# Lighting Charcoal with Isopropyl Alcohol?



## flyboytr

I watched a YouTube video on lighting charcoal with isopropyl alcohol. I have used alcohol for fuel in various projects…but never lighting charcoal. It burns really clean. This is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWZUrtaEb-U. It’s about 10 minutes long and is a little slow, but the info is interesting. 

Has anyone tried this?


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## fire it up

I just use my trusty Brinkman chimney.  Wouldn't want anything unnatural in the coals.


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## garyt

Newspaper and a charcoal chimney is all I use a lot cheaper, or a couple sheets of paper toweling with a little veg oil on it.


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## gnubee

Whether or not it works is a non issue with me. I believe you get a faster better start with the chimney. You get all the coals lit asap and all at the same time. With a liquid fuel starter the burn is hit and miss with only some of the coals totally aglow and some having only parts of them lit. 

Then there is the danger of flareups from a liquid that doesn't occur in the chimney. 

Plus with the chimney you are never out of starter. Any paper will do plus a match.

I wonder if the producer of that excruciatingly slow video is the same guy that made the Movies Istar, Yentl and the Attack of the killer tomatos.


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## bigsteve

It's not safe to ingest.  And since I don't know if all the alcohol really burns off, I'm not going to try it.

OTOH, could it be any worse than lighter fluid?  I don't know.


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## ncdodave

i only use a charcoal chimney and now im using my single turkey fryer stove. it lights charcoal in about 5 minutes. and its cheap news paper takes about 15 minutes to light. I dont bother with lighter fluid of any sort. stacking charcoal and using fluid takes forever and is very inconsistant


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## flyboytr

I did say the video was a little slow...probably should have said it was painfully slow!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 I personally plan to use my weed burner to fire off the new smoker. However, I was courious as to whether or not anyone "here" has used the alcohol method. We occasionally do a little "off the trail" camping and usually carry lighter to start a fire (sometimes things are a little damp...and things need a little help). This fire is frequently used for cooking. I still don't like the smell of charcoal lighter. I was hoping someone may have some first hand knowledge of using this method...and as a possible alternative to lighting a fire (charcoal, wood, etc). Thanks!


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## beer-b-q

To me a good rule of thumb would be,_ *If it is a chemical you would not consume in a liquid state, why take the chance of consuming from the fumes penetrating your food.*_ 

A Chimney is the best way to start your charcoal, you can even make your own if you don't want to buy one.  All it takes the gallon size coffee can with a few modifications made to it and you have a chimney.

You can also use a hand held propane torch to light them, just about everyone has one of them...


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## chisoxjim

I wouldnt try it myself, I like using a chimney starter. As others said Id be afraid of chemicals leaching into the food.


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## crewdawg52

Why?  Chimney, newspaper (sprayed with Pam if ya want) is all you need.


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## helljack6

Found that using a Bounty Papertowel sprayed liberally with Pam is more than sufficient to light any amount of charcoal in a weber chimney. Me personnally, I'll either use parafin wax cubes or the side burner on my gasser or the burner on my one of my turkey fryers. It's all about ease.


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