[Rhodes22-list] Alcohol Heater

Rik Sandberg racerrik@rea-alp.com
Wed, 13 Nov 2002 08:38:52 -0600


Brad,

No odor or fumes that I've noticed. Don't think I'd leave it on while I was 
sleeping though. First, there isn't enough room to put it where there is no 
chance of it coming into contact with something combustible. Not that it 
gets that hot on the outside, but there is an open flame inside and if 
something fell onto it or it somehow got tipped over and no one noticed, it 
might not be a great deal. Second, even though our boats hardly close up to 
what one might call air tight, I am a little leery of having a fire going 
while I sleep, both from the oxygen starvation standpoint and the 
possibility of CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning. Don't think alcohol makes 
much CO when it burns, but then again, I don't know that for sure, so I 
don't burn it when I can't watch it.

By the way, this heater will make a great little emergency heater for your 
car if you ever happen to be traveling where it gets cold and get stranded 
by the weather. I used to carry a coffee can, a roll of toilet paper and a 
quart of alcohol (air dry for trucks works for this) in the car, just 
incase I'd ever get stranded in a blizzard or something. Stinks like hell 
though, till the paint scorches off the outside of the coffee can. :-)

Rik


At 06:04 AM 11/13/2002 -0800, you wrote:
>Rick, thats pretty neat.  Can you sleep with the thing
>going or will it fill the cabin with fumes?  If you
>were to fill the water tank with the new Rhodes
>Winterizer that Wally and I are marketing (provided
>the ATF doesn't find us) you could sail all winter, ya
>youbetcha! Brad
>--- Rik Sandberg <racerrik@rea-alp.com> wrote:
> > Brad,
> >
> > Why,.... that's my little, warm, cuddly, alcoholic
> > buddy :-)
> >
> > No, really it's made by Origo and is an alcohol
> > fired heater. Works like
> > their new stoves. No pressure, just a big can full
> > of wick that will absorb
> > about a quart of alcohol then burns back off through
> > a small opening in the
> > top. Has a snuffer to control the flame by partially
> > covering/uncovering
> > the hole or puts it out by completely covering it.
> > Looks kinda like an up
> > side down aluminum pail when it's put together. It
> > can also double as a
> > portable stove in a pinch or if one went onto the
> > beach or something.
> >
> > Here's one at W/M
> >
>http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=12130
> >
> > Rik
> >
> >
> > At 05:21 AM 11/13/2002 -0800, you wrote:
> > >Rik, what is a heat pal?  Remember, this is a
> > family
> > >list!  Brad
> > >--- Rik Sandberg <racerrik@rea-alp.com> wrote:
> > > > Brad,
> > > >
> > > > Ya shur youbet'cha, I'm just giving you a little
> > > > grief. :-) Monkey see
> > > > monkey do, don'chaknow. I was assuming that you
> > must
> > > > have one of those hard
> > > > wired battery chargers. Mine is just a portable
> > that
> > > > I store in the
> > > > compartment next to the head along side the
> > battery.
> > > > I can plug it in only
> > > > when I need it.
> > > >
> > > > I don't know, maybe you need to get up a little
> > > > earlier or something. We
> > > > had some pretty cool mornings down at Ky Lake
> > this
> > > > fall. The heat from the
> > > > stove was more than welcome. Even fired up the
> > heat
> > > > pal one morning.
> > > >
> > > > Rik
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > At 04:14 AM 11/13/2002 -0800, you wrote:
> > > > >Rik,
> > > > >
> > > > >I hadn't thought about the cabin heat aspect.
> > But
> > > > >then why would I, its warmer here on New Years
> > Day
> > > > >than the Fourth of July in your neck of the
> > woods.
> > > > >
> > > > >The switch thing may be a necessity for me
> > because
> > > > of
> > > > >the battery charger.  I had planned to leave it
> > > > >hardwired to the AC circuit (meaning never
> > unplug
> > > > it)
> > > > >but that won't work with the nuker.  I found a
> > > > >ON/OFF/ON toggle switch at Home Depot for $5
> > that
> > > > will
> > > > >isolate the battery charger when the microwave
> > is
> > > > in
> > > > >use. Its rated for 15 amps AC and the nuker
> > only
> > > > draws
> > > > >8 amps.  I'm still looking for a way to make it
> > > > more
> > > > >complicated but that is all I can come up with
> > for
> > > > >now.
> > > > >
> > > > >Now as to your last comment, I don't think you
> > > > really
> > > > >are serious about me needing a shrink.  You're
> > just
> > > > >repeating what everyone else is saying.
> > > > >
> > > > >Brad
> > > > >--- Rik Sandberg <racerrik@rea-alp.com> wrote:
> > > > > > Brad,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Sounds like you've got this testing thing
> > pretty
> > > > > > much under control. Now you
> > > > > > need to figure out how to start that darn
> > genset
> > > > > > from the comfort of the bed
> > > > > > covers. The one draw back I did find using
> > the
> > > > > > genset to power the microwave
> > > > > > is, you can't get the whole process going
> > > > without
> > > > > > going outside to start the
> > > > > > genset. Myself, I don't go outside for any
> > > > reason
> > > > > > UNTIL I have had at least
> > > > > > my second cup of coffee. :-) One thing I
> > have
> > > > found
> > > > > > that is a great
> > > > > > advantage for the built in countertop stove
> > is
> > > > that
> > > > > > it can be started
> > > > > > without setting foot out of the bunk.
> > Another
> > > > huge
> > > > > > advantage (assuming it is
> > > > > > chilly out) to this is that your cabin will
> > be
> > > > > > almost tolerably warm by the
> > > > > > time your coffee water is hot. In my mind,
> > this
> > > > is a
> > > > > > pretty huge stumbling
> > > > > > point for the microwave. I am mostly still
> > > > > > considering a microwave for the
> > > > > > sole reason that the Admiral "thinks" it
> > will
> > > > make
> > > > > > her happy. We are all
> > > > > > well aware that when Mama ain't happy, ain't
> > > > nobody
> > > > > > happy.......right???
> > > > > > Although I do have to admit that my weakness
> > for
> > > > > > popcorn is loading the
> > > > > > scales in favor of the microwave to a pretty
> > > > large
> > > > > > degree.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > When they say "not for built-in
> > installation"
> > > > they
> > > > > > are referring to putting
> > > > > > it in a cabinet that fits quite closely
> > around
> > > > the
> > > > > > outside of the microwaves
> > > > > > cabinet, maybe only having an inch or so of
> > > > > > clearance all around. I have a
> > > > > > microwave that is installed in the galley of
> > my
> > > > > > travel trailer this way. It
> > > > > > overheats and kicks out it's reset if used
> > too
> > > > much
> > > > > > or for very long at one
> > > > > > time. If you have your nuker under the
> > galley
> > > > > > counter and always operate it
> > > > > > with the galley cabinet door open, this
> > would
> > > > not
> > > > > > really fit the criteria of
> > > > > > a built in installation, unless of course
> > you
> > > > > > enclosed it in some kind of
> > > > > > shelf or something.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Switch back and forth between you nuker and
> > your
> > > > > > battery charger with a
> > > > > > built in switch???? Brad take a deep breath
> > > > > > now.......I fear you may be
> > > > > > having an attack of
> > > > electro-complicating-psychosis
> > > > > > here. Is there a Rhodes
> > > > > > Doctor in the house????????? :-) :-) :-)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Rik
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: "brad haslett" <flybrad@yahoo.com>
> > > > > > To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 9:41 AM
> > > > > > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Additional Test
> > Info
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > I should also add, no perceptible
> > microwave
> >
>=== message truncated ===
>
>
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