Alcohol Stove Fuel Types – The Black Coating?

I dont get any residue from my alcohol stoves. Maybe that is burned paint from the beer can?

Hi Brett-

Oh, good to know, I had began to assume that alcohol just burns that way. I'm thinking I may have the wrong type of fuel, it's just alcohol from the pharmacy, what do you use?

Evan

Hi Even,
You're getting soot because you're using rubbing alcohol. Try denatured alcohol instead and you won't get any residue–it burns clean. You can find it in the paint section at the hardware store. S-L-X is a good brand or you can use the auto-fuel additive "Heet" from the auto parts store (just make sure you only use the yellow bottle and not the red).

Walmart even sells their own brand of "heet" type fuel additive.

Hey thanks ya'll,

I'm back on the right track… and after only a couple of messy experiments.

Evan