Primus Himalaya MultiFuel, Himalaya VariFuel User Manual

Manual for

Himalaya MultiFuel

(MFS)

Himalaya VariFuel

(LFS)

CONTENTS

15

10

11

Drawing / numbers of spare parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .flap

Safety first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Which fuel is the best? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

How does a stove actually work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Where do you cook? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Stove assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

How to start the stove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

High and low flame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

How to turn off the stove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Save fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Cooking in cold weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Cooking at high altitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Maintenance & cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Problems and solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Compatibility of fuel bottles and gas cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Where to buy fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Primus distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Fuels in comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Your feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .postcard

MFS means “Multi Fuel System” because the Primus Himalaya MultiFuel stove is the only

What does MFS and LFS mean?

stove in the world that is able to burn gas from cartridges and liquid fuel. LFS means “Liquid
Fuel System“ because the Primus Himalaya VariFuel stove can only burn liquid fuel and
not gas from cartridges. Both stoves are basically identical and the handling is exactly the
same when burning liquid fuel. The difference between the two stoves is the pump and
the fuel pipe which comes with pump swivel connection for the fuel bottles and the
cartridges for the MFS. The guidelines for using gas cartridges only refer to the MFS.

These drawings show the names of the most important parts of the Primus

15

12

11

15

14

15

16

17

18

19

21

Himalaya MultiFuel (MFS) and the Himalaya VariFuel (LFS) stoves (and the

number of the spare parts that are needed most frequently).

Attention: In the drawings you see the burner and the pump of Primus

MFS. The LFS pump and pump swivel connection are designed in

a different way than on the MFS. On the LFS, you find the control valve

on the pump and not on the pump swivel connection.

Gaskartusche 450 gr Gas 2202
gas cartridge 225 gr gas 2207

Reinigungsnadel
cleaning pin

Brennstoffflasche „1000“ 721960
fuel bottle „600“ 721950

Leder-Pumpendichtung 730690
leather pump seal

Flaschendichtung
bottle sealing

Pumpe 721260 MFS
pump 721550 LFS

Rückschlagventil
one way valve

Flammenverteiler

1

2

3

4

567

8

9

10

11

12

13

20

flame distributor

Brennerschale
burner pan

Düse 35 = Gas und Benzin: 730660
Düse 28 = andere Flüssigbrennstoffe: 730670
jet nipple 35 = Gas cartridges and
white gas (petrol): 730660
jet nipple 28 = other liquid fuels: 730670

Reinigungsdraht
cleaning wire

Brennstoffzuleitung 721360
fuel line 721360

Vorwärmfilz 721450
priming pad

Generator
generator

Brennerkörper
burner

Brennerregler
control valve

Multiwerkzeug
multi-tool

O-Ring (Dichtung für Verbindungsstück)
O-ring (sealing for pump connection swivel)

Windschutz
windshield

Kocherfüße
feet (pan supports)

Verbindungsstück
pump swivel connection

SAFETY

Safety First

Yes, I know, everyone who buys a new stove or a similar product, will play
around with it at first – they will use the stove before they read the manual.
If you do this with a toaster, you may just burn yourself, but with a stove it’s
different – it can be dangerous. In the worst case it can cause major injuries
or even death. A stove is a potentially dangerous appliance, especially when
it is operated with liquid fuel. So now, please, do me a favour:

• Read this booklet carefully!

• Never hold your head or body above the stove!

• Don’t cook inside your tent or your house

• Be very careful when you change from white gas (petrol) to
gas cartridges!

• Be careful when you reignite a still hot stove!

• If you use a windshield, never put the fuel bottle or the gas
cartridge inside the windshield. Overheating may cause an
explosion.

• Practice, practice, practice - before you set out.

Read the manual first!

INTRODUCTION

“When you travel to Australia, you must try
the new MFS”, Andreas Ruhs from Primus
suggested to me. I did as he said – and
was impressed. When Andreas asked me
what I would suggest improving, I remem­bered the manual, an unattractive and
complicated leaflet which was enclosed to
the stove. Background: there are EC guide­lines for stoves covering everything from
content to layout. Primus agreed to my (and other people’s) suggestion to
supplement the original instructions. We believed they should be
interesting, written comprehensively and be practical and useful. We hope
you find this supplement helpful in getting the best out of your Primus stove.

The Primus Team with Till Gottbrath

©Primus AB. All rights reserved.
© Primus: All rights reserved. No parts of this manual may be

reproduced in any form or by any means without a written permission
from the publisher.

Primus is a trademark of Primus AB, Sweden registered in
Sweden and other countries.

Editorial
publisher: Primus AB, Solna, Sweden, [e-mail]
idea & text: KernoGottbrathoLang Kommunikation, München
layout & production: Werner Bauer, Esslingen, Germany
drawings: Primus AB, Brigitte Pega
english edition: Elena Cacavas, Murray Ferguson, Alan Hallberg

FUEL

20

4

What fuel is the best?

Gas (➜ jet nipple 35)

Gas cartridges are great. It’s my favourite fuel! I don’t need to pump while
lighting the stove, nor do I need to pre-heat the stove (this is also known as
priming). It burns without leaving residues (stove and dishes/pots don’t get
soiled and only steam and CO
remain). The cartridges are leak­proof and the ratio of fuel weight to
energy is very high, making it one of
the most efficient fuels. It leaves no
aftertaste or smell in your food or
equipment. Special gas mixtures like
Primus Liquid Gas works well, even
at high altitudes. There is only one
problem: gas cartridges are not
allowed on airplanes, and it may
occasionally be difficult to find the right cartridge in some parts of the world.

2

The Primus jet nipples

Your stove comes complete with several different
jet nipples. The jet nipple is the little, circular
brass part which is screwed into the center of the
stove. You must use the appropriate jet nipple for
the kind of fuel you will be using.

The jet nipple marked 35 (= 0.35 mm) is for gas
and all lead-free petrol types.
The jet nipple marked 28 (= 0.28 mm) is for all
other liquid fuels.

Please check that the right jet nipple has been
installed. Use the multi-tool which is provided
with the stove to switch nipples (see p.35 on how
to clean the jet nipple).

White gas (petrol) (➜ jet nipple 35)

Where there are cars there is fuel, and cars are almost everywhere. Petrol is
the most inflammable of all liquid fuels. This means both advantages and dis­advantages. Advantage: priming of the stove takes only a short while.
Disadvantage: petrol vapours are highly explosive (that’s why it is forbidden
to smoke at petrol stations). It is the most hazardous of all fuels.

FUEL

Other disadvantages are the varying qualities and types of petrol. There is a
so called catalytic gas / white gas (called lighter fluid gas at the chemist’s
drugstore, stove gas in
the outdoor shop, or
cleaning gas in the
home and in the phar­macy). These are all
varieties of petrol with
just a few additives.
That’s why they burn
without any problems.
Car petrol, on the other
hand, always contains
additives for the pro­tection of the engine.
These additives may
cause health problems
(they are highly carci­nogenic) and may also
harm the stoves by
blocking fuel lines or leaving ugly residue on the burner and the pots. If you
have the choice between leaded and unleaded petrol, always use unleaded.
Finally, we have the problem of residuals clogging up the flow of the fuel –
i.e. dirt from the tanks in which the fuel has been transported. On our expe­dition to Pik Lenin in the Pamirs, this drove us almost to despair. A filter (if
necessary a piece of cloth with a fine mesh or a coffee filter) often helps.

How does a stove work?

Unlike a paraffin lamp with a wick, a stove does not burn
liquid fuel, but only gas. This means that liquid fuel has to
vaporise first.
All chemical compounds are found in solid, liquid or gaseous
states (for example water as ice, liquid and steam). This
depends on the compound, the ambient temperature and
the prevailing pressure. Liquid gas for a stove or spirit will
vaporise if you let it stream out (at normal temperature). Other
liquid fuels (petrol, paraffin, etc.) must be heated before they
will vaporise.
If you operate a stove with liquid fuel, you must first prime
(pre-heat) it. The higher the vaporising temperature, the longer
the priming will take (see table at page 50). The various fuels
vary in volatility (i.e. how fast they evaporate). Stoves which
accept multiple fuels (like MFS and LFS) need differently
sized jet nipples . To tell them apart, we have given them
the numbers 35 and 28.
As soon as the stove burns, the generator (that is the
pipe that goes through the flame) assures free burning of
the stove. If it starts “spitting”, there might be too much pres­sure in the bottle or not primed enough. Let out some of the
pressure (outdoors, with no naked open flame nearby). More
priming: See page 19.

3

4

FUEL

Kerosene (USA) / Paraffin (UK) (➜ jet nipple 28)

This “rock oil” is being used all over the world as fuel for stoves and lamps. For
this reason, you will find it in places where you dont find white gas (petrol). Its
energy content is almost as high as that of white gas (petrol), but priming takes
longer (you should use priming paste since paraffin produces a lot of soot).
Also, note that you should clean the jet regularly. Another disadvantage: it smells
disgustingly. Spill just a few drops on your backpack, and you’ll have to do
some serious washing! On the other hand, there is no danger of explosion.

Jet Fuel (➜ jet nipple 28)

Jet fuel is closely related to paraffin (UK) or kerosene (North America and
Australia). It is used for the jet engines of large aircrafts. You can use it for
your Primus stove too, but if you have the choice between jet fuel and
paraffin/kerosene, we would recommend the latter.

Diesel

Diesel is chemically related to paraffin and has two more disadvantages than
the latter: the energy content is lower, and the temperature needed to vapo­rise is even higher. For the new model of the Himalaya Varifuel (LFS) we have
therefore developed a new burner pan (”bell”). The new burner pan makes
it possible to run the varifuel (LFS) on diesel. However, I cannot recommend
diesel as the fuel of first choice. One advantage is evident: you find it every­where around the world.

Alcohol / Spirits (do not use them)

The energy balance of alcohol is good enough for a solid beer belly but as
stove fuel it will try the patience of a saint... The cooking performance index
of spirits (see table on page 50) is scarcely half that of Primus Liquid Gas.

2

THE PLACE TO COOK

You should choose other fuels. The MFS or LFS burner would function with
spirits. At the moment, however, there is no sealing compound that is re­sistant against both alcohol and benzole (components of gas or paraffin).
Primus is doing research on a new material, but right now it doesn’t exist.
So for now: hands off spirits!

Please notice the table “Fuel in comparison” on page 50.

Where do you cook?

Outdoors

Sunset, calm weather, warm air – you lean back, breathe the mouth-watering
smell of dinner on your stove which is placed on a beautiful, big, flat rock.
These are ideal conditions – but not very frequent, I’m afraid… Look for a flat
spot that is protected from the wind or build one of stones. In the dry sea­son, be careful not to set the vegetation on fire. And please remember to put
any rocks that you have moved back to where you found them.

Indoors

Never use your Primus stove indoors (this includes all buildings, tents,
trailers, campers, cars etc.). For safety reasons it is strictly forbidden!

In the snow

A hole in the snow offers an ideal spot where to place your stove because it
will serve as a shelter for the wind. Do not forget to build an air supply pipe
from the side or below, to provide a flow of fresh oxygen. You should also
use a small wooden board to prevent the ‘hothead’ from melting down into
the snow.

STOVE ASSEMBLY

To repeat what we said earlier: Did you read this booklet from start to finish?
Are you outdoors? Have you found a place where the stove can be placed
safely? Did you make sure that the control valve is turned off (= turned

fully clockwise)? Did you install the correct jet nipple

for the fuel you are using?

4

12

1. Screw the pump
onto the fuel

bottle (only
if you are using
liquid fuel). Be
careful not to fit
it cross threaded!

19

15

2. Connect the stove to
the pump (or gas
cartridge). Screw the
pump swivel connection

onto the thread
(cartridge valve). Do not
screw it cross threaded,
and do not use force
when you tighten it (or
you may damage the
sealing).

11

15

3. Pull out (rotate) legs
(we are very proud of the
legs, they are very solid!)
Now you are ready to cook.

8

TURNING THE STOVE ON

1 Cooking with gas (only for MFS)

Gas is my favourite fuel: just arrange the stove, hold a burning lighter or match
over the burner, open control valve on hose swivel connection , and
there it goes!

2 Liquid fuel

Fill the bottle to the fill line (not higher).

2.1 Building up pressure (= pump)

If you are using a freshly filled fuel bottle you need to pump 10 - 15 strokes.
If the bottle is not completely full up to the fill line, pump a few more times.
Place the fuel bottle (never to close to the burner!) so that the inscription ‘ON’
on the pump shows upright.

2.2 Priming (pre-heating)

Open the control valve , some fuel will run into the priming pad below
the burner. Then close the control valve. If you are using petrol, the pad
doesn’t need to be soaking wet. If you are using another liquid fuel, it has to
be quite soaked through. Check again to make sure that the system is not
leaking, then light the fuel for priming.
Attention: do not place your head or other bodyparts above the stove!
Priming will take 1 minute at the most for petrol. For diesel (only the Vari­fuel/LFS) and kerosene/paraffin, prime for approximately 2 minutes – the
lower the temperature, the longer you must prime. (Hint: these fuels just
mentioned all soot quite a lot. Hence, we recommend you to use priming
paste, especially when it is very cold). As soon as the generator is
sufficiently hot, it will give a hissing sound. Wait until there is almost nothing
left of the priming liquid, then open the control valve (= turn it anti-clock­wise carefully).If priming is done correctly the stove will after a few seconds
burn with a steady flame and not flicker. See further page 31.

12

3

5

1215191112

HIGH & LOW FLAME

If priming is not done correctly (unsteady flame, “spitting” burner), you will have
to wait for a moment. Usually the burner will soon reach the required tempe­rature for operation (in about 10-20 seconds). If that doesn’t work, repeat
priming once more. First wait for a moment, and let the burner cool a little.

’Opening it right up’

Regulate the size of the flame with the control valve : clockwise =

smaller; anti-clockwise = bigger.
You don’t need to open the valve all the way to cook at maximum. The flame
does not get any bigger from a certain point on, regardless of how far you
turn the valve. This is the best point for maximum heating. If you continue to
turn the control valve , you will only use up more fuel, but you won’t get
your tea any faster.
Hint : As the bottle slowly gets empty while you use it, re-pumping during
cooking is necessary.

Simmering – cooking on a low flame

If you use gas, cooking on a low flame is no problem at all. If you use liquid
fuel, it’s a bit more difficult. To achieve simmering with liquid fuel you must
reduce pressure or pump less. If you set the burner at a low level, please
note that there will be a difference of 2-3 seconds between the time you turn
the control valve and the change of the flame.
If you turn the valve down too far, the temperature in the generator will
not be hot enough for evaporating the fuel, and the stove won’t function any­more. You will have to turn it up again.
With a little practice you will get the hang of it and will know at which point
the flame is the smallest possible.

3

12

12

12

TURN OFF THE STOVE

1. Turning off: gas

As always with gas cartridges: everything is easy! Just turn off the valve (=
clockwise), and that’s it. The rest of the gas in the fuel line will evaporate
without residue.

2. Turning off: liquid fuel

• Turn over the bottle (the inscription OFF on the pump should be

upwards).

• It will take 45–60 seconds until the last remains of fuel in the fuel line

has burned.

• After a while there will be only a little flame left (small, candle-like). Just

blow it out and turn off the valve .
Turning the bottle to OFF will bleed the fuel line which is very important. In
the fuel line there will be no fuel left that might leave residues. This will save you
a lot of cleaning and maintenance. And that’s very practical.

Bottle or cartridge empty = change it

Fuel changes or the filling of bottles must be done outdoors. Turn off the con­trol valve (= clockwise). Make sure that the flame is out and that there is
no other flame nearby. Unscrew the control valve from the gas cartridge
or from the connection on the pump .
Let out the rest of the pressure from the bottle before you open it for filling.
Important: never fill it above the filling line (marked on the bottle)!
Before you fit on the new cartridge or the refilled bottle, always check the
O-ring (= seal) in the control valve .

11131511121012

101510

HINTS

Removing, unpacking and storing the stove

Gas cartridge: Just unscrew the connection swivel from the valve of the

cartridge . The cartridge has a built-in, one-way valve which shuts auto­matically.
Liquid fuel bottle: To release the pressure in the bottle, just let the valve

stay open after burning the remaining fuel in the hose, you will hear a
hissing sound coming from the burner . The remaining pressure flows out
of the bottle. When the hissing stops, turn off the valve. Now you can unscr­ew the pump . This is not always necessary, though. You can leave the
pump inside the fuel bottle . It won’t get dirty there, and it is protec­ted from damage.

More hints & safety information

• Never let pots cook dry.

• Never leave your operating stove unattended - not even for a moment.

• Remember: a stove can get very, very hot. Grab a leg if you must move

the stove.

• Transport your stove and food separately, if you don’t want your food to

taste of petrol or paraffin.

• Do not drop your stove or use force on it, which goes without saying.

Be careful with stones if you build a windshield.

• The fuel line is the most stable you can get. Still, you should not fold

or twist it more than necessary.

• Clean the storage sack regularly. There’s always dirt and sand in it!

• Never keep fuel near a source of heat.

• Separate the stove from the gas cartridge or fuel bottle for storage.

101915156

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27

SAVE FUEL

Save fuel

• Always put a lid on the pot.

• Cook in a wind protected spot.

• Use a heat reflector and an external windshield – especially if it is

windy!

• Fold the windshield so that it becomes
smaller if you use a smaller pot.

• Use pots that conduct heat well (aluminum
or aluminum-steel).

• Don’t turn the flame higher than necessary
(see page 21).

• If you are using liquid fuel, priming will
consume some of it (depending on your skill,
fuel and the air temperature). You might save
more fuel by leaving the stove burning on a
low flame, before you brew your tea after
the meal, instead of reigniting it.

• A black or sooty pot absorbs more heat
than a polished one.

Cooking in cold weather

1. Using gas in cold weather

Gas does not evaporate, if it is very cold (at sea level: propane at –42°C,
isobutane at –12°C, butane 0°C). You may believe that 100% propane is the
best gas for cold temperatures. Unfortunately 100% propane gas cartridge
contents are prohibited due to the high pressure of propane. The gas must
be mixed with butane and iso-butane. Propane does not mix properly with
butane, though. If you light the stove when it is cold, only the propane will

If you use the heat
reflector you will need
about 17% less fuel.
With an external wind­shield this value will
improve.

COLD WEATHER

flow out, the butane will remain at the bottom of the cartridge. As the con­tents of the cartridge decrease, it will be gradually more difficult to light the
stove, due to the higher portion of butane in the mix. We have optimised the
mixing ratio of these three gases for Primus gas cartridges.

What can you do to make gas evaporate

even in a cold climate?

From –15°C and colder you must warm the cartridge by:

• Putting it under your jacket for 10 minutes before cooking.

• Warming it in some warm water that you have left in your thermos bottle.

• Put it inside your sleeping bag at night (brrrr!).

• Pee on it, (well, we admit that’s kind of a strange tip, but in rough times...).

• Use a Primus Heat Pad. This is a 90 gr. pad that is activated with a ‘click’.
Put it under the cartridge. There, it will develop a temperature of about
50°C for 15 minutes. To charge it again, let it boil for 5 min. You can put it
in your soup, the plastic cover is food proof.

• Turn down the control valve as low as possible. Now hold the gas car­tridge and turn it upside down slowly and very carefully. While doing so,
you must never lift the cartridge higher than the stove itself to avoid a sud­den burst of flames.

2. Using liquid fuel in cold weather

• Below –20°C, wax and other substances, that are contained in most of
the liquid fuels, will turn thick or solid. Also the leather of the pump
will get stiff. Stuff the fuel bottle under your jacket or in your (partner’s)
sleeping bag before you light the stove.

• Be careful that your skin does not contact the fuel. Danger of frost bite by
fuel evaporating on your skin!

15

16

HIGH ALTITUDE

• If the burner (stove) is not hot enough, the fuel will not burn with the small,
blue flame that it should do, but with a yellow flame – like a fire and also with
the occasional high flames you have in a fire. Reason: the fuel has not yet
vaporised, but comes to the burner in liquid phase. It actually burns like an
open fire. The intuitive thing to do is to close the control valve . With white
gas/petrol that is ok. Then simply wait until the flames become sufficiently
small and then open the control valve more. However, if you do it in the same
manner with kerosene/paraffin or diesel you will most likely have a problem
because these fuels will create soot that will clog the jet nipple and often
the generator which in turn means that you must clean these. My hint
here for kerosene/paraffin or diesel is: do not close the control valve fully
but leave it open just a little bit. Close it only so much that you do not nou­rish the big, yellow flames but still some fuel flows through- and by doing
this no soot sediments will develop in the generator, nor in the jet nipple.

Cooking at high altitudes

1. Gas

Most expedition mountaineers use gas at very high altitudes. Why?

1. It’s the safest fuel.

2. Gas has the highest energy content.

3. It needs no priming.

4. It leaves almost no residue or toxic substances.

2. Liquid fuel

Liquid fuel is not as good for very high altitudes as gas cartridges, although
it works well enough in base camps. Since stoves are used a lot there,
one might choose to use kerosene/paraffin. White gas/petrol has a higher
energy content, but for safety reasons I would prefer kerosene/paraffin.

3

4

12

MAINTENANCE & CLEANING

Basic rule: “Hands off if it’s burning”

I know many enthusiasts who love their equipment more than anything else.
They fiddle around with it until, eventually, they damage their gear (e.g. sand
gets into the burner when they are cleaning it).

Do it regularly: grease the leather seal in the pump

The pump for the stove functions like a bicycle pump. On the lower end
of the pump rod there is a leather seal. If it gets dry, pumping will become
difficult, and you will find it hard to build up pressure in the bottle. You must
grease it. In the maintenance and service set for MFS and LFS (721290) and
in the maintenance set for the pump (721460) you will find a special grease
for the leather seal . If you don’t bring this special grease, you can also
use vaseline, sun protection paste, olive oil or something similar.

1. Unscrew the cover under the pump handle, and pull the handle with the

pump rod carefully out of its casing.

2. Now you see the leather sealing at the lower end of the pole. Rub the

leather until it gets soft, and rub the grease into it. If the sealing leather
gasket is completely worn out, replace it. Off you go to your Primus dealer!

3. Re-install the pump.

16

15

How you get access
to the leather seal
of the pump to
grease it: unscrew
and pull.

15

16

16

15

MAINTENANCE & CLEANING

...and what about cleaning...?

The way the pump is constructed makes it possible to let the stove burn
until the fuel line is empty (see page 23). This will save you a lot of
cleaning and black fingers. However, it might be necessary to clean it occa­sionally, especially if you often use liquid fuel.

1. Cleaning the jet nipple

Before you start fiddling around with the jet nipple , turn off the control
valve (= clockwise), and unscrew the stove from the cartridge or fuel
bottle .

1. Lift off the flame distributor and unscrew the burner with the multi-

tool .

2. Now you see the jet nipple open in front of you. You can unscrew it with

the multi-tool or clean it with the cleaning needle .

3. If you have unscrewed the jet nipple , you have to pull it tight again

and re-install the burner.

2. Cleaning the generator

If the generator is blocked, clean it by using the cleaning wire . You
do not have to look for the wire among your accessories: it is stored within
the generator during usage.

1. Remove the fuel line from the generator with the multi-tool

(see drawing on the next page in English).

2. Pull the cleaning wire out of the generator . In most cases you can

do this by only using your hands but if that is not possible, use the multi-tool

. Put the cleaning wire through the circular hole in the multi-tool

and slant the tool a little so that the wire sticks in the hole.

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15

3. Then push the cleaning wire into the fuel line
and move it back and forth a few times.

4. There may remain small pieces of dirt in the fuel
line which you must flush out: screw the fuel line
onto the generator again but without the clea­ning wire , then unsrew the jet nipple from
the burner, build up pressure in the bottle with the
pump and let the fuel flow through (control valve
open, half a cup of fuel is sufficient). Do not throw
away the fuel but filter it through a coffee filter or
something similar and pour it back into the bottle.
In most cases the cleaning is easier if you blow
through the fuel line. Certainly, you will get a terrible
taste in your mouth and it is probably not good for
your health, but it is the quickest procedure (faster
than the one just described).

5. Fasten the jet nipple in the burner and put
the cleaning wire into the generator .

Safety

Keep away from fire, heat and open flames! Go outdoors!

Don’t breathe the fumes!

Tip: Check the whole system for leaks with soapy water. If it leaks, beautiful

bubbles will foam out of your stove, don’t forget to pump up a pressure first.

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10

MAINTENANCE & CLEANING

Here you see how to
get to access the jet
nipple or the cleaning
wire.

PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

When you have finished reading this manual, you will know so many things
about stoves, that you should be able to solve all possible problems with the
use of a little logic. The two Primus stoves Himalaya MutliFuel and VariFuel
are constructed in such a way that you can make them work and run again
with only a few tools, even in the wilderness.

Problem: the stove does not heat sufficiently

Reason & solution: there are many possible reasons: out of fuel (➧ new car­tridge or refill bottle); bottle is not full (➧ you have to pump more); bad priming
(too short) (➧ pre-heat again); wrong fuel (➧ use right fuel); fuel bottle does
not hold the pressure (➧ see below); jet nipple or fuel line blocked (➧
see previous chapter); gas cartridge too cold (➧ warm it up, see page 29
“cooking in a cold weather”); burner gets too little oxygen (➧ increase
oxygen flow).

Problem: there’s a leak somewhere
Attention: Dangerous problem! Turn off the stove immediately
and extinguish all open flames.

Reason: a seal is leaking or is torn/broken.
Solution: you can normally hear where the pressure is being released. If not,
fill the fuel bottle with soapy water, increase the pressure and open the
control valve . Now you should see soap bubbles somewhere if there is
a leak . A seal is probably torn. If so, change it. It is also possible that a screw
or the pump in the bottle needs to be tightened.

Problem: the fuel bottle does not keep the pressure, or it leaks

Reason: the one way valve of the pump is broken or dirty.
Solution: unscrew the pump from the bottle, take out the one way valve

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PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

(on the lower end of pump , inside the pump), clean rubber seal of valve,
and re-install.

Problem: you can not build up pressure in the fuel bottle

Reason: leather seal in pump is worn, ripped or dry
Solution: ➧ see page 33 “grease the leather seal in the pump”.

Problem: stove hisses briefly and goes out again

Reason: too much pressure in the bottle.
Solution: ➧ let out some of the pressure (outside, with no naked open flame
nearby).

Problem: stove hisses sometimes or “spits”

Reason: too much pressure in the bottle or not primed enough.
Solution: ➧ let out some of the pressure (outdoors, with no naked open flame
nearby). More priming: see page 19.

Problem: irregular yellow flame

Reason: there may here also be different reasons: too much pressure in the
bottle (➧ see above), jet nipple or fuel line are blocked (➧ see main­tenance and cleaning, page 35).

If you can’t solve your problems and your Primus stove refuses to perform,
contact your dealer. If there is no Primus dealer at hand, call the Primus repre­sentative.

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15

COMPATIBILITY

Compatibility of fuel bottles

and gas cartridges

All stove manufacturers recommend that their customers exclusively use fuel
bottles and cartridges of their own brand. Of course, you believe that this is
a marketing stunt, which is quite understandable. But there is a safety
reason too! If the cartridge or the bottle and stove fit exactly together, very
little can go wrong. That’s why we recommend the use of Primus stoves only
with Primus fuel bottles or gas cartridges!

During my travels around the world, I have made the distressing experience
that you can’t always and everywhere get the right cartridges and fuel bott­les (if the fuel bottle has been lost or broken). If you have no other choice,
you may make an exception and try to screw the Primus pump into fuel bott­les from other manufacturers. It will work with most other bottles because
the Primus pump is made of aluminium. (But don’t try it the opposite way:
pumps made of plastic will usually not fit into other brands’ fuel bottles!)
Important:

1. All plastic bottles are out of the question – no matter, if the threads fit or

not – since they will not endure the pressure.

2. Fill the bottle up only by three quarters full! This is due to the construction

of the Primus pump. The fill line on orginal Primus fuel bottles is the only
appropriate line. All other marked lines on other bottles are not valid!

WHERE TO BUY FUEL

Gas cartridges

There are four connection systems that are distributed widely. Good news:
The Primus system that you are using is the most widely distributed system,
and it provides the highest safety standards thanks to the automatically clo­sing security valve. You will find this system on the cartridges of most other
well known brands (though not on all). When you buy your stock of cartrid­ges, bring the stove with you, and try it out right in the shop. Note: we are
using the optimum gas mixture in Primus Gas cartridges. It may happen that
although the connection to cartridges from other producers fits the Primus
stove, the performance is much lower.

Where do I buy fuel?

If you drive, fly, walk or cycle to the end of the world, you will naturally ask if
you will find the right fuel when you get there. As an owner of the Primus
Himalaya MultiFuel, you have the most versatile stove on the market.
You have better buy your fuel in outdoor stores. If you cannot find one, try
hardware shops, ironmongers’, petrol stations, pharmacies, drugstores (medi­cal gas). If that doesn’t work eather, try to contact local mountaineering clubs
etc. via tourist authorities or agencies. They may be able to help.

VERGLEICH / COMPARISON

Brennstoffe im Vergleich

Brennstoff Energiegehalt Kochleistungs- Vorheizzeit

(kcal/kg) index

Primus-Flüssiggas ≈ 11900 100 keine
Propan-Gas ≈ 12000 101 keine
Butan-Gas ≈ 11800 99 keine
Benzin ≈ 10200 86 kurz
Petroleum ≈ 10100 85 lang
Kerosin ≈ 10100 85 lang
Diesel ≈ 9800 82 lang
Kohle (ca.-Wert) ≈ 8400 71 nicht möglich
Brennspritus ≈ 6300 53 nicht möglich
Trockenes Holz ≈ 4000 34 nicht möglich

Fuels in comparison

Fuel Energy Cooking per- priming

(kcal/kg) formance index time

Primus liquid fuel ≈ 11900 100 none
Propane gas ≈ 12000 101 none
Butane gas ≈ 11800 99 none
Petrol ≈ 10200 86 short
Paraffin ≈ 10100 85 long
Kerosene ≈ 10100 85 long
Diesel ≈ 9800 82 long
Coal (approx.) ≈ 8400 71 not possible
Methylated spirits ≈ 6300 53 not possible
Dry wood ≈ 4000 34 not possible

Wasch-, Feuerzeugbenzin

Wasch-, Feuerzeugbenzin

gasolina doméstica petróleo gasoil

bencina doméstica petroleo gasoil

domestique

benzina pura

© Primus

Country / Land Fuel / Brennstoffe

United Kingdom unleaded petrol white gas, petrol paraffin diesel

USA / Canada unleaded gas white gas kerosene diesel

Australia unleaded petrol Shellite kerosene diesel

Germany bleifreies Benzin Kocher-, Katalyt-, Rein-, Petroleum Diesel

Switzerland bleifreies Benzin Kocher-, Katalyt-, Rein-, Petrol Diesel

Spain gasolina sin plomo gasolina purificada kerosén diesel

South America bencina sin plomo bencina blanca keroseno diesel

Portugal / Brasil gasolina sem chumbo benzina petróleo gasóleo

France essence sans plomb essence à l`usage petrole gas oil

Italy benzina sensa piombo benzina trielina petrolio gasolio, diesel

Norway blyfri bensin ren bensin parafin diesel

Sweden bilbensin, blyfri bensin kemiskt ren bensin fotogen diesel