Trangia Alcohol Burner Boil Test With and Without Carbon Felt

[@IvanDP1967]

Interesting video. I think there could be 1 big reason why the Trangia design hasn't been altered since it's invention over 70 years. They got it right first time.

[@thomasmusso1147]

👍 .. 'If it ain't broke ..

[@planetsideagent]

My thinking too. 🙂

[@Sirrehpotsirch]

Here are a few things I've been working on with my Trangia system: 1. The main issue I have had with myTrangia 27 deals with the Infamous simmer ring. Trangia has not produced a perfect solution. I've rarely been able to get it to reduce the flame down to a consistent true simmer level. However, I recently developed a method that seems to work, using the idea of an oil lamp as a model. I ordered a replacement lid (not a replacement simmer ring) for about $5. After removing the rubber ring, I drilled a 1/4 hole in the center and installed a hollow threaded rod using a couple of nuts to secure it. The rod extends at least 3/4 inch above and 1/2 inch below the lid. Through the threaded rod, I inserted cotton wick that extended down into the fuel. The wick is a tight fit, which seems to work best. Off to the side of the lid, I drilled a small vent hole using a 1/16th drill bit (this is an important step!). Then, I filled the stove 1/2 full with fuel, screwed the new lid on the stove, and placed it in the lower wind screen as usual. The small flame it produced was perfect for simmering if the wick is kept trimmed. The 3/4 inch rod is high enough to keep the small flame from overheating and pressurizing the stove fuel reservoir. In actual practice using it for cooking, I used the stove at full flame, then snuffed it out using the closed simmer ring, then screwed on the new lid and re-lit the stove, and replaced the pot over the flame. Perfect simmering! To adjust the flame, adjust the height of the wick. To extinguish, you can just blow it out or make a DIY snuffer cap. Note of caution: If you use this modification in very cold weather while using the winter attachment, only use the recommended very few drops of fuel to warm the burner! Too much fuel in the winter attachment pad will pressurize the stove and will produce a torch! To further reduce the chances of this happening, screw the lid on only loosely. However, in my experience, if the lid is on too loosely, fuel fumes can escape around the rim and ignite. YMMV. 2. Another issue I've worked on is the hot spot produced by the Trangia stove in the middle of the pots and pans. To deal with that, I developed two methods: I cut out a circular piece of sheet metal 4 3/4 inch in diameter to use as a flame guard. This size will fit exactly on the lower level of the pot holder arms located on the upper wind screen on the Trangia 27 model. Then place the Trangia wire "pan stand" on the upper level (The pan stand can be found on the Trangia website). Your smaller sauce pots will be protected from the direct flame. To eliminate the hot spot when using the fry pan that sits above the wind screen, I used a Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove Cross Stand on the burner, then placed my DIY flame guard on the cross stand. My latest version of the flame guard has several small 1/16 inch holes drilled in it to allow some of the heat to pass through, which helped with efficiency.

[@thomasmusso1147]

👍 .. good options .. thanks for sharing them with us. Yep, when the Trangia goes into 'afterburn', the Simmer Ring has difficulty in curbing it's enthusism. For a really low simmer / keep stuff warm heat, I have a separate 'home-grown' Burner and Stand system that I use on the side while I continue to cook up using the Trangia and which stores inside my modified 28t Mini setup. That said, your mods have given me something to 'mull over' .. take care ..

[@EpicureanHikers]

I too use a small carbon felt stove to simmer. I gave one stove that will burn one millilitre of alcohol in one minute that makes timing a simmer easy.

[@broadlander1398]

Well, that certainly proves a point! I love the Trangia system and use regularly, however I also have a small home-made stove (30ml aluminium pot with carbon felt) which I use for a quick brew. It’s small, light, spill proof and very quick to set up and boil. I have often got steam rising from this system by the time a Trangia has bloomed. Thanks for the video. Regards Broadlander

[@thomasmusso1147]

👍 .. got similar. Those little containers filled with felt / whatever are much underrated and punch way above their weight. And, all that I have made to date have been from salvaged 'throw-aways' at parks, building, and home renovation sites.

[@EpicureanHikers]

I'm a fan of small carbon felt stoves and have made different size ones for simple brew kits to larger ones for more serious cook kits. Ideal for a day hike or short camping trips

[@upStomp]

Yeah, the Trangia already has wicking inside the outer wall. Adding wicking to the main chamber will interfere with the vapor flow to the "jets".

[@jimf1964]

It’ll insulate the wall so the fuel won’t heat up and vaporize. Same as when it’s over filled, or cold.

[@Skully317]

Perfection need not be re-invented.....✌

[@henchy3rd]

I experimented with stove rope in the Trangia burner, I found the flame danced a lot more & was more of an orange flame which eliminated the use of he simmer ring & there was no ot spot when cooking.

[@Oldsparkey]

This guy did the same BUT with the Evernew Titanium burner which is almost like the Trangia. He managed a long burn time but his carbon felt was sewed into a plug and fit real loose inside the burner. It's best to hit the mute button when watching it unless you speak the same language. At the start he shows the fit and from the 6:27 mark to the 10:39 he shows the different lengths and how they work in the Evernew burner. I found it interesting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/npa4kJqEmLR8etE

[@planetsideagent]

Thanks, I'll give it a watch.

[@thomasmusso1147]

Thanks for that .. will take a look-see.

[@galootlovestools]

What is the distance between the top of the Triangia and the bottom of the pot?

[@planetsideagent]

1 1/4 inch. I made sure the pot stand would be in the sweet spot when I built it.

[@educational4434]

Is there any place you know of where one can buy an authentic original Trangia, not one of the cheap Chinese knockoffs that are everywhere that call themselves Trangia stoves (they are prone to explosions)

[@planetsideagent]

Buy directly from Trangia, $14.70, I'm not sure what shipping would cost. Very reasonable price, cheaper than some of the knockoffs. trangia.se/en/shop/spirit-burner-b25/ If you have outdoor stores near you, check if they carry them. Make sure they come in a Trangia box and have the big T on the bottom of the burner.

[@chado_outdoors]

Went about how I expected. I know it has its place, such as in puck stoves, but I just haven't been impressed with the carbon felt

[@josephmartin1540]

Thank you - saved me from trying this!

[@thomasmusso1147]

👍👍👍 thanks for that 😊. My take on this .. and please, I am not contradicting your test in any way or trying to influence others to my way of thinking .. just shading my own experience. I've had a Carbon Felt / Glass Wool Combo in my Trangia for some years now and I'm happy with the end result. Perhaps your test was affected (and understandably so) by the following: 'Bloom Time': * The Trangia double wall leading up to the 'Bloom Jets' is 'wicked' to facilitate fuel flow up to the Jets. I think that the Carbon Felt absorbed much of the Fuel, thus slowing down it's flow into the double wall wicking and then up to the jets. * My experience is that the bloom time with my stove is a bit faster than in your test (perhaps not as quick as with a 'clean' stove, but not noticeably so) .. the reason possibly being that I have packed the Glass Wool quite loosely in the bottom of the Burn Chamber (I think that this allows for an easier flow of liquid fuel into the double wall wicking) and then topped that with a tight roll of Carbon Felt that comes right up to the top lip of the burn compartment which keeps everything nicely in place. Fuel Consumption: * Waiting for the (longer to) Bloom would burn more fuel. My setup .. I don't wait for the bloom, but put my pot on immediately. No matter how cold it is outside, I have not had a 'snuffed flame' .. whereas a standard burner is inclined to sometimes, in cold temperatures, 'snuff out' if one is too hasty in getting the pot on. Boil Time: * Yes, it should take a bit longer due to, what my take is, a 'gentler' flame. This suits my style of cooking. I'm not into getting water to boil ASAP. Should the extra minute taken be of 'danger to life and limb' .. then my preparation / setup has definitely failed elsewhere 😏. Unused Fuel Storage: * Notwithstanding the Gasket Seal on the Stove Cap, previously, I always removed leftover fuel after use. Now, I don't. The Carbon Felt and Glass Wool appears to 'hold' unused in place sin addition to the Cap. Have never, to date, had any problem with fuel leakage. I have mentioned this in some of your previous posts .. my initial motivation to modify my Trangia was to reduce the Fire Risk in the event of an inadvertent 'knockover'. Here in Switzerland, the Swiss Authorities have absolutely no sense of humour with those who set their forests (or anything else) aflame .. eye-watering fines 😳 being the order of the day .. and then, there are the 'Swiss Grannies' who see and report everything 🙄😏. Once again, thanks for taking the trouble to do this comparison ..useful info 😊. I suspect that any modifications to the tried and tested Trangia design, no matter how insignificant, will have varying degrees of outcome, much dependent on the nature and specifically so, such modifications. Until your next one then .. take care ..

[@planetsideagent]

Preventing leakage is a good point. 'Swiss Grannies" 😄 too true.

[@thomasmusso1147]

​@@planetsideagent 👍😏.

[@thomasmusso1147]

👍😏.