Hello @ all, new member, new Tilley question

Hello and hi there, I am a new member in this great forum.
I live in Luxembourg an own a Tilley lamp and want to know some things about it. I don't know much about Tilley lamps. Maybe one can give me a hint. A serial number is stamped under the tank: C173XB do not look like other numbers I found here in the forum, maybe it is an export number? I attached some pictures below.
Thank you in advance for all helpful hints.
Kind regards,
John

 

Hi Johnny and welcome. Looks like an export model X246A, the last of the well made Tilleys. They're easy to maintain and use, if you need any parts they're easy to find, service items can be bought from Fettlebox which has a link on this site.
Others will add more info I'm sure!

Enjoy and best wishes, Stevie

 

Welcome aboard!
It's an X-246-B and the numbers on the bottom of the tank are a date code which stand for January 1973.

 

Thank you for your helpful answers.
Greetings from Luxemburg,
John

 

That's a nice Tilley X247b you have there! Easy to work on and cheap to maintain.

 

@JohnnyB

Welcome to the forum.

A nice condition X246B which looks like it won’t need much work to have it up and running.

Regards Jeremy

 

Duh, of course it is a X246B! I was taken in by all that shiny chrome!

 

Yes, I am happy, 46 years old and in such good condition. If I could know more details of its history would be great. What can the export serial number tell me about it? Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany?

 

John

These lanterns were made in the UK.

As Jeff Johnson said the “173” inside the sequence “C173XB” means first month 1973.

I don’t think the letters indicate a particular export market.

Tony

@JohnnyB

 

Hi Toni,
Ok, I only thought that because of the slightly different numbering (except 173) and BigStevie‘s reply, it might be possible to determine the export area.
Kind regards,
John

 

Welcome to CPL. A nice lamp and should happily light your way.
One day, maybe, maybe never, someone will build a time machine and go back and find the person who stamped the dates into the tanks and ask what the letters signify..... even the current owners of Tilley can't or won't give an answer. All we can confirm is that the numbers are month and year.

 

My original comment was partly due to having just finished a thirty hour shift and mistakenly identified your lamp as a X246A. I have a number of plated X246 lamps which I believe were standard finish for some export markets (an option for the UK market?).
Sorry for my befuddled confusion!

Stevie

 

All of the Chrome/Speculum Tilleys I've come across (now safely in the shed) have had the bug guard fitted so assumed they were export models.

 

Likewise, my plated X246s have bug guards...

 

What is a bug guard please?

 

Insect shield

 

These links show relevant information.

Early Tilley insect shield.

X246B from March 1972

 

Bug guard is American for insect shield.

Cheers

Tony

 

Okay, thank you all for your explanations.
Have a nice day,
John

 

Hello it’s me again
Can anybody please explain me how to dismantle the valve on my Tilley lamp?
There is a small fuel leak at the shaft of the valve.
Thank you for youre hints.
Kind regards,
John

 

Hi Johnny,

The black knob pulls of the shaft and in the knurled locking ring should be the remains on an old o-ring. You will need to replace this, the sponsor for this site, Fettlebox, will be able to supply the full service kit

hope this helps

Jaco

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Correct, although all that might be needed is to tighten-up the gland nut a bit. Note that it's knurled which is telling you finger-tight is sufficient. Avoid tightening it with grips or similar which will destroy the knurling. You have been warned!

If you do need to change the seals, the best way I've found to remove the knob is with long-nosed pliers as follows:-
1. Screw the knurled gland nut back on;
2. Insert a pair of long-nosed pliers between the gland nut and the back of the knob - there's no need to grip the shaft;
3. Lever the plier jaws sideways between the gland nut and the knob, thus pushing the knob off.
4. Use a dental pick or similar tool to winkle out the one/two seals from inside the gland nut.
5. Put one or two replacement seals (Part No. 234 rings a bell but I haven't checked that) on the shaft - Tilley fitted two but most people find that one is sufficient - and replace the gland nut finger-tight.

Note that there's a cylindrical spring clip between the shaft and the inside of the back knob. Make sure you put this back on re-assembly

 

Hi Jaco,
Thank you for your answer and precious help. After checking the o-ring, I noticed all the rubber o-rings were in the same bad condition (hardened). I proceeded to replace them all with standard o-rings. It works good for the moment, the light might be too yellow? The problem may be the unknown fuel. Fettlebox has is closed for holidays. I wil order a full service kit later to be shure to have the rigt replacement parts.
Cheers, John

 

Yes, I would first change the fuel for fresh kerosene (paraffin). Then I would check to see that the burner’s air tubes, all three, were clean and there are no spider webs etc. obstructions. Also give the generator’s pricker a good work out.

 

Thank you!

 

Hello David Shouksmith,
Thanks a lot for your good instrutions. I found no cylindrical spring clip.
Kind regards, John

 

Hi AussiePete,
Thank you for the hints.
I also noticed the pressure was dropping and the lamp only burned for 10 minutes after 90 strokes. I suspect that also the pressure is being lost by the pump.
I will check all these things.
Kind regards, John

 

Everything was checked, the seal of the pump check valve was also hard. I made a new one.
The burner’s air tubes are clean and the generator’s pricker is ok.
New kerosene filled with 20% wash petrol. The light duration still seems too short to me. It looks like pressure is lost between the pump and the reservoir (picture). I have to get a guenine gasket kit to avoid all pressure losses.
Tanks @ all of you.
Greetings, John

 

In most cases when fettling lamps, I find that all the seals are usually buggered, hardened etc. I replace them all, saves later issues.
You may want to keep a few service packs as spares.