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[Dowser]

I’ve been persevering with a small Camping Gaz stove since my Scouting Days, many moons ago, and recently decided enough is enough... time for a new stove.  At our last family camp Matthewrblack produced one of the coolest looking stoves I'd ever seen, an Optimus Multifuel, and I thought to myself I gotta get myself one of those!

So, having carried out what I thought was a lot of research into Multifuels, I decided to go for the Primus Omnifuel for a number of reasons.  The stove is marketed as follows:

Primus Omnifuel
Our most advanced cooking stove - a refinement of the MultiFuel stove. For those who want the best and most adaptable stove on the market.

OmniFuel works with virtually all types of fuel, from LP gas, gasoline/petrol and diesel to kerosene - even aviation fuel. The Primus Omnifuel stove's new preheating system saves fuel while minimizing pre-heating time. Using the separate control knob, the flame can be adjusted to provide the exact heat required.
The Primus Omnifuel cooking stove comes with a multi tool that enables the user to disassemble and assemble the stove at any time. Also includes a cleaning needle.

Sounds Great but this morning I tried for the first time to get it lit...  It is now 3pm and I dont know how to feel  .

Can't get the thing to run right at all. The only suitable fuel I had to hand was a gallon of diesel. What I didn't realise with the Multifuel Stove is that all of the fuels listed that it can use requires a different jet to be fitted (although they are supplied).  Another thing that annoyed me a bit was the different fuels that are supposedly suitable have clauses.  The manual says this about them:

Primus Cartridge Gas - This is the ideal fuel for the Omnifuel Stove. (But I wanted to get away from buying specific gas canisters).
High Quality White Gas - Affords clean combustion with no deposits. (Can't quite work out what White Gas is yet)
Petrol - Vehicle petrol should only be used in exceptional circumstances as it is harmful to your health. (Bummer)
Kerosene - Although available worldwide it produces too much soot. (Double Bummer)
Diesel Oil - May be used if no other fuel is available. Very Sooty, long time to pre-heat. (Triple Bummer)

Wish I had known this before I forked out £114.00 quid on it.  I had visions of me strolling into my local BP Station and being spoilt for choice on what fuel take with me on my latest expedition.

Has anybody out there got one of these Multifuel Stoves and can advise me which fuel is best or what White Gas is? I would like to avoid having to buy Primus gas cannisters but if thats the only way to get this thing running cleanly and efficiently I will.  Maybe I should have just bought a pocket rocket

The diesel I used is very sooty, messy, and has probably killed half of the grass in my back garden cause it shoots about 6ft in the air when you open the valve to much.

I've put photos of the three stoves I researched on flickr along with photos of my first burn of the Primus Omnifuel.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50636788@N05/with/4652319323/

Let me know your thought and or experiences with Multifuel stoves.  I'm experiencing bit of an anti-climax at the mo and hope somebody can reassure me that not only is it a cool toy but that it has a practical application too.

I wanna be able to eat a pot noodle in -20 Degrees because I own one of these.

PS I wonder can you use Meths..? No mention of it in the manual..!

Dowser


 

[Hound of Ulster]

Cheer up Dowser ,


I have a primus multifuel stove not exactly the same as yours but close enough.

Gas is going to be your cleanest fuel, most gas is interchangeable afaik.

Petrol is sooty, but if you clean your stove after each use and clean your pots and pans you will be fine....no soot build up.

Don't know about using diesel, but knowing cars it would be harder to light and more sooty, but the soot is all relative. Everyone of them is poisonous to some degree or other.

We have boiled water cooked bacon and eggs and sausages etc all with no problem with the petrol.

Have just bought a Jetboil Flash, primarily for boiling water for tea/coffee and it is purely gas.

The petrol only becomes sooty if you don't clean after several uses. It still cooks and as you are out in the open is not a great problem.

Also depends on how often or for how long you are going out camping. If you run out of gas, at least you can use petrol or diesel to cook with.

Looking at your pictures remember you will have a pot over the cooker so should not get as much soot in the air. Did you build up the pressure in the fuel bottle sufficiently by pumping the silver pump handle? If you don't create enough pressure then it simply won't work effectively.

HoU

[Dowser]

Did you build up the pressure in the fuel bottle sufficiently by pumping the silver pump handle?

Hound,  I chucked the diesel and tried meths and still had no joy.  Thing just wouldn't keep burning after the initial priming fuel run out.  Took your advice and pumped like hell and now the thing is boiling in record time.  The manual says pump the handle twenty times, but what do they know.

Now I'm happy

Cheers Hound, I was ready for throwing it in the bin.

 

[Dowser]

Took your advice and pumped like hell and now the thing is boiling in record time. 

Spoke to soon... The stove has stopped working again...  Was in the middle of making the kids Super Noodles and it just went out.  It was still blowing out vapourised fuel like mad so I don't think it is a pressure issue.

It also seems to be impossible to re-light when it has went out.  Seem like you have to let it cool down completely, then go through the whole priming process before you can re-light it.  Can't just be turned on and off which you sort of want to do if your trying to conserve fuel on a long trip.

I have to say first impressions are not good.  For the money I want a hassle free, easy to use, reliable stove.  Right now I can't cook Super Noodles in my back garden.  I wouldn't want to be depending on it at the top of a mountain.

 

[Matthew]

The wee Optimus stove I have uses the same jet for all fuels. I have never used diesel as I read it produces too much fuel and clogs the jet quickly.
I have only ever used petrol and more recently white gas or primus fuel. For me this is the best stuff, slightly more costly but there are very few fumes once the stove has been put out, unlike petrol,

I have a full 1L tank of fuel I'm trying to get rid of before I travel so if you want some to try it send me a message... 07815098140


DO NOT USE METHS this was the warning I was given when I suggested it as a fuel type.I have always stuck by this though I have seen people using a drop to prime the stove.

[Dowser]

  I'm smiling again...

Matthew just called round and got the Primus working perfect.  Lighting first time from cold, Re-lighting first time from hot etc etc. It does seem to be a multi fuel set up, but only as a last resort.  The ideal fuel is Primus PowerFuel, not available in my local BP  , but can be got in Cotswolds for not a lot of money.  Seems to be very clean burning and gives of an amazing amount of heat. Anyone know how long it takes for eyelashes to grow back???

Kids will get their Super Noodles after all.

Cheers Matt for all you help.  There was nearly a very cheap Primus on Ebay.

[chris]

I remember seeing one in work a couple of weeks ago and They seemed to have a problem keeping it light. we eventually just had to give up and send it back to primus. Cotswold do a bottle of primus liquid fuel type stuff, you could try some of that and If it still doesn't work then get on the blower to Primus and see what they recomend.

[Matthew]

This is the stuff you need buddy.  



Or have a look here
http://www.upandunder.co.uk/eshop/catalogue/testbs.asp?Manufacturer_ID=96&Activity_ID=10&Description_ID=35

 Anyone know how long it takes for eyelashes to grow back???

http://tinyurl.com/2eallh3

Sorry I could not resist.

[Dowser]

Okay... Most of what I said in my first post I take back.  The Primus Omnifuel has turned out to be a seriously good piece of kit.  The ideal liquid fuel is the Primus Power Fuel that Matthew has posted a picture of above.  I have now tried petrol too and it works fine. I do like the option of being able to stick a gas canister on it too for absolute convenience.

It can be lit, put out and re-lit immediately. I can even get it lit with my Zippo no probs what-so-ever.

I'm posting this because I don't want to think that I have put anyone off buying one based on my first impressions.

Here's a link that shows comparison tests and stuff for the leading Multifuel stoves: http://gears.bishopmartin.com/category/primus/

I am now completely convinced it was money well spent. 

[Simon Barry]

I've used a multifuel stove for some years (and just to make you sick, its a chinese knock off , similar to this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gasoline-Gas-Multi-Stove-TK800-S-9-complete-set_W0QQitemZ120574274557QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16036QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem which I paid £26 delivered for).

This was as a response to being out with some guys with multifuel stoves in the winter.

Two things.  As a gas burner, all the single jet multifuels I have come across burn a lot of gas.  Second, given the choice, I burn Aspen 4t (there doesnt seem to be a stockist in N ireland, but try http://www.aaoil.co.uk/environment-Aspen-Stockists) which is 1/6th the price of Coleman and very very clean.  A close second is Panel Wipe, from a motor factors.

Car petrol/diesel/white spirit/paraffin - forget it.  Oily, slow to prime, sooty, smelly...

As for meths.  No..never.  With the very low flash point of alcohol, seems a fast way to die to me

[Matthew]

I've used a multifuel stove for some years (and just to make you sick, its a chinese knock off , similar to this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gasoline-Gas-Multi-Stove-TK800-S-9-complete-set_W0QQitemZ120574274557QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16036QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem which I paid £26 delivered for).

Aah I always wondered what these were like, I assumed they were meade from bean tins and would lot last but at 26 quid thats a bargain.

[Dowser]

I've used a multifuel stove for some years (and just to make you sick, its a chinese knock off , similar to this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gasoline-Gas-Multi-Stove-TK800-S-9-complete-set_W0QQitemZ120574274557QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16036QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem which I paid £26 delivered for).

For 26 Quid you could nearly class this as a disposable... You would never need to buy a servicing kit again    If anything goes wrong with my Primus I'll be giving one of these a go.

[Simon Barry]

The supplier (PlusCity) is getting a reasonable reputation on other forums (isnt that forai) and I have bought several bits from them - a pocket rocket clone for £5 delivered, the multi-fuel stove (I actually bought 30 of them for a DoE group, hence the price - they were used as gas/multifuel conversions for Trangias).

Their stuff seems to be made by FireMaple which seems to supply many of the "names"

[Celt_Ginger]

I've had a Primus Omnifuel for years and I love it. I've never had and problems with it. When using any liquid fuel, proper pre-heating is important, but once this has been done, it has worked faultlessly. I mainly use normal unleaded petrol in it, but have tried diesel and kerosene as well, and they all worked fine. Gas canisters were good, but it's expensive.

[Hound of Ulster]

Glad you got it sorted  Just back from a night up at Donard Wood using my Primus with Gas this time. Handy convenient and clean. Petrol works fine also, but needs more cleaning afterwords to keep it working well.

Had a great time in hammocks, reminded me of the old westerns when they pulled the wagons round in a square shape, slept like a baby but didn't want to get up as I was so comfortable.

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