From: Johnlebl@aol.com
Date: Sat Nov 02 2002 - 01:30:52 CST
Stoves and Fuel
Which one is best?
Not a simple question to answer.
There will be a test at the end of this post. Pay close attention when a
point is made.
I have been a gasoline stove and lantern addict for more than half a century
and have a Coleman stove and lantern collection of over a hundred and fifty
different models, both liquid fueled and cannister.
I have several cannister models that cannisters are no longer available for.
I have no liquid fueled stoves that liquid fuel is no longer available for.
One point made.
The most reliable stove in my collection and most reliable stove ever made is
a Coleman made for the military during WWII called the Coleman GI Pocket
Stove . It is credited with the survival of many U S soldiers during the
brutal winter during the Battle of the Bulge. It was designed to burn
literally any fuel available, be it leaded gasoline, diesel or aircraft fuel
and operable in a wide variety of temperatures. Second point made.
A spinoff of this stove was made by Coleman at the request of the then BSA
Charles Sommers Canoe Base assistant director Sandy Bridges. The Peak One
Model 400 was the result of Coleman and Sandy working together to solve a
problem of cooking meals during fire bans with a lightweight reliable stove.
That stove is still one of the most reliable stoves made and used by more
Scout troops than any other. Philmont sells it in the Tooth of Time Traders
for a reason. Third point made.
Although prejudiced toward Coleman products, in 2002 our crew took two new
but well broken in and tested Whisperlites last summer. They proved all the
stoves we needed for a crew of 12. Fourth point made.
Why did we choose them? Because we felt it important for the crew members to
become comfortable with the operation of the most popular backing stove on
the market and to become familiar with the problems of using liquid fuel in
damp environments and to become well versed at problem solving. More on that
later. Fifth point made.
Is it the "best"? That is a very opinionated answer and I won't even go
there.
My only comment as to which stoves to take is that they need to all be the
same make and model so parts exchange and the operation of both stoves is the
same. We had a 12 person crew and only took two stoves. I've never carried
a spare stove as I am pretty adroit at repairing stoves that don't work.
Many days we only fired up one stove. Sixth point made.
We made sure the stoves were in good operating condition. That is a lot more
important than having a ton of spare parts. Who wants to waste time in the
mountains repairing stoves? Seventy point made.
I mean I love rebuilding stoves, but not in the mountains. There I want to
spend 24 hours a day soaking in the mountains, not repairing a stove. Eighth
point made.
As to altitude, Philmont does not have enough altitude even at 12,000 feet
for altitude to be a factor in choosing a stove or the operation of a stove
chosen. They all work at that altitude. Now if you were going to 18,000
feet, that would be a different story, but you aren't. Ninth point made.
The only difference than at sea level is the time it takes to boil water and
the temperature it boils at. This is a cooking time adjustment, not a stove
operation problem. Tenth point made.
Now let me give my two cents on fuel.
Philmont carries two types of stove fuel. Bulk white gas and Coleman Power
Max cartridges. Take your choice and pay your price. They sometimes run out
of each of them so I don''t think a case for either one being more readily
available chould be made. They have been handling bulk white gas for as long
as stoves have been used at Philmont. Eleventh point made.
Each has advantages and disadvantages. If you like to turn on a valve and
light the stove without "waiting" for it to prime, then you only have one
choice. If that "wait" bothers you, then maybe you need the therapy it
affords by waiting. That wait is only a minute of so. A good time to stop
and think about how wonderful it is to just be there waiting for the stove to
prime and be mesmerized by the flickering flames. Twelveth point made.
Anybody can turn on a valve and light a pressure cartridge stove, but it
takes some skill, albeit a small amount, to light a liquid fuel pump up
stove. Scouting in general and Philmont in particular should be a learning
experience. Why not teach skills with stoves? thirteenth point made.
Now let me get on my soap box about fuel.
99.99% of the problems occurring with stoves is caused by fuel problems, more
specifically contamination of the fuel. The use of cartridge fuel virtually
eliminates that as a problem.Fourteenth point made.
However, crew members don't learn problem solving when there is not a
problem. Fifteenth point made.
Many people advise you to have Philmont filter the fuel you purchase with
your filter. I guarantee you that 75% of the staff filling your fuel bottles
would rather not filter it. Why? It's slows them down at doing their work
and they like all other people want to have a little time for something else
even if it is just staring at a mountain. Most will do it if you ask them
to, but whey ask? Sixteenth point made.
My personal feeling on this............well, you don't want my personal
feeling on this. Point not made.
Let me just say that a Scout is trustworthy among other things. However,
today not all staff members are Scouts or people with Scouting backgrounds.
Seventeenth point made.
Let me further state that all staff members I came across were very
accomodating and helpful, Those not filling that bill are asked to resign by
the PhilAdministration wo do an excellent job at eliminating problems before
they start.
I simply filter the fuel myself. If I do it, then I know it is done. Case
closed. No discussion. Eighteenth point made.
Now let me address that a little more.
The one most common and most devastating enemy of stoves and stove fuel is
not trash in the fuel but moisture. Nineenth point made.
It is important to filter the fuel with one of two types of filters. The
best is an old style Coleman felt filter that is no longer made. The next
best is a current Coleman filter with a foam filter. Both of these filters
will remove moisture and water when used. A filter with a screen in it
carried by Walmart and others is virtually useless for this purpose.
Twentyth point made.
So how do you filter your own fuel?
We carried 4 MSR aluminum bottles. When we purchased fuel we had them top
off only 3 bottles. We then took one full bottle and filtered it into the
empty bottle. Then you filter another full bottle into the newly emptied one
and so on until all fuel is filtered. Twenty first point made.
If you feel the need to have all bottles full, do the above and then have
them fill the final bottle full, mark it as unfiltered and wait until you
have an empty bottle to filter it into. Twenty second point made.
Let me further explain.
Every time you pump the pump you pump a stroke of air into the fuel bottle or
fuel tank. Air at Philmont contains moisture in varying amounts. This
moisture collects as water in the fuel container or tank of the stove. This
is a little known fact that most are amazed at when shown. Twenty third
point made.
On our trek the Philmont air contained a lot of moisture. Sometimes 100%.
This means that water collects in the fuel AFTER you purchase it. Remember
water is fuel's biggest enemy.
So what do you do? Filter it out just like described above.
If you use the MSR or equivalent aluminum bottles you can look into the shiny
bottom and actually see the "bubbles" of water "floating" in the bottom of
the fuel bottle. Twenty fourth point made.
You should now understand why I don't make an issue of PhilStaff filtering
the fuel we purchase. I'd say that before burning it, the fuel I buy gets
filtered 3-4 times and each time more water is removed.
Ah ha, you say! That just adds to my cause for using canister fuel. Well,
if you need a reason, it does, but I don't need a reason. All our crew
members understand the problem of moisture in fuel and know how to remove it.
That is a skill they may need later in life and to me that makes it an
important thing to teach and all the more reason to use "white gas" stoves at
Philmont. Twenty fifth point made.
He who teaches must never cease to learn. No point, this one is free.
With twenty-five points being made about stoves and fuel, the stove/fuel
question is not a simple one. It isn't as simple as which is best or what
works. What is best or works for one crew may or may not work for another
crew or be the best for them. Weigh all the facts you can gather and make an
intelligent decision. Bring the youth into the decision making process and
they will be better for it and so will you.
John LeBlanc
Eagle Class of 1959
Phirst Phil Ptrek 1959
PhilPtrek 2002 630H2 Iten 16
My latest adventure was yesterday,
Today is not over yet!
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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