Good day, stovies, It has been a good while since I have posted but the fact is I didn't have much to say. Today I have a question. I have been gifted a Homestrand Mariner stove complete with the Svea 1915 Kero burners. It came with the silent caps and fuel restrictors for alcohol. In fact, it also came with about a cup of nearly fossilized alcohol in the tank. The pump cup was turned to paste but I had a suitable replacement in the repair kit from Ross. Burners seem ok but one may be leaking. However my real problem is the NRV. I got it out OK and took it apart. The spring was very delicate and broke when I pulled it out. My question is are these springs supposed to be thin and delicate or did this one just corrode away? Can I still use a ball-point pen spring to replace it? Or do these burners have special requirements? Do I just remove the restrictors to use Kero? If the burner valve is leaking, can it be rebuilt? OK, so more than one question, sorry.
http://www.cookwithkenyon.com/wp-co...Homestrand_Alc_Stove_Model_205A_Manual565.pdf If anyone else need this info, here is the site with all the operating instructions.
Great !! to hear from you Sparky, You found your own answer? CCS on-topic details here. credit to idahostoveguy re your "Do I just remove the restrictors to use Kero?" > no. atb thx omc
OMC, regrettably no, the instructions do not mention how to convert the burners. The good news is I have always been a fan of alcohol stoves and I am content to leave it as is. I still need to repair the NRV, though. These stove are either very rare or very unpopular as I have received only your reply, thank you!
Morning, @Sparky , Great to see you back here at CCS, again, Old Friend!! WOW!! Your Homestrand with the #1915 burners is about as good as they come!!!! And, to receive it as a gift, makes it all the more sweet!!! Hearty congratulations, Sir!! If it were mine, I'd remove the fettle both burners, and clean them up, just to make sure all is well. Your restrictors, if they are original, should have four holes on each end, and it does not matter which end is up, if memory serves. Since your stove seems setup for Meths, you should have a jet that has a very small "S" (Spirits) close to the orifice. And, in addition, you will have a special cleaning needle to go with the "S" jet. If you wish to burn kerosene in your #1915 burners, then you will need to remove the "S" jets, and replace them with proper Optimus kero jets, and their associated cleaning needles. When burner kero, you simply remove the retrictors, competely, and put them, and the Meths jets and cleaning needles, somewhere safe, for when you wish to burn Meths again. Here are a few photos of one of my own Homestrand stoves, with those same, wonderful, SVEA #1915 burners. I've installed an Optimus Multi Fuel jet in these burners, and they like both kerosene and Coleman Fuel quite a bit, as you will see in the photos, of the stove in action. I did the patented @kerophile Tea Test, and the Homestrand passed with flying colors!! Left burner: Right burner: Both burners: Kettle on: And, we have ignition...., and ready for a good cuppa!! Please find below, some additional information on the Homestrand model with SVEA #1915 burners. See if this info helps you. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc PS - Sparky, this stove loves Meths, too, as long as you install the "S" jet and it's proper cleaning needle, and reinstall the proper retrictor!! Forgot to mention that. So, IMHO, this particular Homestrand is absolutely the best of all the different Models that Homestrand ever offered, period!
Hi Doc, nice to hear from you! Thanks so much for the info sheets, too. Before I can do anything with the stove, I need to order a new NRV. I tried and tried to rebuild it but it is badly corroded and the pip will not move freely. I will contact Kenyon about a replacement. They advertise them on their site for about $12. The stove has been sitting on a boat, unused but with a cup of alcohol in the tank for at least a decade. It is not in great shape but the price was right. I cannot see any s on the burner as it is crusted over with a white corrosion (salt?). I had hopes the burners were functional but now I am not so sure. Having retired 2 years ago, I cannot let a free stove become a money pit! If I get it running, I will post a flame shot!
Hey, Sparky, The "S" is actually on the top of the jet, next to the orifice. Of course, someone in the past might have changed the SVEA jets for later ones. IF you want me to, you can send me the burners, and I can give them the "once over", test them, and return them to you. Also, I may well have an NRV assembly I can send you, if that would help. Just let me know, and I'll pop one on the Post to you. Are you still at the same address? Send me a PT, if you would rather talk further. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc PS - Those SVEA #1915 burners are MUCH sought-after, so yes, they are very rare, indeed, and well worth fettling back to life!!
OK, tore the burners out of the frame and cleaned up the top of the jet. Found the "S" just where you said it would be! I am going to separate the burners from the bases tomorrow. I hope. I have been liberally applying WD40 to all the connections, screws, threaded areas to break them loose. Unfortunately, when folks read a device is "Low Maintenance" they think "No Maintenance".
Well, due to the kind generosity of Doc Mark, I received a new NRV for this stove yesterday and got it installed. I tried to remove the burners from the base but they are very stubborn. I wanted to see if they were in working condition before I spent more time and effort to remove them so I first tested the pressurization of the tank. I Shot alcohol 3 feet in the air with both burners. So I filled the pre-heat cups and lit them off. When the preheat was burned out I lit up burner 1. It ran fine given it was running 20 year old alcohol that remained in the burner tubes. Burner 2 ran fine also. I am going to leave the burners in place for now and just clean the stove up.
Hey, @Sparky, Well done, my friend! I'm glad you could make use of the NRV, and was happy to send it your way. I think, once you burn more fresh Meths in it, you should be seeing a good, strong, blue flame! Your version of the Homestrand stove is the absolute Best of Breed, IMHO!! I am very happy for your success in scoring it, and for your success in bringing it back to life!!! Brilliant!! Have continued fun, and again, very well done, Sparky!! Take care, and God Bless! Doc
This is the other burner which seems to be burning better. There is almost no alcohol in the tube and very little pressure so maybe it will burn better with a full tank and more pressure.
Thank you, kerophile, yes but a bit too much pressure. It only needs about 10 strokes and this was 20.
Morning, @Sparky , WOW! Your stove looks great, and the flames are lovely! Those SVEA M1915 burners are the Dog's B's in my book!!! Feed 'em good fuel, and they will respond with excellent performance, time and time again!! I don't see any of the priming tubes on your burners. Did you get them with the stove? If not, then you can buy some, as Basecamp has them, I believe. Check with Mike, and see if he still has some in stock. Attach them to your burners, and you will be glad you did. They work a treat!! Are you going to use your stove as it is, or remove the burner for some other project? I'd recommend using it as you now have it, my friend, as that gives you a wonderfully usable stove that can just about do anything that needs be done!! Your's is burner nicely, and should continue to do that for many, many years. When using mine outdoors, I always wrap two folding windscreens around the back, and sides, to help stove performance, and that works quite well. FYI. Great job on getting those burners burning nicely, Sparky!!! Brilliant! Take care, have fun, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Thanks Doc, yes, it has the priming tubes and they work nicely. I think the fuel is still contaminated as I did not flush it well. I just poured out the old stuff and refilled it. I will flush it better when I refill it. I put it all back together yesterday and it would not light! I left it overnight and it fired right up. NOW do you believe in the stove fairies?
