I'm sure I've seen posts about this in the past but can't remember them. I have some burners, mostly German vaporizing burners (with the "mushroom" caps) that I would call over-aggressive. In small fireboxes the entire burner and firebox can become enveloped in flames. What are your solutions? Dilution with water, and if so, by how much? Different type of alcohol? I'm using the regular hardware store denatured alcohol (methylated spirits). I have seldom have the problem but need to have an alternative for a couple smaller engines.
Hi Brent, It is costly but indoors I use Everclear or Graves. They are both 190 proof grain alcohol. It burns quite clean and never irritates your eyes.
As for overheating, these burners can all benefit by have a small diameter copper or brass tube letting fumes exit outside of the firebox. Some of the burners come with this. Even when they are so equipped I add a piece of silicon tubing to move the exit 7-10 inches from the burner vessel.
When they get hot in a firebox the contained heat makes what's in the tank hotter and it pushes out far more alcohol vapor than what is required.
You can also try covering half the mushroom vaporizing burner with aluminum foil.
Gil
Thanks Gil. Never seem to have had a problem with eye irritation or sooting and don't run these engines often. Would be great if Everclear burned with less BTUs than the hardware store stuff. I may try covering half the "mushroom". What about dilution? I think I've read about some folks diluting with up to 10% water.
Thanks Gil. Never seem to have had a problem with eye irritation or sooting and don't run these engines often. Would be great if Everclear burned with less BTUs than the hardware store stuff. I may try covering half the "mushroom". What about dilution? I think I've read about some folks diluting with up to 10% water.
I dilute the Everclear with water. Seems to calm the flame.
Alcohol dilution? Absolutely. Ten percent H2O sounds like a good
starting point. Experiment!
As to grain alcohol....Amen on that, two ways. It burns very
cleanly and if you have extra it makes a nifty cocktail. Just
don't try to drink it straight. I use it to power my PM Research
Solar 7 Stirling engine and it NEVER leaves any residue on the
glass tube. If it did, it would show.
Happy steaming,
Wayne
Thanks Charlie. I'll experiment with alcohol dilutions with water at 5 and 10% to see what happens.
Thanks Wayne. I'll experiment with the alcohol I have. I buy it by the gallon and use it for other things as well.
Weak Minnesota 151 proof Everclear helps tame them. I use Wisconsin Everclear when I need more heat
Hmmm. I did not know there were other types of EverClear.
My go-to, here in Brooklyn, is Familia Deluxe, coming in
at 192 proof.
Down the hatch,
Wayne
> It burns very
cleanly and if you have extra it makes a nifty cocktail.
I'll drink to that!
Just finished a couple tests. Dilution with water at 10% made no noticeable difference but 20% did the trick. Normally I use it straight alcohol but on occasions will use this mix with an over-aggressive vaporizing burner on a very small engine.
Thanks for the update, Brent.
You might also try 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.
I'm not a fan of the mushroom burners. They can be very fussy. I like the Mamod TE wadding spirit burners more. Tony Green sold high quality versions of various sizes. Depending on the engine, I run 75% or 95% ABV. The surface area of the burner makes a big difference in what ABV as well.
On one of my Märklin 402 engines had a leaky rusty (dangerous) tank, I converted it to a leak proof wadding burner. Runs fantastic and much safer.
Thanks. I think 20-25% water is about right. The vaporizers can be real trouble on small boilers/engines but are great for the larger ones.
Weak Minnesota 151 proof Everclear helps tame them. I use Wisconsin Everclear when I need more heat
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