View Full Version : Trouble in Svea Land
So we took the new Svea 123R on our four-day hike over Thanksgiving weekend. It had worked just fine the weekend before. Thanksgiving night, however, things didn't go so well. The flame was big and yellow and didn't give off much heat. We burned through a whole bunch of gas just boiling a little water. Since it was around freezing and windy, with three more days of winter hiking ahead, we considered bailing and going home.
Instead, Friday morning David took the stove apart as much as he could, blew out the soot, put it back together, and it worked again.
Friday night, it worked okay to start with, then started going yellow-flame again. He took the stove apart again, put it back together, and it worked really well.
Saturday it started clogging again, so he took it apart one more time, reassembled it, and it worked as well as it's supposed to--blue flame, quick boil time...great little stove. But then he tried to shut it off. Turning the key to the right had no effect whatsoever. The only way he could get it to stop was to turn the key to the left, to the cleaning position. That stopped the flame.
Now we're back at home. He has taken the stove apart and put it back together a couple of times. He has played with tightening and loosening the stuffing box thingy. It burns well, but won't turn off, except to turn the key to the left.
Any suggestions? This is pretty discouraging.
Any suggestions? This is pretty discouraging.Yep. Go back to your Caldera Cone. :banana:D:eek: Seriously, I know nothing about the Svea, sorry. :(
Yep. Go back to your Caldera Cone. :banana:D:eek: Seriously, I know nothing about the Svea, sorry. :(
That's what it's gonna be this weekend. That's okay for one person, but when David and I are hiking together and it's cold out, I'd really like to have a gasoline stove. That works.
Skidsteer
12-04-2008, 22:13
http://www.wildernessdining.com/as733441.html
Although, I gotta say it's rare for a Svea to need a tune up.
Two Speed
12-04-2008, 22:14
Crappy or contaminated gasoline, possibly?
SouthMark
12-04-2008, 22:19
http://www.wildernessdining.com/as733441.html
Although, I gotta say it's rare for a Svea to need a tune up.
I agree. I have two that are over 20 years old and have been used heavily with no problems and no tune ups but…it does happen.
take-a-knee
12-04-2008, 22:20
Something is wrong with that stove Marta, send it back. Mine has never failed me in 33 years.
Skidsteer
12-04-2008, 22:23
Something is wrong with that stove Marta, send it back. Mine has never failed me in 33 years.
I'm inclined to agree. Mine sat half full of fuel for more than 33 years and cranked up first try on what amounted to varnish.
The cleaning neddle is set wrong also the fuel cap gasket might be bad leaking pressure.The neddle needs to be 4 clogs if that not work 5 clogs then after new gasket still yellow and smoke leave out cleaning neddle.Make sure that no one put some kerosene in it also. just use coleman fuel. use alcohol to prime .I have about 7 or more svea all work ok. did you ever run out or fuel wehen cooking if so the wick can be chared at the tip that mess it up.Some times on prime need to do 2 times the flame spreader on top make sure its not bent on top and push down to far.
The Old Fhart
12-04-2008, 22:30
The problem most people have with the Svea is improper priming so you don't get a good hot blue flame. One way to correct this is to buy a priming pump (http://www.google.com/products?q=svea+stove+pump&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS208US209&um=1&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title). I've used one for years and it works great.
The other option is filling the depression around the base of the tulip with white gas or priming paste, light it, and pressurizing it that way.
Tipi Walter
12-04-2008, 22:37
I've been thru about five 123s over the years and had this same exact thing happen to one of my stoves. Unlike an MSR stove, there's only a limited about of things you can do to a 123. One is to unscrew the top tube from the base of the tank and inspect the gas wick, but as far as going into the key mechanism, there's a nut that opens it up I believe and allows some cleaning. I chucked mine and grew tired of the Svea foibles:
**difficult to fill up a hot stove when the fuel runs out(and watch out when you relight it)
**key gets hung up in the brass housing or key gets lost
**brass housing gets bent and difficult to remove/attach
**little nail-like pot supports fall off and get lost(and must be replaced with bent-nails)
**priming usually results in spilled/lost fuel unless you want to carry an eye dropper--hassle
**small tank hole needing careful refueling or spills will result
**heavier than MSR Simmerlite and a bunch of other stoves
End O' Review
Here's the thing: It's a new stove.
We ordered one last December. It functioned for a few weeks, then the valve broke and the stove wouldn't shut off. (The key could be turned indefinitely.)
We sent that stove back. A&H said they had to wait for a shipment of stoves from Sweden to replace it. In April or May we finally got a new stove. Didn't use it all summer and fall. Started using the new stove maybe three weeks ago. It worked well at first, then started misbehaving.
Thanks for the info, especially the link to the repair kit, Skids. David is going to completely disassemble that valve this weekend. If it breaks, we'll order the repair kit.
I can't say I'm impressed with the 123R's reliability. On one of the sites we found through a Google search, they mention that the self-cleaning Sveas are not nearly as reliable as the older models. I'm starting to think that's an understatement.
take-a-knee
12-05-2008, 00:03
Mine is the older version with the jet that has to be unscrewed and cleaned with a little wire periodically. Mine runs great on auto gas, you just have to clean the jet more often. As for comparing an MSR to the SVEA, I've never known anyone that had to kick a SVEA into the creek, I can't say that for an MSR. You have the second of two defective stoves Marta.
You have the second of two defective stoves Marta.
Mine must have been the first. I only wish there'd been a creek to toss it into. ;)
Another thing that may or may not be contributing. In cold or very cold weather, I sometimes have to prime twice in order to bring the stove to proper operating temperature - big yellow flame results if you try to burn it while it's still too cold.
Also, in cold weather, insulate the base of the stove from the cold ground. Just like you in your sleeping bag, the ground will suck the heat out of the stove. A small 4" square of blue foam sleeping pad works great for me. Buring the SVEA on the cold ground without some insulation can cause it to go to a yellow flame.
Burning the stove in the yellow flame mode will definitely cause it to soot-up.
I, too, have had the same SVEA for over 30 years, used it twice a day for a year when it was new, used it in all weather conditions from high desert to -12* along the AT. It never failed to heat my water and cook my meal using the above techniques. I have never disassembled my stove, rebuilt it, or even changed the wick. The thing just works.
If my suggestions and the others given earlier don't solve your problems, I would return the stove again. This is disappointing, but I guess it's possible that, as with many other manufacturers, the quality control has decreased. The SVEA is an exceptionally dependable design if properly built.
Feral Bill
12-05-2008, 01:24
I hope it is not a defective stove. Bad fuel and/or cold ground seem like likely culprits. My SVEA will be 40 next year, still going strong. If fuel or cold is not the problem, send it back and buy an older SVEA on EBAY.
Also never fill the stove to the top just put 3/4 full.Before you light the stove if not all ready done on fill up un screw the cap to release the vacuum then put cap back on
Another thing that may or may not be contributing. In cold or very cold weather, I sometimes have to prime twice in order to bring the stove to proper operating temperature - big yellow flame results if you try to burn it while it's still too cold.
Also, in cold weather, insulate the base of the stove from the cold ground. Just like you in your sleeping bag, the ground will suck the heat out of the stove. A small 4" square of blue foam sleeping pad works great for me. Buring the SVEA on the cold ground without some insulation can cause it to go to a yellow flame.
Burning the stove in the yellow flame mode will definitely cause it to soot-up.
I, too, have had the same SVEA for over 30 years, used it twice a day for a year when it was new, used it in all weather conditions from high desert to -12* along the AT. It never failed to heat my water and cook my meal using the above techniques. I have never disassembled my stove, rebuilt it, or even changed the wick. The thing just works.
If my suggestions and the others given earlier don't solve your problems, I would return the stove again. This is disappointing, but I guess it's possible that, as with many other manufacturers, the quality control has decreased. The SVEA is an exceptionally dependable design if properly built.
Ground temperature could have been a factor. Thanksgiving night, when the flame was yellow, the ground was frozen. And the stove produced an exceptional amount of soot. I will take an insulated pad in the future.
The white gas we were using was the expensive MSR stuff (recently purchased for $10 for a quart:eek:) so I hope that was not the problem.
Quality control has definitely decreased. But our inclination at this point is to completely disassemble the thing. If we wreck it in the process, so be it. It's already unusable for backpacking purposes, since it leaks fuel when not operating.
Also never fill the stove to the top just put 3/4 full.Before you light the stove if not all ready done on fill up un screw the cap to release the vacuum then put cap back on
Another important point. Tho I will admit to filling the stove completely on numerous occasions and not having any problems, it is recommended to leave some air space for proper vaporizing of the fuel.
Good Luck.
Really, really too bad if they have allowed the quality to suffer so much.It is a fantastic design.
Yeah, we're pretty disappointed with the stoves.
David won't rest until he knows exactly how it's supposed to work, and why it's failing to work properly. If that results in the destruction of the stove, so be it. In theory, we should be able to get replacement parts for everything. I'll be interested to see what his diagnosis is...
One more relatively simple suggestion just to exhaust all troubleshooting possibilities that I can think of:
Even tho the fuel was new and expensive, I guess it could still have been a bad lot. I would either buy some Coleman, empty the SVEA completely, allow it to dry (gotta get the potentially bad fuel out of the wick), and try again with different fuel. At the least, I would try some of the MSR fuel in another whitegas stove, see if it burns ok there.
It is possible that MSR's quality control is at fault. At least this will eliminate one more possibility.
Actually, we're doing what you suggested, though by accident. Last weekend's trip finished off our fuel supply from our existing MSR can. And we've been emptying the fuel after use because otherwise the stove leaks.
I should say that, at this point, the stove is burning well. The problem is that the control valve isn't working properly. (A different form of malfunction of the same valve is what led us to return stove #1.) David is not sure whether there is some sort of schmutz in the valve that is preventing it from closing, or is the tolerances are not good enough for it to seal. He hopes to find that out this weekend.
I, however, will be hiking...with an alcohol stove.
Well, my stove, tho old, is the design with the built in cleaning needle. I have noticed that in the last 10 years or so, after burning, when I turn the stove off, a small flame remains as long as their is still pressure in the tank. I've attributed it to a wearing and enlarging of the fuel jet. I just allow the stove to cool and the flame goes out, or I blow it out. It does help, tho, to keep your water hot longer if you want a second cup of coffee. Am I looking for a silver lining here? :D
I've never noticed mine actually leaking fuel, but I'm always careful to pack it in an upright position, and usually always stand my pack up when it's off my back. I've always done that.
Again, good luck.
Well, my stove, tho old, is the design with the built in cleaning needle. I have noticed that in the last 10 years or so, after burning, when I turn the stove off, a small flame remains as long as their is still pressure in the tank. I've attributed it to a wearing and enlarging of the fuel jet. I just allow the stove to cool and the flame goes out, or I blow it out. It does help, tho, to keep your water hot longer if you want a second cup of coffee. Am I looking for a silver lining here? :D
I've never noticed mine actually leaking fuel, but I'm always careful to pack it in an upright position, and usually always stand my pack up when it's off my back. I've always done that.
Again, good luck.
I recently starting playing around with the older model SVEA and found this website to have a great amount of information on the SVEA 123 & 123R and how to maintain it.
http://www.spiritburner.com/
I've had no problems and really enjoy using it. Priming and insulating from the cold ground are key.
-Stephen
skinewmexico
12-05-2008, 13:41
Sounds like dirty fuel to me, although I haven't used a Svea since the 70's. And I wouldn't pay extra to get the MSR fuel.
Feral Bill
12-05-2008, 15:51
It's already unusable for backpacking purposes, since it leaks fuel when not operating.[/quote]
Leaks where? That's very peculiar.
troglobil
12-05-2008, 17:40
I'm sure that is related to it not wanting to shut off properly. Something is definitely screwed up in the stem.
Tipi Walter
12-05-2008, 17:58
I'm sure that is related to it not wanting to shut off properly. Something is definitely screwed up in the stem.
Sometimes the stem gets bent or askew, hard to fix and results in poor performance. I think the old Svea is a relic from the past, albeit a beautiful brass one, and needs to be retired to a high shelf somewhere. Fun to look at, hassle to use. The obvious advantages of having a separate fuel tank(like MSR), alone, is worth deep-sixing the 123. The website cphobes highlighted is a college course in these brass babies, going back to dim prehistory with a myriad of product codes, numbers and nomenclatures. All Hail therefore the Optimus/Svea miracles of old technology, now it's time to upgrade.
There's only one thing the Svea does better than my Simmerlite, it simmers!
I've used a Peak I and I own a Wisperlite and have known and witnessed many of MSR GK owners. None of them is an upgrade to a properly working SVEA. The only "improvement" I've found is an alcohol for the simplicity and weight.
wideload
12-05-2008, 18:40
Marta,
If David finds a specific part that isn't working on your Svea do a search on A & H Enterprises. Then search Optimus stoves and the Svea stove and its component parts should come up for review.
Because so much of your stove doesn't work I'd send it back and buy one from A & H. You should get better luck by buying from a different vendor instead of from your original vendor who seems to have gotten a bad batch. A&H also does repairs.
You could also keep your eyes open for an older used one.
I bought mine 35 years ago and have never had a repair. I am still very pleased. I have the pepsi alcohol stove but I've taken my Svea to the Rockies, the Tetons, short trips on the AT, canoeing down the Allagash in Maine, etc., etc. I think you and David would find it the perfect couples stove and its cheery whoosh is a friendly noise at the end of the day.
I second the insulation on the bottom during the bitter cold and also the little hand pump that fits over the specialized gas cap that replaces the original gas cap. Both are relatively cheap. Having the stove pressurized this way helps a whole lot.
David Hahn
generoll
12-05-2008, 19:06
as already mentioned, the poor burning may well have had to do with the cold ground. I've had similar issues in the past. Use it once and it works great. Let it cool and then relight and either poor or no performance. Two cures for this. 1. Open the fuel tank to let the pressure equalize before priming. 2. Keep the tank insulated from the cold ground.
I've also found that little priming pump very useful. It only takes a couple of strokes (no wise cracks) and it's good to go.
oldfivetango
12-05-2008, 20:36
What about a warranty?
I would send it back and demand a replacement -I bet you
will get one.I own two Sveas-one is ancient and was a gift,the
other is modern and I love that thing-especially the sound but
count on alcohol stoves now because of the weight.
Oldfivetango
Tipi Walter
12-05-2008, 20:56
What about a warranty?
I would send it back and demand a replacement -I bet you
will get one.I own two Sveas-one is ancient and was a gift,the
other is modern and I love that thing-especially the sound but
count on alcohol stoves now because of the weight.
Oldfivetango
Back in 1984 I had a finicky Svea that blew a gasket and so I rushed it to my local outfitters(Footsloggers in Boone NC)and the owner pronounced it DOA. The cool thing is, he went in the back and reached under a counter and handed me a new Svea just like that. No questions asked and no money exchanged.
troglobil
12-05-2008, 21:16
I think the old Svea is a relic from the past, albeit a beautiful brass one, and needs to be retired to a high shelf somewhere.
Mine is shined up and sitting on my desk.
Mine is shined up and sitting on my desk.
I can assure you that my Whisperlite is not sitting on my desk. It's a fookin' stove, not a religious icon.
Tipi Walter
12-05-2008, 21:39
I can assure you that my Whisperlite is not sitting on my desk. It's a fookin' stove, not a religious icon.
I don't know about that. It just might be. And it doesn't have to be polished, either. Twenty years ago I had a girlfriend from Denmark who couldn't keep her eyes off my little Svea 123. There's some kind of Scandinavian fascination with brass stoves, and my Svea saw a lot of action. On backpacking trips with her into Lost Valley, she would bring her own little European metal backpacking coffee maker that sat up on my Svea and we were in pig heaven. The old Sveas were Danish babe magnets.
Hey, Marta,
Here's another option. Buy the one I took in '06. It's 31 years old with only 3500 miles. Works great but loud.
Merry Christmas, Mango
Marta,
I got my Svea and a mini-pump a year ago. The stove was a pain to light in cold or wet weather, but some directions from A & H seem to have solved the problem. It now starts up & burns like a charm. If your Svea has a mechanical problem, this won't help, but, for what it's worth, here's the drill. It's cheap, at least.
Briefly, I guess you could say that I prime the Svea twice: once with the mini-pump (9-10 strokes), then a squirt of fire paste at the base of the burner. Put the windscreen back on (you have to remove it to pump) & light the paste. When the paste is almost burned down, open the valve & the Brass Beauty is cooking.
Like I said, my cranky stove now works like a charm. Hope this helps with yours, too.
Best wishes,
Dennis
I have an even worse problem. I put my Svea away 25 or so years ago when I bought a Whisper light, and then a Zip. Now I can't find my Svea. Does anyone knows where it might be?
Weary
Feral Bill
12-06-2008, 02:05
I can assure you that my Whisperlite is not sitting on my desk. It's a fookin' stove, not a religious icon.
I assure you, it's both.
I assure you, it's both.
I have a couple of AT icons in my cubicle. One is an AT map (the skinny 4' x 9" one, on styrofoam) and the other is an ancient 35mm camera.
The camera is the same model and vintage as Earl Schaffer carried in 1948 -- a folding Kodak Retina. Hell, for all I know it might have been Earl's. I used it for a couple years when I was 10-12 years old or so. It was pretty awful. It weighs about a pound and a half, maybe two. My Dad got it out of a junk bin in the photo district in New York City. Prolly paid $5 for it... in 1962.
Marta,
If David finds a specific part that isn't working on your Svea do a search on A & H Enterprises.
Thanks, David--A&H is who we bought the stove from.
Update--my David did NOT work on the stove this weekend. He spent the whole weekend messing with and riding his bike! What's wrong with the man?:D
The saga continues...
Hey, Marta,
Here's another option. Buy the one I took in '06. It's 31 years old with only 3500 miles. Works great but loud.
Merry Christmas, Mango
Please PM me with your price, Mango.
I tried to buy a used one off someone this weekend. He said he hadn't used his in 10 years. But when I got to talking about it, he decided he really needs to start using his again. Doggone it!
generoll
12-07-2008, 20:55
check ebay. some possibles there.
Please PM me with your price, Mango.
I tried to buy a used one off someone this weekend. He said he hadn't used his in 10 years. But when I got to talking about it, he decided he really needs to start using his again. Doggone it!
Marta,PM sent on a 123. Old but in perfect working order.
Just in case you still need one.
sliderule
12-07-2008, 22:34
Sometimes the stem gets bent or askew, hard to fix and results in poor performance. I think the old Svea is a relic from the past, albeit a beautiful brass one, and needs to be retired to a high shelf somewhere. Fun to look at, hassle to use. The obvious advantages of having a separate fuel tank(like MSR), alone, is worth deep-sixing the 123. The website cphobes highlighted is a college course in these brass babies, going back to dim prehistory with a myriad of product codes, numbers and nomenclatures. All Hail therefore the Optimus/Svea miracles of old technology, now it's time to upgrade.
I have a SVEA that has been going strong since 1972. I have lost count of how many times a have loaned it to fellow hikers whose MSR stoves let them down. When it comes to either durability or efficiency, a MSR has absolutely nothing on a SVEA.
oldfivetango
12-08-2008, 08:29
I must be missing something.It is a NEW SVEA,right?
Cant you send it back for a repalcement or a refund?
Just curious why you would want "him" to tinker with it
and have a defective stove with a recurrent problem?
Oldfivetango
It is a new Svea, the second one with a similar problem. The reason he wants to tinker with it is to see if he can locate and replace the source of the problem. One of the charms of the Svea is that everything is replaceable.
Having had two consecutive new Svea failures, we no longer have enough confidence in the stove to take it out in the backcountry in the winter unless we are sure we can fix it in the field. Getting a third new stove wouldn't give us that confidence.
And he loves to tinker with stuff. It's a hobby, more than a quest for consumer justice.
generoll
12-08-2008, 12:36
makes perfect sense to me.
generoll
12-08-2008, 12:53
Oh, under the for what it's worth department. I ran one of my stoves last night and then shut it down and put it in the freezer. I just got it out and after opening the fuel cap to equalize the pressure and putting the cap back on, I put about as much firepaste as you would use as toothpaste. The tank was frosted, but as soon as the frost melted to the level of the fuel I opened the valve and ran the cleaning needle out. Once I pulled the needle back the stove started up and made its' usual purr. I ran it until all the frost melted and then shut it down.
That's the way they are supposed to work. If the new ones are crap, then all the more reason to buy a used one on Ebay or wherever.
take-a-knee
12-08-2008, 13:51
Oh, under the for what it's worth department. I ran one of my stoves last night and then shut it down and put it in the freezer. I just got it out and after opening the fuel cap to equalize the pressure and putting the cap back on, I put about as much firepaste as you would use as toothpaste. The tank was frosted, but as soon as the frost melted to the level of the fuel I opened the valve and ran the cleaning needle out. Once I pulled the needle back the stove started up and made its' usual purr. I ran it until all the frost melted and then shut it down.
That's the way they are supposed to work. If the new ones are crap, then all the more reason to buy a used one on Ebay or wherever.
Sage advice, I'd send it back.
Feral Bill
12-08-2008, 14:55
Oh, under the for what it's worth department. I ran one of my stoves last night and then shut it down and put it in the freezer. I just got it out and after opening the fuel cap to equalize the pressure and putting the cap back on, I put about as much firepaste as you would use as toothpaste. The tank was frosted, but as soon as the frost melted to the level of the fuel I opened the valve and ran the cleaning needle out. Once I pulled the needle back the stove started up and made its' usual purr. I ran it until all the frost melted and then shut it down.
That's the way they are supposed to work. If the new ones are crap, then all the more reason to buy a used one on Ebay or wherever.
I think you might get different results if you tried running in in a cold environmet, espcially sitting on a cold, icy surface. My SVEA works perfectly in cold temperatures, (and I mean well below 0 degrees) IF it has insulation below and, in extreme conditions, around. Sit it on an icy stump and no go.
I think you might get different results if you tried running in in a cold environmet, espcially sitting on a cold, icy surface. My SVEA works perfectly in cold temperatures, (and I mean well below 0 degrees) IF it has insulation below and, in extreme conditions, around. Sit it on an icy stump and no go.
I don't doubt that what you are saying is true, but in this case, it isn't a matter of insulation, it is a malfunctioning valve, a mechanical problem. Something is wrong with the stove.
hootyhoo
02-20-2009, 19:27
Here's the thing: It's a new stove.
We ordered one last December. It functioned for a few weeks, then the valve broke and the stove wouldn't shut off. (The key could be turned indefinitely.)
Was it stored with gas in it?
We sent that stove back. A&H said they had to wait for a shipment of stoves from Sweden to replace it. In April or May we finally got a new stove. Didn't use it all summer and fall. Started using the new stove maybe three weeks ago. It worked well at first, then started misbehaving.
I had one that did the same - never could get it fixed so I sent it back.
Thanks for the info, especially the link to the repair kit, Skids. David is going to completely disassemble that valve this weekend. If it breaks, we'll order the repair kit.
I can't say I'm impressed with the 123R's reliability. On one of the sites we found through a Google search, they mention that the self-cleaning Sveas are not nearly as reliable as the older models. I'm starting to think that's an understatement.
I always was impressed with the reliability. You could count on problems- like clockwork. Very reliable. It would be 'retro-neat' to have another. But there are too many advancements in stoves over the last century to buy one for any other reason.
I consider most stoves to be over priced. but if the masses are willing to pay it they may as well mark 'em up.
Typical Whitegas Stove/ Windscreen optional/ does not come with fuel bottle (and won't work without it) And the "Guaranteed to Break" Plastic parts are expensive.
Retail Price - 129.00
Cost to produce stove - 25.00
Retail markup - 50.00 (Includes REI executive salary)
Corporate Executive Compensation per unit - 54.00
Plus tax (another form of Executive Compensation)
And MSR is the worst of them all.
Tipi Walter
03-02-2009, 08:33
I've used a Peak I and I own a Wisperlite and have known and witnessed many of MSR GK owners. None of them is an upgrade to a properly working SVEA. The only "improvement" I've found is an alcohol for the simplicity and weight.
Uh, let me mention an external fuel tank much bigger than the Svea's and not needing frequent refilling. That's one improvement. Another plus: No little nail-like prongs holding up a pot which fall out and get lost, w/o which you won't be cooking. And have to replaced with homemade bent nails. MSRs prime easily, Svea's don't(unless held over an open fire)and require pouring gas into the bottom trough-usually resulting in spilled and wasted fuel--unless you use a spout or eye dropper.
I can assure you that my Whisperlite is not sitting on my desk. It's a fookin' stove, not a religious icon.
The MSR stoves are just stoves, but the Svea is a religious icon. Get used to it and compare the looks of the two: polished brass versus a nondescript wire contraption. No comparision.
I have a SVEA that has been going strong since 1972. I have lost count of how many times a have loaned it to fellow hikers whose MSR stoves let them down. When it comes to either durability or efficiency, a MSR has absolutely nothing on a SVEA.
As before, I'd take my Whisper/Simmerlites over my old Sveas any day. My Simmerlite can be field repaired with all new seals and grommets, the fuel cable can be pulled out and cleaned, the pump disassembled and upgraded, a new pump can be cached on long trips(never needed, though), there's no support prongs to lose or on/off keys to drop or get tangled in the brass housing, and the MSR's tank never runs out of fuel like with the much smaller tank on the Svea. Ever run out of fuel in the Svea right in the middle of cooking? You gotta let it cool, remove the key, remove the brass housing, carefully refuel into tiny refill hole, replace housing, put key back on--and here's the fun part--prime again and relight. If you want your meal to be finished fairly fast, you'll refill a too-hot stove and when relighting, well, there'll be a small explosion. None of this happens with a MSR.
I got lots of stoves and the svea don't need a repair kit in the field. Also it can simmer if you know how plus i cam bake on it with a oven.
Update--We've been using the classic Svea all winter with nary a problem. Great stove. I'm not sure why they felt the need to "improve" it. It'll be interesting to see if David ever gets the new one working reliably.
take-a-knee
03-02-2009, 09:54
Update--We've been using the classic Svea all winter with nary a problem. Great stove. I'm not sure why they felt the need to "improve" it. It'll be interesting to see if David ever gets the new one working reliably.
So you bought an older one?
So you bought an older one?
Yep, from Mudcap here on Whiteblaze. A great little stove.
Feral Bill
03-02-2009, 21:01
As an obviously loyal SVEAista I am happy for you. Now you will never need another stove.:)