Backpacking stoves: Keep them running hot

Backpacking stoves are built to take the rigors of the trail, but they need to be maintained to keep them running right.

When it comes to canister stoves, just make sure they are clean
and there are no missing o-rings.

With canister stoves, the job is quick and easy, as there is not much that can go wrong. Other than checking to make sure the burner head is clean and that all the o-rings are in place, there is not much to do. If you find an o-ring or seal missing, contact the manufacture and get a replacement.

Actually, this goes for any stove, whether it uses gas cartridges or liquid fuel. You need to check out any location that has an o-ring or seal and if there is damage replace them.

The first step in maintaining a liquid fuel stove is to have the proper instructions in hand when you begin the process. Coleman, MSR and Primus offer instruction manuals online that can be downloaded and printed out. On the MSR and Coleman sites pick the model of stove and there are links on the page to instruction manuals. I have listed below the links to the instructions for the two stoves I use. And luckily, if parts are needed, REI has repair kits for MSR stoves in stock.

The first step is to discard any old fuel in the stove as it will "go bad" and gum up the works. When you discard the fuel make sure to do it in a safe manner, remember you are dealing with gasoline and it is highly flammable.

When it comes to liquid fuel stoves, there are quite a few on the market, but they all work basically the same. The fuel is pressurized, fed through the fuel line where it vaporizes and then it is sent to the burner. To build that

pressure, air is pumped into the tank and this is where the pump cup comes in along with most of the failures.

Most stoves come with pump cup oil, but any mineral based oil can be used. If putting a few drops of oil into the pump does not solve the issue, then disassemble the pump so you can check out the cup. If it is damaged, replace it.  All the stoves on the market offer repair kits and it pays to have one on hand.

If the cup is intact, many times cleaning and oiling it will allow you to reshape it. You may be able to flatten out the cup then reform it into the proper shape.

Next comes cleaning the fuel line and at the same time the generator. The generator on these stoves allows the fuel to “swirl” through the fuel line and when it hits the heated portion, the fuel vaporizes. Each stove is a bit different in what the generator looks like, but they all work basically the same.

On the MSR and Primus stoves it can be cleaned, while on Coleman stoves it is a separate assembly that needs to be replaced. One suggestion made by MSR is on component stoves, those with separate fuel bottles, is to detach the fuel line from the burner and then run some fuel though the line to flush out any dirt.

Just a little work will help to keep your stove burning hot.

One area that needs to be cleaned on stoves like the Whisperlite is the priming cup and on Primus stoves, it is called the priming pad. It is the area on the bot- tom where you place fuel to burn and preheat the stove. A lot of carbon can build up and it needs to be cleaned. It can be wiped away with a cloth with a bit of oil on it and a lot of paper towels.

To keep carbon build up down, use denatured alcohol for priming instead of white gas. Alcohol burns clean and can be stored in a small squirt bottle to make filling the priming area easy.

Finally, if at any time you find you have fuel leaking anywhere on the pump assembly, send it in for repair or get a repair kit. There are check valves in the pumps that allow air into the fuel tank to build pressure and at the same time keep the fuel in.

I have had a check valve fail and it is rather surprising to pump up the stove and then have a pressurized stream of fuel come back out of the pump.  

So take the time to make sure you stove is running at its peak, you will be happy you did when you sit down to cook a meal on the trail.

Alcohol Stoves: Clean, environmentally friendly and ultimately simple

There are all types of back- packing and camping stoves, but there is one class of burners that do not get a lot of attention and they are alcohol stoves.

The vast majority of stoves on the market run on either gas cartridges filled with butane/propane blends or on liquid fuel, better known as Coleman Fuel. These are the workhorse stoves on the market. They are hot, boil water fast and can be used in almost any condition. But they can be expensive and both burn non-renewable fuels.

The Trangia burner is the tried and true alcohol stove that generates a lot of

heat in a simple package.  Lawrence DiVizio

On the other hand there is the low tech alcohol stove.

Alcohol burners have been around since the time when someone realized it would burn.

Recently there has been a rebirth of these stoves with a few new ones on the market, but the tried and true unit is the Trangia stove madein Sweden. These are a ported stoves meaning that once the alcohol heats up, small holes in a raised portion of the stove begin to burn like a gas burner. They are offered in complete cook kits with stove and windscreen and all the way to a small ultra lightweight survival stove. They are fantastic products. There is also the Vargo Stove which is made of titanium, super light weight and easy to use. both of these stoves are available at REI .

The benefit of alcohol stoves is the very fact that they are so simple. There are no moving parts, nothing to replace and extremely safe.

For those who are handy and like to make things, there are a wide variety of homemade alcohol stoves out there. You can make (and my son and I have) stoves from beverage cans which is really rather neat when you do it. At the website Zen Stoves you will find descriptions of stoves you can make, discus- sions on the different types of alcohol that can be used and even drawings on how to make the stoves.

Now to the drawbacks and advantages to using alcohol fueled stoves.

The down side to alcohol is that it does not generate the heat a white gas or canister stove does so the boil time is a lot longer. It can take 10 minutes to   boil one-half quart of water, though my Trangia burner will do it in six. So ounce-per-ounce you get a lot less cook time than you do with a fuel like Cole- man fuel. These are not stoves for people who want to cook quickly, it can take some time. Another concern with alcohol is that it is hard to see when it is burning. So care must be taken when using an alcohol stove.

On the plus side, the fuel is made from renewable resources and alcohol will not explode, so it is very safe. Denatured alcohol also burns extremely clean and does not leave soot on you cook pots. That is why I use alcohol as the priming fuel with my MSR Whisperlite.

Alcohol is also easy to find. I bought my last can of it at the Meijer Store in Allen Park, Mich.  Unlike some fuels, if you spill alcohol it just evaporates and that’s it. And since it does not explode under normal conditions, it is much safer to carry and can be shipped via ground delivery in the United States. It cannot be taken on an aircraft.

Finally the stoves are totally silent, which is a real blessing at times.

The fuel I burn is denatured alcohol, so called because a compound has been added so it cannot be used as a beverage. Another source is the gas line antifreeze HEET in the yellow bottle., which is methyl alcohol. I use this when I can find it on sale or clearance in the spring and again, it must be the HEET in the yellow bottle.

You can also burn alcohol from the drug store, which I do not recommend because it can give off odd fumes and can burn dirty. But if you are stuck and need fuel it will work. I have done this but not if I can help it. Even high proof  booze will work, but  why waste it in a stove?

So if you are considering an alternative fuel stove, take a look at the alcohol stoves on the market and if you want, the plans to build your own.