I just love the German language...schmutz is a great word and my word was my almost new Omnilite full of Schmutz. I bought it from a Danish Geologist here in Perth. She stated she used it only five times. Well maybe...I got a reasonable buy on it. She knew nothing about stoves obviously and neither did I not much more than 12 months ago. It had the butane jet in it and I could see why...the gasoline/shellite jet was blocked. After cleaning everything out about six times I got it to run well and so far so good. The screw in design of the valve on the pump end of the fuel hose to the pump head leaves a lot to be desired. It has to be done up very firmly else it leaks. In contrast the vastly superior design on the Optimus Nova has a bayonet fitting which is fantastic. I get it they want one fitting for the bottle and the gas cannister but it is a weak point if you use it on liquid fuel. No built-in needle either although my similar experience on the MSR Dragonfly showed that when it comes to blocking, it often takes more than the shaker needle to unblock it. The fuel hose is a separate unit and costs about $80 here if you need to replace it. It is good that it can be replaced I guess but at first I thought it was leaking at the pump valved end. It just needed doing up extra tight but that valve on the hose end is NOT user serviceable...just user replaceable. Other things to say about it... 1. It looks cool 2. I like the way it strips down...way better than other stoves such as the Nova or MSR stoves 3. I love the way I can take the bowl off exposing the jet. So easy to clean 4. Yes it is light although I suspect it isn't as powerful as my other stoves 5. I rather doubt it would run kerosene happily Would I recommend this stove...I doubt it. It is a great stove but it fails on the potential for issues and I didn't like the easy potential for fuel leaks. This is the result of being multi-fuel cannister compatible although the Whisperlite has a separate fitting for gas cannisters and I can now see the point of having a separate fitting. I still like this stove but I'd take the MSR Dragonfly or the Optimus Nova over this any day; UNLESS I really wanted just one stove for all fuels and the ability to simmer. It would be the one stove that might rule them all in that situation...just make sure you bring the multi-tool with the pricker needle for the jet and check for fuel leaks at the pump end.
I use my Omni Ti quite regularly on hikes. Whilst no fuel leak issues (yet), you make some interesting points/observations. I use a BD cap on mine (excellent simmer) and a Webasto mesh pad as the primer pad instead of the OE pad provided as it will last a whole lot longer before needing to be replaced. Just need to drill a hole to be able to fit. Use the mesh pad on my Nova and Polaris as well. Top E/C/V EVO4/5 Heater/Burner Screen Pad Mesh Replacement For Webasto Thermo | eBay
I use my two TI's quite a bit too, with the original Optimus silent burner cap. It works very well on both of mine. I have one converted with the Trangia adapter cup to fit a Trangia 27 set, excellent combination. I have never had any fuel leaks or clogged jets, I only use white gas (Aspen). I have to say I prefer a Nova with BD silencer when it comes to actual use, but the TI is small and easy to fit inside the Trangia 27 even with three saucepans (the one from the Trangia mini fits inside the the other two) or two saucepans and a kettle. The TI in its original cup and legs fit inside a Trangia Tundra mini (Two saucepans from the 27 and a frying pan from the Trangia mini) for a very compact and light kit. Kind regards Tron
I've been playin' and usin' this since Sunday. I didn't appreciate how much heat it puts out...deceptive. Hot enough to do my crumpets on the stove rack which many of my other stoves can't do. I refilled the fuel bottle today and it ran to bone dry which was impressive. The clogging I got initially from manufacturing debris is gone. I've also ordered an ultrasonic cleaner. I never had one but I suspect it might be useful for stoves among other things. I like using stoves without the quiet cap, the noise they make isn't great and the noise is reduced when a pot is put on and you can always reduce power if you wish. For some reason this stove release coincided with the BD quiet caps and almost every video they feel compelled to put one on. I just like mine as it is it looks cool and I like the noise actually, mostly a positive. I always have the whisperlite if I want whisper or the Soto Muka which is very quiet as well...and no priming needed. I used it for pancakes and it produces more of a hot spot then the Dragonfly or Nova but it is just a function of the heat it puts out...not really an issue. It goes from OFF to full power in 180º unlike the other stoves that take multiple turns. The simmer is still OK but probably not as finely adjustable as on the Dragonfly or Nova but this isn't a big issue. I suspect that this stove is not great on kerosene but I will get around to trying it on kero. My current kerosense running stove is the XGK which also runs diesel nicely as well. I always prime using alcohol of course on the XGK. The quickest priming stove I have is the Optimus Nova but all the stoves prime quick enough using Shellite.
Love my Ti. Best liquid fuel remote pump tank stove I've ever used. Does seem like the hose connection at the regulator could be a problem at some point. Also don't love that the regulator connection at the pump end runs vertical off the lindal connector. Interferes with inverted canister use. I have the factory silencer bell and I love it. Earlier versions of the silencer bell had some clearance and burn issues that seem to have been worked out. Less than an ounce of weight penalty. Great kit over all. My go-to cold weather stove.
I think it is a great stove. The irony of course is using the stove with cannisters in inverted liquid feed mode is mainly necessary in cold weather where using shellite would be the better choice anyway. The best overall design for switching effortlessly between fuels belongs to the Optimus Polaris with a single jet and the valved not on the hose but the pump. This is designed with inverted cannister feed in mind but also the single jet means never having to swap jets which is really handy. I think with the Omnilite though they have nailed the physical design so well with the removable burner bell and the way it can be dissembled into easy to clean components. That is superior to any other stove. Primus have also managed to put a lot of power into this stove. There is only one filter but a decent one on the end of the fuel line in the bottle. This stove seems to have the best fuel flow of any stove I have had. The MSR Dragonfly has two filters, one on the end of the fuel line in the pump bottle and then one small filter in the end of the connector in the hose to the fuel bottle. I suspect many people simply remove the latter to improve the fuel flow and one less filter to replace of course. The Optimus Nova has a nice sintered metal filter in the bottle at the end of the fuel line which is nice. The Nova has a lovely bayonet connector from the hose to the pump which is the best I think of any stove. The pump design on the Omnilite is probably the best, the way it angles into the bottle although the Nova is arguably as good and I like the valve being on the pump. MSR users complain about the pump. The MSR is the pump that is completely user serviceable, in fact short of running over the burner, a service kit can fix anything.
The fuel line filter on the nova, and dragonfly are not primarily filters, they are to reduce pulsing.
I would have thought that little filter on the DF was to stop insects getting into the hose as well as offering extra filtration...although maybe you are right but it occurred to me that it causes rather than prevents pulsing. I guess I would find out if I removed it and tested it. The fuel flow on the Omnilite seems quite a lot more than my other stoves. It is limited of course by the pressure and jet size. The Nova has only one filter on the end of the fuel line in the bottle.
Actually, all the Swedish made Novas and the equivalent Trangia Multifuel ("X1") have two filters, one in the fuel pickup line om the pump like the current Novas and another just like it where the fuel hose attach to the burner. I'm not sure if its there to prevent pulsing, the Swedish Novas have an open fuel line when not attached to the pump, where dust and dirt can get in if your're not carefull. I have many of the old Swedish CEJN pumps for Nova and Explorer 11, and many Nova/Explorer burners. Each burner has a "favorite pump" whit which it will not pulse at all. It seems rather random why one combination will pulse and another will not, I'm just not able to figure out what it is. The current Nova/Polaris pumps from Optimus are the best pumps ever made in my opinion, all metall, well put together with no obvious weak spots. Also the way the NRV sticks out, "L" shaped, makes it safe like a Coleman stove in the event of NRV failure. In use the modern Optimus pumps will went air/gas in the event of NRV failure, not fuel like the old ones or the Primus pumps. Kind regards Tron
I ran my Nova without the filter on the burner this summer because it got blocked. No problem with pulsing, so I guess it is there just to act as a second filter. Maybe in case of dirt in the fuel line, this extra filter will catch it.
This Primus Omnilite ti is my favourite stove now and I have been using it heaps. I run it on Shellite. This was the last stove I bought out of my collection and I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. The beginning of ownership started with blockages...but once that was over it has been working perfectly. The stove is powerful. I don't think it simmers as well as the Dragonfly but it simmers well enough. I mean it does simmer without intervention or special attention. There is just something about this stove. I was against leather pump cups to start with but now I think I actually favour them. I think it burns just so powerfully and it is so tiny really and light. This stove got bought last as I thought without a shaker needle it would be a bugger for blocking but that hasn't been the case. I also found the hard way that you do have to be careful removing and cleaning the shaker need on the MSR stoves I have and I ruined one by not holding the stove upside down as I put the needle back in. I think both my Optimus Nova and the Primus Omnilite Ti are just so well made and I think better than MSR stoves. The pump designs are just amazing and made of metal and both have long flexible hoses and you are designed so you can turn the bottle easily to clear the fuel line when you've finished using them. My other favourite feature is the burner bowl unscrewing...such a tidy way of getting to the needle. The MSR Whisperlite is a great design though. I have it setup to burn canisters currently. The MSR XGK is the burn any fuel stove, it fascinated me to see just how well it burns diesel which is a shit of a fuel to burn in most stoves.
I noticed the silent cap really helps with the simmering capability. And I agree. I think its the best modern liquid fuel stove. Best I've had any way. I've used it probably 35 times and haven't done any maintenance yet. I'm breaking it down now for a once over just to be safe.
I ended up replacing the fuel hose on the stove. The leaking at the crimped pump end on the hose is not user serviceable and is prone to failure. It leaks intermittently and unexpectedly which makes it dangerous. I ordered a new hose and it has solved the issue. I have had the stove for a while now and I also ordered the titanium ‘paw’ base accessory. This take care of another design issue which is the legs folding too easily which is also a potential hazard. This happens a bit too easily so the paw base locks the legs in place. The stove has amazingly good performance, a blast furnace and yet it still simmers really well albeit with not maybe the infinite control of the MSR Dragonfly. It is however amazingly well put together, very high quality.
The fuel hose can be serviced where it connects to the connected at the pump end, it just needs a little surgery. See this thread: Primus Omnifuel - Lightning does strike twice. I find kerosene burns very well in the omnilite with the 0.28 jet (just priming is a bit trickier): Primus OmniLite TI on Diesel - Question Also my thread of all o-ring sizes might be useful: Primus Omnilite and Omnifuel Pump O-ring List
