Sunday 22 June 2008

Another Test - Fuel Bottle

I've been running a test in the background for the last 36 hours. This time I decanted the contents of a Palmolive liquid handwash bottle, cleaned out the remaining soap and swapped a normal cola bottle lid for the scooshy one. Then I loaded it with 50% water and 50% meths and set off to one side.

IMG_1201m

36 hours later, still no leaks in the bottle. As shown previously, it all fits in to the Snow*Peak 900 cookset that I was using before the smaller Alpkit ti-Mug. 300ml. 30mls a hot meal. 10 hot meals approximately. Oh, and more anti-bacterial hand-wash lurking around the flat.

24 comments:

Mac E said...

Why 50% water?

AktoMan said...

I didn't want to waste 300ml of meths if it didn't work. From the pretty colour, it also looks like there was some soap left in the container.

I'll leave it in for a few more days and see what happens. Then I'll tip it out and see what the insides are like. If happy, I'll make sure it is clean and stock up on 300ml of pure meths.

Mac E said...

Ah right, I thought it was some secret recipe for high octane meths :-)

I'm interested to see how you get on with the meths burner, I haven't had much success myself unless I used an extremely light pot (a coke can in fact)

Anonymous said...

I don't want to scaremonger, but I really think that it's not a good idea to leave a plastic container full of meths on your hob ;)

AktoMan said...

Mac E, the Blackfly3 supported an Alpkit ti-Mug with 2 mugs of cold tapwater in it and boiled the cold water in 15 minutes (rolling boil). There was 'some' meths left of the 30ml (1 fluid ounce) that I used.

The only difficulty that I had was dowsing the wicks. Damp cloth and pinching motion worked. Don't try blowing it out.

Obviously a field test is in order once I'm well enough. And up to date with my work.

AktoMan said...

LOL at Shuttleworth's comment.

It is the only clear space that I have in my kitchen for working. To keep H&S happy, I can re-assure people that the hob top is cleared before the cooker is used. Which isn't that often, unlike the machine that goes 'ping'.

Mac E said...

Looks like I'll have to try again, maybe I didn't put enough meths in. I'll give it a go now using [i]my[/i] Alpkit Mug. To be honest I'm not sure a meths burner suits me as I don't have a food dehydrator and I can't stand 'Super Noodles' ;-)

AktoMan said...

Mac E, I've given up on the dehydrator as it is too much like cooking. When I get out, I'll try Sarah's FreezerBagCooking. The makings are scattered around the kitchen. If I start, I'll need to clear some storage space - argh, that's like housework!

For me, I didn't like the uncontrollable nature of meths stoves like the White Box Stove, so jumped at Tinny's wick'd stove. If I can a fuel container similar in size to a gas cannister, then my search is one step closer to completion.

Mac E said...

If you get a can the size of a gas cartridge (I'm assuming 100 size) the pouring spout might need to be set to one side or it'll be hard to pour (I would think).

Aye I got the FBC starter set too, haven't had much success yet, all the experiments so far have been a bit of a disaster. I'll need to settle down and pick a recipe thats basic.

Richie

AktoMan said...

The palmolive container was the narest I could see in Asda to the 100 gas cannister size. 10 hot meals, is probably nearly equivalent to a 100 cannister. At a push of the imagination.

Can't wait to try it in real life. Gosh, I'm sooo freaking sad!

Sorry to hear about the FBC experiment. I'm cackhanded when it comes to food, and have found that Expedition Food's range is best for me, with noodles and tuna from supermarket on 'cheap' days. Breakfast is usually porrifge (microwavable Quaker Oats-so-Simple flavoured ones work well in a Lakelands boil-in-the-bag bag, just add boiling water).

Mac E said...

LOL, I tried the Oats so simple this morning. One pack of oats, 3 spoonfuls of coffee whitner and 3 spoons of sultanas. Had it all in a zip lock bag and poured in boiling water but I must have put too much in as it ended up like oatmeal broth. Horrible but I ate it anyway.

The only FBC style success I had was a Pot Noodle swapped into a ziplock, that worked ok. I can't imagine doing the PCT on Pot Noodle though. Not that I'm doing the PCT you understand ;-)

AktoMan said...

LOL - I found that the pepperami noodles for a late-pitch tea kept me awake. I don't know how much msg is in them. Probably more in Pot Noodles ;-)

OatsSoSimple in a bowl, they have man-sized portions now, and add a small amount of boiling water. Mix with spoon. Eat. Yummy.

You must have been trying the one from Sarah's book, as that has the coffee whitener listed. I just buy the pre-packaged meal from the supermarket.

Anonymous said...

Duncan, just had a thought, nalgene storage containers. One of the ones I use holds approximately half a pint of fluid. Yep, I measured it out. They come in all sorts of sizes and do not leak. Having used a small one with olive oil in for a week without any leakage and the same with a baby one used for maple syrup. The maple syrup was for some of my pan fry bread. They are round and compact. Dawn

AktoMan said...

I'll need to look that out, Dawn. It is the odd-shape that is useful here. I've only seen Nalgene in circular-sectioned containers, or smaller square-section ones. Of which I have a few around.

Anonymous said...

If you need a sort of flattish fuel bottle I have a couple lying around somewhere. They are not that big though. Dawn.

AktoMan said...

Thanks, Dawn. I have bottles (including the Nalgene ones) around the 125ml mark, but nothing that's a direct replacement for a long-weekend/short-week bottle that will sit comfortably inside the cookset.

I have a 125ml semi-circular-section smellies bottle from Next that sits nicely inside the Alpkit ti-mug, alongside the Blackfly3 and folding spork. If it is good enough for meths, that should do 4 hot meals.

4 hot meals = Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night, Sunday morning. Thus a typical weekend trip for me.

With the 100 gas cannister, I can get at least 4 days from it. And it fits inside the Alpkit titanium mug.

Obviously it is just basic chemistry. A liquid takes more space than gas. As this palmolive bottle is looking good to go, with no leaking seams or lid. Then it is no great shakes to take the bigger cookset out with me on longer trips. Heck, it wasn't until recently that it was my standard cookset anyway.

Anonymous said...

ok, if you are happy with what you have. if you need them though i have dug out two flat fuel bottles that have a measuring chamber thingy. They are shaped similar to those fancy hip flasks you can get. The two of them would certainly do for a week, if not longer. Dawn.

AktoMan said...

Would they fit inside a cookset, Dawn?

Anonymous said...

Duncan, They are 6 inches high, 4 inches wide and they hold 8 fluid ounces of fuel. There is a measure on the side of the bottle. Dawn.

AktoMan said...

Sadly the flask is too tall, Dawn.

In comparison, the palmolive bottle is
5" high * 3.5" long * 2" at widest points. As it isn't bursting, I think I'll be sticking with that.

Of course, I wonder if I'll start hearing splashing noises when I do get out and start using it.

Anonymous said...

Lol, just make sure you use plastic bags.

AktoMan said...

I was planning on storing it in a zip-lock bag in case of spillage when pouring.

Paulrun26 said...

Mac E said...
LOL, I tried the Oats so simple this morning. One pack of oats, 3 spoonfuls of coffee whitner and 3 spoons of sultanas. Had it all in a zip lock bag and poured in boiling water but I must have put too much in as it ended up like oatmeal broth. Horrible but I ate it anyway.

Try using complan instead of coffee whitener - has better nutritional and energy values. Original makes it taste creamy!

AktoMan said...

It may be a "good job" tom, but you are porn-peddling spamming scum who isn't worth the planet's limited resources. Do the rest of us a favour and let us use the net without your immature non-family friendly filth. All while pretending to pass on good wishes. I hope your kids get the same on their birthday.