Cooking during power outage

[GillyBee]

The first choice solution is the suitcase style GAZ stove
2nd choice is one of the old camping GAZ stoves with a big bottle (butane or propane)
3rd choice is the firepit
4th is the Coleman camping stove on unleaded. (fiddly)
5th is the DK rocket stove - even more fiddly but low fuel needs.
6th is the swiss ranger volcano stove - best on gel and only 500ml capability but works well.

[Yorkshire Andy]

The first choice solution is the suitcase style GAZ stove
2nd choice is one of the old camping GAZ stoves with a big bottle (butane or propane)
3rd choice is the firepit
4th is the Coleman camping stove on unleaded. (fiddly)
5th is the DK rocket stove - even more fiddly but low fuel needs.
6th is the swiss ranger volcano stove - best on gel and only 500ml capability but works well.

I like my Coleman it's a bit fiddly had the tap leaking the joys of the internet I fixed it for about 10p (cost of a specific o ring )

Got the twin ring version too that cost us a foam extinguisher when my dad put it together wrong

[Frnc]

I have:

Two camping gas stoves that screw in the top of a canister. One of these is in my BOB. It fits inside a 1.1 litre pot with a small gas canister. The pot has a hanging loop and I have a titanium chain for that, in case I run out of gas. You just need 3 long sticks.

One Mini Trangia

One Trangia with gas burner. This can use the meths burner from the Mini.

One gasifier twig stove.

Two folding twig stoves. One is titanium, and this is in my BOB for extended evacuations.

My cooker hob is gas, so I can use that if electricity goes down.

[jansman]

Well we had that power cut for 20 or so hours,and the ‘bistro’ gas stoves were superb. Each was stood on a wooden cutting board,then put on the work surface. One had a kettle permanently on it ,so that alone got top marks! It’s been awhile since a proper power cut,so those little stoves were real winners.

[rik_uk3]

If you use the cartridge stoves but the propane/butane mix cans, single butane don't work at +5c or lower. I picked up a case of these just before xmas, very good price for the dual fuel cans

https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDet ... e-24-pack/

Not much of a range on Wow but prices are often very good, worth keeping an eye on

Waiting on a delivery of 10, this is an excellent price
https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDet ... fin-4-ltr/

[Yorkshire Andy]

If you use the cartridge stoves but the propane/butane mix cans, single butane don't work at +5c or lower. I picked up a case of these just before xmas, very good price for the dual fuel cans

https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDet ... e-24-pack/

Not much of a range on Wow but prices are often very good, worth keeping an eye on

Waiting on a delivery of 10, this is an excellent price
https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDet ... fin-4-ltr/

The Cgi cans are iso butane

ISOBUTANE (C4H10)
Sea level boiling point: 11°F/-12°C. This is the next best thing to propane. Isobutane shares the same molecular formula as normal butane (see below), but the shape of its molecule makes isobutane far superior in terms of vapor pressure. Again, high vapor pressure translates to better performance. Isobutane is also a more expensive fuel to source and process than butane, so you’ll usually find it in the higher-quality canisters.

NORMAL BUTANE OR “N-BUTANE” (C4H10)
Sea level boiling point: 30°F/-1°C. Butane lands at the bottom of the heap. It is the cheapest and poorest-performing fuel on the list. It delivers the lowest pressure and therefore the worst stove performance in many conditions. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite big-box store can sell fuel canisters at such a bargain price, it’s often because those brands use 100% n-butane. But here some marketing honesty is important: If you only camp in warm weather and for short periods, you can likely get by with the performance n-butane offers.

Source
https://www.msrgear.com/blog/ins-outs-c ... erformance.

Cgi don't give a rating on their site for them

https://www.campingaz.co.uk/gas/gas-car ... 36840.html


I get the butane iso and propane mix
Go system brand

Which are apparently good to -20°c

https://www.winfieldsoutdoors.co.uk/go- ... cgQAvD_BwE

https://www.go-system.co.uk/collections ... -cartridge


Still had icing issues in summer using high demand on cooler nights.. that was in my buddy heater the threaded type cartridge but it kept going

[Medusa]

I can knock out a pretty good stew on the woodburner and the tent woodburner too. We also have the calor gas camping stove and grill and the barbeque plus several other wood and gas cartridge camping stoves. We camped in -5C in the bell tent last year with the woodburner, properly fitted of course (carbon monoxide detector, fire bucket and fire blanket and extinguisher close to hand plus a knife to cut the tent canvas as a last resort) and would have no hesitation in setting it all up during a power outage, although its a bit of a tight fit in the garden. I try to challenge myself to cook different things when we are away in the bell tent so stews, muffins and bread so far, so as long as we have wood and food to cook we are ok and can easily heat hot water too.

[Arzosah]

... the woodburner, properly fitted of course (carbon monoxide detector, fire bucket and fire blanket and extinguisher close to hand plus a knife to cut the tent canvas as a last resort) and would have no hesitation in setting it all up during a power outage, although its a bit of a tight fit in the garden. I try to challenge myself to cook different things when we are away in the bell tent so stews, muffins and bread so far, so as long as we have wood and food to cook we are ok and can easily heat hot water too.

That's really impressive - I've been thinking about safety precautions in a grid-down situation. Fire buckets of sand and water as well, since it's a wood burner? The knife to cut the tent canvas is another excellent idea.

If it's long term, you've used up the carbon monoxide detector and the extinguisher, and can't replace them by purchasing more, what would be the home-grown alternatives, do you reckon? I'm assuming for the fire blankets, heavy wool - it would singe, and might be unuseable afterwards, but it would save lives, I think.

[Yorkshire Andy]

That's really impressive - I've been thinking about safety precautions in a grid-down situation. Fire buckets of sand and water as well, since it's a wood burner? The knife to cut the tent canvas is another excellent idea.

If it's long term, you've used up the carbon monoxide detector and the extinguisher, and can't replace them by purchasing more, what would be the home-grown alternatives, do you reckon? I'm assuming for the fire blankets, heavy wool - it would singe, and might be unuseable afterwards, but it would save lives, I think.

My kind of subject

Co alarms are good fir about 10 years of use be it replaceable battery jobbies of sealed for life

Fire blankets are made of treated fiberglass ( avoid the cheap china ones BSI kitemark every time) cheap enough to have some reserves shtf I've 2 spare ones stashed bought silly cheap


Extinguishers especially the simple water ones can be refilled easily enough with that right tools and foam you need the concentrate

Powder / co2 is a special job

You can get cartridge extinguishers usually used on boats where you can't just ring Paul up (good man Is Paul who comes to work fairly often to do works extinguishers) which you get a kit to put on stock containing a new gas cartridge, the relevant concentrated extinguisher chemicals (water additive/ foam / arff /powder and you refill the canister clean the seals and apply a bit of vaseline remove the spent cartridge screw a new one in screw the top on and put a new pin / seal on..

Eg https://www.fireprotectionshop.co.uk/fi ... nguishers/



I like fire buckets they work are cheap to fill a camper will be happy you've saved their tent but not so willing to part with cash to pay for your extinguisher

[GillyBee]

And if going really low tech/DIY. In WW2 everyone was advised to have a bucket of dry sand in each room in case of fire.
Meanwhile the fireworks mob like pump up Hozelocks for short term fire protection when doing displays. Good for an hour or two but then need pumping again. But if you are cooking on a woodstove for an hour and all else has failed.....