Is a Vapalux/Bialaddin vapouriser more forgiving when fitted to a lantern than when fitted to a bowl fire heater? i'm in the process of going through my "spares" vapourisers to find one that works in a bowl fire but all the ones i've tried so far, even one off of a nicely working lantern don't work very well on the heater, there is a halo outside the wire mantel and they don't burn correctly, all have either been heated and quenched or the loose carbon shaken out of them and a steel rod inserted to dislodge anything else that can be removed, i have tried two other burners as well although i can't guarantee they are 100% ok, the heater is not for me so i do not want to fit one of my new old stock vapourisers although at this rate i might have to unwrap one just to test the heater!
Well that's handy, a new old stock one is the same, i will try another couple of used burners on the nos vapouriser but i am definitely not using my nos burner to eliminate a burner issue! any other ideas most welcome, On a positive note a lot of my spare vapourisers should be ok then.
Tried five used burners, still the same, i can't get rid of the halo surrounding the mantle, i may possibly try heating and quenching the burners tomorrow but i'm getting bored now! The mantle is getting sooty each time and you have to blow on it for the flames to catch when first starting, i can't imagine all five burners are US,
You are correct there shouldn't be a halo outside of the mantle. Looks like your vaporizer is in need of replacement. The Bialaddin/Vapalux vaporizers do show up on eBay UK. Cheers, Norman
@Norman Sadly that was with a newly unwrapped new old stock vapouriser, @JEFF JOHNSON Thanks Jeff, the halo starts pretty much straight away, fill the pre heat cup, let burn to the bottom, close air screw, pump 5-6 times, nothing, blow on flame (like blowing out a candle) and then it catches, wait a minute or so, then pump a few more times and the halo just moves down the mantle, turn off and the mantle has sooted up again, i can't think of anything else it could be, i've had a few bowl fires and not had this problem before.
Must be missing something... I don't see any halo! Looks normal to my old eyes for a heater, anyway...
I would try giving the burner and every other part a good clean and that includes the inside of the tank, as there may be some hardened residue which is softening with the fresh paraffin and affecting the combustion. We never know what a previous owner has used for fuel, lamps have turned up with meths and diesel and white spirit in them and a good clean won't hurt anyway.
What would be best to clean the burner, is heat and quench ok? i did the usual, strip, clean with pipe cleaners and a good blow out, i must admit i only flushed the tank with clean fuel until it ran clear which normally works fine but i will check again tomorrow, i have lost all enthusiasm for it for today now.
I've stripped it down, emptied the tank and it all looks clean in there, no residue, nothing scraping off the sides or base and the brass looks only slightly dulled, nothing came out with the fuel either that i can see.
Thanks Jeff, i'd just as well clean the other burners while i'm at it and i've got the control cock in soak too.
I give up, tried all four, cleaned burners on the new old stock vapouriser and they all have the same affect, it is the bowl fire from hell!
I guess all the burners must have issues but i even tried a burner from a first gen bowl fire which looked in good condition and still the same effect, these have always been my favourite/go to heater but this one is very strange, I have lit a lantern in disgust using the nos vapouriser which although isn't burning my eyes out, seems to work ok.
Have you tried a known good vapouriser in the bowl fire or tried the nos vaporiser in a known good lamp? 5 burners all with the same problem suggests the fault lies elsewhere, burning outside the mesh suggests over fuelling.
Bialaddin and Tilley control cocks have the same thread and if you remove the entire NRV., from the Tilley control cock and fit the fuel feed tube from the Bialaddin one to it, (that may involve some soldering) then you could rig that bowl fire with Tilley parts and see if that makes a difference. Or just fit a Tilley control cock and a vapouriser and a burner for a test burn.
@DP2 Yes i ran the nos vapouriser for an hour or so in a lantern last night and it worked ok, all the burners unscrew easily enough apart from the one that someone has used a hammer and punch on to try and keep it together which may be difficult to get apart, i need to try and clean the threads up and seal them all up properly, the internals bar one look to be in a useable condition, i've had three Tilley heater burners in a row do the same thing, i just must be lucky. @JEFF JOHNSON Thanks, i may try that, @Ian Bingham Yes, i've got three of the first gen bowl fires that need fettling and now its getting colder it is as good a time as any to get them sorted.
