beginner multifuel stove advice
- Thread starter Mike8472
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Just to throw in an alternative, I use an MSR Dragonfly. It's a bit more robust than a Whisperlite (can cope with dirtier fuel for longer) but a bit less 'expedition' than an XGK. And unlike the other two, it has a simmer control.
Why? serious? naptha fumes or vapour can very easily cover the gap between fuel bottle and burner if under pressure.....whoosh. Make sure the burner is cold, naptha is not as forgiving as paraffin.
My my ebay multi fuel arrived the other week, well the stove did but it was missing a fuel bottle. A few emails emailing pics of what was delivered to check not the wrong stove etc and they dispatched the fuel bottle, for £35 can't complain. Delivery was about 2 weeks for the stove then about another 10 days for the fuel bottle.
I had no instructions with the stove and only used a Colman 533 multifuel before, anyway had a play this afternoon. Filled the fuel bottle with panel wipe, pumped it about 20 times, turned it on, let some fuel fill the bowel at the top, turned off the fuel and lit it to prime. Being the first time I accidentally let it burn out as when turned on the valve didn't seem enough pressure. I think i was being over cautious aswell trying to avoid a fireball.
So when it burned out I pumped it a few more times, opened the fuel valve for about 10-15 seconds, shut it and lit it. After about 5-10 seconds i opened the fuel valve and it sprung into life quickly turning into a jet sound with no 4 foot flames. It boiled 400ml of water in a titanium pot in just under 2 minutes and this was a proper rolling boil. Turning off the fuel it took what seemed 2-3mins to full distinguish and stop burning.
I wouldn't like to light one of these in a tent porche without getting good at priming and pre-heating as there was a few flames, not 4 foot but looked like the stove was on fire. I guess a pre-heating paste on the bowl at the top may be a safe bet. As a stove for £35 definitely a bargain and guess all the pressure stoves have the same priming issue if needed to be used in a tent porch under shelter. This will be definitely replacing my coleman 533 as so much more portable
The initially delivered stove. Fuel line, multi tool and spare valve. It came in a black pouch which is not in the shot.
Clean burn with panel wipe
Neatly fits inside the Evernew titanium cookset, just
Nice compact cooking setup, stove, fuel bottel + cookset
I now have the option of multiburner or optimus crux, both fit in the cookset, advantage with the crux though is easy lighting and the fuel also fits in the cookset. The crux may be better for shorter trips, multi fuel for longer trips as don't need to worry about canisters. Anyway, this time next year we'll be having more of the below and a few over night hikes in the lakes, it's suprising how much space the coleman 533 + a standard cookset takes up compared to the new setup.
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I had no instructions with the stove and only used a Colman 533 multifuel before, anyway had a play this afternoon. Filled the fuel bottle with panel wipe, pumped it about 20 times, turned it on, let some fuel fill the bowel at the top, turned off the fuel and lit it to prime. Being the first time I accidentally let it burn out as when turned on the valve didn't seem enough pressure. I think i was being over cautious aswell trying to avoid a fireball.
So when it burned out I pumped it a few more times, opened the fuel valve for about 10-15 seconds, shut it and lit it. After about 5-10 seconds i opened the fuel valve and it sprung into life quickly turning into a jet sound with no 4 foot flames. It boiled 400ml of water in a titanium pot in just under 2 minutes and this was a proper rolling boil. Turning off the fuel it took what seemed 2-3mins to full distinguish and stop burning.
I wouldn't like to light one of these in a tent porche without getting good at priming and pre-heating as there was a few flames, not 4 foot but looked like the stove was on fire. I guess a pre-heating paste on the bowl at the top may be a safe bet. As a stove for £35 definitely a bargain and guess all the pressure stoves have the same priming issue if needed to be used in a tent porch under shelter. This will be definitely replacing my coleman 533 as so much more portable
The initially delivered stove. Fuel line, multi tool and spare valve. It came in a black pouch which is not in the shot.
Clean burn with panel wipe
Neatly fits inside the Evernew titanium cookset, just
Nice compact cooking setup, stove, fuel bottel + cookset
I now have the option of multiburner or optimus crux, both fit in the cookset, advantage with the crux though is easy lighting and the fuel also fits in the cookset. The crux may be better for shorter trips, multi fuel for longer trips as don't need to worry about canisters. Anyway, this time next year we'll be having more of the below and a few over night hikes in the lakes, it's suprising how much space the coleman 533 + a standard cookset takes up compared to the new setup.
Take a can of gas if you are (at your own risk) tent cooking. As you get to know what you are doing, get to 'know' the stove flare ups will all but stop but work on the principle they are possible.
I have several stoves I use Coleman's 442, 445, 536 [M1950 mountain] and a couple of Optimus 8Rs that have never let me down in 35 years.
For muli-fuel I use a MSR Whisperlite International and an Optimus Nova B, with these 2 I always carry a maintenance kit and a tube of Coleman Lubricant. I prefer the Nova for winter (-40 here) because of the metal pump and the MSR for summer. I use a medium MSR fuel bottle 595 ml and a extra 1 lt in winter or for longer trips. The MSR bottles work on almost all remote stoves (apparently not Primus), but MSR stoves require MSR bottles only. MSR bottles are also designed to be pressure bottles. Aside from the plastic pump the MSR also requires a jet change to burn Diesel, Kero, or Jet fuel (JP-8). For the last 6 years they have worked fine.
I always! use Alcohol or alcohol gel such as Green Heat to prime all my stoves, much safer than spraying fuel out, I carry a small 60 ml squeeze bottle for the alcohol. Also put the instruction book in a zip-lock sandwich bag and keep it with stove, it comes in handy if you need to do maintenance on the trail.
I would also advise you to sit down with the stove & instructions and carefully take it apart then reassemble it before heading into the wild. (easier than trying to learn in the dark by flashlight in the middle of nowhere) It also allows you to find out if tools work, I had to find a small screw driver (now part of my stove kit) to remove the jet on the MSR because I just could not get it out with the multi tool that came with the stove. Then with the fuel type you plan to use go out in the backyard & practice with it. Always test fire it at home before heading out to make sure it is operating properly. I test fire all my stoves at least once per year.
Also I never store my stoves or bottles with fuel in them it can cause seals and components to deteriate.
Enjoy your stove experience!
For muli-fuel I use a MSR Whisperlite International and an Optimus Nova B, with these 2 I always carry a maintenance kit and a tube of Coleman Lubricant. I prefer the Nova for winter (-40 here) because of the metal pump and the MSR for summer. I use a medium MSR fuel bottle 595 ml and a extra 1 lt in winter or for longer trips. The MSR bottles work on almost all remote stoves (apparently not Primus), but MSR stoves require MSR bottles only. MSR bottles are also designed to be pressure bottles. Aside from the plastic pump the MSR also requires a jet change to burn Diesel, Kero, or Jet fuel (JP-8). For the last 6 years they have worked fine.
I always! use Alcohol or alcohol gel such as Green Heat to prime all my stoves, much safer than spraying fuel out, I carry a small 60 ml squeeze bottle for the alcohol. Also put the instruction book in a zip-lock sandwich bag and keep it with stove, it comes in handy if you need to do maintenance on the trail.
I would also advise you to sit down with the stove & instructions and carefully take it apart then reassemble it before heading into the wild. (easier than trying to learn in the dark by flashlight in the middle of nowhere) It also allows you to find out if tools work, I had to find a small screw driver (now part of my stove kit) to remove the jet on the MSR because I just could not get it out with the multi tool that came with the stove. Then with the fuel type you plan to use go out in the backyard & practice with it. Always test fire it at home before heading out to make sure it is operating properly. I test fire all my stoves at least once per year.
Also I never store my stoves or bottles with fuel in them it can cause seals and components to deteriate.
Enjoy your stove experience!
This may be a silly question but can meths be used in a multifuel burner? Been wondering as I like the look of multifuel burners and I already have about 10 litres of meths in my shed, bought in bulk for trangia use, I dont drink it. 
This may be a silly question but can meths be used in a multifuel burner? Been wondering as I like the look of multifuel burners and I already have about 10 litres of meths in my shed, bought in bulk for trangia use, I dont drink it.
Some can, the Optimus 111T will when you fit the required jet and a 'restrictor' tube but remember the lower energy content of meths means you will chomp through meths quickly.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-OPTIM...amping_CookingSupplies_ET&hash=item19cb957f71 type of stove.
This may be a silly question but can meths be used in a multifuel burner? Been wondering as I like the look of multifuel burners and I already have about 10 litres of meths in my shed, bought in bulk for trangia use, I dont drink it.
As Richard says, it can be done with some stoves. My personal view is that although meths is nicer to handle, if you can get used to working without spilling fuel (and you should, if only for safety's sake) then it isn't worth the bother and it has one big disadvantage.
On a liquid-fuel pressure stove I use meths for pre-heating the burner because for that purpose it burns more cleanly than the fuel in the stove. But once the burner is hot the stove fuel burns very cleanly, so there's no advantage in using meths.
The big disadvantage of using meths as the main fuel is that for equal volumes of meths and a hydrocarbon fuel, you get two-thirds more heat from the hydrocarbon fuel. That means you can go five days on a fill of something like paraffin, instead of only three on a fill of meths.
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Thanks for the advice Ged and Rik. Will carry on with my trangia till the meths is all gone then look at investing in a multifuel.
I had a similar experience, but the other way around - I got the bottle first, then a big delay while they resent the stove itself. For some reason they have taken to shipping these as two parts, and it seems to go wrong on occasions. Overall though I'm happy with mine - I didn't get a spare valve with it though!
Can I ask which Evernew cookset that is? Looks like a good fit - I'd be interested to find something similar to go with my stove.
Cheers.
i bought a dragonfly a couple of years ago it has been nothing but trouble the pump and seals have been the problem. from new it never worked as well as an old optimus model 8 that i used for years with far less hassle . i will only use it with kero now after an incident where fuel was dripping out of the pump at the junction with fuel tube( due to an o-ring going west only 3 uses after a servis )
I would send off an e-mail to MSR about your Dragonfly explaining the problems you are having they will probably send you a free service kit mayby even a new pump. From what I hear they are good like that.
I was out using my Dragonfly yesterday and as usual, it worked wonderfully. The simmer control is such a useful option - I took a jar of homemade Jamie Oliver 'Epic Chocolate' (try it, it's amazing) and a pint of milk and was able to simmer the milk really gently. Not something that's usually very easy on a petrol style stove.
Admittedly, my Dargonfly hasn't been used REALLY intensively, but in all the use it has had I've still not had to do any maintenance on it.
Admittedly, my Dargonfly hasn't been used REALLY intensively, but in all the use it has had I've still not had to do any maintenance on it.
One really important tip with the Dragonfly (or Whisperlite for that matter) is to treat the plastic pump assembly with a lot of respect, regularly lube the brass on/off valve on the pump and never leave the valve cranked hard shut. I did that with mine, left it for a few months, found it seized in place and sheared it off trying to open the valve. Whole new pump. Expensive if it happens at home and a disaster if it happens on a trip. MSRs are very good but the fragility of the pump assembly lets them down.
Of the two I find the Whisperlite gets taken along more regularly as it is simpler and tougher, but I agree the simmer facility of the Dragonfly is very useful.
Of the two I find the Whisperlite gets taken along more regularly as it is simpler and tougher, but I agree the simmer facility of the Dragonfly is very useful.
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