Author Topic: "coleman fuel"???? (Read 11216 times)

Jamisjockey · « **on:** February 27, 2006, 05:07:36 AM »

I just scored a "Peak 400" backpacking stove at wal-mart on clearance....$7. Regular $38 and change. I couldn't pass it up.
I intent to use coleman fuel in it....but I was wondering, does anyone know what I could substitute in it in a pinch? I mean, what is the coleman fuel actually? I was figuring its white gas.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2006, 05:15:58 AM »

In a pinch, you can use unleaded gasoline.

We do it frequently. It'll soot up real bad and you'll need to clean it when you get home, but it will work. We even burned gasoline in the old Coleman laterns. At the time, it was easier to just buy unleaded and use it in everything (stove, laterns, chainsaw after mixing, etc)

That said, stock up on coleman fuel. It keeps a long time. I recently used my old coleman camp stove (green with red tank). I burned the gas that had been in the tank for at least 7 years. It burned fine. I refilled it from a sealed can purchased just before Y2K. That burned fine as well. Buy 3-5 cans and you'll be good to go for a long time.

Chris

Tallpine · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2006, 05:29:50 AM »

I just use regular unleaded - always have since about 15+ years ago when leaded fuel became history anyway.

The last stove I bought (a single burner) said it was a multi-fuel stove anyway Wink

The old red and green 2-burner that I have finally pooped out ... well, it lights and cooks just fine, but the needle valve won't shut completely off and a tiny invisible flame keeps burning. I found that out the hard way after letting it "cool down" before packing it away, and burnt my hand on the grill Sad

You seem to be able to buy misc parts for them but not the needle valve for some reason (maybe the seat is bad, too Huh?

)

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2006, 05:34:31 AM »

Thanks. It was a bit of an impulse buy, and I plan to get out and do some backpacking this summer. Also, it would be great for high-speed car camping, which also might happen this summer. In the future I'll likely do some bike touring....yet another opportunity to use the little guy.
Now I just need an ALICE pack, bivvy and a 0* waterproof bag....

K Frame · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2006, 05:37:07 AM »

Isn't white gas simply naptha?

Can you use the naptha that you can get at Home Depot in the paint department?

mtnbkr · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2006, 06:28:05 AM »

A friend of mine tried using the old Alice packs when we first got started. It wasn't very comfortable. I'd recommend a standard backpack from one of the major companies. It's more expensive, but worth it IMO.

Chris

Azrael256 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:00:44 AM »

Mike, I think you're right. IIRC, white gas is naptha. Be sure to get a proper fuel canister. You don't want to tote liquid fuel around in a milk jug or something like that. Gasoline will work in most white gas stoves because it has a similar viscosity, but don't try to run any thick fuels unless the stove is made for it. Sometimes K1 or Jet-A just won't ignite. The big downside to using unleaded is that it tends to wear out the stove faster. It will carbonize much faster, and gasoline additives are different all across the country, so you may be dumping an additive into the tank that will eat it.

An ALICE pack is okay, but you'll definitely want the extra kidney pads if you go that route. Commercially produced packs are generally more ergonomic, materially superior, and far more comfortable in the long term. ALICE packs are one-of-three-sizes fits all, but you can choose from ten thousand commercial packs to find what suits your body and your hiking needs. Also, there is a plethora of accessories you can find for commercial packs. ALICE packs limit you unless you're good at making real sturdy alterations to the frame and fabric.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:11:14 AM »

IIRC Ronsonol and Zippo lighter fluid are nothing more than highly highly refined and well-filtered naptha. It would make a readily available (albeit expensive) short-term substitue.

Coleman fuel is available almost everywhere. As was mentioned, stock up on it. It's cheap and keeps darn near forever.

Brad

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:30:49 AM »

I've always found that a medium alice pack with frame and kidney pads fits me nicely and I could adjust it to be fairly comfortable. I might get something else if I find something I like on sale, we've got everything from REI to Recreation Outlet in town, so its probably something I'll shop around for first. I've actually got a really old external frame pack, but its been around the block and has limited storage capacity.
Unbeliveably, the walmart where I found the stove didn't have Coleman gas. I'll have to go to one of the sporting goods stores for it, so I'll do some pack shopping anyways.

K Frame · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:45:50 AM »

"IIRC Ronsonol and Zippo lighter fluid are nothing more than highly highly refined and well-filtered naptha."

Yes, they are.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:53:19 AM »

Too bad Coleman and Zippo never partnered up on camping stuff. Seems like the partnership could have been a marketing coup.

Brad

mtnbkr · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:55:00 AM »

Jamis, the walmart version of coleman fuel works just as well and is cheaper. That's what I use. I keep an open, working, can of fuel and a sealed one on hand at all times.

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:01:30 AM »

How much does a can of Walmart fuel cost, Chris?

I've got a Coleman single burner stove that I've not used in some time... It's great for melting lead, though...

charby · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:05:27 AM »

and if you can't find coleman fuel you can always get naptha by the gallon can at any paint store that sells automotive paint.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:17:18 AM »

Quote from: Mike Irwin

How much does a can of Walmart fuel cost, Chris?

I've got a Coleman single burner stove that I've not used in some time... It's great for melting lead, though...

IIRC, it was around $3.50 this Fall. This was about the time gas prices were going insane.

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:18:19 AM »

OK, that's pretty reasonable.

Last time I looked at Coleman fuel it was a LOT more than that, and the gas prices weren't all that bad.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:36:20 AM »

Really? At Wal-Mart, the Coleman brand fuel is usually only a buck or so more than the WM brand. Since they perform the same, I buy the cheaper one.

It wasn't that long ago that the WM brand was less than $2/can. Sad

Chris

Elmer Snerd · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:54:33 AM »

According to this article, Coleman Fuel is about half naptha. Several articles referred to Coleman Fuel as "naptha", but I don't know if you could run your stove on straight naptha. Coleman's FAQ has several fuel-related questions.

According to this page, there is a difference between solvent naptha and fuel-grade naptha. I don't know where charcoal lighter fluid or naptha paint thinner fall on this scale.

Several articles mentioned using unleaded gas instead of Coleman Fuel. It produces more soot and may clog the stove, but temporarily using it didn't ruin the stove. Coleman advises against using unleaded gas in its stoves that are not specifically rated for it.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2006, 12:39:02 PM »

From Wikipedia (read "caveat emptor")

Quote

Petroleum ether, also known as benzine, is a group of various volatile, highly flammable, liquid hydrocarbon mixtures used chiefly as nonpolar solvents.

Petroleum ether is obtained from petroleum refineries as the portion of the distillate which is intermediate between the lighter naphtha and the heavier kerosene. It has a specific gravity of between 0.6 and 0.8 depending on its composition.

Benzine should not be confused with benzene. Benzine is a mixture of alkanes, e.g., pentane, hexane, and heptane, whereas benzene is a cyclic, aromatic hydrocarbon, C6H6.

also from Wikipedia (and still "caveat emptor")

Quote

"Naphtha is a group of various volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixtures used primarily as feedstocks in refineries for the reforming process and in the petrochemical industry for the production of olefins in steam crackers. It is also used in solvent applications in the chemical industry.

Methinks that fuel-grade naptha (like Coleman fuel and most lighter fluids) is probably the lighter distillate that is tighly controlled for specific gravity and levels of soot-producing oils and contaminants.

I would be a lot hesitant to use solvent naptha from Home Depot or wherever as a fuel for the same reason as I would be hesitant to fill my car with no-name bulk fuel from an unknown source. Sure, the Coleman fuel may be noticeably higher, but with what little I use my lantern the last can of fuel I bought lasted more than two years. It costs me more in time and gas driving around to find a deal on fuel than I can save by burning a substitute.

Brad

Sylvilagus Aquaticus · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2006, 08:17:12 PM »

http://www.homestead-products.com/multfuel.htm

Coleman Lantern Multi-Fuel Conversion

http://www.oldtownyucca.com/coleman/

Old Town Coleman Center

Amazing the things I have in almost 13 years worth of bookmarks.

Regards,
Rabbit.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #20 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:41:30 AM »

naptha?

nope

Coleman fuel is "boyscout juice"!

K Frame · « **Reply #21 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:48:09 AM »

"Coleman fuel is "boyscout juice"!"

When I was in Scouts, in the 1970s and 1980s, liquid fuel stoves and lanters had been banned. You'd see leaders using them, but Scouts couldn't bring them to camp.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #22 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:25:44 AM »

Really? We used coleman laterns in our troop. We normally cooked over a fire. I don't remember anyone using stoves, not even the leaders.

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #23 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:35:22 AM »

Yep, really.

I should say that that policy was in place for summer and winter camps at our Council location -- Hidden Valley Scout Reservation. When we were camping on our own we could use liquid fuel (although the Council didn't recommend it) but since we all had propane, we used that.

Depending on where we were camping we would use either stoves, a fire, or a combination.

I don't know how long Hidden Valley has been a scout camp, but from the looks of the photos on this page (http://www.keystonebsa.org/camp/camp_history.htm) it's been a LONG time. OK, from one of the oral histories, it was founded in 1928 from a donation to the Council.

A few years ago the Council tried to sell off the camp (with no good reason, as they're frigging flush with money) and the outcry was so great that the council head ended up resigning.

Holy crap! The price of a week at camp has really gone up since my day, too! (GEEZER ALERT! GEEZER ALERT!)

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:49:10 AM »

cook with it?

our troup used it purely as an accelerant

wooomp! there it is...

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Author Topic: "coleman fuel"???? (Read 11216 times)