Alcohol Stove using Antifreeze - Fuel Type DOES Matter! 

yes of course fuel type matters. Among other points, of course ;-) I tried several alcohols and mixes, and found getting usually best results on my Trangia using pure ethanol. Pure ethanol is available as laboratory ethanol (99,99% pure) and also sold as bioethanol for ethanol fireplaces (decorative chimneys etc.), in that case it might be mixed with 0,2% or so other stuff. The basic values are relatively simple. The calorific value (i.e. the amount of heat energy) of ethanol is 29,7 MJ/litre whiles the one of isopropyl alcohol is 22,7 MJ/litre. Means ethanol is much more effective in heating than IPA. Also a mix of ethanol and IPA has more energy content than IPA alone. This is especially important if you have to carry the fuel with you on a longer trip - you have to carry less volumes of ethanol than IPA for the same amount of heat. Yet, as the burn rate of ethanol is 0,45 cm/s whiles the one of IPA is at 0,75 cm/s, IPA burns faster, means more IPA is burned at the same time compared to ethanol. On the other side, the boiling point of ethanol is lower than that of IPA what leads usually to a faster start of your stove when using ethanol. But what finally happens at your fireplace depends a lot from what stove you use. Without restrictions, IPA might heat up your water faster to a boil compared to ethanol, or create a bigger flame, etc., whiles using during that time more fuel, of course. Some stoves might even totally 'overrun' with pure stuff, means they get almost out of control, either with ethanol or IPA, in that case only some drops of water mixed with the ethanol or IPA might lead to a better (=calmer) burn. And so on. So, depending whether you use a Trangia or a cheap copy (made from different material), or any titanium alcohol stove, or any self made cat can or beer can stove etc, you might experience always different results in what's best in a practical sense. And that practical sense optimum thoughts might also include considerations whether you want to have your water boiling as fast as possible or at lowest possible fuel volume, or whether you want to really cook food on your stove and need simmering, means you have to even restrict the flames, etc.

Looks pretty good! Bluer = better combustion apparently. But having a bit of yellow flame helps you see if its lit and lowers the chance of setting yourself on fire! I'm hoping to do a video on using carbon felt & tests before & after boiling water.

Pure ethanol is to my knowledge best, unfortunately it has to be denatured to avoid drinking issues. Methanol = wood alcohol is toxic, but burns also clean. Isopropyl is to avoid, soots.

I've found dropping in about 1.4 teaspoon of water after filling an alcohol stove lowers the amount of soot and residue on my cookware.

Thanks for sharing brother

Thank you !