New discoveries… identification needed :)

I have indeed … I’m pumping 10 strokes beforehand as opposed to the 30 recommended in the instructions and using two pre-lights in the meths cup.

In every case - with or without glass - windy or not the result is the same. Paraffin leaking from the joint where the vapouriser meets the burner tube and igniting, followed by either vapour or paraffin flowing back down the air tube and also igniting. This makes turning the pricker up interesting.

I’m running out of patience here tbh as I’ve taken the things apart and replaced every seal and gasket - there’s no problem with jet size now and the tanks pressurise perfectly.

You can see where the paraffin is leaking from in both cases - as it’s exactly the same on both the superb and 350. The tank filling with concrete is looking very tempting right now …

C

 

It might be that someone in the past has over tightened the jet and messed up the threads so they no longer provide a seal. If this is the case you'll need a new vaporiser tube which I might have.

Resist the concrete option, these really are great lanterns but they're all getting old now (like a lot of us TBH) and some of them have led very hard lives! The more lamps you collect, the more you see some truly appalling 'repairs' inflicted by past owners and sometimes you simply have to admit defeat when the damage has gone too far!

Good luck and PM me if you need any parts.

 

Would a copper grease seal help with this? I definitely haven’t over tightened - they’re both finger tight… because it’s from the same place I wondered if it’s my lighting technique but I can’t see how.

Apologies for moaning about this a lot but it’s intensely frustrating - especially given the time given to both lamps

C

 

@Automedon
I would suggest you remove the mixer U-tube to inspect, test and verify if there is really a leak at the jet threads at all.(without lighting it yet of course).
The fuel flowing down from the interface between the vaporizer and mixer tube might not always be originating from a leaky jet.

 

I have the impression that it lights with a blue flame then starts to splutter and leak.
How long does it run before the spluttering starts?

Without a mantle there isn't enough heat to maintain vapourisation of the kerosene for very long. I have had this type of vapouriser setup to maintain a blue flame for only a minute or so before I had to apply more heat directly to the vapouriser.
The nipple needs to be more than finger tight and copper grease can help.

 

Hi @ROBBO55

Neither have run properly at all yet - the Superb did the little trick of a blue flame at the burner with the cock closed and pricker in. So far so good, but when the cock was cracked open, paraffin ran down the outside of the vaporiser tube and ignited. This is the only time it’s done this, every other time it’s been a bonfire.

The 350 is consistently flarey for want of a better word. Only once did it produce a blue flame at the burner and that only lasted a short time - it was also mixed with long yellow flame ‘coughs’ before the whole tube assembly went up. The rest of the time it’s as above…

Both fuel nipples were tight - I’ve put them on slightly slacker to see if it would make a difference but I’ll tighten up again and add grease. Neither set of burner tubes are cracked - the leak takes place under the tube - not from it if you see what I mean.

In both cases vapour is produced at the burner but doesn’t light - the largest amount of vapour comes down the air pipe where it ignites - that or liquid paraffin. After everything is extinguished vapour comes out of the burner for a minute or so after but won’t light.

I’ve been testing with no mantles or glass - partly because of the scarcity of the veritas glasses - Especially the superb.

C

 

It does sound like it is not getting/staying hot enough. as @ROBBO55 says the mantle generates the heat to keep the fuel vapourising. No globe will also speed up the cooling if there is any breeze. Some of us buy cheap Chinese mantles from ebay for testing out things.

 

@Automedon the fuel you are using is kerosene / low flash point Paraffin? Not the paraffin sold as lamp oil or lamp paraffin to be used in wick lamps. It has a higher flash point so It won't vapourise properly and will produce the affect you are experiencing.

 

OK, I'll try a mantle and see what happens... I do actually have several cheap and cheerful ones for the very purpose - I thought the accepted method was to try without mantles first though in case of burner issues.

@ROBBO55 Yes, it's bog-standard paraffin - nothing weird or wonderful, and certainly not the lamp oil stuff

C

 

The mantle-free test is to see whether the flame is too rich before you waste a mantle on an enlarged jet or some other problem.

Often lamps won't sustain a flame under high pressure or for prolonged periods without a mantle.


Cheers

Tony

 

Apologies for lack of replies recently - speedy house move ahoy! Will get settled in new place first then keep on with the Veritas saga. On another tack... I found a (very nice) Anchor 950 for £10 today, but will NOT be touching until at least one of the Veritas's works! Watch this space...

C

 

Edit... it's one of the Relum Magnalux's that was adapted for the UK market. A trawl on the forum came up with this (isn;t this site great...), and also explains why the pressure release screw isn't where it should be. It also explains the 'Relum' label on the side...

The label quotes a UK BSC Standards date of 1985... does that sound about right for this lamp?

Best as ever,

Chris

 

Nuff said…

 

It's good to see you have them working

 

Nice! It's grand to see them working at last, well done mate!

 

It was exactly as you guys said - the lack of mantle was the issue. I’d been testing Tilley burners with no mantles initially and assumed it would be the same for the two Veritas. Now that they both work they’re incredibly easy to start and powerful … and very loud! Loving the roaring from the 350 at least… some more fettling, then onto the Anchor (gulp)

C

 

Couldn’t resist… left the Anchor pressurised all night and nary a drop in pressure. Pliable seals and seems to be in fine fettle so… gave it a test light. No issues… I’m guessing it’s old but has been looked after? Makes one hell of a roar too… it’s in really excellent nick. C

 

A very successful weekend

 

Absolutely great news that you've got the two Veritas' working again! As many others have found, these often overlooked British lanterns are incredibly easy to start and work brilliantly!

 

Thank you, they still have their idiosyncrasies mind you... despite the habit of self lighting they don't like it if you crack the fuel valve even a couple of seconds too early. But, once going they're very good... interestingly the light is different from each. I've used the same cheap Mannesmann mantle to test with and the 350 produces a very strong clear light, while the Superb's is much more golden. Naturally the wife - when she can bear to look at the things (she has a strong fear of fire) - prefers the Superb.

It's doubly satisfying knowing the 350 was on a pile of scrap in a Buxton reclamation yard too - I now sorely wish I'd got the other incomplete 350 and the incomplete Coleman 288 that was there. If anyone is near Buxton and can visit it's called Tin Man and is one the outskirts. You have to wade through a LOT of crap in most rooms and expect a touch of haggling but in general it's pretty good. Fascinatingly they also asked £50 for a Maglite (I said no...) but only £10 for the big stack of LPs pulled off the junk pile which included four UK first LP pressings of Miles Davis albums, two Beatles first pressings, two Kinks first pressings (including Village Green...) and some Byrds first pressings. They'd only been in a day so were mercifully untouched... that gives you an idea of the kind of place it is... anyway, I digress.

I have to say that when I started this back earlier this year, I had no idea how addictive it would become. I've two Bialaddin 315s turning up next week (plus another X246B as part of the job lot)... and I can't wait.

Chris

 

OMG, if I lived near that place I'd be very poor indeed!

You're right, every lamp has it's own idiosyncrasies but that's why we love them I guess!

The Bialaddin 315 is my favourite model, even beating the 320 in my eyes. I've rescued a few over the last 7 or 8 years from absolute carnage to almost new looking and they always make me smile.

Interestingly I've just got back into vinyl and it's been a real trip down memory lane. I'm in the middle of making my boyhood dream of owning a British made Quad amp/pre-amp come true! I've got a record deck and the pre-amp, now I have to wait till the 520F is fixed!