Comparison Fire-Maple FMS-103 vs Kovea KB-N9602

A method of fastening a cylinder or other container with fuel provided in the burner.

— Threaded. Threaded connection — simply put, the cylinder in such models is screwed to the device. It is mainly used in burners and lamps (see "Type") on gas fuel, although there are exceptions. Both the connection itself and the fuel containers designed for it are durable and reliable, which makes this option very popular.

— Collet(it is also choke or stock). A variant used in most stoves (see "Type"), but also found in traditional burners. A cylinder for such a mount has an outlet in the form of a short tube (rod), which, when connected, is fixed in a special clamp — a collet. Installing and removing such cylinders takes less time than threaded ones, and the containers themselves are somewhat cheaper. On the other hand, the collet is somewhat inferior to the thread in terms of reliability.

— Portable. Burners in which the fuel tank is connected not directly, but through a special hose. This design provides a number of advantages. Firstly, the burner installed separately from the cylinder is more stable, and the whole structure is more fireproof, since the fuel supply is quite far from the flame. Secondly, the fuel container can have almost any shape and size — the main thing is that it fits the hose mount. Thirdly, this container can be turned over and/...or raised relative to the burner, increasing the rate of fuel supply; this is especially useful when using gas burners in the cold. On the other hand, such devices, when unfolded, take up more space and have a higher risk of leakage than direct-connected burners.

— Built -in. Fuel tank, made as a single unit with the burner. This option is found only in liquid fuel models (see "Fuel") — it is easier and safer to use removable cylinders for working with gas. An integrated tank is stronger and more reliable than a removable or separate one, it has a minimal risk of leakage; on the other hand, the inability to separate the burner from the tank can create some inconvenience during storage and transportation.

Some models of burners allow the connection of cylinders with a "non-native" mount — through an adapter. However, this option is rather a spare in case of emergency, and it is best to use the standard containers. Also note that the compatibility of a particular cylinder with a burner should be clarified separately, even if it matches the general type of attachment. The fact is that different manufacturers of fasteners of the same type (thread, collet) may differ in characteristics and be incompatible with each other. It is best to use cylinders directly recommended by the manufacturer (see "Replacement cylinders").

The rated power of the burner is the amount of heat generated by it during operation. For models with power control, the value is indicated at the maximum mode.

The nuances of choosing this parameter depend on the type of device. So, the general rule for burners and stoves (see "Type") states that at least 1 kW of power is needed to efficiently heat 1 liter of liquid. And the volumes that you have to deal with depend on the number of tourists and the expected conditions: in a warm climate, 600-700 mL per person is enough for 1 cooking, in a cool one — 1 liter, and it is better to clarify recommendations for different types of extreme tourism in special sources. Thus, the minimum indicator for burners is actually 1 kW, for stoves — 1.5 kW, and the most powerful ones can provide 3 kW or more. Note that more powerful burner models have the appropriate dimensions and weight, and you can heat a large amount of food several times; so for long hikes with luggage carried on you, a relatively low-powered device may be more suitable.

In the case of heaters, it can be assumed that a power of 1 – 1.5 kW is enough for 5 – 7 m2 of area — this is quite enough to heat a tent or tent, higher power is rarely required in fact. And for lamps, the main indicator of efficiency is not power, but luminous flux (see below).

The amount of fuel required for the normal operation of the burner for a certain time; usually stated in grams per hour. Different manufacturers may calculate fuel consumption differently, but most often it is indicated for normal operation, when the burner produces the power indicated in the documentation (see "Power"). Knowing the fuel consumption and the capacity of the cylinder used (see "Replaceable cylinders") or the built-in tank (see "Filling volume"), you can easily calculate the time of continuous operation of the burner.

The time that the burner is able to work without changing the cylinder or refilling the tank. Usually, the characteristics indicate the operating time at maximum power (see above); at lower power, the actual operating time may be longer than stated. However, it is best to evaluate and compare different models by directly claimed battery life.

Another important nuance is that battery life directly depends on the volume of the fuel tank — and many modern burners are designed for interchangeable cylinders produced in different volumes. Therefore, the characteristics may indicate for which cylinder model the continuous operation time is given (and for multi -fuel models, the type of fuel should also be specified). If there are no such data, the tank capacity required for a certain time can be calculated from fuel consumption: for example, gas consumption of 180 g / h and battery life of 120 min (2 h) mean that the data are given for a cylinder of at least 360 g (400 mL) gas. With other volumes, the time of continuous operation will differ accordingly.

Approximate time required to boil 1 liter of cold water on the burner. Of course, in fact, the boiling time may differ from the claimed one, since it is affected by the shape and material of the dishes, ambient temperature, etc.; however, this parameter quite clearly characterizes the overall efficiency of the device, it is quite possible to compare different models with each other. At the same time, it should be taken into account that when working with other volumes, the time may not change in direct proportion: for example, if 1 liter requires 300 s, then 2 liters may require not 600 s, but more, but 0.5 L — not 150 s, but less.

Built-in flame ignition system based on a piezoelectric element. Such an element does not require batteries: it generates electricity by pressing the ignition button, and ignition is carried out using an electric spark. This function allows you to do without matches, lighters and other external sources of fire; however, if desired, the flame can be ignited with their help, without the use of piezo ignition.

Availability in a torch of function of preliminary heating of fuel. In such models, the fuel supply system is designed in such a way that the burner flame slightly heats the fuel line during operation.

This function somewhat complicates the design and increases its cost, but increases efficiency and reduces fuel consumption. The presence of preheating is especially important if the device is planned to be used in the cold and/or in high altitude conditions. Under such conditions, the gas pressure at the outlet of the cylinder drops significantly, and liquid fuel can become viscous; both have a negative effect on power and efficiency, while heating allows you to compensate for these phenomena.

The diameter of the burner provided in the burner or stove (see "Type"). Indicated by the size of the flame corolla in normal operation. First of all, compatibility with dishes depends on this size: the size of the dishes must be at least the diameter of the burner, otherwise effective use will be impossible. In addition, this indicator affects the overall dimensions of the burner; and a larger burner usually means more power (see above), although there is no hard dependency here.

Models of cylinders for the use of which the burner is structurally designed. Usually, the cylinders specified in the specifications are guaranteed to be compatible with the burner in the standard configuration — up to the point that for models equipped with adapters for different types of fasteners (for example, from thread to collet, see "Cylinder Mount"), this paragraph often indicates both regular and "non-native" cylinders.

Knowing the names of the cylinders, you can easily find fuel for the burner in specialized stores.