Alternative fuels to petrol?

A few of the lamps / heaters I have specify Benzoline, petrol, or Coleman fuel.
Is there an alternative fuel available easily in Australia? I'm just not so attracted to the idea of burning petrol.
I got no joy from my APH Benzoline Max Sievert blowtorch trying Kero, so I assume the jet size is all wrong.

 

@Julian Whittaker

The Australian product you need is “Shellite” or “Recosol R55”.

It is pure naphtha (gasoline; petrol*; Coleman fuel).

Don’t use ULP or pump petrol of any description - it will result in clogged generators and jets and much unhappiness.

Buying Shellite in small amounts can be very expensive. Look around and get 20litres from Bunnings and make them match the lowest price you’ve found on line.

A couple of us down here in paradise just bought 200 litres.

Cheers

Tony

*For those non-Aussies or UK-ers, “petrol” in Australian or British is gasoline.

 

Cheers Tony. Shellite -At the local hardware shop - for testing - easy.

 

And while I'm at it, I'll feed some into my ol' dad's 1940 'Tommy' army issue lighter - that's what we used to use for them isn't it? Now... flints...

 

Yes… it’s “lighter fluid” as you would use in a Zippo lighter.

Tony

 

Tont, do Bunnings sell by the 20 litres? have you tried a fuel depot and take your own drum0?

 

@outback boy

Bunnings sells in 20 litres. They might have to ship it in.

We buy 200 litres of Recosol R55 from a wholesaler.

Cheers

Tony

 

200 litres, that should last you a fair while unless you're drinking it!

 

@MG

I use a kero or gasoline lamp or stove on average for a few hours a day. My shed is not heated other than by pressure lamps or heaters.

There are a few of us nearby and we share the purchase.

Cheers

Tony

 

@Tony Press

Excellent, i expect you can get through a fair bit then over time,

That's what got me into the hobby, lighting and heating for my off grid rented garage except that i decided to do everything in the kitchen so not once have i lit or heated the garage in five years.

 

Don't know if you can get it 9448.14 miles away, but Holts brake and clutch cleaner professional is 98% naphtha or white gas, the 98% means it is not laborotary grade as if that makes a difference for our needs.
I use this now exclusively for lamps and stoves where petrol is a fuel, it burns hot and clean.

 

@chocki

Shellite/Recosol R55 is pure naphtha. The MSDS states its contents as 100% naphtha.
https://www.cleaningshop.com.au/contents/media/msds/diggers-shellite-16225.pdf


I note that the MSDS for Holts Brake Cleaner says naphtha 60-100%.
https://www.partinfo.co.uk/files/PRO25A Holts Brake Cleaner-English (UK ROI).pdf

Cheers

Tony

 

Ok that's changed, it used to be 98% naphtha, either way I'm still using it, and it burns hot and clean.

 

@Tony Press I think the MSDS you linked to is for the aerosol spray rather than the 5 litre can. Obviously the aerosol contains butane and isobutane as the propellant which cuts down on the %of naphtha @chocki

 

I seem you remember this last time, finding the data for the 5 ltr tin was quite time consuming as as had already been discovered, most links lead to the aerosol.

 

Thanks, @Firestarter. That would be right. I hadn’t made that connection.

Cheers

Tony

@chocki

 

Here in the UK we can get panel wipe and nrake cleaner that are naptha based but you have to be extremely careful. There's a fast type and a slow type. The fast is hydrocarbon based, the slow is detergent based.

However, i was looking t po day and aome brands of fast brake cleaner have unpleasant additional chemicals such as toluene, ethanol and maybe acetone of i read correctly. These are definitely not suitable for lanterns or stoves.

 

The 5-litre pack of Holts Brake Cleaner isn't available in my area.
Unfortunately for me, there are no purely light naphtha-based products to be found in multi-litred packings on the retail market here. Panel wipes are almost non-existent here.
All the flammable liquid cleaners here seem to contain some 'unwanted' çomponents beside the desired naphtha:- alcohols(usually methanol), aromatics(xylenes, toluenes, ethyl benzenes, etc), ketones(acetone, MEK).
The only naphtha product that is available in non-aerosolized liquid here is Zippo Lighter Fluid, and, only in tiny containers.
However, I can get nearly-pure Hexane in multi-litred packings. It'd still work as a substitute for light naphtha for lantern or stove lighting purposes although not exactly the usual mixture like Coleman Fuel. It is very volatile, inflammable and certainly not suitable on most kerosene-fueled devices.

 

The holts 5 litre liquid product no is LOYHMAI0201A. Amazon in Oz had it a while back so it does get over there. Holts restrict the sale to "professional" users i.e not for home use. It is not on their general website - only trade catalogue (I assume) People outside the UK may have more luck speaking to garage suppliers or paint shops.

Another brand in the UK is Tetrosyl panel wipe (SDS attached) make sure you get Pwd005 as there is a water based one as well.

 

I've just ordered another 5L Holts brake cleaner. Seems to be getting a little harder to get or maybe that's just my impression. I wasn't aware of Amazon Professional - so that's where all the useful products have disappeared to. Looks like I'll have to set up an account or I won't be able to order the stuff I need!

 

I am inclined to believe that unmixed light naphtha isn't going to be conveniently available to general users off the shelves eventually. That's to say in practical quantities...like 4, 5, 20-litre packagings.
There aren't any such stuffs or equivalents in my location. No Coleman, Camp or Crown Fuels. No Shellites, no 5-litre Holts brake cleaners, no panel wipes...virtually nothing at all.
The only fuel that would remain conveniently available at reasonable price is non other than unleaded gasoline.
I think I'd still need to make unleaded petrol reasonably usable for the purpose someday.

 

Just a thought on the alternative fuels, what about high octane light airchaft fuel, if it was ok i am sure it would be availabe at a fuel depot for those having trouble getting the others Myn mentioned, Avgas jn Australia

 

It would have been relieving for me if only the high octane fuels are suitable. Unfortunately, this isn't the case, Outback. The best gasoline-type fuels for the liquid-fueled lanterns and stoves happen to be those having the lowest octane ratings(around 50 or so). For example, the early straight-run gasolines or so-called 'white gas' in the USA. They are primary light naphthas or light petroleum distillates which composed almost entirely of low boiling point, low reactivity 'alkanes'(pentanes, hexanes, heptane, octane, nonane, etc). No additives, alcohols, oxygenates(mtbe, etbe, etc), aromatic hydrocarbons and other stuffs meant to improve combustion, anti-knock properties and emission standards in road gasolines.
The high octane stuffs would be great for modern internal combustion engines but not for devices that require fuel to be preheated and vaporized using generators. The very fundamental heat/temperature requirements of vaporizing the fuel in liquid-fueled laterns and stoves would render all the additives useless, and worse, being highly detrimental. They cause premature degradation of the heated fuel, gumming ups of the devices' internals as well as rapid coke-ups/carbonization of the generators.
Avgas would have even higher octane ratings of 100 and above. Significantly higher than motor gasolines. A lot of them still contain tetraethyl-lead which, is required to attain such high ratings and performance in light aircraft engines. Leaded petrol isn't so desirable in liquid-fueled lanterns and stoves either. They can eventually foul up the generators, mantles and even the glass globes with lead deposits. Perhaps only the Milspec lanterns can tolerate leaded petrol to some extents.
I don't know about others but all the possible alternatives seem to elude me so far..

 

For Naptha Lanterns/Stoves, I exclusively use Upol S2001 Fast Panel Wipe.

Zero residue, perfect blue flame and as near as dammit 100% Naptha. I've been using it for about 14 years now since I switched from Petrol after choked Coleman generators and rock hard deposits inside Army No.1 and No.2 Stoves.

It may not be available in Oz but I would say check the data sheets for fast panel wipes, make sure they are silicone free, then test some in a tablespoon for volatility, blue flame and lack of residue. Mega-expensive additive free petrol and Coleman fuel is available but I avoid them because of the vast price mark-up.

Happy hunting

Alec.

 

I have a similar story to yours's Alec concerning an Army No. 7 that is now hopelessly blocked and waiting to be de-gunked! I swapped instantly to either panel wipe or brake cleaner and never went back.

 

Here's another 5Ltrs of Naphtha available in the UK at a reasonable price.
Menu

NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM), HYDROTREATED LIGHT 60-100%

 

Since aug22 now Feb 24 the tetrosyl panel degreaser has increased in price from £13.99 to £26.99 so the above link not so good now.
Stihl moto4plus works out cheaper.

 

Holts Brake cleaner is now £20
Holts Brake Cleaner 5Litre | Euro Car Parts

But can be found on offer on various places from time to time. - today on Ebay £38 for two free shpping

 

Found a source of heptane in the uk, basically this Is white gas AFAIK.
Buy Heptane | PS Composites

 

Heptane is a good choice, I'd suppose.
The Coleman Fuel available in the UK is basically or near entirely, heptane. I think it isn't the same as that for the US market.