Owners Manual: Turbo V8

Turbo V8 Stove Turbo V8 Stove Pot Support Turbo V8 Stove in use 

Congratulations on buying or building the Turbo V8 Stove. If you are used to other alcohol, gas, or solid fuel stoves, the Turbo V8 works like most others you have used. To help you use, cook, and care for your stove I have put together this simple manual.


COMPONENTS

Turbo V8 Stove

Wind screen with paper clip

Bottom reflector


PACKING

The Turbo V8 is a delicate stove, care must still be taken when packing the stove. The best recommended method is to store the stove  inside the pot you use to cook. For the windscreen and bottom heat shield, rolling them inside your sleeping mat is recommended. To make it easier, I normally fold my windscreen in half before rolling it inside my sleeping mat.


MAINTENANCE

Very little maintenance is required for this stove. The part that most often needs replaced in my experience is the windscreen, which is made from an oven liner. They are very cheap and easy to cut with a pair of scissors. The holes in the windscreen are made using a standard hole punch.

One recommendation I can make is to bring an extra paper clip or two for the windscreen. I have lost mine on the trail and it is a hassle.


FUELING AND LIGHTING

The ONLY fuel this stove is designed to use is denatured alcohol. Never use any petroleum product or other flammables such as acetone in this fuel. The results could be catastrophic. Always use this stove in well ventilated areas, and never inside a tent.

To fill the stove, simply pour the desired amount of alcohol (covered under cooking) into the center opening of the stove. To light the stove, use a match or lighter to get the flame inside the center of the stove. If you are cooking with 1/2 ounce of alcohol, sometimes you will need to add a small amount of extra alcohol to get the center full enough to light properly. the fiberglass wick inside the wall tends to absorb quite a bit of alcohol. The stove will light immediately, and you can start cooking on it as soon as it is light.

An important thing to remember about cooking with a Turbo V8 Stove is that once you light this stove, it is almost impossible to put out. Some other models of alcohol stoves are easy, and users sometimes just fill these stoves and cook until done, then snuff the stove and save the unused fuel. This isn't possible with the Turbo V8 Stove, but once you practice cooking with the stove, you won't find this a problem at all.


WINDSCREEN

The windscreen included is made to custom fit your pot. When set to the right position, a gap no larger or smaller than about 1/8" should be around your pot. If you ever get a different pot, or need a new screen, then you should use the guide I include in the article: Build a Better Windscreen.

Some small deterioration to the top rim of your windscreen is normal with continued use. If is gets a little ragged at the top - don't worry.

The windscreen is equipped with a number of holes for good air supply. In a strong wind, an object placed near the windscreen to block excessive air from getting in is highly recommended.


COOKING

This is a short how to, for a more thorough guide to cooking with an Alcohol Stove, read this article: Cooking With the Cat.

For a fuel container I use an empty soda bottle that weighs about 1 ounce empty. The cap makes an excellent measure, one full cap equals 1/4 ounce.

Start by knowing what you want to cook. I use a simple rule of thumb for cooking which divides my cooking into two categories: 1. Heat water; 2. Cook Food/Boiling Water.

1. Heating Water - when heating water, I assume I'll need a pint (16 ounces) but don't really need it hot enough for full roiling boil.  For this I use 2 caps (.5 ounce) of alcohol. Burn time is about 6.5 minutes. This is the standard I use when making breakfast.

2. Cooking Food/Boiling - Many foods I eat require you boil the water before cooking or just require you boil some water and let the food stand until ready to eat. For this I use 3 caps (.75 ounce) of alcohol. Burn time is about 9.5 minutes. This is the standard I use when making dinners.

 

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