The Svea 123 has many things in common with the Primus No. 1: Both are made of brass which machines well, conducts heat well, and does not rust. Both use a "roarer" type burner, which is a very simple yet reliable design with good wind resistance. Both are "upright" type stoves with the burner mounted directly atop the fuel tank. This upright design allows for thermal feedback where the heat of the flame is conducted back to the fuel to vaporize the fuel.

But there are significant differences too. Recall that Primus stoves run on kerosene. The great breakthrough of Frans Lindqvist, the designer of the Primus, was his double tube burner design which allowed for complete vaporization of kerosene.


By contrast, the Svea 123 has but a single tube. Gasoline is much easier to vaporize than kerosene, so Lindqvist's design, brilliant as it is, is unecessary.


Another important difference: Flame control on a Primus is accomplished by means of an air screw. To reduce the flame, one reduces the pressure in the fuel tank by opening the air screw. Now since kerosene has a high flash point, the mixture of air laden with kerosene vapor doesn't burst into flame as it rushes out of the tank. Try running a Primus stove on gasoline, and it's likely to be the last thing you ever do. If you open the air screw to vent the tank while running on gasoline, well, let's just say I hope your life insurance is paid up. You did want to win a Darwin award, didn't you?

The Svea 123 on the other hand has a needle valve. The flame is controlled opening and closing the valve.

While both stoves operate to some degree by means of thermal feedback, that is the heat of the flame is conducted by the brass of the stove's burner assembly to the fuel tank where the heat vaporizes the fuel, a Primus needs a pump in order to achieve full operating pressure. A Svea 123 with its gasoline fuel does not need a pump. Gasoline's volatility alone pressurizes the stove. Note: An optional mini pump (straight) or midi pump (angled) can be used, along with a special tank cap, on a Svea 123. The pump is not necessary but can be helpful in cold weather.

In short, while the Svea 123 does have some similarities to classic Primus stoves, there are some significant differences. To my mind, the Svea 123 is more of a distant cousin to the Primus No. 1. The Svea 123 is a direct descendant of the gasoline powered Campus No. 3 which came out in the 1930's.


HJ