Wire mantle on R1 appears a bit small

I forgot to add I measured 9 different R1 Radiator heaters in total.
Raging from 1930's to 1957.

 

I need to measure mine to compare!

 

I'm sure I once read somewhere that the wire was "nimonic" and had a little tungsten in the alloy but I can't find that particular source. However, a quick search on the web for 'nimonic metal' revealed different types of nimonic alloy, all with nickel and chromium being the two main ingredients with the addition of other metals such as titanium and aluminium, there's also mention of molybdinum but no mention of tungsten - so much for my memory. I wonder if original tilley wire mantles were made of this alloy.

In the past, I've made quite a few wire mantles using the wire from the elements of old electric fires. They worked very well with no sign of oxydation. They were all on heaters which I sold to willing customers so I've no idea how long they lasted but given the quality of modern reproductions, the buyers certainly got a good bargain.

 

Well either way these things are junk and I'm disappointed.
Was just about to post an update from last night, used for one night and after running out a full tank, the next morning the thing fell to bits.
Not happy, cost me 50 dollars.
How do they sell these things?
I want to keep using the heater so hopefully I
Can get a better mantle.

 

I reckon the home made ones with Welch plugs for ends are better and you control the quality. The photos @Tony Press provided earlier in this thread show one over on the right.
Certainly only lasting a little at that price is not good.
Hope you get something ok as the R1 is a nice unit.

 

Yeah I saw those. I think the quality of the wire is the issue, it essentially has welded together, but potentially oxidized and weakened the alloy at the same time.
Will be interesting to hear back from the retailer.

 

Wow, that is most definitely a serious problem mate.

Yes let's us know, what the outcome is thanks.

 

Will do, wonder If they will refund or replace it?

 

Were they mantles similar to the Bialaddin types please Henry?

I did start searching but most seemed to be long coils..?

i confess to being intrigued

 

They are going to replace the mantle for me, but here is their response:



"This is not a known problem with the mantles. From the look of the corrosion on the vapouriser it is possible that the jet hole in it may be slightly enlarged causing the flames inside the mantle to play on the lower part of the mantle and heat erode it.

The vapouriser may be approaching the end of its useful life and the mantle issue may happen again"

 

Interesting, l don't know if that is true or false.
Let's see what other members have to say about that?

 

I get the impression they think it was running too high.
I know you can get quite a long flame if the pressure is too high, but I kept it running fairly tame with small blue flames sticking out the burner.

 

Show us a photo of the flame holes in the bottom of the burner.

Cheers

Tony

 

Post #8 has a couple of photos of it running.
I had it running a bit high in one of those photos, but only for like a minute or two.
Pressure indicator on the tank was still below the level mark.

 

No, I started by drawing a circle a little larger than the mantle spigot on a piece of thin plywood then drilled some small holes around the circumference in which I stuck lengths of wire and jammed a golfball in the centre. I then wove wire between the uprights but when I got halfway up the golfball I had to remove it and finish the mantle freehand. Not the neatest of jobs but they worked very well.
I remember once at a vintage rally (long before I started displaying) telling someone with a lamp display how I had made mantles for Tilley heaters, he told me he did almost the same, the difference being, he turned wooden balls on a lathe and when he finished a mantle he drilled out what he could of the wooden ball then put it on the fire to burn out the rest.

 

What a good idea! .. thanks Henry

hmm.. the use of the electric heater element wire was crucial .. I did have a look on ebay but of course anything resembling something vintage is now a ridiculous price as I suppose they are hoping it could be upcycled into a lamp

 

@nzoomed

I was referring to the holes on the brass, not the flamelets. If the burner is on its way out, those holes will be worn and distorted.

Tony

 

Ok, got ya.
Was way past my bedtime when I posted that.
Will go and take a look

 

Here you go, burner looks ok to me.

 

Me too…

Tony

 

I don't see a problem with that burner either, looks in top condition.

 

Yeah, just as I thought

 

What do you guys in think? @Henry Plews @Fireexit1 @podbros @Sedgman @presscall

 

Looks fine and dandy...

 

Looks fine and dandy to me too.

 

Looks good

 

I will test out the replacement mantle and report back.
I might end up getting one from kitelamp in Korea anyway, they apparently have good reviews it seems.
Also worth asking what the run time is of one of these heaters on a full tank, I believe its supposed to be around 12 hours? (i think thats what a storm lantern is rated at)
That way I can track the fuel rate to see if the mixture is out.

 

Burner looks unworn to me too.

 

Correct. They use the same type of vapouriser, i.e. short or long, the orifice is the same so fuel consuption should be similar.

 

Just tried out the replacement mantle, running on a reasonably low heat for 2 hours and this is what came off after running.
Mantle still looks intact for the time being.