Hi. I have just restored my first pressure lamp, and am excited to have it working properly! I have decent experience with fettling kerosene stoves, which came in handy. I have also found even more help and guidance from the forums here, so thanks to all who are contributing to this great site! Years ago I picked up this pressure lamp at a yard sale thinking it would be fun to try a pressure lamp. It only set me back somewhere between 10 and 20 bucks anyway, so I thought «why not?». It was put on a shelf in the basement and forgotten all about, and I almost tossed it while moving a couple of years back, but I decided to keep it. A few days ago I finally got around to fettling it. Having never dismantled a lamp before, I had to do a bit of research, but managed to get it all apart, inspected and cleaned up. Some of the gaskets were just crumbling between my fingers, and the tank and vaporizer tubes were really dirty. However, most of the parts were in good condition. A bit of bending here, and frenetic scrubbing there, and they were all in good shape once again. Replaced all gaskets and it seemed to hold pressure well. I mounted a mantle and preheated the lamp. I anxiously turned the wheel for the cleaning needle, and voila, there she lit up my garage (corner), with great pride! Now, being that I have very little knowledge and experience with these lamps, I would love it if anyone could enlighten me (no pun intended!) on my lamp. Year of manufacturing? How common/rare is it? Fun facts? It seems to have been modified to work only with meths for pre-heating, as parts of the rapid heater is gone, and a spirits cup was installed. The jet of the rapid heater was poorly sealed from the inside (with paper, it seemed!), so I had to improve on it. Air and fuel was leaking slowly, so I soldered the jet shut(!) from both the inside and outside, and added a gasket to prevent any leaks by the threads of the jet. This and the spirits cup are the only unoriginal aspects of the lamp, from what I can see. Maybe the glass is a replacement (see below)? The pictures below add some more details/information. The nameplate reads: «827 / 200 HK, Petromax, Rapid» and the tank reads «Original Petromax Rapid 200 CP, made in Germany». To the left of this it also says «REGD.». Thanks for taking your time to read my post, and I appreciate all feedback on my lamp. Cheers!
I got a tip from a forum member to look for a number scratched on the bottom of the tank. I can see a faint «40», assuming this means it was made in 1940(?)
Nice old lantern. The red enamel top would indicate 1937 to 1940 so your 1940 date may well be correct. It is a pity the control for the rapid pre heater is missing but the lantern will operate quite well without it. The meth cup is not a modification they were always fitted with that as standard. ::Neil::
I didn't know both spirit cup and rapid lighter were on the same lantern during that period! Why offer both an 821 and an 827 if the 827 came with both spirit cup and rapid lighter?
Thanks for your input! Assuming I can get a hold of a complete rapid heater of that old type, are the they easy to get in working order? No strange gaskets or quirky fettle operations?
That is a strange question: if you get a rapid in working order it simply screws on. If you get a faulty incomplete rapid it all depends on what is missing or defect.
Hi. I agree, the question was poorly worded! Let me clarify: If the lamp was put away for so long that all parts that deteriotrate over time (gaskets and such) need to be replaced, is it easy to get it back in working order? Any odd tools needed? Gaskets that are hard to get a hold on? Etc. Cheers, Håkon
No odd tools needed and old lanterns have old lead seals. They work even after 100 years. There is only one lead seal to brek and that is the one on the tank. However if this part is ok leave it in situ. screw on the rupper parts of teh rapid and try this first. When removing the soldered nu you see what you have. make a picture and lost it.
