Uploaded May 2015 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
I show how to convert a kerosene burner to alcohol in this different video: youtu.be/SAkOZq9HGQ0
This stove uses Svea 1915 kerosene burners that have been converted to burn denatured alcohol. The video demonstrates proper preheat, lighting and operation of the stove. The video illustrates the light surging that occurs using modern denatured alcohols (in 2013).
UPDATE ON FUELS!!
These stoves were intended to be used with once common almost pure ethanol, the kind of alcohol found in beer and booze (aka grain alcohol). Denatured alcohol used to be mostly ethanol with some poisons in it to keep you from drinking it. Some of those poisons include methyl ethyl ketone, acetone and methanol (aka wood alcohol). None of those poisons will burn as well as straight ethanol and they tend to have low vaporization points which contribute to the surging effect of these stoves. Methanol is NOT a replacement for ethanol and will burn poorly in alcohol stoves. Methanol is also highly poisonous, even it it's vaporized state. SINCE THIS VIDEO WAS MADE and due to the increased use of ethanol in automotive fuels, ethanol has become much more expensive. In order to keep the denatured alcohol less expensive, manufacturers are now formulating blends of denatured alcohol that may contain as little as 51% ethanol. These formulations with their high content of methanol, MEK and acetone, may create even more surging in these stoves - to the point where the flames may even blow themselves out.
The best fuels currently available for these stoves are the various "green" formulations of denatured alcohol which contain a much higher percentage of ethanol. Or, even better, get high ethanol fuel directly from sources such as Amazon which will sell you lab-quality 90% ethanol denatured alcohol. The product I show in the video is no longer such a good fuel since the change of formulation. Instead, try:
kleanstrip.com/product/green-denatured-alcohol
These green fuels with their high ethanol content are more expensive due to the demand for ethanol for use in auto fuels driving up the price of ethanol. If you decide they are too expensive for your use in the stove, your best bet is to convert your stove back to burn much less expensive kerosene. Kerosene is the fuel for which these burners were originally designed and its higher vaporization point means that surging is mostly eliminated using this fuel when burners are fitted with brass mesh surge arrestors.
I show how to convert a kerosene burner to alcohol in this different video: youtu.be/SAkOZq9HGQ0
This stove uses Svea 1915 kerosene burners that have been converted to burn denatured alcohol. The video demonstrates proper preheat, lighting and operation of the stove. The video illustrates the light surging that occurs using modern denatured alcohols (in 2013).
UPDATE ON FUELS!!
These stoves were intended to be used with once common almost pure ethanol, the kind of alcohol found in beer and booze (aka grain alcohol). Denatured alcohol used to be mostly ethanol with some poisons in it to keep you from drinking it. Some of those poisons include methyl ethyl ketone, acetone and methanol (aka wood alcohol). None of those poisons will burn as well as straight ethanol and they tend to have low vaporization points which contribute to the surging effect of these stoves. Methanol is NOT a replacement for ethanol and will burn poorly in alcohol stoves. Methanol is also highly poisonous, even it it's vaporized state. SINCE THIS VIDEO WAS MADE and due to the increased use of ethanol in automotive fuels, ethanol has become much more expensive. In order to keep the denatured alcohol less expensive, manufacturers are now formulating blends of denatured alcohol that may contain as little as 51% ethanol. These formulations with their high content of methanol, MEK and acetone, may create even more surging in these stoves - to the point where the flames may even blow themselves out.
The best fuels currently available for these stoves are the various "green" formulations of denatured alcohol which contain a much higher percentage of ethanol. Or, even better, get high ethanol fuel directly from sources such as Amazon which will sell you lab-quality 90% ethanol denatured alcohol. The product I show in the video is no longer such a good fuel since the change of formulation. Instead, try:
kleanstrip.com/product/green-denatured-alcohol
These green fuels with their high ethanol content are more expensive due to the demand for ethanol for use in auto fuels driving up the price of ethanol. If you decide they are too expensive for your use in the stove, your best bet is to convert your stove back to burn much less expensive kerosene. Kerosene is the fuel for which these burners were originally designed and its higher vaporization point means that surging is mostly eliminated using this fuel when burners are fitted with brass mesh surge arrestors.
