I got a working O-00 from Ebay for a pretty penny these last few weeks. It has a seemingly fine flame, but it also smells like kero at all times, but hey, I like a challenge. I got myself a few of strange long T shapped tools, and parts kit, rings and the whole 9 yards I replaced the cap o ring, and the NRV valve in its entirety. I will get those little nitrile bits soon to fix the old one. It seems to work fine now, lights up and has a nice blue flame and less of a kero smell after it has been turned off. However, there is still a problem problem. My Svea and SnowpeakGiga have the same boil time as the Optimus! I got this stove expecting to match the 5 min flat boil times that other users have here. Many high altitude expeditions used it as a snow melter. I think you would agree these results are a bit subpar for such an important task. What can I replace or clean further on this Optimus 00 to get it to boil a 5 min liter? I heard about connecting a compressor to the end of the burner head and blowtorching it, or putting it into an ultrasonic cleaner, or carburator cleaner. Maybe I missed something and some one can point me to a solution that does not involve expensive machinery. Thanks for the hand. -Arson
There is only so much fuel that can be forced through the jet in a pressure stove, limiting the heat output. More fuel does equal more heat, but it comes with a price, more fuel burned. I'm pretty sure the folks who designed and made these wonders had that fairly well figured outl For nearly all of my camping and hiking "career" I used a Svea 123/SIGG combination and never felt understoved, even when melting snow, a really fuel inefficient activity. My attitude was and is, What Difference Does It Make? When I go camping or hiking, as soon as my boots hit the trail, I'm there. A few minutes longer waiting for my coffee or tea is of no consequence. As it happens I much prefer an open fire and actually used the stove as a back-up much more often than not. Until after I was old enough to vote (21) the only stove I had was a sterno stove and a buddy burner and I thought I was well equipped. Gerry
You are aware that you live at or near 10,000 feet (3000meters) altitude there in Leadville, Colorado? And, you are aware that altitude greatly affects boil times? I may be able to get sub-five-minute boil times where I live (altitude 235 feet or 71 meters), but you are unlikely to be able to ever make that at your altitude. This is due to less oxygen and lower air pressure in your location. It's why mountaineers have to acclimatize to climb high mountains. Sorry, can't change physics. And, really, and extra four minutes? No biggie.
Yep, I didn't think this thread through much. On top of the 10,000 feet thing, I forgot to mention that I only pumped my stove 4 times. Doc just messaged me and suggested that was way to little. I just got it to do a 6:00 min boil. Thanks for the help everyone. I'll let myself out.. -Arson
Going by the flame colour and shape there does not appear to be too much wrong with your 00. If you've replaced all of the seal, pricked the jet and you're happy that it is the correct size of orifice there's not too much more that you can do. If the burner tubes are clogged with carbon you don't get a powerful blue flame because the kero that does make it through doesn't get warm enough to vapourize properly. A short soak of the burner in citric acid might gain you something but IMHO you've not got significant blockage and won't get more than a few percent extra. The size and shape of your chosen pot, using a lid and protecting from wind (without enclosing the stove too closely) might make a significant difference. Regards John
I'm sure that physics comment burbled up directly from my watching so much Trek. Good call, Baja. But, actually, before someone else jumps on it, I thought maybe I could self-correct and point out that temperatures required to boil water actually decrease with increases in altitude. Lower boiling temperatures mean longer cooking times. What I was referencing in my post was that there is less oxygen at altitude to combine with the fuel vapor. Less oxygen means that some vapor is lost and the mix is rich. That's why carburetors on cars have to be rejetted for use in places like... Colorado. Otherwise, the engines run too rich. If fuel isn't being burned, then there is less heat produced. Less heat = longer boil times. Now whether the lower boiling points might counter the lower heat production is another facet altogether. With this new information in from arson51 on his six minute boil, I'm guessing that maybe it balances out. I just did six minutes to a roiling boil on my 00 moments ago. So, I'm guessing it does. ?? Maybe we should swap stoves and try it again, Arson? All in the name of science?
I would say 6 minutes for a liter at 10K is a great boil time. 10 minutes is good. If I go up into the hills and boil something, it takes about 10 minutes to get to 196F boil time with a Svea 123 at around 8000 feet of elevation in a Sigg Tourist cook set. If it took 20 minutes, I would be worried, but I'm not worried with 10 minutes. That was in the middle of the day in August with ambient temperature around 85F in the shade. No one was in a hurry, so the boil time really didn't matter to me. Besides, your flame looks perfectly blue and very nice, like Gary's. sam
Hi Bernie; I may have miss-understood your post. But water boils at a lower temp. at higher elevations and not the other way around. This is due lower air presure at higher elevations compared to one atmospher at mean sea level. Nice picture of your work-shop. Is that a Fordom motor for polishing? No dust cover? Dariush P.S. That is a nice flame on the 00. Noting wrong with it.
