This is a simple and easy way to service and clean a trangia burner. In my last video you can see this burner not performing too well so I knew it was time for an overhaul. I hope this is useful to you.
As has been mentioned already in comments, preserving the rubber 'O' ring best done with silicone spray or grease and yes the jets need a scrub every now and then to keep them clean, using a dental brush is good also, Pikster brand. Thanks and keep on burning! 👍
If you try to always use a fuel brand/type that produces little or no soot, you rarely need to do more then this type of cleaning. If your using your burner quite a lot, then a little scrub and dry out, once a year is more then enough. THANKS for your excellent demonstration!
Just cleaned mine following your advice using the pin on the holes. I used a Brillo pad instead, and some wd40 on the simmer control part as it had seized up
My Trangia burner was bought as part of a Mini Trangia set in 1988. I use a fine brass wire brush (the sort for brushing up suede shoes) around the jet ring and the sharp end of a fine cut circular needle file gently rotated in the jet holes to remove any deposits. It still has its original O ring lid seal, which I've washed with soap, but never wiped with oil.
Lovely little video, mate! My ageing trangia burner still works well but after watching this, I've given it a good clean. I've also used a touch of olive oil on the o-ring but will swap that for some silicon spray next time I give it a clean. Cheers!
Nice one i did that after watchin yor vid but i bought another cos i thought otherwise well when you want a hot meal a working stove makes a difference
I’ve had mine about 3 years now and haven’t had to clean it and it works beautifully. Efficiently and cleanly. I was advised to use a good quality alcohol - a common or garden type available in supermarkets here in France - alcool à bruler 90%. It sells about 4 or 5 euros a litre which I think is pretty cheap, but one can buy cheaper stuff. This household type alcohol is available throughout Europe.
Nice fixing! :) However, wouldn't the alcohol fuel alcohol will dissolve any oil quasi-instantly? And I am not sure oiling natural rubber is a good idea for its longevity. It may temporarily restore the sealing ability of an old, hardened gasket in a pinch (when no spare is immediately available), but it will degrade the rubber rather quickly as well. Silicone grease would be a safer bet, as it does not degrade rubber and will not be dissolved by the alcohol, giving a long-lasting protection/lubrication.
Thanks for the demonstration! I'm about to buy my first Trangia, I noticed a company selling them with solder around an area that is supposedly prone to leaking (you can find the video here on YT). What are your thoghts on having solder anywhere near food or boiling water? I think the solder is just below the flame, so it may not be hot enough to reach a melting point. I'm just not sure if the solder modification is even necessary on newer Trangia burners.
As the alcohol burns off it leaves behind all that blue dye, which is contaminating the wick in the burner. I had one that stopped working, so I cut it open and the wick was hard and dark blue from all the dye left behind.
They don't put blue dye in the methylated spirits sold here in Sydney Australia. It is clear as crystal. I was told some of the Aussie bottle shops (off licenses to you guys) used to keep the bottles in the fridge for the winos to buy and to drink. Like the beer here, the drinkers prefer it icy cold! :-)
Try soaking the whole thing in distilled white vinegar. It works on glass fireplace doors. Also, Canola oil is very heat resistant. HVAC guys use it on some furnace parts.
noahsson I tend to leave it out to dry but it doesn't really matter if you're using meths as the alcohol will blend with the water giving a cleaner burn. Hope this helps.
Chuck Littleton Hey Chuck, I use methylated spirits as it's cheap and readily available over here. I have bought some bio ethanol spirit fuel now though which I shall be using in the future. Hopefully it works out better. Thanks for the tip. ATB Muddy.
I've been watching many videos about this stove and the fuel. Seems the majority prefer heet in the yellow bottle. They say it doesn't leave burn marks and is very cheap.
i would use a mineral parrafin oil based lubricant not olive oil as it suits metal and rubber better as both are petrochemical products the o ring and vaseline!! it also prevents o ring from drying out cracking up or leeching from excessive time in contact with fuel? whilst stored or in transit id scotchbrite the burner ring or jets threads off of all carbon so as when it burns again new carbon deposits cannot adhere to older black carbon deposits left on its rim i carry spare o rings also in case of any burn or damages to o ring in use i pin needle prick with a rolling action one third depths as sometimes carbon can build up outa sight between reservoir at base and burner jets it can stick halfway down if sucked up sidewalls and carries enough carbon deposits from base with it!! after thourough vigourous wash out with water i let it air dry upsides down after good shake to drain reservoir which tends to hold onto water if you try to store it in any other manner let gravity do yer work for you over time then dry it out farther afterwards youd be surprised how much moisture they can retain a small burn test afterwards eradicates any moisture still trapped inside burner reservoir i vaseline the threads and metal polish the top and sides its worth keeping your burner immaculate cleaned on regular basis as it negates any needs to do bigger overhaul type maint if you clean it as you go keep close eye on it i often prick jets in uses if i see them clog or malfunction just be careful of yer hands whilst doing so i meditate on my burner sonetimes in tent perhaps i need to visit my therapist and get a life get out more!! today i just built a woodburner hot tenting stove out of a large 4kg duck fat grease tin!! i burn tested it with flexi tube chimney it has heatshields and airvents it goes like a king!!!! even in freezing cold windy rainy conds its outsides now being tested i think once you know a bit about burn principles of ignition and how a good quality fire works it transposes your interests into other areas!!! thats what i told the detectives anyways who have accused me of being a pyromaniacal arsonist tonite!! anyways after burnt down down several sites in the city!! because i started feeling excited inside of my head when i saw a box of matches laying on the sideboards snuck out whilst my family wasnt watchn me to come watch your videos!! learn off other firestarters their crazy maniacal dirty tricks!
Don't believe this bullshit about adding water to your meths. It just lowers your combustion temperature and causes corrosion to the burner.. Source: I'm a Masters Degree chemist who nailed it in the highest level physics and chemistry class in senior high.
Brass cleaners including Brasso can lead to cracking due to the interaction with heat and brass, most stove fettlers who work on brass stoves like Primus, SVEA, etc… only use Mother’s polish which won’t crack the metal.
@@crowbrocaw I'm aware of the window lickers being the reason for the purple dye in your methylated spirits, I'm just highlighting that it's part of the reason for the sooting... In Australia, the methylated spirits is clear like water, and people still don't drink it, mostly because unlike the UK, only a very small portion of our population are crazy alcoholics, whereas in the UK, it's around 70% of the population...
Larry Kramer Knowledge is power Larry! I know that many people know this stuff but I’ve met many who don’t know so hopefully it helps someone! Thanks for watching and commenting
That purple shit you're burning is your biggest issue.. In Australia, we use 95% methylated spirits, which is clear like water, and I've been using my Trangia for many years and it's still the same brass colour it was the day I bought it.. Oh, and stop putting water in your alcohol, it doesn't help at all, it just lowers your burning temperature which lengthens cooking and boiling time, and also causes corrosion (and the rubber o-ring on the lid is to keep water out, not seal alcohol in for transport). Adding water doesn't help with 'sooting', that's the purple colourant in your alcohol that's doing the sooting... So many people here (including the video uploader) clearly failed high school chemistry..
Thanks. I just acquired a very very used Trangia 25, and the burner was in awful bad condition. Using similar techniques, including a vacuum and air gun, was I fortunate to bring her back to life. I definitely found that heavy crud built up around the perimeter was causing a major issue. Now she’s burning beautiful. Happy camper (pun intended 😅). But I do have a question, which I have been searching deeply an answer to, with no luck. I noticed after adding fuel (denatured alcohol), the fuel turned purple!! I noticed that same thing in your video too! Why is a clear liquid turning purple?? What is it about the Trangia brass that makes this happen? Do you know? Does anyone know? I went to drain the fuel back into my bottle as I usually do, (that’s when I noticed it) and I’m thinking to myself, is this bad? Am I diluting and ruining my existing alcohol in my bottle? I own an Aloc knock off burner, and I’ve only ever use denatured alcohol in it. But the fuel always stays clear. I’m really confused here. Any light you or your viewers can shine on this, I would be grateful! After noticing this, I burned off several bowls of denatured alcohol, and while the purple still exists, it seems to have faded a bit. So my guess here is quality of fuel (?) Seeking to get to the bottom of this! Much thanks!
In the UK we have traditionally used methylated spirits in camping stoves which had a purple additive. It doesn’t burn as clean as modern alcohol fuels and leaves a lot of deposits. I’m guessing that the previous owner of your burner did the same thing and some of that crud had remained. If the purple colour is reducing then this may be the cause and the more you use a cleaner fuel the better it will get. Those are my thoughts, not necessarily correct but fingers crossed for you and thanks for watching and commenting.
@@SamsonsLeader Bingo. Interesting. That would explain it. I thought I was losing my mind. They obviously had never serviced the burner. When I say it was caked up around the perimeter and , it was caked big time. I decided to curl up small pieces of 400 grit emery cloth, and mixed up a paste of barkeepers friend, and just kept leaning into it all the way around. Took a while, but it finally pulled 95% of it away. I tried to scuff out the inside, but that was kind of tough. After rinsing, I then used denatured alcohol as a second and third rinse, covering the top and shaking it wildly. Dumped everything out. Used a tiny drillbit just under the size of the holes, and literally had to twist drill (by hand) the crud out of the ports. Then I flip the drill bit and used the shaft to finish punching down and cleaning. Next up was a vacuum to try suck out any loose debris, and then an air gun with a small nozzle to try and blow everything out. I did that several times. Then I burned off several fillings of denatured alcohol. Jets were still plugged, I had to keep going back with that drill bit and cleaning out until I finally got it. Knock on wood. Now I get a nice even, beautiful blue flame. Knowing this about fuel from your side of the pond, I’ll just have to keep running denatured through it. Hopefully it’ll finish cleaning it out. I appreciate the feedback!
@@dobrofool it’s a shame you didn’t make a video…it would have been far more interesting than mine! I hope it continues to burn well and serves you long into the future!
Any oil on the o-ring that gets on the burner will burn and clog the holes. Sand the top of the burner with 2000 grit sandpaper to make it smooth for the o-ring.
Dean Waddington I do it most of the time. It only needs about 10% water and gives you a much cleaner burn as I’m sure you’re already aware. Helps to keep those pans clean! Thanks for commenting. ATB Muddy
@@SamsonsLeader I've only seen today and was asking your opinion as you obviously know a bit about stoves, thanks for the swift reply, I've subscribed.
@@DieyoungDiefast Ahh, but the blue dye used in the UK is to warn people it is poisonous to drink. Ours is quite clear in Australia (or at least in New South Wales), and the locals refer to it as "Metho". In England it used to be called "Red Biddy" by the tramps (hobos) who drank it.
Muddy Paws cheers mate! Yeah, I’ve been getting about half the heat, very inefficient but I just can’t buy a new one... we’ve been bushcrafting almost every day in the Ashdown Forest (part of my 10 year old’s home schooling) and need a warm lunch everyday!
Muddy Paws oh wow! We are in Colman’s Hatch just outside Forest Row! I’ll be doing in the next few days (first in a long while) - cheers m8, stay safe!
Introducing water to a Trangia burner is the worst thing you can do. Get a suede leather brass brush and dry clean it which will remove any carbon and polish it clean
Thanks for your advice. I have done it this way for years without any issues so shall continue in this way. I’m glad you found a way that works for you.
I had been using methylated spirits (meths) as that is what is traditionally used here but now more camping fuels are available I tend to use other alcohol fuels or biofuels which burn cleaner.
@@SamsonsLeader thanks for your response. I noticed you add a bit of water to reduce sooting. Since I'm using denatured alcohol I don't expect to have that issue. In an apartment I need absolute clean burning fuel. No soot no odor of any kind. What is that pretty purple fuel you use?
@@lennettapeterson7417 it’s called methylated spirits and it’s a traditional fuel that has been used in Europe and the UK particularly for alcohol stoves. There are some cleaner burning alternatives available here now…but none are as pretty!
Denatured alcohol burns cleaner, probably will keep your stove a little cleaner, but that might not be as easy for you to get. Also, not a big deal, but I would use a different oil on the o ring because olive oil tends to go rancid easily.
Zenon-Paul King i did not know that you can mix water with alcohol without limiting its burn or performances i utilise a smear of detergent over base of my pans so as any carbon build ups come clean off in water afterwards no scouring needed i only clean my burner when absolutely necessary i however use vaseline on o ring and scotchbrite to shine up burner jets and threads of any carbon deposits after soaking and shaking loose bits of carbon off or from insides burner often match heads or loose carbon deposits get insides of burner itself but i didnt know that you could add water to your fuel to tune of 10% water and it would still burn effectively without the build ups of carbon being so prevalent good tip thanks for that info!!!
If you read the instructions on the yellow bag provided for the burner I believe mine said you can add water up to 15%. I use my Trangia weekly and never seem to get a problem with soot.
david john Huxtable It does affect boiling time, which also means slightly greater fuel consumption , so it is a trade off. Personally I don’t mind, it’s not that much different, I prefer the convenience of not getting black on everything.
Between cleanings you can poke a push pin in all the holes to restore like new functionality. It is good to perform thorough cleanings to make your equipment last much longer.
Yeah, that purple shit he's burning is his biggest issue.. In Australia, we use 95% methylated spirits, which is clear like water, and I've been using my Trangia for many years and it's still the same brass colour it was the day I bought it.. Oh, and stop putting water in your alcohol, it doesn't help at all, it just lowers your burning temperature which lengthens cooking and boiling time, and also causes corrosion (and the rubber o-ring on the lid is to keep water out, not seal alcohol in for transport). Adding water doesn't help with 'sooting', that's the purple colourant in your alcohol that's doing the sooting... So many people here (including the video uploader) clearly failed high school chemistry..
@@Funkteon methylated spirit in the UK has purple dye in it to prevent "improper" use. It's also more expensive and not as readily available like in the rest of Europe, for example. Most European countries have it available in supermarkets and in my experience, its also better quality and clear.
That purple shit you're burning is your biggest issue.. In Australia, we use 95% methylated spirits, which is clear like water, and I've been using my Trangia for many years and it's still the same brass colour it was the day I bought it.. Oh, and stop putting water in your alcohol, it doesn't help at all, it just lowers your burning temperature which lengthens cooking and boiling time, and also causes corrosion (and the rubber o-ring on the lid is to keep water out, not seal alcohol in for transport). Adding water doesn't help with 'sooting', that's the purple colourant in your alcohol that's doing the sooting... So many people here (including the video uploader) clearly failed high school chemistry..
Each to their own. When using methylated spirit as a fuel (as I did back when this was made) it is best practice to water it down by 10% so even if the wick is still wet it doesn’t matter. This is the cleaning method I was taught and it has always worked for me and the evidence is there in the video. If you have a method that works for you then that’s great 😃
Heath Cope Happy to learn the benefits of alternative methods of doing so but this has always worked for me. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment
@@SamsonsLeader I've just read my comment.. I thought I had left more.. Anyway.. last year a friend pointed out that the dip in the wider part of the stove is to hold a small amount of fuel to enable priming.. It improves the overall bloom speed by quite a bit as it warms the actual chamber from the outside while the inner flame warms the inside... I previously didn't know this and used a can lid underneath...
Heath Cope Absolutely. Couldn’t agree more and that is the method I was taught when I trained as an expedition leader and is the method I use in colder weather. I filmed this on a hot day where the fuel and ambient temperature don’t require this technique. Horses for courses. Thanks for sharing though as others may not know this trick.
Thanks for your comment Timothy. Many others have said the same. Here in the UK meths has been the only available fuel for alcohol stoves. Please note the age of this video. We have better availability for fuel choices now. Duh.
do you think i need therapy? do you think that i may have a problem with pyromania? why am i watching your videos in my downtime my spare time whilst not lighting fires and being sought by regional devon and cornwall police!!!
