Kelly Kettle wood gas modification

I have owned a Kelly Kettle (see first photograph) for sometime. I use it for boiling water outdoors. There is also an attachment for the chimney whereby you can place a pot or pan to cook food too.

Kettle Kettles use small amounts of wood as is but from tinkering with wood gas I knew I could do better. Not only that but I have noticed that other peoples' kettles get quite dirty so I knew that a wood gas conversion would help there too.

In the second photograph, we see a standard MIDGE stove constructed from two suitable cans. The outer can fits the bottom of the kettle perfectly and the inner can is suited to the outer can of the MIDGE stove.

In  the third photograph, we see a serpentine of metal scrap that keeps the MIDGE stove raised above the floor of the lower kettle chamber. This allows air

To start the kettle with this modification. Leave the top (water jacket chimney) off the lower part of the kettle. Put your wood into the MIDGE as you would do normally.

Light the MIDGE stove and when a fire is established, put the water jacket chimney on top of the lower kettle chamber as in the first photograph. Fresh fuel can be dropped into the MIDGE stove via the top of the chimney.

As you can see in the final photograph, the lower chamber is quite clean, unlike standard Kelly Kettles which are soon covered in tar.

7 comments:

Krzysztof Lis said...

Could you provide us with some drawing that would show the section of this modified kettle?

James said...

You want to know what the addition (MIDGE) looks like?

If so then look at http://stoves.bioenergylists.org/stovesdoc/midge/THE_COMPLETE_MIDGE.pdf

If not then provide more detail of what you want know. Thanks.

Krzysztof Lis said...

I'd like to know exactly how the MIDGE is installed inside the kettle. :)

Is the outer diameter of MIDGE close to the inner diameter of the kettle's combustion chamber, or is it some extra space between?

James said...

The MIDGE should have a tight a fit into the Kelly Kettle combustion chamber.

You want air to enter the MIDGE from the bottom rather than getting through the side, between the Kelly Kettle and the MIDGE.

Heating Engineer Newcastle said...

Hello James,
This is the first time I've come across a MIDGE and must say I'm intrigued to try scaling this up - A Summer project perhaps

ajury said...

What size kettle are you using?

James said...

I'm fairly certain it's a 1.5 litre one.