Got a feeling this one is going to take a bit more work than the last lamp -AIDA Express

I have finally got round to looking at this AIDA Express I got with My Petromax CP500 which is now overhauled and works great.
I left this one second since the PX looked the worse of the two and I figured that if I was going to break anything, I would rather learn on the PX.

Externally, this one is much cleaner, so I started to take it to pieces, and external parts all seem OK amd to be honest all I've done is washed the grime off it, no need to polish to be honest.
But the flame control is a lot stiffer than the other lamps but the needle still pokes out and operates.
Removed the jet, and found it full of carbon, took the needle out, also black with carbon.
Removed the generator top half and found the inside and the upper rod coated in black hard deposits possibly almost blocking the fuel path. These seem to be baked on hard.
So it looks like this one had seen quite some use in a previous life.

Removed the quick start generator and have found the top part inside the fount covered in white powdery deposits and the bottom covered with a black hard black shiny coating a bit like tar.

It looks like elbow grease and autosol and some pipe cleaners will be required to clean this one up properly, inside of the fount does not look too bad, just more of this white powdery stuff around the top, possibly it had been standing for some time with fuel in it which evaporated leaving this white stuff behind at the top. The bottom has a couple of tarry bits on it but nothing alarming.

Now to get some autosol and get to work when time allows and bring another lamp back into life.
Oh pump washer is still soft, but not sealing, but it does not matter as I already have all the spares I will be needing (I hope).

 

Hi @chocki , as both lanterns came out of the same factory, all parts are interchangeable. When, like you say, the generator is so dirty it might be a lot easier to simply replace the old one with a new one (same for jet and needle). Also the quick start is still to be found new if need be.
Good luck with the restoration!

 

Sounds like someone has tried to use diesel or any other stuff then kerosene.
But these lanterns where made to be used so these thing happen.

 

Personally, I'd take the time and effort to clean it as the quality of the brass will be far superior to that of any modern made in China replacement.

There are many proprietary varnish removers / thinners / degreasers which will remove such deposits, my personal choice is POR15 Cleaner Degreaser.

 

Take some time and care to clear out the coked generator. You can use a Petromax gen but it won't be original to your Aida.
Yours might have a stag being stamped onto the gen. Try to save it as far as possible.

 

I fully intend on saving the original lamp parts where safe. New seals, new valves but generator is going to get a good soaking in carburettor cleaner, zapped in an ultrasonic tank then carefully cleaned through with air rifle cleaning felts, autosol and fishing line. And pipe cleaners.
If you can think of a better way of cleaning the generator loop, please let me know.
Also some very fine steel wool and a less abrasive polish liquid for the outside.
I already have enough naphtha for cleaning, also citric acid.
The only thing lacking is time...

 

Happy fettling!

 

Liquid polish, pipe cleaners and wire wool have just been delivered. Amazon does have its plus points.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, beer and wine have been consumed and lamp restoration is best left for another day, although I may just try some of the liquid polish on the top to see how good it is.
Good night, all and good fettling.
Andy.

 

Oh c**p I've done it now!, from an oxidised aluminium look to a mirror look, I have no choice but do the whole lamp like this.
Jenolite Original Metal Polish - Multi purpose metal polish.

 

Oh, things didn't quite go to plan.
It is a cool calm evening so I thought I'd light up some lanterns.
Started with the coleman northstar which lit up 30 pumps, open the valve and press the button and voila instant light, little flare controlled by not opening the valve fully and within about 30 seconds, full brightness! Gave it another 10 pumps.

My trust coleman dual mantle dual fuel (not the powerhouse but its baby cousin), pump 30 times and fully open the valve, light the long match and allow it to burn a bit, insert into the lamp and wait, wonder wether it will light before the match goes out. Match almost out and poof, it lights. Give it another 10 pumps.

Petromax (modern version from Petromax)
Put 5 ml of Eco methanol into the spirit cup and light it, wait for it to burn down, lamp already pressurised. Just before it goes out, open the valve then control it a bit to minimise flare ups until warm enough to open the valve fully.
The light output, oh wow, marvel at how much light is being given off.
Give it a few more pumps and the ceramic burner with mantle falls off!.
Curse somewhat and shut the fuel off and dump the pressure.
Breath a sigh of relief this was paraffin not white gas like the previous two lanterns as there was no mushroom cloud explosion.

Pour another glass of wine and take a picture of the two lit lanterns.

 

Northstar on the left. Sorry about the garden, doing some work.
This Northstar is growing on me but for sheer light and heat output, the petromax or equivalent can't be touched (until the ceramic burner falls out that is).

 

Just realised I may have posted this in the wrong thread I started, oh well, another glass of wine and I'm going to listen to some music on my valve amplifier.
Much better than the modern stuff.
I'm seeing a pattern here...

 

Doesn't mean it's all old.
Listening through the amp via a high end DAC and a high bitrate TIDAL stream to master quality audio streams.
Powered by a bucking transformer PSU I built myself since the amp runs at 220v and my home is at 252v.
Anyway, I'm waffling on, too much wine i think.

 

Speaking of valve amps, I've got 2x Leak TL50s plus a Varislope preamp that I cant afford to re-valve. Also, I'm not sure I still have the bespoke cabling that a friends dad made for me 45ish years ago. Damn but it sounded great when it was working well!

 

Better: do this non pressurised !
In the dying flame, pump slowly and carefully. If hot enough the lantern will start to burn the right way. If not stop pumping and refill the pre heatercup again.
This can be done alight but not after x amount of wines.

 

I always put a smear of exhaust paste on the threads of the ceramic part when I screw it in, never had one fall off yet, others on here may have other methods.
Regards Ian

 

I think a smear of fire cement will be going onto the replacement.

 

There is a difference between the "old" and "new" (read: chinese) spare parts like generators and (very noticeable)the ceramic burners. If possible, use new old stock. I was lucky to be able to buy some NOS Petromax parts in 2015, coming from Belgian army stocks. Now don't be mistaken, other than the different engravings on the founts, and different texts on the globes, all parts are fully identical, coming from the same production machines. Funny detail; the Belgian land army wanted Petromax lanterns, the Belgian air force insisted on getting AIDA lanterns. A fine example of badge engineering.

 

Hopefully, the looped generator isn't too coked or carboned-up. Cleaning out those can stretch from relatively easy soaks in carb cleaners to pretty tough combinations of heat-quench and braided steel wire work.
If you have the convenience of owning or access to ultrasonic cleaning equipment(bath), give the generator a round or two in it using hot & fairly concentrated sodium hydroxide(lye) as the cleaning fluid.