Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Boil Water In a Plastic Bottle Over Coals w/ No Air Space

Boil Water In a Plastic Bottle Over Coals w/ No Air Space
After stone boiling water in a plastic container with great success I have set out to find as many non-traditional mediums to boil water while documenting my success and failure along the way. I will say this method worked great and is the second easiest next to stone boiling I have found thus far. Note this is never a first option and is only a fall back plan if a metal container is not available.
 
1) Find an intact water bottle with lid and fill until you are no longer able to get any air bubbles out of the container.Start horizontal and then move the bottle vertical to get the last of the bubbles out near the neck of the bottle, this process is critical and failure to pay attention will result in failure of the bottle as the air space will cause the bottle to melt.
2) Place the lid onto the bottle underwater using a scooping motion to ensure no air space is in the lid.
3) Place the bottle directly on the hot coals (try to avoid a large amount of flame) with the lid of the bottle elevated (the lid is your biggest chance for a container failure).
4) Try to cover the bottle with hot coals still leaving the bottle's lid uncovered to increase your likelihood of success.
5) Ten or so minutes later you will have boiling water!
6) Once the boil is complete your bottle will remain intact and usable for up to 5 more fires (six total fires is all I've been able to get out of a single bottle thus far)
7) A video of the process (sorry about the loss of the flash mid video but the camera got a little hot from filming and multiple pictures through the night/day).

As always I look forward to your questions, comments and other feedback!

11 comments:

  1. Won't the chemicals in the plastic get in?

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    1. Id never do that. Ick

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    2. If you let the plastic melt yes, if you do it like this the water tastes the same as before and the bottle remains intact but slightly more pliable. everytime I do a survival post for using stuff you find everyone seems to be most worried about chemicals vs. death from dehydration or deathly ill from drinking stagnant, nasty and possibly infected water.

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    3. Prisoners boll water in plastic bottles over toilet paper burners. it witless quite well.

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  2. Showed my nights away assessor this on my assessment camp

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  3. There is much better and easier ways to boil water out in the woods or for survival. Nope to this

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    1. if you have nothing other than what you find this is an option... I.E. you roll your kayak and they only container you have on you is a water bottle that you stuffed into your PFD and a three to five day hike out of the woods. Sometimes the situation mandates what you do... either die of thirst, drink the bad water, build a natural container or use the container to boil.... to each their own.... if i can I would make a quick natural container but if you have ever been in a whitewater canyon there isn't a great deal of natural material that makes a good container.

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  4. Have boiled water in a paper bag...carefully

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    Replies
    1. that post is coming... im working my way through every means I can to boil water

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  5. Do this if you are desperate. The heating of the plastic bottle will emit toxoc fumes. Arghh!!!

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    1. everyone is so afraid of plastic.... this is a skill for your survival skill set. if you are remote kayaking and lose your boat and are only left with a water bottle in your PFD then how are you going to boil water (now if your are a bushcrafter and you say I'll make something I may believe you.... maybe) but for others would you rather die of thirst or use that water bottle? also plastic does not release chemicals into the the water unless you actually melt the plastic and using this method does not melt the plastic at all and water tastes just lie before just warmer.

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