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One Can V8 Lite |
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It has been over a year since I added a new stove design, and SURPRISE!!! - this really isn't a new one either This idea is basically a fusion of two designs plus a little bit of innovation. The basic idea of this stove comes from AYCE's V8 Stove over on www.thru-hiker.com and the One Can Stove design from IdahoDavid over on www.WhiteBlaze.net. The week before Trail Days, I got a chance to hike the AT against the thru-hiker flow and talk to a few thru-hikers that were not happy with stoves. Despite my attempts to make a light stove that was extremely fuel efficient and sacrifice boil time, most hikers were not happy with 13 minute boil times and would rather spend a little extra fuel to get it done faster. A lot of them had also used the hardware cloth type stands and a few had their stands fail at the joints, so a few were not totally happy with their stove (thank goodness I hadn't made any of those stoves!) and were looking for something different. Quite a few said they still liked the idea of alcohol stoves. Then at a hostel, a gear manufacturer showed his new alcohol stove (I won't mention the maker, he was a cool guy, and humble too) which was a pressure stove that performed VERY good as far as I could tell just by watching. I had thought about a pressured stove along those lines at one time, but had given up on the idea. I honestly didn't think a homemade pressure stove made from aluminum cans along those lines would hold up under all conditions after some folks I know had failures on long distance hikes with theirs. But the ideas kept flowing... Then I thought back to AYCE's V8, basically it is a pressure stove because the pot closes off the top. If the stove is a pressure stove, then the double wall design really isn't needed because in a double wall stove the pressure sort of builds inside the wall. But with the fill chamber sealed by the pot, the slightly difficult construction can be dispensed of. The only need for the double wall design really is to give a little structure to the stove to support the pot weight as I see it. Then I remember trading posts with IdahoDavid about his one can stove idea. At the time I thought it was sort of interesting but really not needed since soda cans are so plentiful and it is so easy to make the stove from two cans. But the top of a can has plenty of structure and would not need an inner wall. So I decided to try with a V8 type can. There is a problem with mixing the two ideas - that is priming. A can stove that you put the pot on top of to get started is very easy to accidentally snuff. You have to light them and let them go for about 20 seconds until they get hot enough to keep burning after the pot is set on top. The V8 has a solution by super gluing the bottom from a soda can on the bottom of the stove to serve as a priming cup, but I also didn't like how tall the stove ended up being, the balance problems that could arise because of the difference in the curves on the bottom of the two different can types, and I have also had glue failures in these stoves. But, in some of my other V8 type stoves, some users have told me that in cold weather they put a little extra fuel on the bottom heat reflector when they fill and light in order to help heat the alcohol up a little faster, so I figured I could make a small pie plate shaped bottom reflector so it could serve as a primer when needed. So when I got home, I tried building it, and here are the results. Stove Weight: 0.3 ounces (8 grams) Stove Height: 1-1/2" (3.81 cm) Windscreen Weight (your weight may vary): 0.3 ounces (8 grams) Fuel Consumption: 1/2 - 3/5 ounce alcohol (15-18ml) per boil To achieve a boil, pour about 1/2 ounce (13-16 ml) alcohol into the opening in the top of the stove, then add about 1-2 ml into the primer. Light the stove, then put the pot on top. It should take about 4 minutes for the water to boil, and about 6-7 minutes for the fuel to burn out. This is also one of the easiest to stoves I have ever constructed. I think the hardest part of the build is drilling the holes for the burner without making them too large. Basically if you use a ruler and a pair of scissors, then you can make this stove. O.K. now for the numbers. Ion Stove Weight: .3 ounce (8 grams) stove, .3 ounce (8 grams) windscreen. Total = 0.6 ounces (16 grams). Tests Standards: 1.
2 cups of water at room temperature – 70 degrees F (21.1 C). 2.
Pot used is a Snow Peak 720ml titanium pot. 3. Stove tested using the windscreen and lid. 4.
Alcohol was tested in 6 ml increments, starting at 6 ml
alcohol. 5.
Each amount was double checked using a scale. The weight of one fluid
ounce of alcohol is .82 avoirdupois ounces (23 grams). 6.
Each Test was repeated three times, the average was used. 7.
Starting time was when the stove was lit. 8.
Stoves were allowed to completely cool between tests. 9.
Barometric pressure here was 30.15, the boiling point was determined to
be 212.43 degrees F (100.239 C). 10.
Altitude is 90 meters above
sea level. 11.
Temperature was measured using a thermocouple and digital multimeter 12.
Air temperature was 70 degrees F (21.2 C) with the stove fan running to simulate a
light wind. 13. Scale used was a Royal EX3.
Conclusions: Under Development
Using my time Hiking vs. Weight scenario here are the numbers: Red = Worst performer Yellow = #3 performer Blue = #2 performer Green = Best performer **Note. For purposes of this illustration I am considering my fuel bottle an 9 ounce (266 cc) soda bottle weighing 0.8 ounces (23 grams). The stoves are listed from left to right - heaviest to lightest over time hiked. Standard is 7 days hiking, although if you go on a shorter hike, the average weight per day will go down. The chart assumes you will make 2 hot meals a day requiring a full boil. Stove Weight = empty stove weight. Fuel per boil is the volume of fuel needed to boil water (true boil). Fuel per boil (weight) is the actual weight on the fuel needed in ounces. Average Weight/day is what you will carry on average in weight over a 7 day hike without re-supply. Total over 7 days shows the weight you carry if you total every day's weight over the 7 days. Trail days are computed from day out (7) to last day (day 1) If you decided to do 5 days between re-supply, then day 5 weight would be the start weight for your trip. Total fuel needed in ounces gives you an idea of what sized fuel container is needed
This part is not yet complete because I still need some trail testing.
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