Optimus Nova Stove
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- Here is a look at my liquid-fuel stove, the Optimus Nova. I give an overview of the stove and its operation along with a boil test.
This multi-fuel expedition stove can burn white gas (naphtha), unleaded gasoline, kerosene and diesel without making any modifications or part changes. It is an example of a plate burner stove, such as the MSR Dragonfly, MSR XGK, or Optimus SVEA 123R. These plate burners burn hot but also very loud with many users likening the sound to a jet engine. The folding pot supports/legs look like a turbine to me, so I guess that's fitting. It cranks out some serious heat at full blast but is also capable of a nice simmer. I've used it to cook everything from old fashioned oatmeal to pesto pasta without ever scorching my food. Most of the stove is constructed of metal, making it heavy but in my opinion the extra weight is worth the added reliability. As with all liquid-fuel stoves, it involves a complex procedure to set it up, prime it, cook with it, and pack it down, and also requires some occasional field maintenance. For these reasons many people stick to canister stoves or alcohol stoves. But those alternatives aren't practical for cold weather, high altitude, and feeding a group, so I occasionally need a stove that can perform under those demanding conditions and the Nova fits the bill. I also enjoy being a little different than the crowd with their cliché Whisperlite (though it is a fine stove, don't get me wrong). All in all, I'm happy with the Optimus Nova.
Optimus also makes the Nova+, which is the same as the Nova except the throttle valve is smaller and more compact.
The top competitors with this stove in my opinion would be the MSR Whisperlite Intl., the MSR Dragonfly, the Primus Omni Fuel, or the Brunton Vapor AF.
Here is another video overview of this stove from the manufacturer:
www.optimusstov...
thank you so much for showing how to properly prime these white gas stoves. I have seen so many people carry alcohol with them for priming, waste of space. great video, rock on!
Priming with alcohol still gets the job done and keeps the stove cleaner as there's less soot, though on these pump stoves it's indeed unnecessary. I typically prime my Svea 123 stove with alcohol. Thanks for commenting and watching.
Cool video! Good tip about the seized valve issue.
Thanks for watching!
Nice review on this stove....i love mine.
Hmm, if they are still making black ones then the only way to know for sure would be to find the recall notice and see which serial numbers were effected. You should be able to find the recall notice on the Optimus website. Then you can check the serial number on a given stove to see if it was affected.
@jeep4jeep 2 cups = 1 pint = 0.47 liters. Hopefully some day we Americans will get smart and switch to the metric system.
I think you'll enjoy your Whisperlite Int. It is a great stove. Cheers.
@BigRooster747 Yes, the black burner model is facing a recall. I was able to get mine fixed, so I won't be buying a new Nova. But anyone out there considering this stove should heed your advice.
@CatFops It's about $150, but you can find it on sale for around $120 or so. I wouldn't pay full price for one.
Hi, Please explain 2 cups in pints or litres .5??
I've just for my first multi-fuel stove which is the MSR Whisperlite Int.
It will boil HALF litre (about a pint) in around 3:30 minutes in strong wind with no lid on the pot.
Really nice review, we don't have this model stove in my part of the world.
nice video
i saw in the manual and it sad on the gas part you should not use out in the cold as the-oring could freez and fuel leak out is it the same for petrolium canisters or what
Thank you for this informative presentation. I see that this was uploaded quite some time ago but I'll risk asking a question never the less (and understand if you don't reply).
What is your experience with how efficient the stove system is at emptying the bottle? This is something I've always been curious (and ignorant) about.
+M00nsplitter I have never ran it until the stove died from lack of fuel, so I can't say exactly. The fuel inlet tube is designed with a bend in it so that it would suck up about as much fuel as it could as long as the fuel bottle is sitting perfectly horizontal. Does that make sense?
+ColoradoCamper Thank you for responding. I understand the principle but was curious about how this works in practice, and how much residual fuel will be unavailable to the burner. Even if the fuel feeder tubing were tight against the low side of the bottle some will remain, due both to any inclination of the bottle and not least because the feeder tubing will start to suck air before totally emptying the bottle.
I have an Omnilite Ti that I plan on experimenting with to determine how this performs.
+M00nsplitter I think you are right, some fuel will inevitably remain. Also when the tank is nearly empty, it will need to be pumped up a lot so that it maintains sufficient pressure to force the fuel into the feed tube.
Why do you call it white gas stove? It burns all kind of liquid fuel. I use kero on mine as a fuel of choice.
I've been a long time advocate of white gas stoves for camping. The butane stoves are much too fragile, are absolutely worthless in extreme cold or higher altitudes. My choice for more than 40 years has been the old tried and true Coleman Peak 1 stove. The downfall with this stove is in time the generator tube will clog with carbon, a design flaw. When shutting down the stove, whatever fuel is still in the generator tube 'cooks' leaving the carbon deposits.
Carburetor cleaner and small diam. wire will help clean this but it's only a matter of time this no longer works requiring a replacement tube but...Coleman stopped making them years ago making them rather scarce.
Late 80's at the top of Mt. Gorgonio, 11,000+ feet, 8 ft. snow pack, night time temps in the low 30;s. A group of 3 teachers were camping nearby. More than a hour trying, they could NOT keep their MSR butane mini stove lit or hot enough to cook their backpack food. I lent my Coleman and they had a nice hot meal. The problem is the temps were too cold for the MSR fuel to properly vaporize. Plus, these have a very limited heat control. Pretty much wide open or nothing.
With all 3 of my Coleman stoves on their last leg, searching for a replacement I found the Optimus Nova stove. Hands down, a much better design than anything on the market. All metal construction, easily field serviceable, comes with the few replacement parts you'd ever need. Easily adjusted from a low simmer to a blazing blow torch high output,
The only downfall as you've discovered is it it LOUD!!! Some research found the "Quiet Cap" that replaces the original flame spreader, Whisper quiet, with the advantage of a more controlled, soft simmer but no loss in full throttle output. Available thru several vendors including Amazon. A cast stainless steel item, will never fail or burn up. See as an example...
ruclips.net/video/th8G-FJxcMY/видео.html
Not cheap but...well worth it, making the Optimus Nova the perfect camp stove.
Hellow im from the netherlands thank you so much for this review im searching for a multi flual brander, wich one is the best in markt and worth your money, the msr you can't controle the flame it is on or of the nova is much better with control the flame please help me to make a good choice
Nice review. I have read on the primus homepage that they have gone back to earlier supplier in Taiwan. But the color still black. Any advice what to look to be sure it's a good burner ?? Thank you in advance.
I am extremely surprised that you are pre-heating the stove! I had the Optimus Nova for many, many years and I am about to get a new one (the old one got lost in storage)... I did primarily winter camping and never had to pre-heat that stove... even at 20' below zero... I pumped the pressure, turned the valve to a loud hiss and lit the stove... never failed, always worked.
Is it possible that this stove was a different one (mine was about 1999 model)?
I'm a bit confused by your comment. Liquid-fuel stoves like this must be preheated to operate properly because the liquid fuel mush be heated into its vapor form in order for the stove to function properly.
I don't know... Before I purchased the Nova, I used the Coleman Peak 1 Multifuel stove for about 15 years and this one had to be preheated in winter. When I was shopping for an expedition style stove, the Nova was on top of my list because it was said that this one didn't have to be pre-heated... so, I purchased that one and never had to do this. I usually used Kerosine or other white gas.
Also, when you build up the pressure in the fuel bottle and open the valves... the fuel doesn't come out as liquid, but highly aerosolized and ignites immediately. That's just my experience. Maybe they changed the design since 1998???
Isn’t the purpose of a review to SHOW the set up you skipped over?
@larrylynn123 Thanks
it's not running at full power. maybe dirt in jet nozzle. better to use the magnet shake it up and down while running, (keep a lighter on your hand because it's going to shut off during this)
I gave it a good cleaning before the video, so I think the jet was clear. You're correct that if you use the magnetic cleaner during operation it tends to put the stove out.
Sorry, i thought it was running low, maybe a video issue.
yes! i have this stove since 2009, it's reliability is outstanding, the only thing i worry about is the o'ring at the tip of the quick connector. that was my only bad experience, the breakage of this tiny o'ring turns the stove useless, try to replace it in winter, with mittens at 3700 meters and -15 Celsius.... impossible. keep it well lubricated with the provided grease and will avoid a serious headache.
Previous models were all metal (better in my opinion) regards!.
Gerardo Delledera I may not have had quite enough pressure in the tank for this video. That might be why it seems to be burning a tad sluggish.
This stove served me well, but the number of moving parts and O-rings means there are lots of places for something to go wrong. Since I wasn't using the Nova's multi-fuel capabilities, I switched to a SVEA 123 and I couldn't be happier. One moving part, one o-ring.
can you use an msr fuel bottle with the optimus nova pump
Yes, the fuel bottles have a standard threading.
ColoradoCamper Thanks for all the info, I bike to school here in Nebraska and it is Ice Cold some mornings and your cold Weather commuting video helped me alot. You have also inspired some of my backpacking buys.
Thank you very much for the positive feedback. I am glad my videos helped you out.
The wind out in Nebraska has to be brutal for bike commuting, I imagine. Especially combined with the cold.
ColoradoCamper Im Going Backpacking this summer in Colorado and I'm wondering if You have any suggestions on were to go?
I can certainly help you with that. Send me a private message about the general area you plan to visit and for how long and I'll see what I can do.
what does the + do
The Nova + has an in-line throttle valve, so it's slightly more compact than the regular Nova. Otherwise, they are identical.
the plus is also multi-fuel
marko thorne my bad, I meant to say you can also get multi fuel in the plus series