Hi folks, tried it again tonight and failed again miserably! I'm thinking I am just not getting enough pressure for it to vapourise and burn as a gas like it's supposed to. Pricked the burner hole with one of the original prickers that was supplied with it, full spirit cup of meths, no win here tonight, used windshield anyway and still dribbled out the top and burned yellow.
Could it be too little paraffin in the tank, do you think? There seems to be a reasonable amount in it, so I wouldn't have thought there was a minimum required, so long as there was enough to be able to adequately pressurise it.
OK then, just had a little play, and I've discovered there is a wire gause/mesh rolled up inside the burner tube. I removed this by tapping down the burner tube on a block of wood. I un-rolled it, and gave it a clean in meths with a tooth brush. I then rolled it up again and re assembled it together and lit the meths with the bleed screw closed. As the meths was beginning to burn out, the stove fired up with no pumping required, obviously at a very low burn rate. A few pumps then got it going at full power. Also the tank is nearly empty. So low pressure and paraffin should not be your problem. I think the mesh gets warmed up with the meths burning, and will help the paraffin vaporise. Hope this is of some help. bob
One other thought, and a real cheat way of trying to solve the problem if still required. Lack of vaporising on this most basic of stoves, can really only be due to lack of heat. So, do you have a gas blow lamp that you can use, to double the heat on the burner tube. If you try this and it works, then you may require to double burn the meths to get the burner hot enough. The only time I had trouble with mine as already mentioned, was when I was using it outside with no wind break. I did prick the jet, but also tried again using meths first, so it did have a double meths cycle.
Post last edited on 29/09/2010 10:49:55
Post last edited on 29/09/2010 13:14:22
------------- Canvas tent, paraffin light, petrol stove. Heaven
I'd rather be kayaking.
Spent up, not pent up, just had my new tent up.
Quote: Originally posted by superpup on 28/9/2010
safeway. that seems to have been the most sensible thing said on here cocerning that heater. if thing need a lot of messing about with. and more so if the go up in flames. then smash it with a hammer and bin it. smashed so nobody can try to get it going and badly burn themselves. i would never mess with those things. gas is bad enough. but safe when used properly and with care.
Superpup, these are parafin stoves, not gas. Like petrol stoves, they are all fully serviceable, and, unlike gas stoves, there is very little chance of an explosion.
I missed your post yesterday. I don't have as many as you, but I do have four full size silent burner stoves. My new one is the only one that has ever burnt inside the top. I release the pressure to put it out, then try again, normally it fires up ok. I know some tilley lamps do this, but my Vapalux lamp never has. I'll post if I ever find the solution.
------------- Canvas tent, paraffin light, petrol stove. Heaven
I'd rather be kayaking.
Spent up, not pent up, just had my new tent up.
To Raf48:
Bob, this is another great idea - I remember my Dad buying a new burner for it years ago and this newer one had the rolled up mesh. I'll try cleaning it and the double-priming idea too.
I also think I might have been over-cautious with the pumping to avoid the huge jet of flame; this has only happened once, it's usually more a case of a dribble out the top which seeps down and sets fire to the whole thing. Next time I'll try pumping more vigorously and seeing if more pressure helps ignition. Will also try priming it with the valve shut and seeing if that helps build the pressure.
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Topic: Old Optimus 96 Stove - Advice pls!
