This is a prototype of the new (for 2012) Whisperlite Universal. I received this prototype last night from MSR for the purposes of writing a review. I have to return the stove within one week. Jets, left to right: UC (Universal -- Canister), UG (Universal -- Gasoline), UK (Universal Kerosene). Note the extended nature of the UC jet. The length of the jet restricts the amount of air that enters the mixture in the mixing chamber. The UG and UK jets appear to be the same as the jets for a Whisperlite Internationale although there may be some subtle difference not perceptible to the naked eye. I will add additional photos as time permits. HJ
If by "follow suit" you mean more of MSR's stoves will be both gas and liquid fueled stoves, I don't think so. MSR has to do a lot more work to have multiple jets and to have multiple connectors. More work = more production cost. I think the high end stoves might have enough "margin" to absorb the additional production costs, but I think some of the other stoves will remain as they are. MSR needs to be able to market to all price points. You might see some of their high end stoves convert over (the XGK EX and Dragonfly). An adapter for some future Dragonfly that can attach to a standard pump would be a very nice thing. Or maybe John (presscall) can whip one up for us right here and now. HJ
Ha! Well done Jim for getting a sample to test. Having enjoyed reading your series of tests on stoves, I know your eventual report will be insightful and a fascinating read. Coincidentally, this very evening I've stripped down an (old) Whisperlite and an (iso-butane only) MSR Rapidfire in order to compare parts. Having successfully fuelled up, with an adaptor, the Whisperlite on iso-butane (Old) Whisperlite on iso-butane I was intrigued to establish whether the Rapidfire was the same stove without a primer cup. It wasn't. Jet sizes were identical, but the vertical, tubular mixing chamber had larger air metering holes in the Whisperlite and the air space formed by the dished base of the burner bell and the dome of the burner cap was taller, with a couple more burner rings lifting the cap higher in addition - so more air available for combustion with a combustion chamber of larger volume. The vapouriser tube 'loop' on the Whisperlite had a brass tubular sleeve over the inner tube and had a scouring cable too, which added up to a greater mass of metal to vapourise white gasolene more effectively. Sure enough, the Rapidfire on white gasolene didn't work. I powered it up by screwing my Primus Omnifuel pump into the Rapidfire's lindal fitting (well, it needed a spacer to couple up effectively). It ran too rich and couldn't maintain vapourisation temperature after some initial promise. Sorry, Jim, I didn't intend to hijack your post but I thought it appropriate to point out that with the original Whisperlite MSR were in my view very close (only requiring a suitable adaptor) to offering a product that would take iso-butane in addition to its 'regular' liquid fuels. John
Thank you, John. I feel very blessed to have the stove at all and even more so since, as I have been learning, the Whisperlite Universal is really a very nice stove. Getting a nice stove to test in advance of the public is a nice side benefit of my writing articles for Seattle Backpacker's Magazine. Now if only I could make my writing pay. Dream on, I know. Well done, John! Good sleuthing! And that makes perfect sense. You'd have way too much air in the mix if you used exactly the same set up on the Rapidfire as on the Whisperlite. Good work! I'm sure having the Whisperlite as a framework helped tremendously in terms of getting the Rapidfire quickly to market, but they did have to modify the Rapidfire; it wasn't as simple as just changing the connector on the end of the fuel line. Given what you've learned vis a vis the Whisperlite vs. the Rapidfire, I appreciate the ingenuity of the Whisperlite Universal's design all the more. Not having the luxury of two separate mixing chambers (as in the Rapidfire vs. the Whisperlite Classic), they restricted the air flow when using canister gas by giving the jet high walls around the orifice. The Brunton All Fuel stove accomplishes the same thing by moving a "collar" around the burner bell into different settings. This begs the question: How does the Primus Omnifuel get the proper air-gas mix when burning canister gas since it has neither the odd extended length jet of the Whisperlite Universal nor the "collar" of the All Fuel? But I suppose that's a question for another post. Makes perfect sense. Not enough air in the mix certainly and perhaps not enough mass of metal to achieve vaporization. Hijack? Nothing of the sort. Another piece of the puzzle toward a fuller understanding how gas and liquid fueled stoves work, utterly appropriate in the context of the Whisperlite Universal. HJ
Doesn't it looks like the thread angle is different? Perhaps a little longer and threads chased flat at the tip. I would be very surprised if these are interchangeable with older models. Gotta keep all those mad fettlers in check. Part of product certification, listing and approval (UL, CE, TUV) is that a product is used as intended in the users manual per the manufacturers directions. Gotta keep us safe from ourselves you know . The International model has a reputation for long preheat, sooty flames and fouling vaporizer tubes. Is the kerosene jet on this model a waste of good brass? Changing the design to a stamped leg has most likely made a significant reduction in manufacturing cost. Stamping is so much faster and as you know time is $$, ££, €€. Wire legs are most likely a carryover from prototyping and easiest to create with minimal equipment but surely more labor intensive. They require at least 2-welds where the wires cross. That's more steps and more time. Curious if they will make this transition to all Whisper Lite variations. AR
As to the jets, I unscrewed the jet from my Whisperlite Classic and screwed it in to the Whisperlite Universal. It fit just fine. MSR might be changing some of the previous models (Classic and Internationale). I've read something to that effect concerning the Internationale, but I don't know what the changes entail. I'll keep you apprised. Despite any nostalgia I might have (the Whisperlite was the first stove that was my very own), I think that on balance the stamped legs are actually better than the wire legs. As for the wire legs, they're not really a carryover from prototyping. Recall that a) the Whisperlite's predecessor, the Firefly, also had wire legs and b) the Whisperlite has used wire legs, in production, for 27 or so years. Add the Firefly's years of service to the Whisperlite's, and you've got over three decades of wire legs. Recall also that the Model 9/XGK used wire pot supports (of a similar gauge) from the beginning of MSR (1972). I'd say that the period 1972 - present hardly counts as prototyping. I have only fired her up on canister gas and white gasoline thus far. I haven't tried kero, but I'll let you know. I won't be foolish enough to try to prime a kero stove with kero; I will use alcohol. HJ
HJ, Can you let us know how it did on kerosene? Many consider its predecessor to be dodgy on this subject. Thanks, AR
Hey AR, well that question was answered by one of the MSR executives who graced the OSG. The WLI 600 model was a better performer on kerosene than the older WLI. I have the 600 model and works fairly good actually. Only downside is always the soooooooooooot! They did not run the Whisperlite Universal on kerosene for the demo but it was really a good un on coleman fuel. The Universal according to them will come with the attachments but at a price Some improvements have been made and I am indeed impressed. One is that the feed tube now turns so that you can run the canister upside down without twisting. I have to save up for that one due to come out early 2012. Ron
I forgot to mention but I guess HJ already mentioned in his review that it is easier to remove the preheat tube from the burner bell without the complicated puzzle hence the redesign of the legs which are lighter. I have not read HJ's review but one more thing to mention is that when changing the jet in the field, all you have to do is turn the mixing tube upside down, let the base of the preheat tube into the hole making sure you slide it down on the slot and using the supplied wrench remove the jet. Sorry but I just recall all the things the MSR guys mentioned. Ron
I took the MSR Whisperlite Universal out to the East Fork of the San Gabriel River today for some field trials. The more I use it, the more I like it. HJ
Hi, Ron, That's really exciting that you got to meet with the guys from MSR. At first I thought you were pulling my leg, but I talked to Doc and Gary and they confirmed it. Dang! I wish I could have been there. HJ
Well HJ it was nice of them too to leave some prizes for the raffle. When I get the videos done I will post them on YT and am sure your excited to see the capillary stove running on gas and kero. Ron
