Stove misadventure

Fire starter

So the other day I almost set fire to my kitchen using my MSR XGK inside 🫏

🫏 = donkey 🙄

I’m sharing the story because there is always stuff to learn from other peoples experiences no matter how dumb they might be 😞

Here’s how it happened:

I’ve got a new pot and wanted to experiment to see how well my simmering technique works on this smaller circumference pot. I decided inside on my kitchens glass cook top was the ideal place to do this 🫏 🙄

My simmering technique works by getting the stove going and up to temp. I then close the valve and wait for the flame to go to yellow. I then s l o w l y open the valve. This way I can see the power from the fuel kick in and identify the exact point the valve is letting through fuel. From this point it’s pretty easy to use micro adjustments and patience to pretty accurately control the flame.

Anyway

I was messing with this seeing how precisely I could control the temperature of the flame when fuel started to leak out of the brass fitting the valve adjustment screw goes through. OH SHIT!!

I immediately turn off the fuel and it stopped leaking but about 5ml of fluid had leaked out and despite the stove being in simmer mode it was running hot with a blue flame and glowing bell 😱

Well the obvious happened and the vapour caught. The valve already was alight.

I have a powder extinguisher in the kitchen and I grabbed it. The current small flame wasn’t a problem but any failure at the valve and the smallest MSR bottle still contains enough to get things really started shit shit shit

But the fire extinguisher didn’t seem like the right option. Smothering it felt righter. I grabbed a tea towel and ran the tap. It only took seconds to wet it properly but seconds are long when you’ve got a fuel bottle on fire in your kitchen.

Folded wet tea towel in half and placed it over the flames.

It worked spectacularly well. Stove burner had gone to yellow at this point and it blew out easily. I grabbed the stove incorrectly tea towel and put it straight outside on the path a few meters from the kitchen door went back inside and closed the door. Everything now needed time to literally cool off inc me 🫏

Phew – drama averted – lucky

What have I learnt from this?

it will probably be a while before I light a camping stove in the kitchen 🙄
Cook too was a good choice of surface 😝
Wet tea towel works very well for smothering a small liquid fire like this was
All O rings in all my MSR pumps need replacing!!

Is there anything you’ve learnt from my mini misadventure or thing I should learn 🤠

August 11, 2025 0

AirShare’s Zone Information

AirShare is the hub for recreational and commercial drone operators in New Zealand. The map in their app includes important information for drone pilots but its difficult to see easily so I’m putting both text and an image here so I can access it easily.

ATC Restrictions – Flights inside black or red lines may have additional restrictions. Air Traffic Control will advise.
Low Flying Zones – UAVs are not permitted in any Low Flying Zones which are coloured orange.
Military Operating Areas – Permission from the administering authority is required to fly in these green zones.
Aerodromes – The blue circle areas indicate a 4km radius around aerodromes
Other Authorities’ Areas – This area requires you to gain approval before you fly from the administering authority or landowner
No Fly Zones – These areas are where you are unlikely to receive approval to fly from the administering authority or landowner
Danger Areas – These areas are where an activity within is a potential danger to aircraft flying over the area
Notice to Air Missions – A NOTAM contains important information that could affect the safe operation of your flight

September 29, 2023 0

Campervan fixed cassette toilet options for the new NZ 2023 Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act

In this post I aim to collate useful cassette toilet options information for NZ based van builders to help then meet the fixed toilet requirement in the new 2023 Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act.

Information on the 2023 changes to the Freedom Camping Act can be found at https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/26796-local-government-guidance-pdf#:~:text=The%20Act%20enables%20local%20authorities,apply%20to%20that%20particular%20area.

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the key changes implemented by the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (the Act) which will impact local authorities.

Key for NZ Campervan owners/builders is the new Self Contained requirement for a fixed toilet.

Edit 12/07/2024 – The details of exactly what this means can now be found in this document https://www.pgdb.co.nz/media/cqubmqa3/vehicle-inspection-guidance-v10.pdf

is permanently fixed to the vehicle with the base of the toilet rigidly mounted in position and
does not require removal in order to empty human waste;

Consult the linked document for a full list of requirements.

NB There is a requirement for the cassette or tank to be vented to the outside. This requirement is currently under review

Fixed toilet options:

CTS4110 – swivel, ceramic inlay, 12v electric flush, pressure supply water
Dimensions are D530mm H672mm W382mm. As only the toilet seat swivels, these dimensions do not significantly change when rotated 90 degrees.

Dometic Saneo CS – swivel, ceramic inlay, 12v electric flush, pressure supply water

D602mm H680mm W377mm. As per diagram below, depth is 549mm with bowl at 90 degrees (assume width increases by 50mm also)

Thetford C223-CS – swivel, plastic bowl, 12v electric flush, pressure supply water

H534 x W414 x D580 mm. As per diagram below, depth is 556mm with bowl at 90 degrees, width increases to 427mm

Thetford C224-CW – swivel, plastic bowl, hand pump flush, on board flush tank

H731 x W414 x D580 mm. Same platform and swivel measurements as C223 above, but taller due to onboard flush tank.

Thetford C263 – swivel, ceramic inlay, 12v electric flush, pressure supply water
H750 x W417 x D600mm. As per diagram below, depth is 541mm with bowl at 90 degrees, width increases to 464mm

Thetford C402 – Bench, plastic bowl, 12v electric flush, on board flush tank
H512 x W670 x D400 mm. Bench type, comes in left and right hand models – choose the side that the cassette will be removed from.

CHH 3924 – non-swivel, hand pump flush, on board flush tank
SCNZ have stock of the below pictured toilets coming in October. These have onboard flush water tanks and piston pump flush so do not require pressurised water supply or 12V. Price will be approx $700. Measurements are D530xW395xH480mm.

NB – A swivel option is planned to be available at some point in the future but it wont be the near future.

CHH Cassette toilet from SCNZ with onboard flush tank and piston flush:

July 31, 2023 0

Bike Workshop Digital Resources

As part of ‘My Ultimate Bike Tool Kit’ project I’m conscious that digital resources are as important as any other tool in a workshop. I constantly find myself following manufacturers videos and How To Guides when working on bikes. As part of My Ultimate MTB Tool Kit project I’m looking to have a mount for my phone or a tablet so I can easily access/view these resources while working on bikes even if my hands are mucky. In this post I’m looking to collate some useful links along with some resources I find really useful (and why)

ok, lets get into it

Continue reading →

August 20, 2021 0

Should you keep a personal PPE gear register? – GearLog

If you work in a professional environment using your own Category 3 PPE (most harnesses, helmets or PFD’s) then in my honest opinion you should keep a personal PPE Gear Register and it should be accessible for employers to view.

In this post I’m going to look at some of the detail around PPE Gear Registers I find interesting, why I think you should log your gear and a simple, free solution for you to use. OK, grab a brew and lets get into it

Continue reading →

July 11, 2021 0

Yeah Boi – Kiwi MTBikers Half Marathon Shuttle Run in Isolation

It sounds like Ed Masters has come up with an epically daft plan and has managed to talk his mates into it too. Ed and 3 fellow mountain biker racers currently in isolation in New Zealand after arriving back from international World Cup racing are planning to complete a half marathon run this weekend to raise money for charity.

Continue reading →

October 30, 2020 0