What is the difference between the pure kerosene stoves, multitfuel and petrol stoves. What are the physical and mechanical differences that make some stoves capable of many fuel types and most just kerosene?
Simple question but difficult to answer. Have a read through this old thread: Burner Plate and Fuel Tuning Best Regards, Kerophile.
Thank you, essentially a kerosene burner head can be used with any fule, its down to the pressure release.
It's also down to the mode failure... kero leak in a kero stove, smelly fingers. Petrol leak in a kero stove, fireball and potential death. It has happened too!
Hi, Colin is correct. Ignition of gasoline from the air release valve is only one mode of failure. A leak from a Non Return Valve (NRV) in the pump, and ignition of liquid fuel is a major hazard:
Greetings, @Anton , As has been said, this is a VERY important topic, and one to which considerable attention MUST be given!!! As a simple rule of thumb: use the proper fuel, in the proper stove, and all should go fairly well. Experiment with using an improper fuel in a stove not designed to burn it, and the end result can be uncontrollable conflagration, and death!!! That's IT, in a nutshell. We, here in Southern California, are still in shock over the recent horrible diving boat fire, and the loss of 34 innocent lives! Though no cause will be determined for some time, it's highly likely that it may have been caused by improper use of the stove/fuel in the galley! This should be a strong reminder to us all, to be exceedingly careful in using flammable fuels in our stoves, and additionally, and MOST ESPECIALLY when thinking about using the wrong fuel, in the wrong stove!!! Have fun, but be careful!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
There are several considerations for burner design and fuel selection. Kerosene is more difficult to vaporize than white gas so kerosene burners tend to have more heated area in the flame path. Kerosene is a heavier or more complex hydrocarbon molecule, so that means more carbon-which means the more oxygen is required to fully oxidize. In a multifuel burner this is accomplished with a smaller jet for kerosene and a larger jet for white gas. And a much larger jet for alcohol fuel. So I’d say only treat stoves that were designed to be multifuel stoves as multifuel stoves. Use those as designed and take care of maintenance and repairs before you get a fireball.
True, but then you have the 111, 111B, and 111T, etc that has the chance of an NRV failure, as mentioned above. Leaking white gas stove that does have a shutoff valve.
This is the reason I stopped using white gas in tents. I actually had this happen on a Primus Omnifuel on white gas. Was adding pressure with the pump, and suddenly fuel flooded out of the pump tube. Luckily I was not in a tent, and it happened prior to lighting the stove. It was a chilling experience, and I don't even want to think about what could have happened. I considered contacting Primus to inform them about this critical failure, but apparently it is a well known flaw. They even mention that the NRV can get stuck in the instructional video for the stove! I was shocked, and started using mostly kerosene stoves after this. Whichever stove you use, take care of your NRV's! Håkon
And don'think liqued fueled can get a bit tasty. Current avatar is from using a small chinese wood burner.
I had an Optimus Nova pump fail on me. NRV was fine, the pump itself is what failed. Luckily it only dripped and I was burning kerosene at the time, but it definitely could have been bad. Been a bit gun-shy since, and tend to regard anything with an NRV that isn't a Coleman style system as suspect, and kerosene-only regardless of "multifuel" claims.
Yes, with that one exception: Optimus Polaris - which is not only multifuel but omnifuel --- on a single jet-for-all-fuels (apart from alcohol)! It even fires camping gas on that jet, both in gaseous and liquid form.
