My Optimus 80 project is going well; I replaced the filler cap seal, cleaned up the valve and burner, replaced the wick and the orfice, and it runs great. BUT. The original wick had a brass screen wrapped around the top. I was unable to wrap the screen around the new wick and get it back in so I just stuffed the wick in without the screen. What does the screen do? It seems like the wick itself would act as a filter. Chris
Filtering fuel isn’t the purpose of the screen or the primary purpose of the wick for that matter. The wick’s main role is fuel transfer, tank-to-burner. Along with the brass screen, the wick facilitates heat transfer and distribution to the fuel to vapourise it. Not all manufacturers of self-pressurising stoves included a brass screen, but it may shield the wick from scorching and lengthen its useful life. That said, running such a stove dry of fuel burns the wick, brass gauze or not and a burnt wick ruins vapourisation and sends carbon particles to the jet, blocking it repeatedly. John
I knew that the wick transfers the fuel. Is there any consensus on whether the screen is really needed? Anybody sell wicks with screen?
I usually have to leave a screen out as I'm unable to compress the wick enough to push it back in. Have done many stoves and models this way. Maybe only one or two where I was able to reuse the screen. Duane
If it came out, it will go in. After cleaning the wirecloth, a torch and a brush, I wrap the wick, and wire if there is one, in the wirecloth and push it in.
