ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

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crazydave789
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by crazydave789 »

it used to be £4.55 for 5l from trago mills not so long ago. we used to load up with around 60l per trip

https://www.trago.co.uk/diy/painting-de ... -2-5l.html if you know anyone doing falmouth, liskeard, newton abbott or merythr tydfil.

I think 5l cans I'd got is as low as £7.95 but you had to buy in bulk to justify the postage. woodworking suppliers and decorating wholesalers are the best bet.

I used to get it from here

http://www.jpennyltd.co.uk/shopping/pgm ... php?id=154

30 quid for free delivery

https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pr ... tine-meths

Brewers decorating centres have branches in the SE.
andrewjoseph
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by andrewjoseph »

i've bought meths from various places on tours, price doesn't really bother me, we need it for cooking and it will probably be cheaper than fish and chips for my wife and myself.

recently found this place and bought 5l for £8

http://darrantchemicals.co.uk/methanol?search=methanol
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Gattonero
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Gattonero »

Worth carrying one or two Esbit blocks, in case a resupply of Trangia fuel can't be found.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
metalman
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by metalman »

I was reading the thread below and all the links you have put seem to be out of stock but if you check
https://priorypolishes.co.uk/product/ru ... ed-spirit/
They still have some
I think this is becoming harder to find these days! It must be because of lack of raw materials?
Thanks
Jdsk
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Jdsk »

metalman wrote: 20 Jun 2022, 12:37pmI think this is becoming harder to find these days! It must be because of lack of raw materials?
Methylated spirits?

I suspect that it's because some shops don't want to carry it because of potential abuse.

There's no shortage in hardware shops: Wickes, Toolstation, Screwfix...

Jonathan
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Sweep
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Sweep »

Jdsk wrote: 20 Jun 2022, 1:56pm
metalman wrote: 20 Jun 2022, 12:37pmI think this is becoming harder to find these days! It must be because of lack of raw materials?
Methylated spirits?

I suspect that it's because some shops don't want to carry it because of potential abuse.

There's no shortage in hardware shops: Wickes, Toolstation, Screwfix...

Jonathan
Also
The Range
Lots of places.
Would be very surprised if difficult to find meths in the UK.
Tho has always seemed to me that it costs more than it should.
Not rocket fuel is it?
Sweep
Jdsk
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Jdsk »

It's not even Pocket Rocket fuel!

: - )

Jonathan
Benz3ne
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Benz3ne »

Gattonero wrote: 22 Jul 2018, 9:03am Worth carrying one or two Esbit blocks, in case a resupply of Trangia fuel can't be found.
I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Esbit. Stuff stinks like fish (as do a large number of amines) and it has been shown to emit formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide when burning.
hamster
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by hamster »

crazydave789 wrote: 12 Jun 2018, 7:23pm standard meths you dilute with around 10% water which gives you more fuel but also keeps the pans cleaner.
You will have to explain how you manage to burn water. :lol:
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Tigerbiten
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Tigerbiten »

It boils off.
This slows the rate that the ethanol evaporates off.
This cools the flame and gives you a better chance of 100% combusting the ethanol.
And hence you get no soot on your pans.
You can play around with the amount of water added to control the temperature of the flame.
At around 10% added you get no soot but a fast boil.
At around 50% added you can get a very slow simmer, but it does take longer to bring it to the boil in the first place.

Luck ....... :D
Jdsk
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Jdsk »

This comes up very often, most commonly in the assertion that it decreases soot deposition on the base of the pan, as above. For example:
viewtopic.php?p=1628899#p1628899

I don't add water.

Jonathan
rualexander
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by rualexander »

metalman wrote: 20 Jun 2022, 12:37pm I was reading the thread below and all the links you have put seem to be out of stock but if you check
https://priorypolishes.co.uk/product/ru ... ed-spirit/
They still have some
I think this is becoming harder to find these days! It must be because of lack of raw materials?
Thanks
Just go to B&Q and pick up some bioethanol.
https://www.diy.com/departments/la-haci ... 224_BQ.prd
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Sweep
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Sweep »

rualexander wrote: 21 Jun 2022, 9:39am
metalman wrote: 20 Jun 2022, 12:37pm I was reading the thread below and all the links you have put seem to be out of stock but if you check
https://priorypolishes.co.uk/product/ru ... ed-spirit/
They still have some
I think this is becoming harder to find these days! It must be because of lack of raw materials?
Thanks
Just go to B&Q and pick up some bioethanol.
https://www.diy.com/departments/la-haci ... 224_BQ.prd
apologies if a daft question.
Can that be used in a Trangia as is?
If so how does it compare to meths in use?
It's a fair bit cheaper than purple meths for sure, which I think is usually £3 to £4 for 500ml.
Sweep
Jdsk
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Jdsk »

Doesn't sound daft to me. : - )

I'd happily use liquid "bioethanol" in a standard Trangia. I'd be prepared for it to burn hotter than meths. It isn't mentioned on the Trangia site and I've written to them about it.

A different burner is recommended for alcohol gel fuel:
https://trangia.se/en/support/guides/fuel-list/

Jonathan
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Sweep
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Re: ethanol, meths or bioethanol, where to buy while touring uk?

Post by Sweep »

Jdsk wrote: 21 Jun 2022, 10:02am Doesn't sound daft to me. : - )

I'd happily use liquid "bioethanol" in a standard Trangia. I'd be prepared for it to burn hotter than meths.
Jonathan
thanks for the reply - so a double win on cost and fuelpower?
odd that Trangia are so cagey.
OK I assume to put it in a Trangia fuel bottle once it's empty of meths.

Interesting by the by that folks in the B&Q comments thread complain about the price, implying that that fuel can be had cheaper elsewhere, which would make it even cheaper again than meths.
Sweep
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