I’ve been using the cat can stove (ala Skurka’s instructions) off and on for many years, but have been pretty dedicated to it over the last 6 months. I seem to be experiencing slower boil times than what I remember. Here’s the only two variables I can think of.
- I’m using Klean Strip “green” denatured alcohol and it’s pretty old (2 years?). It’s been stored sealed, but old nevertheless.
- Temps have been much colder on many recent trips than what I’ve used the stove in before and it needs far more pre-heating.
- Perhaps the holes are too small and it’s a bit oxygen staved in the beginning.
Now don’t get me wrong, it gets a raging boil going….but it takes forever for it to heat up enough to pressurize. It burns without much visible flame for nearly 5 minutes, then starts to sputter for a few minutes, and eventually the burner holes start to produce flame and it cranks out the heat. The first nearly 10 minutes of slow starting and sputtering consume almost no fuel it’s burning so slow…then it kicks and and does the job with plenty of fuel to spare. It seems to me that it needs more pre-heating for vaporization (I typically pre-heat for about 30 seconds). That, or it might not be getting enough air in the beginning?
It still does the job and I love the simplicity. But it strikes me that it’s really slow to start from what I remember back in the day. Any thoughts?
