The subject of adding a teaspoon of alchohol to say a gallon of kerosine in a K-1 lamp, cooker or heater has been discussed somewhat but then I read where the alchohol should be "methynol" or "methyl alchohol". So I read the the label on the 2 containers of alchohol that I have and it reads: "isopropyl". Isopropyl is commonly available to me. What is the difference? Will isopropyl help kerosine to burn cleaner or is there another reason that I should use methynol.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

sdb

-- S. David Bays (SDBAYS@prodigy.net), November 03, 1999

Answers

This has been one of my departments, David, but for all the time I've spent messing with this stuff, since I don't have the time even to open a dictionary on this: my suggestions are practical ones: methyl alchohol or methanol is naturally derived wood alcohol, marketed as a kerosene treatment to enhance combustion, promote clean-burning, and prevent "dry-burn" of your kekro wick: in short, no smudgy kero-smell in the air when you burn or blow out your lamp. The stuff is some kind of a catalyst for ordinary combustion, and it simply works. Its' avaialable from Kerosun.com, I understand, as "Wick-Cleaner" and./or "Kero-Clean". That is what you need.

The isopropyl alcohol is medicinal alchohol, used for sterlization and I belive as rubbing alcohol. That's why it's avaialble from you drugstore or most anywhere. You should have some of that for your Y2K medical supplies anyway. It is not however what is sold for kerosene lamps. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT WORKS KEROSENE LANTERNS, BUT I JUST MY TRY IT OUT AND GET BACK TO YOU.

It is my experience that you can burn quite a few fuels in your Aladdin lamp, etc.; including white gas (Coleman fuel) but don't try this with a cheapo Chinese-made Dietz lantern, or you'll blow yourself up.

YOu can geth the mehtanol from your pharamcist, although they may have ot order it for you. If you need to ask for it, simply be straightforward and tell the druggist you need it because you've had no luck geting the brand name products, etc. Otherwise, it may be available from a hardware store, Home Depot, etc. A gallon should last forever, but its cheap so get two.

ALSO ON KEROSENE: yesterday, November 1, Gary North posted a link to a website for the manufacturer of a fuel preservative.. This will be archived in his Personal Preparations category, but maybe somebody can put up a link to it. This fellow suggest that kerosene needs an additive to prevent degeneration over the long haul -- which is contrary with what I've heard. You might want to check it out. I'm very comfortable storing the kero for a year or even two without additives, but have ordered some of this stuff in case things drag on a little longer.

Hope this helps. I'll checkack in after burning some isopropyl with kerosene.

KEROMAN.

-- Roch Steinbach (rochsteinbach@excite.com), November 04, 1999.

See http://crystal.biol.csufresno.edu:8080/projects/32.html for information on various commonly found alcohols.

-- Joe (KEITH@noosnet.com), November 04, 1999.