Service Your Stove (or else)

[Kevin Dill]

Last season I had an end-of-trip issue with low fuel flow from my Primus ETA canister stove. I figured it for a blocked jet orifice and worked on it at home. Thought I had it cleaned but on a recent trip to Alaska it wouldn't burn past about 20% flame from the first attempt. Good thing I had recently bought (and brought) a Snow Peak Titanium Lite stove as my backup. I used it for 2 weeks while my primary stove sat useless in the gear pile. Got home yesterday and decided to service it today. I pulled the jet out and found it blocked again.

A call to Primus and the service tech told me to use carburetor cleaner spray solvent to clean the fuel line, coil tube. jet orifice and burner. He explained this is the best solvent they've ever found, and the pressure spray just helps it work better at removing dirt, grime or debris. I did this and followed up with a drying by using spray duster. Post-service the stove burns at maximum output with a totally blue flame.

I would also advise you to store your burner assembly in a clean bag like a quart ziplok freezer bag. This will help prevent accidental contamination of the fuel line with dirt. From now on I'll be doing that as well as servicing my stove post-hunt every fall.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Thanks for the advice Kevin. Glad you had a backup and things worked out. Can't wait to read your trip report!

 

[jherald]

Something many of us overlook. I recently joined a buddy of mine on a hunt where his Jet Boil igniter didn't work and he didn't bring a lighter or matches either. He never checked his stove prior to the trip to ensure it was functional and in working order.

We ended up using my stove for the whole trip.

Good to check your gear. The smallest detail could be the biggest problem later.

 

[justin davis]

Yea that's a good tip! Something I should do

 

[Kevin Dill]

I can add: the opening (orifice) on my Primus stove jet is 0.32 mm. That's a darned small hole and it only takes the tiniest piece of dirt, debris or fluff to completely occlude it. I'm adding a jet cleaning needle to my service kit that goes on trips.

 

[mfllood3800]

My butane lamp recently quit on my 3 dayer in the mountain. I got home took the flame adj out blew it out and hooked canister up to it with needle still out and fluid sprayed out perfectly. Reinstalled the adj needle and nothing ???
I threw it in the trash. am I missing what you did?

 

[Kevin Dill]

I don't know how a butane lamp is plumbed and fueled compared to my stove. I do know my stove has no needles or small adjustments possible. The fuel flows from the canister through a simple valve and then through the fuel line to a jet or orifice. On my initial plug I did basically what you did and thought I had it corrected....but did not. Then I used solvent to clean out the jet, followed by a tiny jet-cleaning needle through the .32mm orifice. Followed that with spay duster to dry everything and now it burns hotter than a Texas barbecue.

 

[Beendare]

Good tips, thx

 

[rbljack]

good tips here. I haven't pulled my stove out since last year. Time to fire it up and make sure it works. When it cools off, it will go in a zip lock bag! Ty sir!