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Primus Omnifuel - diesel stove?! Primus Omnifuel - diesel stove?!
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland




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  #1  
Old 7 Apr 2006
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Primus Omnifuel - diesel stove?!
I've just browsed through the catalogue of one of the local camping shops and seen the Primus Omnifuel stove, which the catalogue boasts "...will burn on virtually any type of fuel including petrol, diesel and even aviation fuel."

Now I'm not about to race down and buy one (not at £114.99 anyway), but the idea of a stove which runs on the same fuel as my Toyo sounds good - too good to be true I suspect.

Has anyone ever used one of these contraptions? I can only imagine it (when running on diesel) to be a fickle, dirty, smelly piece of kit... but I'm intrigued.

Any experience of these would be... interesting.

Cheers

Dan

[This message has been edited by danielsprague (edited 07 April 2006).]
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  #2  
Old 26 Apr 2006
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Dan
I've got one of these and they do what they say on the tin. You get 2 nozzles , one for petrol and low flash point fuels and another for diesel. I haven't tried mine on diesel but normal leaded or unleaded petrol works fine but your pots get a bit black so I imagine that diesel would compound this. When burning they sound a bit like a mini F16 jet fighter but are very efficient and boil up quickly at all temperatures and altitudes. Mine only cost about half what you have been quoted - I think I paid about 60 pounds for it a year back . I got it from Les at traveldri (http://web.ukonline.co.uk/leslie.madge/index.html) I don't see them listed on his website but I am sure he'll give you a price if you email him for some info.
I rate these as a great little stove, not cheap but efficient and compact.
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  #3  
Old 27 Apr 2006
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Multi fuel stoves
I have used my MSR International 600 liquid fuel stove for over ten years with no major problems. These types of stoves come with two different jets. One is for white gas, petrol, etc., the other larger jet for diesel fuel. The diesel fuel does not give the most effecient flame do to the impurities in diesel, but will work. I have used every type of liquid fuel avaliable with the exception of aviation fuel. They have all worked well for cooking and boiling water. As above the white gas, (Coleman fuel) or petrol works the best, providing the most effecient flame. I have even used stoddard solvent a few times. MSR, Primus and Coleman all make an excellent multi fuel stove. There are a few different designs of the stoves, but definitely reccommend a multi fuel type.
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  #4  
Old 4 Jun 2006
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Primus Omnifuel
I bought the Primus Omnifuel in Kathmandu for NZ$150 (GBP 50). I have had several gas stoves but had trouble finding canisters (It seems that there isn't a camping shop in Egypt or India). Also problems taking a Coleman multi-fuel stove on aeroplanes. The airlines get all paranoid because they can smell petrol even when the tank is full of water. I wash out the Primus fuel bottle with detergent and leave some in there so all they smell is lemon-fresh. Haven't tried diesel either.
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  #5  
Old 5 Jun 2006
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I own a Primus Omnifuel. I've never run diesel on it. Even though it can run on it, it is probably one of the least favourable fuels you can use.

I've placed a post here regarding different types of fuel: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...obsolete-21665

As for aviation fuel, this is pretty much the same as Kerosene/Parraffin, and works wonderfully... but a little bit more smokey than for instance lamp parraffin.
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  #6  
Old 5 Jun 2006
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I've used an MSR XKG Shaker-Jet multi-fuel stove, again can be run on anything, less maintenance than my whisperlite 600 (but heavier). The XKG works well, even at altitude, but for bike trips I like my whisperlite - lightweight, works on leaded or unleaded fuel (just like my bike so always have fuel), and with a small spares kit will go for years and years
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  #7  
Old 27 Feb 2007
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Running Omnifuel on petrol for extended period
I rushed out and bought the Primus Omnifuel in a fit of enthusiasm, then read Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycle Handbook. He questions the ability of what he calls "red bottle jobs" to run for extended periods of time on petrol.

I'm going to be using the stove regularly for 5 months through Africa, and was wondering if anyone had experienced problems running the Omnifuel on petrol for this length of time? Especially with the poor quality leaded petrol they have in Africa?
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  #8  
Old 27 Feb 2007
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I used the MSR XKG stove on a six month trip round Australia. I didn't use it every day but it had a lot of use and performed faultlesly. Never used anything other than unleaded, a bit sooty but burned good and hot. The only bad point is the flame's not very controlable, a bit all or nothing, but I believe the Primus is better in this respect. That said, if I was to run a stove solely on petrol again, I think I'd go for the Coleman 533 for simplicity. The MSR is a bit of a faff to put together and a bit awkward on rough ground. It's not a big deal, just a bit hassly. If you don't need the multi-fuel capability I'd go with the 533.
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Old 28 Feb 2007
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I've the coleman 442 stove .. not desile but unleaded.
It will make teh pots black if youput them straight on after it statarts up. If you wait 30 seconds or so then you can keep clean(er) pots. Don't think desile would burn any worse than leaded petrol (avgas is 10 times the lead of leaded petrol). Just leat it heat up before you put the pot on.

I have a MSR XKG thingy - and that is on or off, the coleman 442 is much better at controlling the heat. Might not get as hot for a quick boil for tea.
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  #10  
Old 1 Mar 2007
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Military Dielsel stoves
Can't comment on your particular stove but the British army uses diesel stoves, (similar to the old Optimus Hunter in a box) so we don't have to carry petrol and deisel.

start them with a preheating paste and they are a bit smelly but burn very hot.
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  #11  
Old 1 Mar 2007
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I bought one of the first MSR multi-fuels and have used it without trouble for several years. Never ran diesel but have used leaded, unleaded, kerosene without a problem. Don't think the model I have ever said I could use diesel, so never tried it. Buy an unpainted aluminum bottle. Use it for your fuel. In most of Europe they won't sell you fuel if it is not red. Buy a piece of red artist paper, the shiny kind and children's glue. When you get through the airports, put the paper on the bottle. Time to leave, take off the paper and give it a rinse, fill it with cola and drink some of it in front of them. Very touchy about it in the UK and now I suppose the states since you can't ever carry mouthwash in the original bottle.
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