Kerosene Burners

[jenain]

Hi All,

I have been out cruising for the last 10 years, and have used kerosene (paraffin to the Brits) for stove fuel, with complete sucess. However, new burners and burner parts are becomming hard to find and expensive. The only manufacturer that I know of,is Optimus in Sweden, and they are very expensive!Previously,I used burners from Hippolite, a Portuguese company, but it appears that they are no longer in business.

I am now in Uruguay, heading South, and would apreciate any feedback from anyone with a solution to my problem.

Fair winds,

Bill.

[rumrunner]

Hi Jenaine,

Welcome to the BB

Cannot help with your request, just wanted to say don' say anything about the Aussie footy match he inSydney last week...

Hey tell us where you have been and aboutyourself..sounds like your a real cruiser

rumrunner

Further Greetings From Australia!

I have just completely refurbished a kerosine stove and oven. The Australian manufacturers of the stove have discontinued their manufacture of kerosine components (prefering LPG and metho stoves). A specialist kerosine retail appliance outlet in Melbourne, Australia were only able to recommend the optimus parts and you are right THEY ARE EXPENSIVE!!!

However, I now have cooking facilities back on the boat at considerably less than the purchase of new alternatively powered equipment.

Best of luck with your repairs.

Rod

[Jack Tyler]

Bill, at least part of the problem you are having when trying to source new kero burners is that, once again, the large source of burners in Portugal has been closed. These burners are preferred to the Optimist ones since they have 4 preheat tubes to vaporize the fuel vs. the 2 preheat tubes in the Optimist burner. I've been told by a Canadian mfgr. (Force 10) that they have simply given up trying to continue offering a kero heater as a result of these burners becoming difficult to find. (This info is now a year old and I don't know if circumstances in Portugal have changed).

Yes, kero is a functional cooking choice because it is cheap, improves one's self-sufficiency (you can store a huge amount of cooking time into a small volume) and produces a hot flame. However, it's also relatively dirty (even with high grade kero) and fussy to use. Not a great choice, just a good one, it seems to me.

Jack

[Charlie Jones]

Try these people for parts. They MIGHT have something-

http://www.base-camp.co.uk/

When I was a kid, and my grandmother cooked on a kerosene stove at home the stuff was water white and burned cleanly. Now it has that sick urine yellow color and doesn't.

To mostly solve the soot problem, which is caused by the lousy kerosenes we get today, I long, long (like 30 years) ago switched to 100 % Mineral Spirits in my stoves, heaters and all my lamps and lanterns. It burns cleaner, without the eye burning fumes, costs less usually and is widely available in hardware stores and home improvement centers (except WalMart which has quit carrying 100 % stuff)

Fuels Around The World, Resources Chart

This chart is a guide for finding fuel when traveling internationally.

http://www.casanovasadventures.com/c...camp/p1040.htm

[Jack Tyler]

For anyone stepping outside their home waters, the real trick WRT purchasing fuels and cleaning solvents is knowing the local term when you are shopping for something. Gord's list is a wonderful resource for this, especially for those of us oriented to N American terminology. I recommend you bookmark and 'save' (as in 'Make Available Offline') this website page if there is a chance you'll be sailing abroad.

Thanks, Gord - very helpful!

Jack

[jenain]

Hi All,

Many thank for your responses to my question.

We have had no problem finding clean burning kerosene in Africa, the Indian Ocean islands, S.E. Asia, and even in South America, although it is more expensive here. In many countries it is a Government subsidised fuel, and therefore very cheap. We have a 90 Liter tank, which lasts for about 2 years! We use about 1 Liter a week for cooking for a crew of 2, (and my partner bakes bread in the oven about 3 times /week). At around US$ 0.20/Liter, this is a bargain. We also use it in the cabin lamps, for cleaning engine parts, winches etc.

In my opinion, it sure beat the problems of using LPG. We have seen boats with 4 or 5 different types of cylinders on board, multiple fittings, In addition they have to refill frequently, often at exorbitant costs, and there is always the danger involved. Many countries will only refill their own approved cylinders, which may or may not fit in the boats lockers. It is common to see boats decanting LPG from the “local cylinders” into their own ones. The small amount of maintenance required for a kerosene stove seems to me, a small price to pay for the many benefits.

Bill & Marlyse

__

Tony Herrick of "Cruising Connections" can supply the Portuguese burners.

http://www.cruisingconnections.co.za

[jenain]

I tried Tony Herrick when I passed through Durban, unfortunately, he no longer had burners, perhaps he now has stock again?

Bill Robinson

[jenain]

I have found at least 2 stores stocking kerosene burners, both in Germany. They have excellent stock, prices are reasonable and sevice is good.

1. http://www.weimeister.com

2.STUGA-CABANA

Am Surck 61

D-44225 Dortmund

Tel +49 (0)231 4766224

Fax +49 (0)231 4766223

http://www.stuga-cabana.de

Hope this info helps someone out there.

Bill Robinson

[santeana]

Hello Again Bill,

Since last exchanging notes with you I've joined the kero cooking club! Thanks for your advice. On the question of four tube burners, the Portugese plant is in process of closing. The tooling has, I understand, been purchased by/for Taylors and the current stock bought by them as a buffer pending the setting up of a new production facility. Apparantly, there's no shortage of stocks and these can be obtained off-the-shelf by phoning Taylors at UK 44(0)1925 838 858.

Best wishes, Ron

[Fred Weir]

I have just purchased jets, prickers, burner caps, tank cap and various seals for my Primus #527 from A&H Packstoves in Tustin, CA. Great service and they even came up with a copy of the owners manual for this stove. http://packstoves.com/laterns/laterns.htm

Also Blakes Lavac Taylors in the UK is still selling several different pressure parriffin cookers with what appear to be silent burners. http://www.blakes-lavac-taylors.co.uk/prod02.htm

Cheers!

Fred Weir

Bellingham, WA

[Historical Vessel Vega]

try this great lady she will sort out your problem fast and efficiently.

"Jackie Crosby" <JackieCrosby@sea-sure.co.uk>

Tell her we sent you along from VEGA as we have a good rapore with them.

Best

Shane&MEggi

H/V Vega

www.sailvega.com

[Fred Weir]

I checked with my source at A&H as to where they get their Primus and Optimus parts. They buy from both Sweden and Portugal and assured me that there was no decrease in availability. It appears that there are some minor differences between burners of both brands. I had to do a bit of fitting to get Optimus parts to work in my Primus stove. I suggest that anyone working on Primus replace the entire burner with the new ones which appear to be more like Optimus.

Cheers,

Fred