StarlyteXL: 1 year of use review

[Gregory Stein]

Hi guys,

I’ve written a review for this amazing stove in my blog. One of the points I’ve checked is fuel leakage when the burner is closed with provided lid. Feel free to comment. Hope you’ll find this interesting.

Please note that this review is for StarlyteXL in combo with narrow/tall pot and Dan’s windscreen. This isn’t as efficient as wide/shorter pot in CC.

https://thehikingdad.wordpress.com/starlytexl-a-dream-for-extended-overnighters/

 

Greg

[DAN-Y]

Excellent review…..thank you :-)

I’ll address the cons :-)

First, the cons:

1. It was a bit difficult to fill both StarlyteXLs (especially the “mod version” with smaller hole) because alcohol gathered on top of the stove between the hole and the edge of the stove since there is no inclination of the top surface toward the hole (the burner center). Not a big problem since this is done at home and some wasted drops of alcohol is a no issue, but if you plan to refill in the field, it’s something to consider.

A few years ago someone at Whiteblaze.net came up with the “inversion” method of filling the Starlyte. Place the fuel into a 30ml plastic measure cup, place empty Starlyte on top of fuel cup, hold the 2 tightly together and then invert to have fuel transfer to StarLyte.

That same method I have applied to the XL. I use a 4oz capacity fuel bottle, place the empty XL  on top of the fuel bottle and then invert. Fuel with flow from bottle to burner.

 

In another thread you mentioned the StarLyte XL will fit inside the Toaks 550. Sometime today I’ll fire up the XL(slow) under the Toaks using the TD Cone and see how it reacts to the confined conditions.

.

[DAN-Y]

Gregory, great news, the XL-S performed well inside the cone. An unexpected added plus happened. After the boil, I blew out the flame of the burner, picked up to feel it’s temperature, it was really warm but not hot enough that would make me put it down. So I picked the green silicone disc and placed it smooth side down onto the burner to cover the hole. Atmospheric pressure was greater on the outside of the burner and caused the silicone disc to be sealed to the burner just like lids of canning jars are sealed during home canning of food products. After the burner cooled completely, the silicone disc remains sealed intact.  No vapor of fuel to be lost while in storage. Try it with your XL’s, place smooth side down over hole in burner. I love surprises :-)

This is from google:

 

How Home Canning Works
The most crucial part of canning is referred to as heat processing. Here’s how it works. Once jars are filled, the metal lids and screw bands are applied, and the jars are placed in a canner filled with water. As heating begins, the contents of each jar expand, and changes in internal pressure take place. Initially, gases are vented from the jar. When the processing period is finished, the atmospheric pressure outside the jar is greater than the pressure inside. This difference in pressure pulls the lid down onto the jar and forms a vacuum seal.

[DAN-Y]

@It was a bit hard to lit the stove at the first time in the wild (first time after the fill). You’d need to hold the lighter for some 10-15 seconds to lit the burner. I believe this happens because you need to warm up the whole burner with a lot of fuel at start.

As soon as you take the plastic lid off the burner, turn the burner upside down holding it in your left hand and with your right hand let the flame of the lighter go straight up into the mesh of the burner. Practice that in the evening hours so you can see when it ignites.

 

 

 

 

[DAN-Y]

Gregory, did I send you one with a shut off valve (slide valve)

[Gregory Stein]

Dan,

Thanks for the idea of filling it upside down. Didn’t think about that – nice!!

I’ll do some tests with lighting it as you mentioned.

That new stove design with valve is fascinating. You have both versions of burners + all the in-between sizes. What this shut-off valve is made of? Would you offer standard Starlyte stove with same valve? I think it will be very useful for simmering on longer trips.

Amazing how you invent and improve the Starlyte! Keep on doing great work!

[DAN-Y]

The slide valve is made of aluminum and brass. The brass slide retains it’s shape and is easy to machine. Opening is the same as the “regular” starlyte. Valve adds a nice simmering feature.

No payment necessary if you do some local archeology research, take some photos for me :-) Spend a day watching water boil :-) this is the site I’m interested in:

Beit Lehi Foundation

In 1961 Israeli soldiers unearthed a cave that had inscriptions and drawings including the oldest known Hebrew writing of the word “Jerusalem” dated to approximately 600 B.C. by Dr. Frank Cross Moore, Jr. of Harvard University.

“I am Jehovah thy Lord. I will accept the cities of Judah and I will redeem Jerusalem”

“Absolve us oh merciful God. Absolve us oh Jehovah”

The drawings depicted men who appeared to be fleeing and two ships.

While investigating the cave, Dr. Joseph Ginat of The University of Haifa met a Bedouin who told him about the remains of an ancient oak tree about 1/4 of a mile away where, according to Bedouin legends and tradition, a prophet named Lehi blessed and judged the people of both Ishmael and Judah. The Bedouin told Dr. Ginat that Lehi had lived many years before Muhammad and that Arab people had built a wall of large rocks around the remains of the tree to protect it as a sacred spot, long known by arab inhabitants as “Beit Lehi”, meaning “Home of Lehi.”

Dr. Ginat shared this information with W. Cleon Skousen whom he had met while studying anthropology at University of Utah and teaching at Brigham Young University from 1970 through 1975.

In 1983 Dr. Skousen and Dr. Glenn Kimber worked with Dr. Ginat and Dr. Yoram Tsafrir of Hebrew University to secure permission and funding to excavate the site. The first excavations began in December 1983. By noon of the first day, archaeologists found an ancient village and well-preserved mosaic floor of a Byzantine era chapel. Since that time, “hewn subterranean installations, including columbaria, olive presses, water cisterns, quarries, a stable, and hideaways,” have been discovered along with pottery and other items suggesting that the area had been populated from  600 B.C. until the Mameluke period of 1500 A.D. The discovery has been featured in the book Ancient Churches Revealed, published in 1993 by the Israel Exploration Society.

After 1986 the site was covered to protect it until additional funds could be raised and conditions were right to continue future excavations.

In 1994 Dr. Kimber and about 40 others, including a number of students, joined Dr. Ginat and Dr. Tsafrir to re-open the site. Since 1994, many groups have visited the site and participated in the excavation.

Dr. Tsafrir, has since retired and according to Israeli law, passed responsibility for archaeological exploration to Dr. Oren Gutfeld of Hebrew University who continues to manage the excavation.

 

[Gregory Stein]

I didn’t know you that serious about archeology. I have a friend who was studying history in Haifa University and he participated in some excavations. Actually each time they build a highway or interchange or something they find something and then the building is stalled. There was a case of building a railway bridge in Akko (Acre) and it took 8 years for the historians to excavate, investigate and give permission for building after some ancient rome graveyard and settlement were discovered. You can’t go wrong, dig here dig there you will always find something. People actually killed each other to live in this place, and BTW, continue to do so unfortunately.

Dan, why don’t you visit Israel? There are tons of such places you know, also I know a good home brewery on North :). In Israel we have a 1000km long hike called Israel National Trail it goes from Dan on North (yeah, Dan tribe – one of 12 Bible tribes) to Eilat, most southern town in Israel. The trail goes through some historical places, starts in forests and end in a deadly desert. There is a breathtaking scenery and unique nature I’m not sure you can find anywhere in the world. Mostly Israelis speak English well, very welcome and will always help, especially those you meet on the trail.

By the way, yesterday I was hiking up the Arbel mountain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Arbel), also visited the fortress and on the way down I found this:

it is my first time to find a beer in ICE (!!!) in the middle of the way. Probably somebody climbed the mountain and was too weak to carry it. Ultralight!! :)

Arbel Mountain is very interesting place. “Dug into the mountain itself are a number of cave dwellings, expanded from natural caves. There are documented Jewish cliff dwellings dating back to the Second Temple period in the area.”

[DAN-Y]

A little bit of trail magic there on ice :-)

The caves are awesome. Arc of the covenant was suppose to have been hidden in a cave at the time of Jerusalem being overtaken.

You should have received the new XL with slide by now :-)

Yesterday and this morning I did some water boiling using a Toaks 750 and an XL that was modified with a heat shield so it could operate efficiently in small quarters. I was surprised at the results. I was not interested in amount of time to attain a boil, just efficiency of fuel.

Toaks 750

DIY Titanium windscreen/pot  support.

2.5 cups water per test (3 tests) start temps were at approx. 55 degrees

Denatured alcohol in the Starlyte XL (slow) with carbon felt heat shield.

1. 16gr(0.56oz) used for 2.5 cups
2. 19gr(0.67oz) used for 2.5 cups
3. 17gr(0.59oz) used for 2.5 cups

My fourth test consisted of 2 cups water because I thought I would not have sufficient fuel remaining.

4.  15gr(0.52oz) used for 2 cups

I suspect I had enough fuel remaing to boil another 2 cups.

The StarlyteXL holds 4 ounces of fuel The burner weighs 26gr(0.917oz)

 

My Toaks 750 was the one I used during the development of the device used to apply the ridgline to the Ti pots. The photo of the pot shows the test rings. Doubt they had any positive effect on the efficiency. The pot sits 1″ down into the pot support, very stable. From the bottom of the pot support to the bottom of the pot is 2″.

1″ from bottom of pot to top of burner.

Incoming air is directed to sides of burner, keeping it cooled while in use.

Pot support is same diameter of pot, very stable. Pot is only 2″ from ground.

Under calm conditions in my garage, the flame of the burner remains under the pot, none going out the top holes. The heat shield is what makes this set-up work so well.  The 1″ of titanium in contact with the entire circumference of the pot bottom also is what is making this work so well. The pot acting like a huge heat sink while the stove is in operation.

 

[DAN-Y]

Bumped this thread up for those interested in the carbon felt heat shields used on the Starlyte burners. Easy DIY project.

Notice the enclosed area of the straight wall pot support that the Starlyte burner performs well in using the carbon felt disc.

Carbon felt is not a good material for making alcohol stoves.

[Ben H.]

You no longer make the Starlytes with the slide valve?

[DAN-Y]

I sold a dozen or so but one customer pulled the slide mechanism off so I discontinued till I find a more durable way of fastening it down. I had it fastened with JB Weld epoxy. The slide valve worked really well but….needs improvement.   Cottage industries can take up a lot of ones time, too much time manufacturing and not enough time for research and development(the fun part). Manufacturing gets old fast at this time in my life LOL

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

That slide shut off/simmer is awesome. I don’t know how I missed seeing that back in 2016. I’d love to see you get that design figured out – and for the regular Starlyte.

[Gregory Stein]

Dan, good to hear from you :)

I think more mechanical attachment than gluing will solve the issue. Maybe even making two sliding slots on the top surface and making the slider “ears” go inside it (not sure if it will touch the material that absorbs alcohol).

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Spot welding?

[DAN-Y]

I’ll get it resolved this spring. I showed a prototype to the rangers at Sequoia National Forest and they were all smiles on the safety feature of the no-spill. The slide valve was frosting on the cake :-)

Western states need this kind of stove burner. Quiet alcohol stoves have a place in our outdoors experiences ;-)

Watch the video and see if you can hear the noise

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