Pressure Stoves

[Bmblbzzz]

We use a primus multifuel and cook on petrol. Preheat is easy. Turning it over isn't a good design, it's difficult to judge the moment to turn the stove off, I tend to shut the valve off too early and the bottle is still pressurized which means I get sprayed with petrol when I unscrew the pump to refill the bottle. I'm sure this is operator error! More importantly the 3 pronged spreader on the burner can pop off and get lost (don't ask) making the stove useless. We carry a spare.
For all that the stove is a good controllable burner but using gas is easier on short trips.

Paraffin is easier to burn but not easily available, for us it's a non starter.

In france we had problems filling sig type bottles at new style petrol stations as the nozzle will not go far enough into the bottle to disengage the pump auto cutoff system therefore no petrol would be dispensed. This can be a real problem.
With a multifuel you can use gas but be aware that screw on cartridges aren't always to be found at least in france. We have an adaptor for the old style puncture cartridges to screw thread.

There's not perfect solution.

It might be operator error, but it also means this type of stove is designed in a way that doesn't allow a margin for this type of error. As you say, there is no perfect solution, in part that's because different people are inclined to make different errors.

[climo]

We use a primus multifuel and cook on petrol. Preheat is easy. Turning it over isn't a good design, it's difficult to judge the moment to turn the stove off, I tend to shut the valve off too early and the bottle is still pressurized which means I get sprayed with petrol when I unscrew the pump to refill the bottle. I'm sure this is operator error! More importantly the 3 pronged spreader on the burner can pop off and get lost (don't ask) making the stove useless. We carry a spare

There's not perfect solution.

It might be operator error, but it also means this type of stove is designed in a way that doesn't allow a margin for this type of error. As you say, there is no perfect solution, in part that's because different people are inclined to make different errors.

You're right of course.
If I turn the bottle over and let the burner burn out the flame ends up like a candle and leaves soot on the burner assembly and presumably in the jet. I then close both the pump valve and shortly after that the stove control valve as per the manual (I think!). When the stove is going the burner comes clean and tbh I tend to turn the stove off when it's still burning with a blue flame just to keep it clean. The downside is that there is still a lot of pressure in the bottle.

[hamster]

I can't comment on your stove, but on the MSR or Coleman I just crack open the lid on the fuel tank. There is a brief hiss and a slight whiff of fuel and that's it depressurised.

[LollyKat]

Paraffin is easier to burn but not easily available, for us it's a non starter.

White spirit*, available from many British supermarkets for cleaning paint brushes, works fine - I use it in my old brass pressure stoves. It burns very cleanly and is slightly less smelly than paraffin. However don't be tempted to use barbecue lighting fluid as it has additives that will clog the burner.
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NB ‘white spirit’ is the British name for a type of paraffin/kerosene. It is NOT white gas/petrol, which would be highly dangerous in such a stove.

[Jdsk]

NB ‘white spirit’ is the British name for a type of paraffin/kerosene.

British white spirit and kerosene are different:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spirit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

NB ‘white spirit’ is the British name for a type of paraffin/kerosene.

Paraffin means different things in different countries:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraffin

I find this helpful:
"FAQ - International fuel names for backpacking stoves"
https://bushwalkingnsw.org.au/clubsites ... espiritgas

Jonathan