take a look at Kleinanzeigen for used ones. Nevertheless , if you prefer the Soto, currently at Globetrotter for 171€.
Thanks for the fast reply! I don't really Unterstand what you mean bya stove with a "generator" or "roaring Burner" I thought stoves Like Soto stormbreaker or Primus omnifuel Work kinda the same Unfortunately not in Germany anymore but I have also seen the great prive offer
Liquid fuels like petrol or kerosene has to be gasified before you can burn it. There are several ways to do it. Some is a tube (gas generator) heated up by the flame while burning. Even with white gas there will be carbon build up in the tube over the time. The Himalaya i.e. has a steel wire inside the tube to prevent carbon build up respectively it helps to clean the tube. Soto Muka and Strombreaker not. The Omnifuel and Nova uses isntead of a tube a massive brass housing to gasifying the liquid fuel. Silent burner vs. roaring burner head: kerosene stove. roar burner and silent burner
Thanks ! I think I Go for the Optimus Nova. I already have a 1liter fuel bottle. A question which comes to me: Is is compatlible? Cause the pump has a "suction hose?" for the fuel, but it won't reach to bottom of a big bottle, right? So in my opinion a larger bottle need a new suction hose? Or does it work by pressure? sorry I'm a newbie! But still learning
Threads on Primus and Optimus fuel bottles are same, the bottle mouth and seal is slightly different. So there may some problems with leakage. There is no need for a new suction hose. I'm using only small fuel bottles, so you can reach the required pressure with a less amount of pumps, especially when the bottle is near empty. I transport rest of the fuel in the 1l bottle of the fuel company. If possible I'll preheat the stove with denaturated alcohol. It's a much more cleaner preheating process. Don't forget to buy a service kit also and read the manual. In general all of the liquid fueled stoves need maintenance
