Garden Railway Forum

(Also posted to 16mmngm so apologies if you see this twice)

Browsing Been and Queued with Herself this evening, we saw a display of outdoor heaters powered by "bio-ethanol", along with pretty pics of modern arty black rectangles spouting clean blue flames. Now since Ethanol and methylated spirits are much of a muchness, and I have a meths-fired engine or three I took a closer look. The stuff was in a clear plastic bottle at £5 for 2L, which works out much better than the 500ml bottles of meths which is all the megasheds sell these days, and even a shade better than the jerrycans you sometimes see at garden steam shows. Is it any good? No idea yet as we've only just got home and I haven't had a chance to try it. Watch this space....

I'll be keeping an eye on this...!

I have been using Bioethanol for about 2 years now for many of my steam engines, it is odorless, burns clean and i am well satisfied.

I'm having a glass of my favorite bioethanol as we speak. Diluted to about 6 percent and flavoured with hops.

As far as I know all ethanol is 'bioethanol', since yeast is a biological organism. Marketing depts never cease to amaze me.

I looked up some data sheets and it is denatured alcohol under another name, so given that it is also sold as motor fuel, I'd imagine it will burn cleaner than that purple stuff they sell you in the UK.

Being a cynic from way back, it may also just be ordinary meths rebranded and with the colour left out...........

Graeme

GTB:75498 wrote:I looked up some data sheets and it is denatured alcohol under another name, so given that it is also sold as motor fuel, I'd imagine it will burn cleaner than that purple stuff they sell you in the UK.

Being a cynic from way back, it may also just be ordinary meths rebranded and with the colour left out...........

Graeme

I don't think the Government would allow that - putting purple dye / nasty taste in is how you don't pay duty, because it's undrinkable!

There is a powerful whiff coming off it, but it doesn't smell like meths, more like mek-pak and other liquid poly solvents. I'm guessing it has a toxin, bad taste and bad smell cocktail added like meths does, just using different ingredients. It is clear at the moment, but will be purple once the food dye I bought on the same shopping expedition is added.

GTB:75498 wrote:As far as I know all ethanol is 'bioethanol', since yeast is a biological organism. Marketing depts never cease to amaze me.

I looked up some data sheets and it is denatured alcohol under another name, so given that it is also sold as motor fuel, I'd imagine it will burn cleaner than that purple stuff they sell you in the UK.

Being a cynic from way back, it may also just be ordinary meths rebranded and with the colour left out...........

Graeme

At least here it is, agreed that ethyl alcohol is carbon based... but you can buy "green" alcohol from the paint suppliers here in the US. Difference is packaging and price (green is higher of course!)

Green coal is not far behind?

Spule 4:75530 wrote: Green coal is not far behind?

Seem to recall you could get blue coal one upon a time in the US.

Presumably green coal would just have a different color paint applied at the tippler..........

Graeme

Seen this at B&Q...now that some have been running it for a while whats the verdict?
Does it leave any residue or muck on the boiler?
Does it burn off quicker than meths???
Is it safer?? if anything could be!

Results on this would be most welcome. Might even convince me to keep a methsy loco...

Haven't had the chance to do any proper tests yet- work has been mad busy...

TommyDodd:77468 wrote:work has been mad busy...

You've actually got done, then.....................................

Anyone got the answer yet...does it leave traces on the boiler, and is it any good?

Down here you can buy meths with or without colour added. I plumped for purple to avoid confusion.

I tried it in a Mamod with a PPS burner. I'd been disappointed with this burner in the UK, but works a treat on Australian meths. Steamed really well.

Meths is or should be ethanol. Ethanol is hydrophilic and absorbs water. To combat this they add methanol - about 5% I think. It absorbs this instead of water. Hence the name. It's the methanol which is toxic.

I'm not sure what bio ethanol is.

I've discovered you can buy hydrochloric acid in kegs down here. It's used to balance ph levels in swimming pools. Good for etching I hope.