160 grams of charcoal boils and simmers 5 liters/CF04 Stove
Lanny Henson www.lanny.us July 2, 2006

The CF04 Stove boiled and simmered 5 liters using only 160gr of charcoal and wood.

After several modifications to 4 different prototypes, it only took 150 gr of lump charcoal with 11% moisture and 10gr of wood to boil 5 liters of 83 degF/28.3 degC water in 45 min. That is 32 grams per liter to boil and simmer. At 1 hour after boiling the water was still simmering at 100 degC and after 2 hours the water was 205degF/96 degC. At this point I shut the air control and capped the pot module to stop the airflow and retain heat.

At 3 hours the water temp was 190 degF/87.8 degC and was 178 degF/ 81 degC at 4 hours.

Jeff Davis June 18, 2006

In order to make my first batch of fireballs I needed some charcoal fines or dust. I charred some switchgrass and leaves to start with. That would be easy to reduce, but was unsure how to go about this task at hand. Having already removed the paddles from the cement mixer, I got the bright idea to place the switchgrass and leave char in the cement mixer plus one large rock, see picture #1. So I gave it a try, not knowing that there is such a device as a ball mill. I learned fast that a lid was in order! Dust cloud anyone? This worked well for the charred switchgrass.

Center Fire Stove 01 Cooking Test
Lanny Henson, June 12, 2006

In the last cooking test, the Center Fire Stove 01 needed only 750
grams/1.65 lb of pine chips to cook 8 pounds/3.63 kilograms dry weight of pintos. That is 14 liters of volume with water or 104 servings-35 gr/ 1/2 cup cooked volume (1/4 cup dry weight) servings.