Help with Fuel claculation

Discuss food & groceries, share recipes, and other backcountry cooking & food-related topics here!

Moderator: hooky

Post Reply
Wiconi
NewbieCake
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 3:40 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 0

Help with Fuel claculation

Post by Wiconi »

So - I have hiked ISRO twice, Each time a week long - once solo and another with my little girl. Both times I used an Optimus Nova (Not the Nova+) stove. I have both a 24.5 and 15.2 fl oz bottle for my stove. I know that I kept track of both trips and fuel usage, but having moved recently it appears that the moving gremlins have taken my notes. I remember bringing both bottles full when it was the two of us, but I also remember bringing plenty of fuel home. and I didn't use up the entire large bottle while solo..... That said, both times we went before, we took the Queen, this time we're taking the seaplane. Fuel planning is more of an issue this time.

Anyone have any idea if the 24.5 fl oz bottle will provide adequate fuel for this trip given that:
We will have 7 complete (3 meals ea) days on the island
For meals, we generally use 2 C of water ea (we share a 2-persom meal, and supplement with snax)
We have 3 meals that simmer for about 10 min, on super low heat (as opposed to add boiling water and wait)
The weather is supposed to be reasonable (10 day forecast is high of 69 and low of 53)
I estimate boiling a minimum of 1 quart of water per day minimum for food and drinks

http://howardjohnson.name/Backpacking/Stove/Stoves.htm When I plug in what I think are appropriate/reasonable) numbers here, I get that I will need about 13 oz for the trip (input, 7 days, 2 people, and 4 pints/person/day) By this calculation, the 24.5 fl oz bottle will certainly last the trip.

Then I see: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... d_id=20499
Where the white gas indicates that for 8 pints of water boiled per day, at non-alpine conditions, the 24.5 oz bottle would give me just over 4 days of fuel.

The ranger on the phone said that I can get white gas at the store in Rock Harbor, so that's ok, but I don't now whether to bring both bottles, or only one. I also don't know how the white gas is sold. Is it just sold by weight, or volume, or does it come in pre-sealed volumes?

Anyone out there who can offer something meaningful to my ramblings??

Thanks!
Vandy
Trailblazer
Posts: 153
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:33 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 5
Location: Raleigh, NC
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Help with Fuel claculation

Post by Vandy »

I have a whisperlite international stove so I'm not sure how much what I am about to say will help you.
I boiled .5 liter of water 9 times during my last trip and used about 5 oz of fuel.
I didn't do any simmering, just boiled the water and used it right away.

I also took the seaplane. You purchase the fuel by the ounce. At the end of the trip they take back whatever you don't use.
No refunds of course.
Wiconi
NewbieCake
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 3:40 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 0

Re: Help with Fuel claculation

Post by Wiconi »

Vandy wrote: You purchase the fuel by the ounce. At the end of the trip they take back whatever you don't use.
No refunds of course.
Anyone know how much it costs per ounce?
Wiconi
NewbieCake
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 3:40 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 0

Re: Help with Fuel claculation

Post by Wiconi »

Just back today. Awesome trip. For the record: Coleman fuel costs $0.19 per ounce and is NOT purchased at the Rock Harbor store, it is sold at the Marina.

I bought 24 ounces, and donated about 4 ounces to a ranger on my way out. I wasn't a miser Bout the fuel I used, but I wasn't wanton either.
Post Reply