# I set myself on fire! (tell me how) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994 "2003-12-19T16:47:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SteelWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@SteelWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteelWolf)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994/21 "2003-12-20T03:33:38Z")
Well, I’ve got an electric oven with a partially blocked vent (movers dropped it). I think I’ll swing by my old college lab and borrow some ethanol. I’ll post the results here. 😃 One question **MixieArmadillo** : What’s your elevation above sea level? Ambient pressure could affect the results - I’m at about 5600 feet. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994/22 "2003-12-20T05:51:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bbeaty \* > \*\*If it were MY kitchen, I’d yell “watch this!” then turn off the lights, then flap open the oven door. (Then the teletubbies all say Again! Again!) I should add this thread to my website [SCIENCE PROJECTS: Unwise Microwave Oven Experiments, Top Page](http://amasci.com/weird/microexp.html). People with no microwave ovens shouldn’t feel left out. \*\* 😃 Hell, as long as it won’t hurt the oven, I’m all for kitchen pyrotechnics. Must add “fire extinguisher” to the Christmas list, though. And remember to duck next time. Those were _damn_ good apples. And you’re welcome to post my unwise and/or unwitting oven experiements 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994/23 "2003-12-20T05:55:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SteelWolf \* > \*\*Well, I’ve got an electric oven with a partially blocked vent (movers dropped it). I think I’ll swing by my old college lab and borrow some ethanol. > > I’ll post the results here. 😃 > > One question **MixieArmadillo** : What’s your elevation above sea level? Ambient pressure could affect the results - I’m at about 5600 feet. \*\* Disclaimer: The OP is not responsible for any heinous injuries caused by experimentally minded Dopers in the recreation of the Great Oven Infernotm Be sure to take pictures 😃 I’m in Eugene, Oregon, haven’t a clue what the elevation is. Higher than sea level, presumably, 'cause we’ve got them thar big hilly thangs right o’er yonder. ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994/24 "2003-12-20T06:01:23Z")
Yes, if the oven is clean, I’d go with a blocked vent. (I understand people not cleaning their ovens. When I was rowing up, my parents seem to never have heard of cleaning an oven. Well, they cleaned the ovens on their rental properties, but I don’t think they have cleaned their own five times in 40+ years of marriage. I actually run the self-clean-cycle myself if I’m there on a nice day when I can run the attic fan, because they claim they don’t know how, despite the unstructions I’ve permanently mounted on the fridge) A previous tenant may have used aluminum foil to line the stove burner pans. I’ve seen tenants who’ve never bought a stove (and therefore never seen a manual) seal an oven vent because they didn’t understand what they were. Landlords may not notice. If there is proper ventilation (as the oven was designed), I wouldn’t worry about cooking with alcohol. I’ve certainly never had an issue with it, and I’ve served many a flambe’ without incident. Find what’s wrong with your oven venting, and worry no more. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994/25 "2003-12-20T12:04:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bbeaty \* > **The alcohol gas might be so dense that it won’t rise to the top of the oven even when hot. Yep. Expand it 1.6x to make it equal the density of hot air. 1.6 times room temperature is 900F degrees.** How do you figure that? Assume room temperature = 60 degrees F (288 Kelvin). 288 K \* 1.6 = 460 K = 368 degrees F [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-set-myself-on-fire-tell-me-how/219994.md?page=1)