Hi everyone. I've always wanted a Tilley and for Christmas I got a Guardsman and a seal kit. I've changed all the seals and test ran it (without a mantle) but seem to have a problem. To get it to run with a nice blue even flame I have to just crack the control cock open. If I open it up any further the flames move away from the burner and it goes out. Its very fiddley to get it right so it will run but I don't think I could do it with a mantle on. Do you think the problem lies with the control cock, vapouriser or both. Many thanks Mark
Hello and welcome to the asylum forum @Rockabilly Mark. Think of the mantle as a containment field, without it, the flame will easily blow itself out. You could try again with reduced pressure but as long as the flame is nice and blue, put a mantle on and enjoy the light.
Sounds like you have the perfect first lantern. To start with you need to buy a 2nd to compare. Then fiddle with, and swap around each part to see which/what is not functioning correctly. By the end of it you will have a dozen lamps and know how they tick inside out
Thanks for your advice Henry. I think that's what I'll do and take it from there. Love that Tilley hissssssss, lol
It could be a worn vapourizer and over fueling but as Henry says, the mantel offers 'a resistance' so I wouldn't be looking for a replacement until you've tried a mantel. Mantel
Just about the whole point of trying a burner without a mantle is to see the flame colour. A nice blue Bunsen flame means the mixture is good, too much yellow/orange indicates a rich mixture and a poor light. That test burn has to be at a low pressure to avoid the flame blowing out and a Tilley certainly won't sustain a high pressure burn without a mantle. You got a nice blue so fit a mantle and it should work well with the normal operating pressure.::Neil::
I had a similar problem with a guardsman, but this happened with the mantle on. It would not run right and only if the control tap was only opened a fraction. I replaced the vap tube with a newer one and all was well, so I am thinking it was in my case a worn out vap tube.
Thanks for all your replies. It seems I might be worrying over nothing. I will try it with a mantle on later this week. As Scott suggested this is a picture of the lamp's test run. The brown hood has seen better days but it will do for now. Cheers Mark
The bunsen test looks perfect to me! Add a mantle and you'll have yourself a good runner. Can I assume you know about burning in the mantle once it's been fitted but before you actually run the lantern?
Not necessary on Tilley (and I assume Vapalux / Bialaddin) lamps. From the instructions on the back of a Tilley mantle packet (repeated in the 'To Change Mantle' section of X246B instructions) " . . . Arrange the mantle fabric evenly (as illustrated) and then when the lamp is lit it will burn off and asume the correct shape".
Dammit! I've been doing it wrong all this time! Oh well, at least I know now. Thanks for the clarification.
@ColinG I wouldn't call your method wrong, I'm sure you've heard the expression there's more than one way to skin a cat. After all, in the 'fit a new mantle' section of instructions provided by most other lantern manufactures, it does say to light the new mantle and let it burn until nothing remains but a white ash. Allow lantern to cool. Preheat generator and light lantern. Or something along those lines.
Thanks to everyone for you advice. I finally found time to get the mantle fitted tonight and fire it up. The light that comes from it is fantastic. The light, the warmth and that hissssssss. I love it. I fitted the mantle (164x) as per the instructions and its ended up like a bell shape. Is this ok?? Does anybody have any "mantle shots".
Your lantern looks bright enough so I reckon it's O.K. I certainly wouldn't destroy a mantle that's giving out that much light just because it's "the wrong shape". Enjoy it as it is.
Hi Mark and welcome to the forum. Your Guardsman is looking just fine, we’ll fettled! What you need to ask yourself now is, what lamp are you going to have next?
Ha ha Big Stevie. I've heard they multiply so watch this space. I'm looking forward to see what comes next.
You could branch out and find yourself something completely different, like a cheap Coleman, maybe a 295 Powerhouse or a 285 Dual Fuel. They come up regularly on eBay and other sites like Gumtree and Shpock and can still be bought quite cheaply. The ones I mentioned run on Coleman fuel (or an equivalent) or Unleaded petrol at a pinch and the spares are widely available.
Hi Mark, lovely old Guardsman there. Well done. I started with a single PL53 around 3 years ago and now have 14 lanterns (only 8 officially...) so watch out! They mysteriously multiply. I’d suggest you buy new display cabinet or build a new shelving unit soon!!
That looks great but it does look lonely! I followed up my Tilley with a Bialaddin 315 then a 300X. Similar enough to build on your Tilley experience but different enough to be interesting! Enjoy!
