Starting the Optimus 8R backpacking stove

[@BjørjaBear]

It is better to use methylated spirits to preheat. Ideally you want to preheat it longer before you open up. That will avoid the big flame up you have here. Excellent stove.

[@chrissewell1608]

Thanks for the instructional video. I have an old Stansport trail stove (a knock off of the Optimus). It never came with instructions, so I never knew how to light the damned thing, until now! Thanks! 😁

[@allenlutins]

Glad to help. Please make sure to read through all the comments on this video - some very helpful feedback was provided there.

[@colbolt54]

He's doing it all wrong watch other more informative videos

[@ElThomsono]

This video was exactly what I was hoping for when I typed Optimus 8R into KZbin; there ought to be a bit of drama lighting such a thing, if you're worried about your eyebrows buy a Jetboil.

[@allenlutins]

So glad you benefited - None of my stuff is monetized, so gratitude is my payment :)

[@MrTmax74]

Nice clear video, thank you. I just purchased one of these but don’t pick it up till tomorrow. Looking forward to trying it out for the first time.

[@allenlutins]

Glad you found my video! You should be aware that there were several comments that claimed I was using it incorrectly, and that the pump was unnecessary. However, I recently had the chance to use it again, and I believe my method is indeed correct. I carefully disassembled and cleaned all the components, and after experimenting, found that I *could* get it to work without the pump - but with a relatively low flame. In order to get the more powerful flame required to quickly get a pot of water boiling, the pump was in fact necessary.

[@datsun7023]

​@@allenlutinsglad you did some testing I recently ran into the opportunity to buy one of these stoves but was unaware how they are used

[@marzsit9833]

i realize you have been using this stove for 35 years, but i have to tell you, you're doing it wrong. it is not normal for the flame to burn yellow at all if the stove is properly primed. priming=preheating. on a cold start, you need to fill the priming pan completely with fuel, not just a trickle from a straw.. in fact, because you have the pump you can throw the straw away, it is not needed. simply pump a few strokes into the tank, open the control valve and liquid fuel will fill the priming pan. light the priming fuel and don't do anything until the fuel is almost completely burned out of the pan, do not fiddle with the control valve. when the priming flame is just about to go out, open the control valve and you should get a blue flame with no sputtering or flareups. with white gas/coleman fuel you should not need to pump in more pressure unless you are in freezing conditions.

[@allenlutins]

Thanks for the polite, constructive criticism - I only know what I was taught, which appeared to perform adequately for me all those years - but I definitely will give your method a go the next time I use it.

[@loveandro6074]

Hi, what about if we don’t have a pump attachment? I’ve seen people use their hands to warm the tank but how long should that take? I tried warming it for a few minutes and only a tiny amount started to come up in the valve.

[@t1962ful]

@@loveandro6074 A good pre-heat should do the trick; this heat transfers along the piping to the fuel tank which will provide pressure. Using a long-lasting fire paste (i.e. Coghlans) works well. Once the flame is nice and robust, you should be good.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

I grew up with my parents using this. they still have it.

[@CornerTalker]

@@t1962ful This is the way I used it for years. The "fire paste" is a lot like napalm.

[@J_Gamble]

Thanks for this concise little video. I was looking for video of this older model with key and not red knob. But I don't remember ever having a pump back in the day.

[@allenlutins]

Please be sure to read all the comments - there are some admittedly valid critiques of my method.

[@J_Gamble]

@@allenlutins Thank you. I did indeed and got valuable information :)

[@darkgael0]

Nice stove. I have a couple of them. One of them I converted so that it runs quite nicely on kerosene.

[@bdmenne]

If you find any more, Im brand new to the stove world. I have a A Coleman from ‘86 and looking for older models. Thanks

[@charlietango1635]

@@bdmenne Go have a look on EBay, but they want a lot for them £100 plus

[@t1962ful]

@@bdmenne Yes, eBay works. The run anywhere from 60$ to $300 ish depending on condition. These are very easy to service if you buy a cheaper one that needs a little tlc.

[@watosmate8935]

​@@t1962fulknow If its common to find just the primer for sale for it? Hope I don't have to machine one

[@jeffccr3620]

Neat little stoves in all temps

[@markb2860]

I have the same stove, never knew it came with a pump haha. Preheat and it always worked

[@watosmate8935]

Apparently don't really need one, but want one as looks pretty neat

[@brendontait6968]

Have you changed the wick in it? If the stove has a good wick, there is no need to pump unless using a fuel like kero. If the stove gets run dry on fuel, the wick can burn and get damaged and won't self pressurize properly.

[@allenlutins]

I inspected the wick and it's in good shape. Yes, you can cook over the thing without pressurizing it, but the flame is *much* hotter if you *do* pressurize it - like, it takes 1/10 the time to get a big coffeepot boiling when pressurized. There's a reason they made those pressure attachments.

[@brendontait6968]

If I want to run mine with a bit more grunt, I put a bit of acetone in with the fuel, this gives it a bit more pressure and makes it go hard without any pumping. Agree with you, great little stove!

[@charlietango1635]

It's just my opinion, but you need to crack that nut on the throttle just a little bit tighter until the flame goes out, also I think you need to change the pippet in the fuel cap, as It may have gone too hard and is leaking, do-not ignore it, because it could blow up in your face, then follow Marzsit instructions.

[@leonardmcdermott7703]

I bought mine at a car boot sale years ago, it is an excellent addition to my collection. I am curious as to where you found the mini pump ?

[@allenlutins]

I have no idea - I bought the stove and pump together nearly 40 years ago.

[@leonardmcdermott7703]

@allenlutins OK thanks and regards from Ireland 🇮🇪.

[@darrylhuculak4996]

Interestingly enough (for me anyways) the instructions I found online (www.berniedawg.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Manual_Optimus_8R.pdf) make no mention of a pump, nor have I ever had a need for one when lighting my stove. I simply fill the priming tray with fuel and light it. Once the fuel is close to burning out I open the valve and the stove lights up, no problem.

[@allenlutins]

As previous comments have borne out, yes, it is perfectly feasible to use the stove without the added pressure - but if you really want to get a pot of water boiling fast, that added pressure really boosts that heat!

[@dejanbelec8611]

Pumping? This stove works with self pressure. No pump needed

[@allenlutins]

It *does* help to pump it for priming prior to start. Otherwise, why would the pump ever have been designed, built and sold?

[@dejanbelec8611]

@@allenlutinsi hawe this stove for more then 15 years and never used pump youst saying that this stove vas designed like self pressure pumps vas sold later separately

[@marzsit9833]

@@allenlutins the pump was designed when the us military requested that optimus make a multi-fuel version of the optimus 99 that could burn kerosene or gasoline with a silent burner, they did and that stove is known as the optimus 199 and came from the factory with the pump. after a couple of years of testing the midi pump was available to the public around 1972-73.

[@charlietango1635]

@@allenlutins It was NOT designed for these 8R stoves,

[@colbolt54]

@@allenlutins they will make and sell u anything if they can make a buck

[@narikaba439]

Awesome

[@olvera369]

Were can i buy the presuriser

[@allenlutins]

I have no idea - I bought mine in the 1980’s!

[@StephenMorley-w6t]

What fuel does it use, paraffin?

[@allenlutins]

I believe that's what they call it in the U.K. Here in the U.S. it's usually referred to as Coleman Fuel or white gas. I also believe that people have used gasoline (petrol for you Brits).

[@devlintube9610]

Can this run on unleaded petrol?

[@allenlutins]

I've heard that it can, but I've never tried that myself. I have no owner's manual, so I'm not sure how to find out definitively.

[@colbolt54]

Your supposed to use alcohol to prime it. No pressure necessary

[@jayk3784]

상향식 저소음 연소캡 잇써요

[@allenlutins]

Two translation engines tell me this means "Bottom-up low noise combustion cap" - can someone help me out on what is actually intended by this comment? Thanks!

[@tonymiller8826]

Runs exactly like an old gasoline plumbers blow torch...

[@huntingfishingcamping7179]

the Soviet primus primus of the USSR PT-1 is exactly the same, the quality is terrible, the sealing is disgusting. the spindle is not pressed tightly and as a result the fuel is poured out through the burner. The Soviets copied this model, as well as many other stoves, which have to be finalized to working condition.

[@baginatora]

Unfortunately, like with anything soviet, you'd have to have some technical experience to make it work. I have the PT-1 and it performs very well, but I had to redo the valve sealant and clear the tank of impurities from previous use.

[@aksu9683]

You did everything wrong...You are not supposed to pump pressure in the tank. The lid and the tank almost bursted in fire (the small flame in the lid) and you didn't even get good flame...

[@allenlutins]

Sir, you are quite mistaken - I have to believe you have never owned nor used a stove like this. I'm intimately familiar with this stove, having used it for 35 years. I have a perfect flame starting at 3:01, but it burns so cleanly so that it's difficult to see in the video (it will boil a sizeable pot of water in about 10 minutes). It is nearly impossible to run this stove without pressure - that is the whole reason for the little pump. As I clearly explained in the video, this type of stove sputters a bit before coming up to temperature, and brief excess flames are normal. The fuel tank is very solid and will not "burst".

[@Daniel-vs7qm]

I recently aquired 2 of these beauties from a garage sale for 5 bucks and had no idea how to seafely use it so thank you very much for this video

[@allenlutins]

@@Daniel-vs7qm That's an awesome find - on eBay these go for $45 and up in poor condition, and far more than that in good condition - you could sell one, keep the other (in my experience they last forever; and replacement parts, if they're ever needed, do seem to be available). I hope you got at least one mini-pump, as the stove does not work efficiently without one (although these too are available on eBay as well).

[@charlietango1635]

@@allenlutins In my opinion to this comment, it sounds like you have always filled it to full, (hence the reason for the spluttering) and secondly it sounds like your wick could be too tight in the tube to the vaporizer, (hence the reason for you having to use the pump) so if you know this stove intimately, you have stripped it down to check everything, I don't think you have, otherwise, why would you have at least 3 faults with it?? I would be very reluctant to lend it to your mate like that.

[@allenlutins]

@@charlietango1635 Turns out my friend didn't use it after all, but I will certainly tear it down and inspect it before I use it again. (After all, it's been decades since I last serviced it - but also, I almost never use it anymore.)

[@alexandrneverov1853]

Какой нахер Оптимус!!?? Это ПТ-1 наша советская бензиновая горелка с заправкой 150мл.. В народе называется "смерть туриста.." 😂😂😂🤗👍🇰🇿

[@allenlutins]

Я боюсь спросить почему...

[@19ghost73]

This is the Swedish original stove, of which the PT-1 is a copy/clone. They are very very similar, but not 100% identical. The Swedish version is the true original.