Warning: Do NOT use petrol in a paraffin stove, in other words... Warning: Do not use * Coleman Fuel in a kerosene stove (*aka white gas/gasoline). @Ramon Bear, all, I was inspired to create this thread (vs answer in reference gallery post). I considered this question just posted. A good question. It relates to almost all of our paraffin Classic [brass] Stoves: "Please clear up some confusion concerning the OPTIMUS #7 campstove... I've heard people state that it is a KEROSENE ONLY stove [ ] but the one I have has ever only been used with white gas/ coleman fuel [& always dangerous]. I have run it several times with coleman fuel and it works like a champ ! Zero issues! Please can someone show me nomenclature directly from Optimus stating that this stove is kero only?" Optimus 7 by design does not have multiple safety features present with petrol/gasoline stoves. SRV safety release valve for one. Myself, I did not find a clear simple answer to RB's (Ramon Bear) specific question (above). An answer with guests / members in-mind. An FYI The 1939 catalog (subscriber access) incl page title "Optimus Kerosene Stove ... Optimus No. 7" A link for members and guests 1974 Optimus 5R Instructions and Spare Parts <-- instructions titled "OPTIMUS 5R for kerosene" (nomenclature directly from Optimus), take it to the bank. Sorry. Some may not view that as clear & simple enough (?): 1. that is 5R instruction. the 7 & 5R are the exact same stove, i do not have link to No.7 instructions. 2. The full title is OPTIMUS 5R FOR KEROSENE, FÖR FOTOGEN, FÜR PETROLLEUM A PETROLE. FYI these are four **international fuel terms for kerosene, this stove is kerosene only. ** can lead to / add to confusion. --------- A helpful hint (warning) on-topic is this: The danger of using gasoline in kerosene stoves. ^^^ this however actually says it's "possible" for kerosene stoves (No.7 & others) to run on CF. It is NOT advising to do so! That and RB is actually inquiring about his kerosene stove with regulated burner (which extinguishes flame w/o pressure/vapor release). None the less, still true is Warning: Do NOT use petrol in a paraffin stove. --------- another member warning DO NOT USE PETROL! ------- All of the above is my attempt to answer a good, safety related question. I welcome any better answer(s) we can refer to / link to in the future. thx ========== PS fwiw myself, i cant think of ANY classic brass (3 legger type) tanks that have gasoline as an option. If that holds true, one CAN NOT assume the (for kerosene) tank itself is up to the task.
I hope that I am not confusing the issue here. I absolutely agree that using gasoline in a pumped stove designed to burn kerosene is extremely dangerous. I am British but am carefully avoiding the term “petrol” in this context. In all my 77 years until a year or so ago and only after joining this forum, I believed that petrol was a universal word for gasoline. Other European members put me right. “Petrol” in Britain is a (typically British) contraction of “petroleum spirit” - something DERIVED from petroleum. in some European countries “petrol” Is what I would term kerosene or paraffin. Would someone please correct me quickly if I’ve got this wrong.
This commonly comes up and there is a link to international fuel names at the top of the fettling forum.
Yes, it's been done plenty of times before. I think it's the term 'petroleum' which is used on some parts of the continent for fuels of around 28 second viscosity. As was the case in Britain- the term 'petroleum' or 'common petroleum' was used in the early Edwardian period, although sometimes 'lamp oil' was used interchangeably too. With the popularisation of the motor car, and the availability of 'petroleum spirt' to fuel it, the heavier fuel gradually became known as paraffin. As it happens, the dangers of petroleum spirit were well known and respected at the turn of the century it Britain. Many insurance companies would not cover it's storage or use, or insisted on complex procedures for safety. That's the reason early British agricultural tractors and stationary engines were heavy slow revving things which ran on paraffin, also known as 'oil engines'. The petroleum spirit fueled motor car meant things had to change, and petroleum spirit became acceptable. That opened the floodgates for imports of lightweight cheap American engines, which knocked the socks off the British industry. The Americans had happily been using gasoline on the farm for years and were well geared up for mass production. Relevance to CCS? Loads of vertical furnace-type blowlamps were sold for engine starting, in the 1890s most industrial and agricultural engines required these. From around 1905 petrol engines started eating into the market, and by the 1920s there were comparatively few lampstart oil engines sold.
Very interesting, and it puts me in mind of the situation in early days here at CCS, 20+ years ago. I remember that many Brits then were still very wary of gasoline campstoves and lanterns-- the opposite of us Yanks, who had been camping from childhood with Coleman stoves and pressure lamps, as our parents and grandparents had before us.
Ive started using the term gasoline for automotive fuel/naptha etc on this and similar forums. It is an American word and really its a terrible description for this type of fuel but everyone knows it. People may look at me funny if I use gasoline but they know what Im talking about which is what matters.
@Ed Winskill absolutely, I remember that was the attitude 15-odd years ago when I joined up. As such I walked away from a lot of interesting stoves, in my ignorance considering them 'dangerous'! I think it's ingrained in our culture- I'd hazard for as many as 95% of people, camping stoves meant paraffin until gas came along. It was generally real enthusiasts (the mountain men, or those on motorcycles) who bought the Primus 70s and 71s, Radius 43s and Optimus 8rs, and a handful of other scarcer models over the years.
i have used that winter mix.i do a third coleman fuel and the rest kero. i use it a lot which may explain the flame up on my photo.
