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Meths Greenhouse Heater - Good idea?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:00 am
by greenbean
Hello,
Does anyone know if a greenhouse heater run on Methylated Spirits is a good idea? Is Meths bad for the environment? I have seen a 2nd hand one in an auction which is on this evening. Advice would be really appreciated.
Many thanks. Pam.
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:51 am
by Wombat
G'DAy Pam,
Burning metho should produce cardon dioxide (which helps the plants grow) and water. There is also the denaturing agent (which makes the metho taste terrible, but it is only added in small amounts. Much better than burning kero!
sounds like it is worth a go to me!
Nev
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:55 am
by greenbean
Thank you Nev, that is helpful, with that in mind I shall bid for it tonight at the auction. Here's hoping I get it for a song! Have a lovely day 'down under'.
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:49 am
by Wombat
Thanks mate, I'm just about to go to bed!
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:19 pm
by Guest
Wombat wrote:G'DAy Pam,
Burning metho should produce cardon dioxide (which helps the plants grow) and water. There is also the denaturing agent (which makes the metho taste terrible, but it is only added in small amounts. Much better than burning kero!
sounds like it is worth a go to me!
Nev
How about the price of the fuel Nev? meths is really expensive here?
regards,
mountaingirl
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:06 am
by Wombat
Fair point Mountaingirl, but at least you can home produce it!
Nev
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:07 am
by Andy Hamilton
Wombat wrote:Fair point Mountaingirl, but at least you can home produce it!
Nev
you can make your own meths, how?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:11 am
by greenbean
Hi, I got the wee heater at the auction for next to nothing. I'm intrigued as to how I would make my own meths....
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:33 pm
by Wombat
G'DAy Guys,
Metho is ethyl alcohol (the drinkable kind)
with an additive of some description to make it taste like crap so you don't drink it. If you could drink it you would have to pay excise on it and give the government it's cut. Then, boy would it be expensive!
So to make your own metho, it's just case of finding anything with a cardohydrate in it eg potatoes, or sugar then ferment it to create the alcohol, then distill the alcohol off to concentrate it.
Bingo - there is your metho (or white lightnin' - your choice!).
Nev
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:17 pm
by Muddypause
I could be wrong here, but I thought methylated spirit contained methyl alcohol, which is the kind you can't drink (unless you want an early and horrible death), hence they put the blue stuff in it to make it taste undrinkable (or maybe just so that you know what it is). Or have I got the wrong end of the stick? Isn't methyl alcohol also called wood alcohol?
Is it bound by the same distilling laws as ethyl - ie not without a licence?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:46 pm
by wulf
Try the
wikipedia article as a starting point.
Wulf
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:51 pm
by Andy Hamilton
- yep, cheers wulf. Strange what you learn "It is also often dyed blue or purple with an aniline dye, although in Australia and New Zealand fluorescein is used instead." - now I wonder if that will come up in a pub quiz
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:16 pm
by Muddypause
What an excellent resource Wikipedia is becoming.
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:09 pm
by Wombat
I hate to disagree with Wikpedia, but here in Aus it is not dyed at all, it is a clear water-white liquid!
Nev
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:51 pm
by Andy Hamilton
More like what we called white spirit then I guess