Hello, I'm am still working on my Petromax, but now I also have an Aladdin 21. It has not been used for many years and was only for decoration in the house of the previous owner. I cleaned it and it looks quite nice now. I installed a new wick and mantle and I'm using kerosine/petroleum. The lamp is burning quite well, but it seems only the upper part of the mantle is glowing. I read that the flame spreader is possibly too high, but it's on the lowest position in the burner. How do you set the height of the flame spreader? I bought a new one and it's coming in a few days. This old flame spreader is clean but has some very small dents and that could be the problem possibly? Also there are blue flames around the wick, but also 2 of 3 yellow flames. I read that's not good. Any ideas how to fix? The lamp is working quite alright, but I like it perfect! I'm new to Petromax and Aladdin so any ideas or help is welcome. Check my YouTube-video to see how the flames look like.
The wick was already pre-charred, but I recharred it and it did help a little. Less yellow flames, but still some. And the mantle is still glowing mainly in the upper part. Tomorrow I will receive my new flame spreader and wick cleaner.
I just repositioned the mantle. It burns better now! Thanks! Still glowing in the upper part? The Aladdin-websites says the flame spreader is too low, but how to change that? Only top is lit—flame spreader is too low Adjust the height of the flame spreader (one row of holes should be visible) I can see at least two rows of holes. How to change that while flame spreader is already at lowest position?
I have not had that problem with Aladdin mantle lamps, have you tried raising the wick, do you have the proper Aladdin wick trimmer?
I placed the flame spreader a little bit higher. It's warming up right now and it seems that the mantle is now glowing more evenly. Will come back with a picture when the lamp is on operating temperature!
I always put this down to the way the mantle has settled with a parallel sided barrel waist and a cone shaped top. The hot gases leave the wick and so they only warm the cone. I had never considered the central spreader position. Must try that. As for the yellow flamelets, if you don't have an even circle of blue, your wick has high spots or other irregularities. They are to be found under each one. Little fibres sticking out sideways are common. The wick burning with a complete and even blue circle (turned low) should be inspected after lighting and before fitting the burner collar and chimney. Still air conditions are needed for that. The intended wick trimmer I found pretty poor. A safe edge razor blade carefully skimmed around the wick is much better.
The wick is completely new and has no visible irregularities. But I also bought a wick trimmer for the future. The flame spreader: I bended one of the notches a little bit to the outside and now it doesn't glides completely down but I can set the height of the flame spreader. I only had the top of the mantle glowing and even the steel wire was glowing orange. Now the mantle is glowing more on the bottom side too. Lamp burns pretty good and stable now, without yellow flames. The only thing is: I use it at a low lighting mode because the 60 candle power this lamp can produce is sometimes a bit too much. When on a low setting the mantle is nog glowing evenly round, soms parts are more lit than others. No problem for me, but will it damage the mantle? And can you light the whole mantle on a low fuel setting? Or is this lamp intended to burn on full wack only?
