Forums > Technical Discussion > fuel names

Posted: 2nd Nov 2008
Hi aston...your best bet is to contact the head office ( in SA ) via email and say you're looking for the SA equivalent of fuels you see mentioned here.

I did this with D60, only to find it's sold as something completely different locally and I'm planning on doing the same with Isopar G.

Pretty hard to beat white gas though...

Posted: 2nd Nov 2008
Thanks for the idea. Will see what I can shake loose.

Back to the maze that is the BP website. :\

See, even white gas is different. It seems to be called Benzine here, which is apparently carcinogenic everywhere else.

ShellSol of some sort seems likely. Depends on if the local station has it or can get it.

Isopar is Exxon, which we do not have.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland

Posted: 2nd Nov 2008
Hi Aston. For finding equivalents, don't worry too much about the name. Talk to your supplier and read their MSDSs for the flash point of various industrial solvents (which will give you an idea of the volatilty/explosiveness). They will know about odourlessness. Talk to a steel fabricator or printer about what they use for lubricants.... that will give yo a clue too as it is the primary use of them.

Benzene is a common petrochemical, but maybe you are thinking of Butane? which is a common name for white gas.

Aaaaah... the White Gas/Colemans/Shellite is Great but More Dangerous (cos it leaves wicks very clean but is more hot,volatile and explosive etc) discussion again. THis has been going on forever!

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

Posted: 2nd Nov 2008
I found it more time efficient to just email the customer service department directly. So Isopar is Exxon, and if Exxon isn't active as Exxon in SA then they probably own another SA company and do business under that name,

For instance, Exxon does business under the name Imperial oil ( Esso ) here in Canada so I'm a emailing Esso Canada to see what they sell Isopar G as in this neck of the woods.

Chances are you're going to have to go to a wholesaler or bulk supplier, if I want D60 ( Called Vansol 60 locally ) I have a minimum 16kg bucket that I can buy + shipping, because I live on an island. there's nowhere I can just drive to to pick some up.

White gas *shouldn't* be called benzine, seeing as how benzine is a specific chemical, more properly it's called naptha which isn't to say it doesn't have benzine ( along with all sorts of other nasty stuff ) in it.

Butane isn't white gas, butane is a gas at room temperature and 1 atmosphere pressure ( like propane )so it wouldn't work as a spinning fuel unless you're into really big fireballs

Posted: 2nd Nov 2008
Thanks for that Stout, I had wondered. Butane (sold in tanks) is often used as a fuel for camping stoves here hence my confusion.

White gas is apparently sold here (Oz) as shellite. SOmetimes I have known people to mix it with other fuels for extra buzz and it was dang hot for the staffers.

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

Posted: 3rd Nov 2008
I've heard all sorts of "explanations" as to what white gas is and my all time favourite was this guy insisting that it was a completely non-toxic vegetable product.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is an excellent fuel but only if you're willing to manage the risks. I'm kins of paranoid myself, so I've never had an accident but I have seen the "burning handles" accident quite a few times due to general sloppiness when it comes to fueling up.

If you get kerosene ( paraffin ) on your poi handles it's still reasonably safe to light up an have your spin. With white gas, however you HAVE to let it dry ( usually a couple of minutes ) otherwise....remember that deleted thread..."another preventable white gas accident" ?

True it can be mixed with other aliphatic compounds, but why bother ? You can get a little extra buzz but the benefits are minimal.

The main reasons we use it are 1) it doesn't stink like a toxic petrochemical soup and 2) it doesn't leave a residue on the ground, which would definitely annoy some of the repeat venues ( hotels, restaurants ) that offer our services to their clients as an extra for their event. Most often we end up spinning on "sensitive" areas, like the pristine lawn,or the feature patio and if those areas reeked of kerosene and had a slippery residue the next day, we figure the proprietors wouldn't be so eager to call us back.

White gas isn't something you want to spill on grass though. If you were to spill it, and it soaked into the ground, it has a half life measured in the hundreds of years and the only way to clean up the spill is to dig up the dirt, burn it and replace it,,,much like the soil remediation done on former gas ( petrol ) station sites.

Long chain aliphatics ( like kerosene, lamp oil ) OTOH tend to biodegrade much more quickly. This is all a function of bacterial decomposition and is directly related to the amount of chemicals that are toxic on a cellular level ( eg benzine ) present in the different fuels. White gas has some of these chemicals, kerosene, relatively little.

So an important question to ask is "what do you want from a fuel?" and also take into consideration how often you burn. If you're one of these 10 burns/night 6 nights/week types, you'll probably live longer with a less toxic fuel. After all, you are breathing this stuff in raw no matter how well you spin off and that residue on the ground after a few spins with kerosene only reinforces this idea.

The solvents are confusing. What, exactly is in Isopar G and D60 ? the chemical makeup of these compounds isn't listed in the MSDS because these products are defined by their physical characteristics rather than anything else. Getting to the heart of this matter ( if your interested ) is best done by establishing an email relationship with an engineer at whatever refinery you get these products from.

Heck...I emailed Coleman's about the makeup of white gas and they replied with " we don't actually know" if it's got a certain viscosity, flashpoint, volatility...then it's white gas ( originally developed as a motor fuel FYI )

Posted: 3rd Nov 2008
From my own reading, I was lead to understand that white gas is petrol with no additives. No idea how accurate this is though.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland

Posted: 3rd Nov 2008
Well, what's an additive ? That stuff that keeps your fuel injectors clean ? But, yea, it's pretty much the same thing as petrol.

Lamp oil is kerosene with additives to make it smell, and smoke less.

Posted: 23rd Nov 2008
Thanks heaps for your contributions to these topic/knowledge, Stout.

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

Posted: 23rd Nov 2008
You're most welcome

Posted: 24th Nov 2008
Fantastic thread guys, nothing to input but plenty to read

"In the end there is only fire and a waterfall"

Posted: 24th Nov 2008
OK. General question.

What sort of flashpoints are you looking for?

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland

Posted: 5th Dec 2008
I am having a nightmare and could really do with some help. I am trying to purchase Kerosene/Paraffin in Hong Kong. Unfortunately not only am I having problems with the language but the only word for it is (sounds like) four soy. Also I can't read the labels.

What I have almost and have been sold is a totally different product, like turpentine, white spirit, needless to say it's a bit dangerous.

Some one please throw me a line and guide me in the right direction, perhaps how its written, pronounce etc.

Thank you so much in advance

L xx

Posted: 5th Dec 2008
We bought fuel in Hong Kong that was fine. It's basically lamp oil but is sold as Prayer Lamp Oil and can be bought form most shops that sell prayer lamps/buddah's etc...
Hope that helps!

Posted: 6th Dec 2008
In Hong Kong I used to buy some from a hardware store on Ashley Rd, Tsim sha tsui (next to Ebeneezers. Towards the no thru end of the road, across the road from gaylord Indian restaurant)

The fuel was like kerosene, although burnt a little hotter. The guys at the shop had some idea what i was using it for, even tho they didnt have great english (or rather i didnt have great cantonese).
They also let me burn a little to see the flame. Oh and dont worry, they sell it in old beer bottles

Good luck!

Posted: 17th Apr 2009
is anyone able to put up a list of the aus fuels MSDS's, i think ive sourced kerro and enough info for D60, but shellite, citronella, and gabe the closest fuel name/msds for Isopar G...??

'FREE HUGGIES!!'

Posted: 18th Feb 2010
what about charcoal starter fluid? it has a good burn time and nice bright flames and doesnt have much smoke or smell

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able, and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" - Epicurus

Posted: 28th Feb 2011
If someone could update the fuel list with the following note for Mexico: Gasolina Blanca is not a substitute for Coleman fuel; its burn time is about half of Coleman fuel. I found mixing half Petroleo (Kerosene) and half Gasolina Blanca yielded Coleman fuel length poi spins, with only modest smoke.