I had the same trouble with my 214 - it would flare up after 10 minutes, when a quick flick of the pricker would settle it down for another 10 minutes..... So I gave the generator another cleanout, which must have shocked the lantern as it would then run for about 30 minutes before flaring up, a little improvement. So it was put aside while I had a good think about it. Yes, there's no doubt about insufficient heat to the generator, as mentioned above, but there's more to it, and the other, perhaps the real culprit (in my opinion) has not been mentioned. With the 242 and 249 lanterns, we learn that after fettling or dismantling the control shaft packing, to nip up the gland nut until it stops leaking under pressure, and the shaft is still free to rotate. The 214 is different - the gland packing is different - the gland nut must be tightened to the end of its thread because only then is the eccentric pin fully engaged in the slot of the eccentric block. And it has only approx. one m/m - or less - of engagement in the slot, so that if the gland nut is not fully home, the pressure of the valve spring (?) and / or fuel will actually push the ecc. block up past the ecc. pin, thus pushing the pricker up to slowly start restricting the flow of vapour through the jet. Pressure of the schrader valve spring - that's a curly one because if the valve is slowly closing, that doesn't explain the orange flare-ups. It's hard to believe, but there is a witness mark on the SIDE of my ecc. block which shows where the block has been sliding up past the pin. Fair Dinkum. The ecc. block, by the way, looks like a zinc/muck metal pressure diecast item, with a strange cutaway and a curved slot. The cutaway at least allows you to engage the pin in the slot easily, by watching from the underside during assembly. Making a new ecc. block from brass would be quite easy on the lathe, or even fitting a longer ecc. pin may help. I don't know what other model lanterns were fitted with this awful ecc. block arrangement. Sounds like the 214 had a short production run, and yes, some had heat shields and some did not. There's the diecast ecc. block next to the plain and simple Austramax ecc. block. You can see the 'ledge' where the ecc. pin has to engage, not much room there at all. Obviously the Austramax block has a greater area of engagement for the pin. The witness mark, where the block had been sliding past the pin, is quite visible to the eye on the bench, but very faint in the photo. So much cuataway, so little area for the pin to move it up...and down against spring pressure. The ledge for the pin is on the left, half way up. "But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - it gives a lovely light." (Edna St. Vincent Millay). Actually, many spare parts for this lantern are simply not available, and I'm not surprised. It will now run for four hours without fault, so far, touch wood, and I could easily make a decent ecc. block, although getting the slot right could be tricky. In summary, nip that gland nut fully home, and eliminate at least one source of trouble. Cheers.
Thanks @Paul Aslanides - I too have one. It is in great condition dated 04-92 and no heatshield. Despite a new generator and new schrader valve, it has also done the 10 minute flare up and/or dimming. I will do as you suggest ! (this evening if it stops raining) cheers C
Fireexit1 I hope it helps. Go by feel, of course, so that nothing is damaged if the pin is not fully aligned to enter the slot. Cheers.
@Bushfella Another cause can be a loss of pressure that causes a cooler flame and a drop in the generator vaporizing volume.
Andrew T goldwinger11 Thank you, gentlemen. A twenty year production run ? I should have checked before posting. Makes me wonder.
This 214 had reverted to its old trick of slowly dimming, then going out, if not caught in time. But no flaring, so that's an improvement (!). There is still full pressure in the font, with the control still in the 'run' position. Clearly the valve has closed. The pricker was tight within the coil, with carbon, so I heated the 214 Generator to clean it, forgetting that it had an aluminium (or muckmetal) coil. A devil of a job to dig out the remains without damaging the tube. Had to make a new coil. Brass rod, annealed, 1.5 x 300 m/m, wound by hand over a 2 m/m, 14G spoke. Original coil material was 1.88 m/m. Having a crank handle in the spindle was a help. Next time the leadscrew will be used, about 10 TPI. I'm determined to make this lantern reliable, so it's a work in progress. And no, I don't want another 214. The new coil works fine. The replacement Globe is from BCF, Bayswater, Melbourne. It's carton was labelled "Heat Resistant". Due to other issues the lantern has not run for very long.
I must admit that I gave up on mine and gave it away. I had other more interesting projects to devote time to. Like you I don't want another one
Oops. Here's the pic of the new AU$18 Globe, with the new coil in the Genny. And a pic of the lantern slowly going dim. Flicking the control off and on restores full brightness for a little while, until the valve closes up again. The nipple rolled off the bench, took half an hour to find it, in amongst the dust, debris and dead beetles. The thread in the top of the genny was half stripped, (don't ask how) had to make a new one. Fun, fun, fun. Sweated out the old one and copied that. Now just have to make a new pricker, a better eccentric block, and a proper pick up tube and it might be ready for winter.
It’s not burning like it should. What do you mean by “the valve closes up again”? Do you mean the jet? Tony
Tony Press The 3rd pic, at the bottom, shows the lantern burning quite well. It has only just been fired up. It burns brilliant white. The yellow may be a reflection of the brass generator tube, it soon disappears. The 2nd pic, in the middle, shows the mantle going dim as the fuel supply is slowly restricted. The Schraeder valve (plain brass) is in the top of the plastic fuel tube, which screws into the bottom of the brass control block. The control block is then screwed into the font. As said, the lantern dims slowly. Flicking the control knob restores full brightness. If it goes out, it can be left for days without attention. There will still be full pressure in the font and no kerosene leaked anywhere. It can then, of course, be started again in the usual manner.
That 214 of mine did the same. I even changed the generator for a brand new one and it still did it. I had changed the schrader valve and made sure all was clean in the tank, but to no avail. I would love for you to solve this one for my own sanity
I wonder about the fuel. I had a batch of kero for a Primus stove which created black whiskers at the jet. These made it burn worse and worse until pricking became necessary. Switched to a different fuel type and it never returned. In a lamp you wouldn't be able to see the whiskers.
That was prepack paraffin from a DIY centre. It was a sort of light yellow colour. Now use barbecue lighting fluid which is completely clear. OK if you can find it at a decent price.
Good! I always check the kerosene colour before I buy. Must be clear! Best is clear like water! Wash out your fount thoroughly once in a while. Use Kerosene to rinse 2 to 3 volumes! You'll be shocked to see the stuff that comes out! Always store it dry!
