Hello, I am restoring a Tilley x246 Guardsman for the first time. I bought the service pack 15 and replaced all the washers that were too old or hardened. But the washer at the non return valve doesn't fit. My Tilley has a round rubber that fits in an iron cup. The replacement rubber is square with rounded edges. See last photo. When I put down the pressurized tank in a bucket of water there are air bubbles visible around the pump so there must be a leak somewhere. But I can't find it. Maybe it's the washer at the valve, maybe it's the leather pump cup? I just tried to pressurize the tank with water in it just so far. Then the pressure drops quite fast, so there must be a leak. There are only air bubbles around the pump, the rest of the washers seems okay.
The square seal is used in the 246B lantern. But it should work if you remove the brass cup and fit the square seal into the spring. However, It would be better to get the correct seal that fits in the brass cup. Tilley NRV & Control Cock Valve seal - Pack of 4 - The Fettlebox
Always best to replace all the washers/seals even the ones that seem ok ? They can still leak and this can cause problems with fault finding you can also pinpoint a leak by making up some bubbles with water + washing up liquid and apply with a small paintbrush or coffee stirrer.. then pump x 20 and go around applying the bubbles Edit : pictures of the lantern and the pump will help as Tilley made lots of different pumps and they get swapped about
Thanks!! It burns! Not very bright yet, but the beginning is there.... It's quite heavy to pump. The mantle didn't form nice and round yet, see pictures. I already pumped 60x but light still stays cozy and not very bright. I will burn it for a few hours to see what is happening. It's about 5 candle power right now, not 350CP.
Hello, the lamp is burning not very bright. I changed the pump leather and pumping is a bit easier now. I also changed the mantle. Pressure is nice and stabilized, but the light is not very bright. I can look into the light easily. It's almost like a single candle. There is a flame around the mantle sometimes, but the lamp had warmed up properly. See video. Any idea?
Tilleys need to run at a good pressure. With the tank 3/4 full, after the correct lighting process, pump it steadily a full 50 pumps. If it’s nice and bright then, you’re ok. Look for flame outside the mantle if it’s not. Tony
Flames outside the mantle usually indicate too much fuel (a worn jet) but if that is the case, I'd expect the flames to be red/yellow and leave soot on the mantle but the flames on your lantern seem clean; what are you using for fuel ? Are the air tubes clear (no spider nests/ dead insects)? This topic may be useful - Tilley X24B was fine, now not burning correctly = help please. If this doesn't work, you'll need a new vapouriser and should be O.K. with one from Mike at Tilley lamp spares. He once told me that after having so many returned to him because of poor quality, he now tests each one before sending it out. Duff ones go back to Tilley. edit: I've just checked and they're temporarily out of stock. There is no need to change the mantle! Normally I would agree with @Tony Press but in this case, once you've got the lantern burning cleanly, give it 100 pumps, no guarantee but there's a good chance the mantle will fill out to a round shape.
Thanks! I will try again with your tips... I have another old X246B, will that vaporiser fit the X246A? Already found the topic you mentioned, but I can't accept that the vaporizer is worn out. It looks good. I use Firelux Clear Blue as fuel for all my pressure lamps, oil lamps and Aladdin, it's kerosine. I disassembled and cleaned the Tilley, so no spider nests. I can buy a new vaposizer here in The Netherlands, but it's 35 euro and I read stories about the low quality of these new vaporizers.
Yes it will fit, older ones have a brass fitting that screws into the control cock, newer ones have a steel fitting, other than that, they are the same (part number 606). Your Lantern is an X246. X246A and B have a different shaped fuel tank. Check out here Storm Lanterns | Classic Pressure Lamps & Heaters to see the difference between X246, X246A and X246B. As for spare parts, the only things that are different are: 1) the air tubes on the X246B burner are a little different but are interchangeable with those on X246 and X246A. 2) the pip in the NRV.
@SulphurTX The mixing chamber under the hood of your Tilley appeared to glowing red while the lantern was in operation in your latest video. Those things can again be difficult to deal with when they have passed a certain operating life. The dome and flame outlet holes would likely not show any physical signs of real wear. (The usual wear/burnt/oxidation would be the three 'spigot' air inlet tubes)...but air tube issues can be easily resolved. Believe or not, the useful lifespan of the mixing chamber/burner might be due...for whatever mysterious reasons. If it is glowing, it means that there is burning inside the dome/mixing chamber assembly itself. This will certainly cause poor fuel-air delivery and burning at the mantle. It'd show as a dim glow and flames outside the mantle.
@SulphurTX Yes, it does look like it’s glowing .. Don’t use it !!! you run the risk of the burner dome/mixing chamber melting if you use it like that.. Air is leaking somewhere, maybe the air tubes are loose or another common cause on well-used burners is where the dome screws into the main body.. it takes on a kind of triangular shape which makes it harder for the small threads on the burner to seal? I have an old burner which I will try to take some pics of. It sounds strange after saying that things may need to be tightened but it is important on the older/worn burners that you don’t completely dismantle it.. especially the air tubes as this can damage their threads when you come to reassemble.. if they are loose then see if they will tighten.. it probably won’t take much and a little light oil will help lots of great advice from folks for you there edit : some pics of a worn burner In the next photo you can see where gases have exited from the gap between the burner body and the dome/mixing chamber.. The next picture shows a gap.. you can just see daylight through the burner :/
I only caught a glimpse of the red glow under the hood. I can't exactly tell if that's really from the mixing chamber though. It does appear likely. You need to peek through the hood's vent outlets for confirmation. Nevertheless, I had experienced a similar flaming on a Tilley but that was due a combination of a worn jet orifice plus a tiny leakage from the folded lip at the end of the steel vaporizer where the sheet-steel jet piece was located.
Actually, I agree with Henry. I was just being conservative as the lamp looked like it mightn’t cope with 100 pumps… Cheers Tony
Not neccessarily, heat makes metals like brass (and steel) turn red and even when it's burning correctly, a lantern gives off a lot of heat! Yes, burning inside the dome/mixing chamber will make the brass components red but such burning is accompanied by a distinctive roaring sound and in my own eperience, there is very little - if any - actual flame inside the mantle at the burner nozzle yet in the video, we hear only a gentle hiss typical of a presure lamp/lantern and there is so much flame from the burner nozzle that it burns outside of the mantle as well as on the inside. I'll wait for @SulphurTX to try the vaporiser from his other Tilley to see if there's any improvement, here's hoping that it's in good working order.
Indeed. I did had one that eventually glowed red,..not from internal burning at the mixer but from excessive flaming outside the mantle over a long period of time. The red glow on the mixer chamber may or may not be a result of an internal burn.
