heat exchanger for canister stoves

heat exchanger for canister stoves

Post by Florian Goessman » Thu, 07 Nov 2002 21:41:12


servus!

as it's getting cold outside i think of making a heat exchanger for my
canister stove as i don't want to carry my liquid-fuel one for just one or
two nights.
any recomendations/experiences/tipps?

Florian

 
 
 

heat exchanger for canister stoves

Post by rich rooki » Fri, 08 Nov 2002 01:18:06


Quote:
> servus!

> as it's getting cold outside i think of making a heat exchanger for my
> canister stove as i don't want to carry my liquid-fuel one for just one or
> two nights.
> any recomendations/experiences/tipps?

> Florian

I've used copper tubing. Through the flame, then wrapped around the
canister. Beware, the canister can get too hot doing this.

rich rookie

 
 
 

heat exchanger for canister stoves

Post by Florian Goessman » Fri, 08 Nov 2002 01:29:09

have you measured the copper's temperature? it shouldn't be too dangerrous
as long as it doesn't exceed 50 degrees centigrade.

Flo

PS: does it work when it's cold?



Quote:



> > servus!

> > as it's getting cold outside i think of making a heat exchanger for my
> > canister stove as i don't want to carry my liquid-fuel one for just one
or
> > two nights.
> > any recomendations/experiences/tipps?

> > Florian

> I've used copper tubing. Through the flame, then wrapped around the
> canister. Beware, the canister can get too hot doing this.

> rich rookie


 
 
 

heat exchanger for canister stoves

Post by rich rooki » Fri, 08 Nov 2002 01:42:40


Quote:
> have you measured the copper's temperature? it shouldn't be too dangerrous
> as long as it doesn't exceed 50 degrees centigrade.

I've never measured it. I can hold the canister with it on. The too hot
mention would be targeted at those who would do this when it's not
warranted, i.e. warm outside.

Quote:

> Flo

> PS: does it work when it's cold?

Yes, that's why I continue to use this method.

rich rookie

 
 
 

heat exchanger for canister stoves

Post by Florian Goessman » Fri, 08 Nov 2002 19:26:25

do you know the diameter of the copper you use?



Quote:



> > have you measured the copper's temperature? it shouldn't be too
dangerrous
> > as long as it doesn't exceed 50 degrees centigrade.

> I've never measured it. I can hold the canister with it on. The too hot
> mention would be targeted at those who would do this when it's not
> warranted, i.e. warm outside.

> > Flo

> > PS: does it work when it's cold?

> Yes, that's why I continue to use this method.

> rich rookie

 
 
 

heat exchanger for canister stoves

Post by Tod » Sat, 09 Nov 2002 23:39:12

<snip other messages>

I made an exchanger for my MSR Rapidfire, which is continually written
up fo bad cold weather performance, and have used it effectively with
temps just below freezing (-5C/~20F). It performed about the same as a
neighboring whisperlite on one camp trip boiling water at/or slightly
below freezing.

The tubing that I used was solid copper tubing, diameter 1/4 of an
inch, or ~10mm.  I would have used a smaller diameter if I could have
found it, as it would have been easier to work with.  I pounded the
tubing as flat as I could with a hammer on concrete, which took
suprisingly long, and bruised my hand in the process.  Wrapped the
tubing snuggly around an old canister, with some considerable
encouragement at times, then wrapped the whole thing with closed cell
foam, finished it off with duct tape.  The copper tubing extends out
from the foam, uncovered, and gets put over the flame.  It ends up
looking like a goofy beer cozy.  It's not very heavy, but is sort of
bulky, which matches the rest of my cold weather gear.

I have been using the two that I made for about 3 years now, and there
is an improved difference anytime the temp drops below 45F.  I have
boiled several pots of water at a time using it, and have never found
it to get too hot.  I think it achieves a type of equilibrium between
the canister cooling itself down thru use and the heat of the
exchanger.  I have taken the exchanger off after long use, and the
canister is never *hot* to the touch, even though the foam is.

Some other notes:  The duct tape will melt a little any place it
touches the copper tubing and/or faces the stove.  I add a new wrap
every now and again.  As my stove is identical in design to the MSR
whisperlite (stove does not sit on top of the canister), the amount of
tubing that protrudes from the *cozy* part is kind of long, and I have
never found a good way to store in my pack without thinking it is
going to poke a hole.  A buddy made one for a sit-on-top of the
canister type stove, and his doesn't have as much tubing to try to
fold up afterwords.  Also- I made two, one for the taller, narrower
MSR style canisters, and one for the shorter, wider primus style
canisters.  The narrower one is roughly the same diameter as the 1 or
1.5 nissan style thermoses, and does a good job of heating the thermos
up in the morning for premade hot lunches.  The wider one is about the
same diameter as a soup nissan thermos I have. I saw a similar desing
to he one that I have in an issue of Backpacker Mag about 2 years ago,
might be on their website.  The only thing that I disagree about with
their design is that they say to have the copper tubing touching a
lower, yet hot, part of the stove. I stick mine right over the flame.

PM me if any?'s

Todd