Hi everybody a couple of questions I thought I’d use the collective power and experience of this community for advice. First: are all Optimus 8 and 8R self pressurizing wick feed type stoves? After buying a beater 8R this week I noticed on ebay pumps for these types of stoves and they fetch quite a penny. Thanks to a postal strike I can’t see in person. My plan is to use this beater 8R to learn about wick feed type stoves and tear down and restore at some point. I have an older 8 that is wick feed and does not require the pump as it was explained to me. Now after ordering the 70’s model I see pumps for sale but almost never with the unit. Is this only to help pressurize in cold weather as I understand the pre-heater cups don’t always create enough heat pressure to run properly. Do the caps have a check valve that needs to be opened to use the pump? Secondly: I’d like to add some of the bottom fount type Optimus/Primus/SVEA stoves as I really like the look of these stoves. These all have pumps like the Coleman stoves I’m familiar with. Also I see in the reference gallery some of these stoves (maybe all) have this wick feeding system as well and no mention of generators. Any recommendations for my fist in this type of stove. When somebody asks me for a recommendation on Coleman stoves I recommend the 502 it’s easy to use and find cheaply and always available due to the long production cycle. Is the SVEA 123R the 502 of this type of stove? I see most people love these small stoves and they come up on ebay quite often. Thanks in advance BTM
Hi BTM the midi pump fits on to the filler cap safety valve by friction and will open by itself automaticaly i am not sure if by pressure or by a pin of sorts in the midi pump i would say by pressure of the pump as the safety valve works like a non return valve the midi pump will help in extra cold tempretures or at a higher altitude i must admit i have not got a midi pump but they are designed for the 8r you will find all small self pressureising gasoline/petrol stove IE the 8r the svea pr70a71 opti 80 will have a wick feed system
Hi BTM, those little pumps need a special fillercap as well, they don't fit on the original one (the original only has a Safety Release Valve- SRV in it, the 'special' is a combination of SRV and NRV). The pumps are a nice gimmick, handy in cold conditions, or at hights but one can easily do without (after all, these stoves were designed to work with pre-heat only ). All the self-presurising stoves (like Primus 71, optimus 80, Juwel 33,34&84, SVEA 123 and so on) relly on wicks and don't come with build-in pumps. The other ones that have build-in pumps don't have wicks. They also don't have the 'Coleman' style vaporiser/generator. The fuel gets vaporised in the tubes (mostly 4 on kero stoves) you can see under the burner head. The smallest ones (like Primus 96) have a 'lipstick' vaporiser. All good fun! All the best, Wim
An important point about this mini pump is that you don't treat it like pumping up other stoves. With most pump stoves, you pump the pressure until the pump feels tight and then as it burns the pressure in the tank drops as it goes. When it gets too low you pump it some more. The gasoline type stoves especially the ones we're talking about here (8/8r 123/r and 199) are designed to build pressure as they heat up. Therefore you have to get the pumping right. Don't be overzealous with it or, as the stove warms up, it could blow the emergency valve. A lot of times i feel people bought these simply because it was an accessory at the time of purchase. For three season use, frankly I don't think you need the pump at all. For deep winter use, you may want a more powerful stove anyway. I have an optimus 96 kerosene stove that is about the same size as a 123, but packs much more of a punch. And the fuel is cheaper as well! The only thing I don't like about it is all of the fiddly bits. The thing has to be completely assembled/torn down with each use. Basecamp sells current production mansalu stoves that have 1 piece burners. I've been wanting one for a while now but i haven't actually pulled the trigger yet...
Thanks for the tip on the mini pump. I’m probably not going to use it for really cold weather so not going to spend 100$ for this pump. Due to a Canadian postal strike I was unable to play with an 8R this weekend as it’s being held hostage at the sorting facility. I ended up cleaning and rebuilding a couple of lantern projects I had on the go instead. They both came out awesome and look almost new. As update I purchased a Primus number 5 not sure of the year, this will be my fist Primus stove and the first of many bottom fount type European stoves. Just need the postal workers to bring them to me now BTM
Always with the pumps, yet! One more thing to lose/forget. One of the great things about the 8's is the nice solid steel box it sits in, perfect for the 'Fireball' method of starting Useful on cold mornings. Can make a bit of a mess inside the box, but it's easy and works well.
Just wrap a bit of fibre glass cloth round the stem of the burner bell which will 'wick' extra fuel = longer prime; you don't need a pump.
Ok so my 70’s Optimus 8R finally arrived and I love how this thing works. I used Methyl Hydrate in the pre heater cup, filled the tank about ½ way with Coleman fluid and fired away. What a sound!! like an angry Coleman 500 A real novelty to not pump and pressurize the tank first. Just need the Posties to go back to work so I can get my Primus No.5 and try firing this thing. Thanks everybody for all the tips and advice Maybe it’s time to move the Coleman stoves down one shelf… oh deer did I just say that 8-[
Coleman stoves are wonderful works of engineering and craft but my first love will always be the brassies. It is like the feeling I had for my first VW Bug.
I concur entirely, with the exception of the last sentence. My first car was a 1963 VW Bug, a wedding present from my father-in-law in 1967. Man, every time we got a couple dollars ahead, that thing would need another valve job. You'd have to go to Dieter and Horst, or Wolfgang und Hans, and it'd cost $300. This was the late 60s, when you could live a month with wife and kids on $300 (and we often did). I did like kicking over the reserve gas tank lever on the floor, though. And when it stopped in downtown Seattle in Dec. 1967 in the middle of the night while I'm rushing to the hospital with a wife in labor, all I had to do was jump out, push it myself, jump back in and she'd start up.... I still have a thing against them old beetles....
