Alcohol and Alcohol/Electric stoves? (van kitchen unit) - Page 2

zuren · 12-03-2010, 11:56 AM

Accrete - I assume you have one of these stove/heaters? Does it need to be free-standing (e.g. on top of a counter) to work well or could you see it functioning as a recess-mounted stove/heater? I'm assuming 99% of the heat generated exhausts up keeping the rest of the unit relatively cool?

Having it stowed then setting it on a counter to cook/heat wouldn't be the end of the world but I'm wondering how it would work sitting on a dedicated shelf under a countertop with a flush-mount, lift-out cutting board covering it? To use it, you would lift the cutting board on top and drop/slide a door on the front of a kitchen unit to access the burner control and allow air flow. I think it would depend on how hot the bottom and sides of the unit get.

This would give me a pseudo-countertop mount, recessed stove for the kitchen unit I'm planning with the flexibility to remove it to cook outside if an additional stove is needed.

Thanks for the link to the pot too!

accrete · 12-03-2010, 07:41 PM

Yuppers, i've got those items i gave images to above and the HM5200 heater/stove.

Just did a quick measurement on the HM5200. It is about 10.5" in diameter and 9" from base to upper rim. There are several ~.75" vent holes about an inch from the bottom, and inch from the top rim also. It will need maybe 3.5" to 4" or so additional diameter space i'm thinking for proper ventilation if you were to put it down in a hole, or maybe it is just some sort of supports in the cupboard below the flush surface? But the upper vents will be venting heat so might not want to block those (hence having ~14" diameter cutout?). If you wish to heat with it there is the SS top with the vent holes that adds ~3" to the 9"hight. Most heat of course is coming up the center, though depending on the size of the pot the upper vents will have a lesser/greater amount of heat venting out also.

jage · 12-03-2010, 10:47 PM

What's wrong with one of the portable butane stoves? They're safer from knocking over, store well, and I'd rather have a can of butane then alcohol.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5586

accrete · 12-04-2010, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jage

...They're safer from knocking over, store well...

Just for conversation's sake, the HM5200 you fill with up to a quart of alcohol. Once filled it is absorbed into the spun fiber inside the tank. You can turn the open tank/canister upside down and not even a drip comes out of the open top (just like in the video above).

jage · 12-04-2010, 09:33 PM

I was referring to this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuren

that my g/f is clumsy and could see her knocking it off the counter when lit as they can slide easily.

Which is still an issue since they're both lit while in use. Well, that and alcohol storage outside the stove.

Didn't know about the tip-proofing though, that's a must have feature it sounds like.

zuren · 12-17-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jage

I was referring to this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuren

that my g/f is clumsy and could see her knocking it off the counter when lit as they can slide easily.

Which is still an issue since they're both lit while in use. Well, that and alcohol storage outside the stove.

Didn't know about the tip-proofing though, that's a must have feature it sounds like.

Yes. Her nicknames are "Dory" (fish from Finding Nemo who forgets all the time) and "Bull in China Shop" (can't tell how many times I've shot out of bed from the crash in the kitchen - is a bear clearing the cupboards or is she making breakfast?). Anything I can do to minimize the simplest accidents is worth the effort.

On a related topic, has anyone used an ice box rather than a fridge in their kitchen builds? These are typically replacements in vintage trailers and pop-ups. A unit like pictured below runs $150 and requires no/little plumbing and no electric. If I'm building a Westy-style kitchen unit, I was thinking about these to keep it light and inexpensive yet functional. I would have to buy ice but I can buy a lot of ice for the price difference of a fully installed RV fridge.

Rockman · 12-17-2010, 02:25 PM

@zuren
Where did you find these ice boxes? I'm looking for something like this. I have bee following the thread about cooler and drain plugs, but I think this is better , especially with the availability if dry ice, which I use now with awesome results.

Only problem is planning. I cover a 5lb block with a 1" neoprene holder that I made, and it goes at one end of the large cooler. Frozen stuff close to it and cold stuff further. Works great.

zuren · 12-18-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockman

@zuren
Where did you find these ice boxes? I'm looking for something like this.

http://www.adventurerv.net/major-applia ... 16&sort=2a

http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Ice ... ts-810.htm

There may be other places. I searched Google for "rv ice box".

jage · 12-20-2010, 01:57 PM

What happens to the water from the ice?

zuren · 12-21-2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jage

What happens to the water from the ice?

If it were dry ice, it would just sublime (solid to gas phase) and disappear. For standard ice, the ice tray has a drain with a hose. You would have to drill a hole in the floor to allow it to drain or in my case (I have the cargo doors on both sides of my van), I may look into it draining past the door seal.