Buying petrol for multifuel stove in UK

[radek]

^^
I think that you have made a fair point. I would add that safety should come first especially for us since we are touring with a child. Petrol if used incorrectly can be dangerous. Children also get mesmerized by flames and they better stay good distance away from the stove Definitely I would not use liquid fuel indoors due to risk of fire and fumes. On the other hand I have and would use gas indoors, but never ever ever inside the tent.

When looking up the reviews I have seen a number of people setting their stoves on fire indoor - it looked rather unsafe, but I think that they were stove professionals A guy under nick name jiujitsu 2000 has a stove fetish !

[thirdcrank]

When buying petrol "loose" somewhere like a filling station, I'd be aware that the operator and personnel are subject to The Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 which specify what type of container may be used. I don't think they are being jobsworths etc if they take this seriously. The pdf Portable petrol storage containers runs to seven pages. The only way an employer can realistically expect employees to keep on the right side of the law is to tell them to restrict sales to customers with the type of container sold for the purpose. I suspect, that they sell a lot more fuel to drivers who have run out than they do to cycle campers. If somebody is having to copper up to buy fuel for their car, they may expect to use all sorts of improvised containers rather than .. er .... shell out for something sold for the purpose.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/ ... ainers.pdf

[mercalia]

I have a venerable Colman multi fuel stove never had any problems with using petrol but I understand the jet sooner or later soots up, hasnt happened to me though but then I dont use it much. I tend it use it when I use my m/c then syphon some petrol from the fuel tank

[hufty]

Thirdcrank: A quick scan of your pdf shows that a Sigg bottle complies easily with regulations.
Radek: Yes a petrol pump nozzle fits into the neck of a Sigg.

[paragonman]

My dear old dad , used to refuel his Primus 71 (1963 model) by pulling the fuel line off his Sunbeam, when I got it 20 odd years ago , I could get no more than a candle flame out of it it was so clogged up with carbon, but after a good clean and a new seal for the fuel cap its as good as new. I must have a collection of more than 50 stove dating back as early as 1910 but my dads stove gets used the most and has never let me down.

[hamster]

Aspen is very expensive and won't normally be available in small Highland shops, though bigger climbing centres like Fort William will have it.

It's more expensive than 92 Octane unleaded but way cheaper than Coleman fuel.
You can usually buy it from lawnmower centres.

[PDQ Mobile]

Aspen is very expensive and won't normally be available in small Highland shops, though bigger climbing centres like Fort William will have it.

It's more expensive than 92 Octane unleaded but way cheaper than Coleman fuel.
You can usually buy it from lawnmower centres.

What do you consider it's advantages over good old paraffin? Apart from paraffin's need for priming?
I have used Aspen as a fuel source in small machines (customer supplied) occasionally, and personally I don't like the smell of it.
Whereas I do quite like the (faint!) smell of combusted paraffin.

The OP wants to not carry large quantities of fuel but rather source fuel along the way.

I am surprised no Highland cyclists have come on to share their knowledge about fuel availability (of paraffin esp.) from small Highland shops.

Any smallish town shop (or garage?) used to keep
It up there. But perhaps times have changed.

[hamster]

I don't have a paraffin stove is the simplest answer! I have a Coleman with paraffin jet option, but I've never bothered. In my experience it's a bit sticky and smelly like diesel. Travelling in SE Asia then certainly paraffin is ubiquitous as a domestic fuel for cooking, lighting, outboards etc.

Aspen 4T burns cleanly, is cheaper than gas, compact and energy-dense(£5/l, about 25-35% of the gas cannister price I reckon, considering burn time). Paraffin and Gasoline have essentially the same energy/kg, petrol beating paraffin by a smidge (12.05kWh/kg compared to 11.95 if you really care). A big MSR bottle lasts me a week travelling as a family (depends hugely if you boil up a lot of pasta, porridge etc) when I would otherwise use 3 gas cylinders and have problems with them tailing off. Aspen and Coleman are both sourceable in 1l bottles, slightly larger than the big MSR (880ml).

Like most things, there is no single right answer - I use gas for a jetboil when going ultralight, Aspen in a MSR/Coleman most of the time, but would pick Meths and Trangia (or maybe wood) if far off the beaten track. Petrol fumes are very dangerous in a confined space (e.g. the bilges of a boat) but in a tent with the air circulating it's unlikely they will become trapped.

If the OP wants to buy fuel in small qties then Camping Gaz is the way to go...and pricey it is too.

[radek]

I think that we will get a second fuel bottle and a water filter to compensate for the lost bottle cage. In Scotland there is no way we will struggle to find water anyway.

We like our cooking and I anticipate that we will use more fuel than average person.

We also do not want to spend money on buying ready food. One of our aims is to travel at low cost and self-sufficient.

We are not going to be in a rush. Daughter can only comfortably cycle around 40-50km. Any longer than that and we will get tantrums. There will be plenty time for cooking nice dishes Hopefully fuel will act as a midge repellant.

On Thursday, I am taking the stove for a 4 day testing during a cycle from JoG to Inverness. I will check if the small shops have paraffin etc. Apart from cooking, I will also warm up water for personal hygiene. In the past I used to jump into river streams but now I can wild camp in comfort

[hamster]

Hopefully fuel will act as a midge repellant.

It won't.

I remember a particularly ghastly breakfast on the east coast of S.Uist (near Ben Corradale) where we ate walking in circles, and still ended up a solid mass of swelling, there were so many bites. DEET or Citronella is the only remedy.

[radek]

It won't.

I remember a particularly ghastly breakfast on the east coast of S.Uist (near Ben Corradale) where we ate walking in circles, and still ended up a solid mass of swelling, there were so many bites. DEET or Citronella is the only remedy.

No luck then. If they are not repelled it must mean that the fuel is not toxic enough

Btw. I have another idea. Turning the flame down on the stove and in some kind of ceramic containerl vaporizing citronella oil

[landsurfer]

I use white spirit ... refined paraffin, in mine and there is always a diy shop somewhere .....

[radek]

I use white spirit ... refined paraffin, in mine and there is always a diy shop somewhere ....

Are you talking about the white spirit used for cleaning paint brushes? I got 5 litters if it from B&Q. I thought that white spirit in UK equals white gas in US ! It does burn, but this staff smells very very nasty. I also think that over time it could damage the stove. Paraffin on the other hand burns lovely and does not really smell much.

[climo]

Hopefully fuel will act as a midge repellant.

It won't.

I remember a particularly ghastly breakfast on the east coast of S.Uist (near Ben Corradale) where we ate walking in circles, and still ended up a solid mass of swelling, there were so many bites. DEET or Citronella is the only remedy.

imo the only midge repellent in Scotland is to go in March or October avoiding summer entirely.

[PDQ Mobile]

A smoky driftwood fire is quite a good
midge suppressor and of course one can cook on it too.
Which saves precious fuel (for the all important morning brew up!).

I have always found the midges worse when one is freshly showered!
They are less of a trouble after a few days round said smoky fire. When folk move away in shops and pubs you know you have achieved midge suppressing status.