Well, I saw this on a auction site, just one photo and a few words text (saying it was multifuel and Ti). I directly thought it was a Primus multifuel (no Ti). It was below the 50€, so I ordered it and waited to see what the postmen would bring. When it arrived I was curious to see if it was indeed a Primus, but no sign of a brand or whatever. The fuelpump looks more like my Nova+ than a Primus multifuel pump (with the square alu body). Did anyone seen a stove like this? The only text is on the NRV: made in Sweden. I searched the internet, the plus2city things, Kovea pictures, but I couldn't find a photo of the same build. Tested it today, and even it may not be a Primus, it's a goodstove, not that loud but going strong at full power and a nice simmer. I'm happy with the purchase but would like to know what I bought. So please fill me in if you recongnize this stove.
If the pump is a Primus one, it's one I'm not aware of. The connector at the pump reminds me of the Primus ones though Either way, the connector between pump and hose is a Lindal valve pattern so you can use butane cylinders, others have done the same. Not hard or unreasonable to swap pumps around. The stove itself is the spitting image of my varafuel with the exception of the valve and connector on the pump end of the hose, which of course the varafuel did not have. The only other difference I see is that my flame spreaders (I have a spare) are both stamped Primus, this is the only marking on the stove. So if it's a clone the maker had no shame whatsoever. My VFS is a fantastic stove, my favorite of the modern style. Enjoy it! Edit: Kristian123 is probably correct about the stove itself, Himalaya Multifuel or Omnifuel. Back in the day the liquid fuel only stoves were called Varafuel and I think the liquid/gas cylinder stoves were called Multifuel. Somewhere along the way they started calling the liquid onlys multifuel and liquid/gas stoves Omnifuel. Not sure where the split was and it's a touch confusing. Great stoves though!
I think dwarfnebula pretty much has it. The stove looks like an older model Varifuel and the pump looks like an Optimus/Primus frankie bodge-up, ie. the spigot from a Varifuel or Omnifuel pump fitted to a Nova pump.
Tracer, I believe this was a very short-lived pump used for the Primus Multifuel. It is identical in every way to the 1st generation Optimus Nova pump, except for the fuel line connection. The original black knob Optimus Nova pump was replaced with the silver knob pump, which adressed a couple of design flaws. Idahostoveguy did a comparison of the first two generations of the Nova here. It looks like Primus licensed the pump from Optimus for a short period and used it for the Multifuel. Perhaps they decided not to use it after noticing the design flaws, which were then addressed by Optimus for the 2nd generation Nova? I believe in another post, Berniedawg had one of these early Optimus pumps from an Explorer or something blow out on him. From left to right: Primus Varifuel pump 1st generation Primus Omnifuel pump (Also used on Primus Multifuel) Primus Multifuel pump (the odd round one) 2nd generation Optimus Nova pump Here you can see the pump in question depicted on the cover of the instruction manual from my Primus Varifuel. It is clearly not the blocky square pump with the silver knob. Pump in question next to 2nd generation Optimus Nova pump. Pump in question next to early Primus Omnifuel pump, also used for Primus Multifuel. Hope it helps!
Better picture of manual cover. Pump in question next to manual with similar early Primus fuel bottle. Two early thick fuel line Primus Multifuels. One with pump in question, one with the usual blocky pump. Notice that the connecting valve is a different, stubbier shape, and is not chromed, but just brass. Weird, huh?
Thanks for the answers! Looks like I have a true Primus then. Pinky, thanks for the photo's, it's clear now, altough I still have one question as you have the same pump and burner. Does your pump or burner have Primus markings somewhere? It could be that my burnerplate is replaced so not stamped Primus but I find it strange that no other stamps are made. I'm glad it's not a clone!
Hi Tracer Just looked mine, the same as yours.The only markings on it are Primus on the flame plate and Sweden on the NRV.
Just pulled out my Primus. Exactly same thing - NO markings of any kind on stove (not even the flameplate). Sorry, but its rather late here and don't have a camera handy. The triangular box (original) is labeled: "MFS 3288, Multi Fuel Stove". Cannot check the pump as its in a filled fuel bottle. This stove was a bit of a pain to get adjusted as I wanted on coleman fuel, but marvelous on a canister. Does anyone know "for sure" if these pumps HAVE been recalled ???
So I did some poking around and found BD's thread on the failure of his Optimus pump of the same design: https://classiccampstoves.com/posts/181642 I've no clue if they've been recalled, but I bet you could coax Primus out of a new pump if you made a stink about it. From a collectable standpoint I'd hold on to this pump for it's rarity, I'm just not sure I'd use it. Also, there have been failures of the connector on the pump end, there's O-rings in there and I believe some of them are not rebuildable. Once again, probably best to get a new pump, definitely if you can't get at the O-rings in the connector.
Don't know if they've been recalled. You fellers have seen this thread I trust: Linkhttps://classiccampstoves.com/posts/181642 I've since had a second pump fail the same way. A call to Optimus netted a complete new post-CEJN pump and fuel line when they heard of my first failure issue. They did not require return of the original set. I got busy and haven't done anything about the second dead pump yet. Just a FYI.
This thread mentions the recall. User 111T mentions it in a comment 3/4 of the way down the first page. He alludes that the burner itself was the source of the recall, not the pump. So whoops! Sorry for inferring that the pump itself was the source of the recall. He does say that they replaced the entire stove though, pump and all, and the pump was changed to the second generation style. Also, in my haste to post earlier, I said that the unchromed lindal valve fuel line was stubbier and a different shape than the chromed one, but since realized that's not the case. It's simply unchromed. Sorry 'bout that! I was going off of the pictures I'd taken, not the actual fitting. Tracer, I'll check my other Himalaya stoves tomorrow, but on that particular one with the same pump as yours, there's no Primus markings anywhere on the exterior of the stove, including the roarer plate. That particular stove has only been fired a few times though, so I doubt the plate has been replaced. I believe the majority of my other stoves do have Primus at least stamped on the plate, and on newer models, cast on to other brass fittings as well. I'll dig them out tomorrow.
