Can you simmer on a coleman sportster?

[GB]

As title says really, I'm a big fan of my Trangia and love the way it cooks, never blows out, easy to maintain and packs away neatly, but I hate having to carry the fuel around especially when I have a tank full right in front of me.

Can I simmer on a petrol stove without incinerating my food like I can on my Trangia?

[AndyB]

Yes but you need to make sure you keep the jet clean and it sometimes helps to add Redex to the fuel.

[GB]

Redex, really?

[ipswichbiker]

Yes and no. After a few mins of simmering the temp drops so it's stops vaporising the fuel so well and then the flame goes yellow. Pump it up and turn it onto full and the flame goes back to blue. So you can simmer if you are willing to stay and adjust the stove if it splutters.

My stove has been like this since new so it's not dirty.

[ratass]

How much redex .
Jon

[AndyB]

Redex, really?

It keeps it clean and like anything else running on unleaded fuel you'll get a residue left in the fuel lines and jet if you leave the stove standing for ages without cleaning it.

The other option is to strip and clean it every year but I'm a lazy git so Redex does it for me.

The other thing to watch for is the rubber seals on the pump plunger can turn themselves inside out meaning you can't pressurise it but all you do is take them out and lubricate them with a small amount of silicon grease then replace them properly. They're great little stoves that use hardly any fuel and if it's working properly the flame is stable enough to use inside your tent without risk of it flaring and turning your tent into a fireball :pinch:

If you've got a local supplier try using Aspen 4T as the fuel and only use petrol from your bike if you run out. It burns much cleaner meaning you don't get sooty deposits all over your pans or the pan support. It's dearer than unleaded but cheaper than Coleman fuel and usually available from places selling heavy duty petrol mowers and strimmers.

[ratass]

How much redex .
Jon
Oops finger stuck on send

[davsato]

Why don't you get the petrol burner for the trangia?

[AndyB]

How much redex .
Jon

I put in about 50% more than the ratio suggested on the bottle then burn off that fuel at home before going away and don't use it when I'm away.

Some people say it's snake oil but it seems to work for me and it's cheap enough not to really worry.

[SteveR]

Run it on Aspen 4T petrol or Coleman fuel for more controllable flame. Good pans with a decent base helps but they are funny beasts...

To be honest, I would not recommend them for this purpose