I had heard that the 523 was a gasoline-powered lantern, but this one had a preheating cup instead of a heat shield. I compared it with the 583 gasoline lantern. The nipple is the same type as the 581. This 523 vaporizer does not have a loop, but it is thicker (about 7mm) than the 583 (about 6mm). However, it was equipped with a shutoff valve that the 581 did not have. Does this mean that it can use both gasoline and kerosene? It does not have a pressure reducing screw like the 581. It lights up brilliantly using 100% kerosene. I have never read any literature on 523, so I don't know if 523 was for gasoline or kerosene, or if both types existed. If you have any literature information on 523, please let me know. Thank you.
Hello @Camp numao Unfortunately I have not seen any information on the 523 yet. But according to some of its features I assume that it is meant to burn petrol/gasoline: Vaporizer without loop, positive fuel shutoff valve, filler cap without screw/air bleeder, and heat shield over the central fixing screw at the globe cage. I have three of them here with those features (one of which is shown here), and there's one more to be found here in the reference gallery. Yours seems to have been fitted with the spirit preheater, and therefore misses the heat shield, but due to the lack of documents no one knows whether this could have been an original variation. If it runs fine on paraffin/kerosene it should be OK though. Thank you for showing yours, and congratulations for the successful fettle of this neat little lantern. I also like these very much. Regards, Martin
@Tony Press @JEFF JOHNSON I'm honored that you read it. Thank you! @Martin K. Thank you for sharing your views. My opinion is exactly the same as yours. - The 523 posted by other people matches the equipment of a gasoline lantern, so I have no objection to it being for gasoline. - I also own a 506, and although the 506 is a straight vaporizer, I think it is for kerosene. I understand this because it is equipped with a meshed preheater for kerosene and a cup to take kerosene from the tank for the preheater. And a lantern collector told me that types with thick vaporizers even without a loop are for kerosene. From this, I thought that this 523 might be for kerosene. (This 523 vaporizer is thicker than the 583's and is equipped with a preheating cup.) - As you say, I have never seen any literature on the 523, so it is possible that someone replaced the preheating cup of this 523 at some point. I am grateful to have been able to exchange messages with a veteran who owns many German + Austrian lanterns like you. Thank you!
That isn't necessarily the case. However, thin vaporizers are easier to preheat, especially with simply a match or the preheater torch which can be seen together with my 523 here in the gallery. This torch is a sheet metal part with an asbestos filling that is first inserted into the tank to soak up petrol/gasoline. It is then ignited and inserted into the slot at the bottom of the globe cage to preheat the vaporizer (like with an extraordinarily big match). The 506 basically seems to be a paraffin/kerosene lantern, at least as it has no fuel shutoff valve. The meshed preheater can be used with all kinds of fuel (paraffin/kerosene, petrol/gasoline, and alcohol). Though I'd not recommend to operate the 506 with petrol/gasoline I assume that it would just work fine. I haven't seem any document listing that lantern either.
@Martin K. Thank you. I hadn't heard for the first time that the aim of the design was to make it thin so that it would heat up quickly, and I think that's certainly true.
Congratulations @Camp numao and thanks for informative posts. Any idea about the age of these lamps? all the best, Piotrek
@Piotrek I've never seen any literature on 523, so I don't know. I'd like to know too, so please let me know if you find out anything. Thank you.
Hello everyone, this is the only information about Ditmar No. 523 in my archive. I once received the sheet from Ruedi Fischer. If I read the printing mark correctly, then the advertising sheet dates from 1950. Greetings Jörg
@Jörg Wekenmann This is the first time I've seen this lantern. And I'm very happy to know about this lantern. I also own a Demon, and learned from this catalog that the 523 and the Demon were made at the same time. I'm very grateful to you for letting me know. Thank you!
