New to lamps, my son bought me a Tilley 264 which we have renovated and lit - great, however I have acquired a 305 Bialadin stamped 1955 and have a seal set to replace various seals. However I am a bit confused about the jet cleaner that can move laterally by pressing and pulling the spindle. I understand that when running the arrow on the green knob should be pointing down. When pushed in I cant turn the knob at all but by pulling a little it can turn freely through 360 degrees. I am told this shouldn't happen so wonder if anyone can offer this lamp virgin guidance please
The securing screw is standing proud and should be screwed in until it tightens up just a little. Remove the vapouriser/generator to get a view of the rise and fall of the pricker mechanism. With that loose control knob screw tightened up see if the spindle can be turned. If not, it’s likely that the gland nut - finger grip patterned cylindrical nut on the valve inside which there’s a seal sealing the spindle movement - is too tight. Slacken it off and check ‘rise and fall’ movement of the pricker mechanism’s restored. Too slack and pressurised fuel leaks out at the seal when the lamp’s in use. It’s striking the right balance. A new seal there might be needed if fuel-tightness can’t be achieved without making the rotation of the spindle too stiff. While the generator’s off check it’s seal with the valve. Finger-tight should make the seal. The pricker wire tip should be intact and the jet orifice clear. Worst case scenario (rare) is when the pricker wire needle tip has broken off in the jet! Good luck! John
Yes, and some Bialaddin / Vapalux jet cleaners were designed to turn through 360 degrees which, I find, makes them even easier to use than the ones you have to turn to 12 o'clock and then quickly flick back. Instructions are here:- Vapalux lamp instructions I would seriously recommend you to read, understand and follow these instructions until you get the feel of things. Hope that helps...
Thanks John & David for the speedy answers, some experimenting and reading to do, will enjoy it Dennis
Hi All Should you be able to 'feel' the jet cleaner making contact with the pricker rod and the needle protrude from the vapouriser, cos I cant see either and the jet control turns freely. Stuck for a while. p.s got a seal kit now so will be replacing the old seals. Cheers, Dennis
Sometimes it’s possible to feel the jet pricker protrude ever so slightly or even see it with good light and eyesight. A good test is to pressurise the empty tank and with the hood, burner and globe removed, listen for air, feel it with a finger, emitting from the vaporiser jet, ‘V’ on the pricker control pointing down. Twist the control a few times, ‘V’ up then down, and the jet of air should stop and start. A potentially messier visual test is to do that with some paraffin in the tank - only don’t point the thin jet of paraffin in your direction!
@Dennyb Hi and welcome to the forum. Im looking forward to seeing your money shots of both lanterns. im sure you realise that two pressure lanterns will breed! Regards Jeremy
Morning all Tried the suggestion, ie fitted new seals all around. Pressurised the tank (without fuel) and sure enough I can feel air escaping from the vaporizer, however the control knob continues to turn full circle without making contact with the pricker, ie air won't shut off. When I unscrew the vaporizer and compress the pricker on a hard surface I can feel the pricker coming through the top. Dunno why the jet cleaner isn't making contact with the pricker and continues to give lateral movement on the spindle. Looking down into the jet cleaner a cam shaft is visible that I guess under normal circumstances should make contact with the pricker. The only solution I can think of is to get a replacement jet cleaner and trust the vaporizer etc is ok. P.s all seals were perished yet the burner is like new, so wonder whether it's been tampered with wrongly in the past. Any thoughts please
I've looked down many a jet cleaner in my time and I've never seen a camshaft down there - so if you can, I'd suggest your jet cleaner has a fault and needs replacing. In case we're having a difference in nomenclature, here, camshafts carry cams (or cam lobes) and it's those that do the pushing when the camshaft is turned, not the shaft. Anyway, looking down the jet cleaner top, there's a small circular 'pad' that the bottom of the pricker wire bears upon. When you turn the knob, this pad goes up-and-down - or should do. If that's happening and your vapouriser is OK, then, for some reason, the pad isn't contacting the pricker wire. There could be three reasons for this:- i. the pricker wire is too short; ii. for some reason, the pad is too low, or iii. your vapouriser gasket is too thick. There's quite thin and if it's been replaced it with something thicker, there's your problem If you've another Bialaddin or Vapalux, swop the vapourisers over and see if the problem transfers - that'll inform you if it's a vapouriser problem ( i or iii). Try swopping the jet cleaners over - that'll inform you if it's a jet cleaner problem (ii). One thing you could try is to cut a small 'shim' out of something (thin metal sheet, tinfoil etc.) and put it in the top of the jet cleaner on top of the pad. Then replace the vapouriser and see if the pricker operates. Whereabouts in the UK are you? - there may be someone quite close who could help...
Hi I'm in Stafford in the West midlands I was expecting to see a pad that perhaps the cam would operate to rise and fall and contact the pricker. Bit difficult to take a photo but will give that a whirl. Unfortunately the only other lamp I have is a Tilley so can't swap over, as you say if there is anyone in spitting distance that has a 305 it would be useful to look at at least. Otherwise I will try for a replacement jet cleaner. Thanks again Dennis
Best pikkie I could get, video won't upload. The spigot (cam) rotates when you turn the knob. Hope that makes sense
@Dennyb I was expecting to see a flat pad inside the cock as @David Shouksmith mentioned. I’ll have a look at mine when I get home from work. Regards Jeremy
Yeah, you have a piece missing - I suppose you'd call it a cam-follower (i.e. what we've been calling a pad up to now). It's interesting though - I've never seen into the jet control before. I wonder what normally holds the cam-follower in place...
There's no big mystery, the Bialladin needle control is very similar to that on a Tilley. Perhaps these images of a recently butchered aluminium control cock from a Tilley X246B will help explain. The brass camshaft (or spindle ) is from an X246. The "pin" at the bottom of this cam follower controls the fuel shut off valve, the Bialaddin version does not have this feature. Once in place, the cam lobe stops the follower from falling out. The hex nut was secured with (probably) Loctite. Needle down. Needle up. Henry.
More like ‘constructive exploratory surgery’. So in the case of @Dennyb ’s lantern, the securing nut’s been removed, the control shaft has tipped down and moved laterally, sufficient to release the cam follower.
Yes, looks like it - there's what appears to be a 'witness mark' on the hex which suggests a spanner's slipped off it at some point. I don't know why anyone would go to the bother of de-soldering that to unscrew it - there's nothing inside to service. A pretty tidy piece of engineering by W&B, though. I presume the cam follower has two downward pointing lugs which engage either side of the cam lobe to prevent the shaft slipping sideways. Well done, Henry, sectioning that control cock to see exactly what's inside...
@Dennyb Looks like the conundrum has been solved. Just go the record here is a photograph of one of mine, albeit a little late: Looks like you will need a replacement tap unit: Tilley lamp spares Regards Jeremy
Ever so greatful to be able to tap into this knowledge, photos of tap section say it all Henry and solved a mystery for the future although I hope not to have another like it Cheers everybody.
