alchohol stove conversion

[Woody]

This may be a really stupid question but, I gotta ask. Does anybody know if it is possible to convert an alchohol stove to LPG?



ewood29289@aol.com

[Richard Hill]

This may be a really stupid question but, I gotta ask. Does anybody know if it is possible to convert an alchohol stove to LPG?

Yes, it's possible. Tasco, out of Massachussets somewhere, does it. A few years ago they were quoting $400 to convert a 3 burner Shipmate stove with oven. I wound up buying a new stove instead, but was tempted. I think you can also do it yourself with standard gas stove components (those intended for LPG, not natural gas). I didn't investigate that avenue, though.



captrahill@comcast.net

[Tom]

Remember there are no stupid questions. A stove is just a stainless box that holds plumbing parts. You can put any kind of plumbing parts you want in there, but the real question is how difficult and expensive is it to do? Can you buy plumbing parts that will scrw right on and fit without a big fuss? Will the new valves/burners fit in the old holes or are the holes too close together or something? Are the threads the same, or will you have to run new pipes from the valve down to the oven, for example, and how much does the new burner ring cost for the oven and how will you attach it? Conisderations like that. Sometimes it's easier or cheaper to buy a new stove. Depends on what model stove you're trying to convert, but it isn't just a matter of hooking a new hose to the old stove and using the old plumbing. All or most of the guts have to change to work with the new fuel. Everything is possible with deep enough pockets, but the question is whether it's practical to do it.

The advantage of converting the old stove is that it fits the space it's in exactly. A new stove might require some carpentry to make it fit in the space available. Then you have to build a box to keep the LPG tanks in that drains overboard. And perhaps run some new wiring to activate the remote shut off. These are the sorts of thing you have to weigh in making the decision and some of it depends upon how much you can do yourself and how much you would have to hire done.

This may be a really stupid question but, I gotta ask. Does anybody know if it is possible to convert an alchohol stove to LPG?

TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Boyd]

Its a pretty good question... however its as important to figure out where to keep the propane and how to pipe to the stove. I converted to LP from CNG and spent $200.00 on hoses, valves, etc. Tasco did the stove conversion... about another $500.00 after the shipping costs. This is not a cheap or quick conversion.

Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla

This may be a really stupid question but, I gotta ask. Does anybody know if it is possible to convert an alchohol stove to LPG?

boyd@wbta.cc

[Ken Cave]

There is an inexpensive way-and that is to take out the guts of the stove you have and purchase a camp stove (Coleman type). Take the guts out of that and install them in your gutted box. The Coleman type does use the spin-on propane tanks ($1.99 on sale) but I have seen many of Catalina 25s and one older Coronado 28 that did this remodel-and had no problems with it. The tank will last from three to five days depending how you use it.

Also, I just completed converting my LPG two burner stove to a propane unit, and the stove conversion cost me a three pound of coffee to the local propane dealer!

I used the spin on units for a year until I found a neat vertical tank from West Marine (about $100.00) and mounted the unit with a Sure mount made in Seattle WA. (another $125.00) Just came back from a six week trip into Canada-and no problems whatsover with conversion!!

Hope this helps


Ken Cave
CD 28 #227
Dragon Tale
Anacortes, WA



bcave@whidbey.net

[Chris Scheck]

Tom -

you pretty much covered it. I can't think of a project that would be more frustrating than converting an alcohol stove to propane. Last year, I was trying to replace a defective oven control valve on our Seaward stove with the SAME PART, and it nearly drove me nuts. The dealer couldn't even figure out what I had and what I needed ... he ordered the wrong part and then was reluctant to take it back. If cost is the consideration, I think you'd be better off going to a nautical consignment shop and buying the best used stove you can afford -- maybe not too pretty -- and then expecting to make one or two repairs on that if necessary.
I just read a story about a guy who converted from propane back to alcohol. He had a terrible explosion and fire and I guess he blamed that on the propane system.
We have a relay-controlled safety valve in the cockpit locker. My wiring corroded thru this season. I'm assuming the valve would revert to the closed position if the wiring fails? Be nice to know for sure.

Chris Scheck
RAGTIME
CD33



cscheck@aol.com