What Is Meths?

In the context of alcohol stoves, yous may take heed the term "meths" when people utter most fuel.  What is "meths?" (aka "metho") How is that unlike than Methanol?  How is that unlike than "Denatured" alcohol?

THE THREE TYPES OF ALCOHOL
Generally, at that spot are 3 types of alcohol:
  • Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)
  • Methanol (methyl alcohol)
  • Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol)
Ethanol ("grain" alcohol) is what yous teach if yous purchase beer, wine, liquor, etc. It's non truly inward stove-ready concentration inward most alcoholic drinks, although if yous purchase something similar 190 proof Everclear, it volition operate really good equally a stove fuel.  Ethanol is the byproduct of the fermentation of sugar.  Ethanol is used for drinking, equally a fuel, in addition to equally a solvent.

Methanol ("wood" alcohol) is what yous teach if yous purchase HEET inward the yellowish bottle.  Methanol was kickoff created past times distillation from woods only is today typically created past times chemic processes from marsh gas (natural gas).  Methanol is used equally a fuel, an antifreeze, a solvent, a denaturant for ethanol, in addition to equally a feedstock from which other compounds are produced.

Isopropanol is what yous teach if yous purchase "rubbing alcohol" or HEET inward the reddish bottle.  Isopropanol is used equally a solvent, inward disinfecting pads, equally an assist for swimmer's ear, a "gasoline dryer" (fuel additive to take water), in addition to equally a feedstock from which other compounds are produced.

Alcohols equally fuel:  Of the 3 types of alcohol, ethanol to a greater extent than oft than non makes the best stove fuel. It has expert estrus content per gram, burns reasonably cleanly, in addition to isn't overly toxic. Methanol isn't a bad fuel, only it has less estrus per gram (which agency yous bring to acquit to a greater extent than to exercise the same amount of cooking) in addition to is fairly toxic both inward damage of breathing the fumes in addition to pare contact. NEVER drinkable methanol.  Ingesting methanol may Pb to severe nervus damage, permanent blindness, in addition to death.  Isopropanol is a smokey mess when burned in addition to to a greater extent than oft than non makes a wretched stove fuel.

Cold conditions considerations:  When you're burning alcohol, you're truly burning the vapor.  Methanol has a higher vapor describe per unit of measurement area than ethanol which makes methanol vaporize to a greater extent than readily -- an property inward mutual frigidness conditions where sometimes it tin live on hard to teach ethanol to vaporize properly for burning. 

Denaturing:  As I said, unadulterated ethanol is the same materials equally inward liquor. Governments typically taxation liquor. For ethanol sold for purposes other than drinking, the ethanol is "denatured" (rendered undrinkable) past times adding around other substance, a denaturing "agent," to the ethanol in addition to hence that it is non plain of report to liquor taxes. The generic mention for ethanol amongst something added to homecoming it undrinkable is "denatured alcohol".

Meths:  Outside the United States, methanol used lone is a mutual denaturing agent. Ethanol denatured past times methanol is oft called "methylated spirits" which, depending on what province yous alive in, is called "meths" or "metho" for short. Frequently, a dye, typically purple, is added to become far obvious that the alcohol is non intended for consumption.

In the United States, at that spot isn't whatsoever rule of what tin live on used to denature ethanol, in addition to a diverseness of substances are used, typically inward combination. In around cases the denatured alcohol is truly to a greater extent than denaturing agent than alcohol. 

Methanol is never suitable for drinking, in addition to hence at that spot is no postulate to "denature" methanol.

SUMMARY:
-Ethanol is a expert stove fuel only to avoid liquor taxes it is typically denatured (rendered undrinkable) past times adding around other marrow or substances earlier it is sold for fuel or other purposes.
-"Meths" (or "metho") is 1 course of report of denatured alcohol.  Methanol is the denaturing agent for meths.
-Methanol is a unlike type of alcohol than ethanol in addition to is a decent stove fuel only to a greater extent than oft than non not quite equally expert equally ethanol except inward mutual frigidness conditions where methanol's higher vapor describe per unit of measurement area facilitates combustion.

Hope that's helpful,

HJ

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