Can you use kerosene in optimus 8/8r/hiker style stoves?

Um showing my ignorance, um can you use kerosene in optimus 8/8r/hiker style stoves?????
would it burn or wuld it totally ruin my stove??? Im curous, but havnt got the balls to try it blind.

 

Yes, you can. It would not ruin at all. Just it would burn yellow. There is a thread some one added copper coil around the fuel delivery and the burner to make it burn kero blue. I think it is in the frankenstove section. (No, it wasn't.)

Here is the link:
https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/8597

 

It is now!

 

cheers guys. Bloody brilliant!. That link was very informative. Im tempted to track down some wire and hace a crack at that. Kero does after all have a higher calorific content than white spirits, but I thought I would try a thinner wire first to cut down on weight. Although... that might not be so effective for transfer of heat.

 

Hello everyone.
I just tried this modification with some copper electrical wire.I could only find the thin stuff though but i have lots of it.
I wrapped the the vapourizer with quit a bit of this stuff and looped it a few times around the bottum of the burner and up top.
Pumped it up a few times,the flame didn't seem to have the "thrust" as with the white gas and the tips were a bit yellow.
I figured what the heck let me put 1L of cold tap water in a tea kettle and see how she burns,i was happy to see that once the kettle was on, there was no yellow flame.Just nice and blue
Well to say i was surprised is an understatement,the kettle came to a full boil in 5:48! I thought to myself could this be? The best boil time i ever got with white gas was somewhere around 7:30 and that was pumping it up (i know i know thats borderline crazy) about 8 strokes.Hmm maybe i'll leave the stove like this for awhile...


Take care

 

8R under 6? That is fast!
Are the pictures coming?

 

I just got a beaten up optimus 80, in a primus 71 tin. Is there any obvious safety reason that should stop me from giving this method a go on that. Knowing me by the time I get back to check the answers to this question I would have tried it already.

 

"and the tips were a bit yellow.....i was happy to see that once the kettle was on, there was no yellow flame.Just nice and blue"

That is exactly what mine does too.

Shawn

 

Yeah that's about the same boil time as my 9061.

I'm still scratching my head on this one,i have to do a few more tests when i have a chance. I didn't bother taking any pics because it was a quick experiment,the stove looks kind of crappy looking with all that thin copper wire wrapped around it.I'd like to find some thicker wire and coil it the same way i saw on this thread,that way it won't look "ghetto".

The thought of a kero burning 8R appeals to me (not that i have anything against using white gas in it) because kerosene is much cheaper in my neck of the woods and i find it does burn a bit hotter.That's just me...

Take care

 

The thin copper wire was a no go in my 80.

 

Well, I had to throw in my share of trial, so I wrapped the fuel tube with aluminium wire (did not have thick copper wire, and the brass wire was too thin) from a piece of electric wire. I unraveled it and used it.

The stove runs--but about 50 percent of the usual strength of the white gas powered flame. Not impressed at all.

Maybe it will be different, if I used thicker gauge brass wire. But... why bother? I'll just let 8R be 8R.

I'll just leave the wire on it, and use white gas, as it is originally designed.

 

Dammmmmm. Im going to do a timed burn with white spirits, then electric wire it and re time it. this sounds like a well worthy experiment.
great to see Im following in good footsteps or stove steps

 

Hello everyone.
I tried a couple more boil tests and yep it's official,my 8R burns much hotter than before.
But i can't say i like the look of the flame, it burns a bit yellow on its own but is fine when you put the kettle on.
My boil times were all just under 6:00. Mind you in real world situations i'm sure it would be longer,i did these tests in ideal conditions.
Makes me wonder if the burner was working 100% effictient (no yellow tips)what the output would be.

Take care

 

Bloody poos. I hunted down some thick (1-2 ml) high tension copper wire off some old over head power line (this is not easy as all that is aluminium with stainless steal core these days)) and went for the wrap just like the link recomended. Heated it up with a good dose of meths and went for the big light. ............. Pissy yellow flames reluctantly came out with soot and smoke. It didnt get better with a pot... Prehaps I just need to get the correct nipple for the job, or I need to try again, wrapping the wire differently.

 

"If its not broke, don't fix it"? leave the stove alone, use it for what it is or get a 199

 

Do you have a midi pump? Without one this doesn't work.

As far as the wrap you need to get it tight around the fuel tube so it transfers heat well and of course get the wire into the heat.

Shawn

 

Hey, Guys,

Richard is right on the money, as far as I'm concerned. The 8R is a wonderful little stove, that does what it was designed to do, with extreme reliability, and no muss, no fuss. Why all the desire to make it do what it was not designed to do? I'm quite happy to use it as it was originally intended, thank you. And, Richard also made another outstanding point: If you want to burn kerosene in a stove about the same size, with absolutely STELLAR results, then get a 199, and call it good. Or, burn some shoe leather and find a used Ranger #10. Both outstanding stoves, both about the same size, both MUCH easier to use and more reliable than what you have in mind. Just my two cents, and worth what you paid to read them. But, in almost 30 years of experience, the 8R is fine, just as it is, and so are the 199 and #10. Why try to teach a pig to sing, when otherwise, he will hum along quite merrily!!! Take care, have fun, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

I've taken your advice guys,as much as i was impressed with the performance i wasn't happy with the flame at all.It didn't look right and if i pumped it one too many times i would get some wicked flash bulb type fireballs (yes i still have my eyebrows) ! didn't simmer as well as with white gas either.So i decided to rip out the copper wire and use my beloved 8R with what it was intended to use
It was an interesting experiment though.

Take care

 

"and if i pumped it one too many times i would get some wicked flash bulb type fireballs (yes i still have my eyebrows)"

That happens if the kerosene exits the jet still liquid. You were right on the boarder line between vaporizing the kerosense and not. Pumping it harder means more fuel is flowing through it and there wasn't enough heat to vaporize it all.

Shawn

 

Doc,

"If you want to burn kerosene in a stove about the same size, with absolutely STELLAR results, then get a 199, and call it good."

Love to, do you know where I can get one today as easily and cheaply as an 8R?

Shawn