Bio ethanol heater, inspired by Flyboy

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whitevanwoman

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I have been inspired by Flyboy and his fantastically simple Bio Ethanol heater which he demonstrated at the Music Meet to make one for my van, as an alternative to using my butane gas camping stove.

I've got a small (roughly about the size of a 4.5kg blue gas bottle) cast iron chimenea which, except as a candle holder, has never been much use and more of an ornament, so it is at the bottom of my "car boot sale" box, but I'll be rescuing it tomorrow. Whilst on my travels since the music meet, I've bought a metal mug and some metal pan scrubs so all I need now is the Bio Ethanol fuel but it seems to be tricky stuff to find.

B&Q claim to stock it but it's out of stock at all the branches local to me. I've called into a couple of garden centres over the past few days and no one has heard of it. The only real source I've found online is this 5L Premium Bioethanol - Order Online which I'd probably go for if I'm happy with my set up but it's a big amount to buy simply to test the set up initially.

Does anyone have any better sources for buying this either cheaper or in smaller quantities? And as I'm quite excited about the prospect of a safe van heater, I'd like to actually get some from a real shop over the next day or so, rather than waiting for delivery next week, which will mean having to be at home next week. But a link to a cheaper online source would be welcome too.

I'm not far from Kendal so anywhere in North Lancashire or Southern/Mid Cumbria is ok to travel to for it.
 
Yes, saw it and was really impressed. Not just with the heater but with Steve's inventiveness!
 
I cook on bio-ethanol and use the econol fuel as per your link. Before I bought a 5L can I tested my stove using meths which is pretty much the same stuff but with methyl alcohol added. If your fire works with meths it should work with econol.

Alternatively ring 'The Naked Flame' and see if they'll send you a single litre of bio-ethanol to test the principle. Or they may have a supplier near you.

Contact us - Contact Us - The Naked Flame - Gel fires - Gel Burners - Bio Fires - Bio Fuel Fires - Fire Gel - Bio Ethanol Fuel - Bio Ethanol Fires - Bio Fuel

Johnny A
 
noarlunga said:
I cook on bio-ethanol and use the econol fuel as per your link. Before I bought a 5L can I tested my stove using meths which is pretty much the same stuff but with methyl alcohol added. If your fire works with meths it should work with econol.

Alternatively ring 'The Naked Flame' and see if they'll send you a single litre of bio-ethanol to test the principle. Or they may have a supplier near you.

Contact us - Contact Us - The Naked Flame - Gel fires - Gel Burners - Bio Fires - Bio Fuel Fires - Fire Gel - Bio Ethanol Fuel - Bio Ethanol Fires - Bio Fuel

Johnny A
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Thank for the suggestions. I've got a Tranjia and some meths so can test it with meths outside tomorrow. If I order from econol tomorrow morning, there's a chance it may arrive on Sat.

@N8rbos, not a lot of beet growing farmers round here :lol-053: they mainly grow sheep
 
I have some here and can drop some off to you on sat as I'm passing on my way to Darwen
 
outtolunch said:
I have some here and can drop some off to you on sat as I'm passing on my way to Darwen
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You lovely man, thank you very much, I shall pay you for it with the same quantity of drinkable alcohol :lol-053:

I'll message you on FB with address, postcode, mobile number etc although, because of tricky access along my street, it might be best to meet at Truckstop. I'll bring down the gas heater and regulators that I've got, for you to have a quick look at too - thanks for the link by the way.

Any idea roughly what time? And why Darwen? Apart from a nice walk up to Jubilee Tower, there's not much else worth visiting in Darwen!!!
 
No probs, I'll send you my mobile number and just drop me a text when you leave home with a rough ETA at Truckstop.
 
Hi thanks for the kind words its was great to meet you all look forwards to seeing you all again soon.

Any DIY Shop that sells Super Value goods Will be able to get the fuel for you from their stockiest which is (stax,s) .

Also most garden centre's sell La Hacienda Goods which include a range of Bio Ethanol Fires and fuel by the litre.

Please let me know if your struggling to find any i can supply it for you.
 
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Flyboy said:
Hi thanks for the kind words its was great to meet you all look forwards to seeing you all again soon.

Any DIY Shop that sells Super Value goods Will be able to get the fuel for you from their stockiest which is (stax,s) .

Also most garden centre's sell La Hacienda Goods which include a range of Bio Ethanol Fires and fuel by the litre.

Please let me know if your struggling to find any i can supply it for you.
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I was utterly delighted to see your heater and am in the process of making my own right now. I will go on a fuel quest here and post if I find a supplier. Like WVW I am very keen to try it out.

Thank you so much for your kind sharing of your ideas and skills...I think you're a genius! It was lovely meeting you and I owe you much beer whenever we next meet as a warm van is beyond rubies!

Hilary
 
with regard to the heater do you put something in the cup to absorb the fuel as you are only burning the vapour off ?
 
oldish hippy said:
with regard to the heater do you put something in the cup to absorb the fuel as you are only burning the vapour off ?
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Yes it fibreglass Cheap on ebay, for testing you can us a bit of rock wool or a stainless steel pan scourers.

Just A Note Please Look For A Alternative Canister For Making Your Fire Other Than The Gas Bottles These Things Are Lethal To Play With And you Will Only Make One Mistake

It Can Be Done. But I,am Just Another Nutter.
 
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Flyboy said:
Yes it fibreglass Cheap on ebay, for testing you can us a bit of rock wool or a stainless steel pan scourers.
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Think you could be onto something here Steve...knock a few out and sell them. I would certainly be interested in buying one from you ;)...I was really impressed, I think we all were it looked really professional :wave:
 
wasnt thinking of making one was just curious at moment as i have other things to sort out but do have weird ideas that might improve on itewm members come up with and theni throw open to forum every now and again sometime someone will run with it and if it works then good on them
 
anyone calculated the cost of using bioethanol ?
a 6Kg propane would produce approx 300, 000 KJ , to produce the same amount of heat from bioethanol would need some 20 litres I think

if I am correct about uk prices that makes bioethanol double the cost if you buy it in bulk

or am I missing something ?
 
I have not seen the heater in question so there may be a simple answer to my question, but why not make a drip feed diesel heater and run on central heating fuel or red diesel.
 
The idea behind my fire was to make something portable that can be used inside/outside when needed and is space saving in the van. i have done a bit of research into the burning of the fuel and well aware of any dangers that come with it.

have spent 3hours per day for the last 3 weeks in my van plus four days/ nights at the rally deliberately trying cause an incident that would put me in danger other than kicking the fire over purposely i found it quite safe for use. all it takes is common sense just like when leaving your cooker on or any naked flame in a enclosed area.Just needs a bit of common sense. All flames including candles will produce a element of danger by burning off the oxygen in a closed area. As For the cost £2.99 -£5.99 per litre,, 1Ltr lasted me over the weekend meet using the fire for both nights and through the days showing people how the fire worked and the heat it was capable of producing.View attachment 14593
 
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I love the simplicity of Flyboy's heater, plus it's something I can make myself, to heat the van, without cutting any holes in it for a flue, air vent etc. My only source of heating is the gas canister cooking stove which many many folk have pointed out is dangerous as it produces carbon monoxide. Although I've been using it for 18 months, directly underneath my roof vent and it hasn't set off my carbon monoxide alarm (which does work as it flashes to show it''s working), I have taken the advice on board and would prefer an alternative heat source but with my finances being somewhat "precarious", any other form of fitted heating is simply out of the question for the foreseeable.

So far, apart from the fuel, the cost of a stpve like Steve's has cost me the grand total of £3.98 for a metal mug and 2 metal pan scrubs - I already had a metal chiminea which I was going to sell at a car boot (and which incidentally only cost me a fiver in Woolworth's closing down sale a couple of years ago).

I will need to do the maths once I work out how much fuel a BE heater uses per hour but the camping gas stove which uses butane canisters will burn for about 2-3 hours per canister. I get the canisters for £1 each at B&M bargains.

I will probably continue to use the gas cooker for heating complimented by a BE stove eg using the BE heater at night when the van is closed up, curtains drawn and the gas stove in the morning, whilst making coffee, when the risk of CO is less as I'll be opening the door to let the dog out.

I haven't really got room for a butane gas bottle, even a small one, and I'd have to completely rethink my layout to fit a gas bottle and proper fixed heater, giving it enough safety space around it and keeping the dog and cat away from it. A small BE stove will stand on a metal baking tray on my table top, where it can't be knocked over by the dog, where my camping stove is, or it could stand on the metal sink drainer which covers my sink when sink is not in use.

I'll post some photos when I test it and keep you posted of my progress and how it works out in terms of fuel. I'm thinking that as I have 2 pan scrubs, I can use one with BE for inside the van, and one with meths (cheaper) for outside the van.
 
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