Bio-Ethanol instead of Paraffin?

[piglet]

Hello
I am looking for a little advice.

I have a Corona RX-23 Triple clean paraffin heater with a 4 litre fuel tank, giving 20 hours of burn time per tank-full, and just out of curiosity decided to try using Bio-Ethanol in it.

Well I have run it for about 2 hours before shutting it down, and then the same again the next day and it seems to work ok.

Now I don’t have any problems obtaining Paraffin or Tozone, which it was obviously designed to use. But if I were to continue to use Bio-Ethanol, is it likely that I could cause problems with the heater, for instance, reducing the life of the wick, or more importantly, is there any danger from using this kind of fuel in this design of heater.

Anyone tried something similar?

piglet

[nickdutch]

I dont know to be sure, but i would have thought you would get a lower heat output and a shorter run time for the same quantity of fuel volume. I would also assume that as the fuels operate in different ways, that there may be damage to the wick.

When i used to have a chemistry set when I was a kid, i used to use a meths burner, but the wicks always burned down, but when i have used oil burners the wicks seldom burned as quick as they did with alcohol.

Dunno if that helps.

[piglet]

Thank you Nick

I guessed that you would be the first to respond after reading about your various experiences experimenting with different fuel sources.

I will agree with you regarding the slightly reduced heat produced using Bio-Ethanol, and also the slightly increased fuel usage also.
After such a short experimental time it is hard for me to gauge the speed the wick has burnt but from simply observing the burn I would hazard a guess that the wick may be reduced at a slightly advanced rate. I base that judgement purely upon the colour of the flame burn.

I am not that experienced at understanding the chemistry side, but because of the nature of the two different fuels and the method by which they burn I was just a little bothered about the safety aspect. Some skills I have in abundance, but when it comes to the sciences I am still very much at the beginners stage.

I will probably only use it as it was originally intended, but it is interesting to learn as much as possible just in case, one day, I find myself in a situation where I need the heater but cannot obtain the fuel it was originally designed for. I am very interested in resilience and the ability of each and every 'device' I own having more than one use, whether that be the object itself, or the fuel that powers it.

Again, thank you for all the information you supply to everyone on this site.

piglet

[nickdutch]

Out of curiosity, where did you buy your ethanol from? I am spending some time researching different sources in case it has to become a staple fuel for cooking, heating and the like.

[piglet]

Hello Nick
I am afraid I dont have any suppliers names who have not already been listed under a similar posting regarding Bio-Ethanol.

I have in the past used the supplier you gave a link to, to buy in bulk, but being available for courier deliveries is a little difficult for me. Although they do a good price if willing to buy in large amounts.

I have bought from B&Q at a higher cost of £2.50 a litre, although I have not had a lot of luck with their online 'Reserve and Collect' service. The last time I used it, I rang the store the day of collection just to be told they knew nothing about my order.
And the time before that, at a different store, received a call the morning I was to collect, to tell me that they didnt have any.... they didnt know why the service had allowed me to order? .... and that they never even carry the amount of stock the I ordered even though they web site said they had them in stock.
So usually I just pick up some whenever I am near a B&Q, but again, I have found it can be a bit hit and miss whether they have any in stock.

Although on the plus side, B&Q do a discount card for those of 'slightly advanced years' which can be used on wednesdays for a 10% discount. I dont quite qualify yet, but I have a friend who does.

piglet

[gromit]

hello piglet i collect oil lamps and heaters as a hobby & dont understand why you want to use anything other than paraffin I buy direct from the supplier in sheffield & pay a few pennys over the pound per litre for clean burn orderless kero it burns very bright and is very hot with very little sooting.(i do have to buy 100 litres at a time)Also im not sure but if my memory serves me right Bio fuels have evaporation problems in cold weather.