Hey, i just get Radius No:52 blowlamp. This is my first one of these thing. I´m not sure whatkind of fuel it should be burn. Paraffin or gasoline. Bottom of the tank is stamped a letter B Maybe someone here knows better about these lamps
Ari, that's normally a paraffin lamp. You preheat it by filling the depression around the riser tube with meths, and then start to pump as the meths is about to go out.
Thank you! Yes i have watch at you tube those lightining videos. Littlebit scary system but i´m going to test it very soon!
It will not explode Ari. I have several different Swedish blowlamps and they are all fine working tools and a very useful tool if you need some extra heat that a gas torch cannot provide; for example Sil-brazing. Some of them are particularly fine works of art. There is a large fratenity of blowlamp collectors in France. If it is very cold, then preheat twice with meths. Steve.
I have now tested that lamp several times, it´s not working at all. There is great flames but it never start burn correctly. my opinion is that jet not good. How big the jet hole should be? It gives way too much fuel out of it i think..
Ari, even small blow lamps like this one has pretty large jets. They usually are 0.3mm, or above, meaning a regular household stove pricker should go in. Can you see what stamp your jet has? It should be on the flat side where your jet key grips. If it follow regular Radius logic it should say 52/28, but they often used the same jet for different apparatus so the 52 isn't certain (the 28 tell us it's a jet). It might perhaps be a 51/28. In that case I have a handful, and could send you one. But with some luck, all you need to do is to decoke the vapouriser! Try that first.
Hi Ari, Just checked mine and as Christer says it is 0.30mm. Try the heat and quench process on the vapourizer, having removed the jet, and see how you go from there. I also stress that a second preheat, especially in very cold weather, is often neccssary. Steve.
Hi Ari First of all i would restore it and use it,change all the seals IE filler cap and possibly the pump valve,if it leaks so you have good pressure,if your jet is enlarged and is the cause of the large flames, then a replacement is needed.but it all so sounds like you are not heating it enough, and you are getting the large flames due to the fuel not being properbly vapourised. I am a collector of blowlamps/torches as well as stoves and alanterns,I have a good 30-40 in my collection, and yet some will only need one preheat where some may need two depending on the spirit cup, and i have a small parasene which the burner nozzle is made of steel so that needs two preheats. If you are lighting lamp outside, make sure it is well protected from the wind during the preheat/primming stage,use a wind guard. And dont be afraid to use it,like Steve said they are just as good as a gas torch/lamp,and they realy give a good flame,ideal for all stove lantern fettling. And all so as Christer said give the vapourise a decoke,as if there is a lot of carbon build up,that it self makes the vapourier less effective, and any particles that become loose will keep blocking your jet, makeing constant cleaning of it. Just for reference a few of may lamps the first is my latest and is one of the smallest i have. The above pics is my lates blow torch it is one of the smallest i have,this one is petrol/gasoline fueled.
Thank you for your comments. I have changed the tank cup gasket and pump leather too. There is no leaks. There is no any numbers left in the jet, too many scraches. Meaby my preheat is the problem, it was some wind when i made my tests. I have preheated two times before lightning. How much pressure i should pump this lamp in the start?
Hi Ari i think the cause is the preheat,if there is any wind it will blow the preheat flame away from the vapouriser,you need as much heat on the vapouriser as possible,as the fuel needs to be converted to a vapour. The amount of strokes of the pump to start the lamp,depends on the lamp and the leather pump cup,usualy around 2-5 pumps once the lamp has lit with a blue flame leave,for about 60 seconds for that flame to realy heat the vapouriser, before pumping it up fully. I ahve been collecting useing blowlamps for over 20 years,what i have found you will get a feel for them.it will be nice once you have got the hang of it to show us some pics
Next time i preheat like a devil and my camera is ready. I will get a video for that process and put it in youtube.
This is the video what i promised to you! It´s still exactly the same broblem like before. I´was preheated two times, only the second one is includet this video. Did i do something very wrong myself, or could it be the jet what is cause this thing? http://youtu.be/wbqUMvfbMi4
Ari, Have you done a decoke on the burner? I would give it a few heat, quench, tapping cycles to see what comes out of the vap tubes. Then I would try a new jet. Steve
Today i will take all parts in the table, i try take a some pictures about jet and other parts. There is a needle in the valve system, i think it is possible set that in wrong position. Can you tell me what is the right way to check that? It will be my christmasgift if i can make that lamp work correctly
Sorry Ari, but I have no experience with your version that has a gegulator valve. I am sure that it will be quite simple when you get it apart. It will be interesting to see pictures of that part. Good luck - Steve.
Ah! There's your problem! You got the alcohol conversion kit. pour out the paraffin and fill the lamp with alcohol instead, and I'm sure you will get a much better result. Let us know how it goes.
OK! But whatcind of alcohol i have to use?. is it us much safe use like paraffin? How can i change that to use paraffin if i like more that?
Yes, Ari, the same stuff you use for preheating. e.g. spirit or meths. Spirit and alcohol is of course a bit wide term. I use as pure ethanol I can get myself. 96%, or thereabout. If you decide you want to use paraffin, you have to get a jet and cleaning needle for that fuel. I'm sure Fogas has both. But give it a test on ethanol first. It will run hotter on paraffin, though, and the fuel consumption is terrible with alcohol, so it's not a good replacement for paraffin in that sense.
I don´t know why i am so suspicious and carefully with that thing. I have Optimus 8r stove what uses gasoline and i don´t feel the same when i use it. But now i´m going to buy some sprii and couple of beers, after that i go and put that lamp on fire. Pics are coming tonight if i stay a life
Thank you guys. Now i´m happy man. Not Very perfect sound but near of it. Can you tell me why the sound is like it is. I´m not sure shoul i pump more pressure or what? http://youtu.be/d23WknxfAaE
It looks pretty alright to me. It's an acceptable result by the look of it, but it's not always so easy to tell from a short clip. Mind you, this is a pretty small lamp, so it won't give you that deep throaty sound the larger ones does. Some yellowness at the flame edge, but they might go away if you run it a bit longer to reach a good temperature. It's also sputtering slightly, but those alcohol conversions are often harder to get going as well as they do on paraffin. If you should pump it harder is also hard to tell. That is best found out by yourself as you play around with it. You'll soon notice when your blow lamp performs best. (You shall open the wheel fully so that the needle don't interfere with the jet.) I still think a good decoking would be a good thing to do. You see those small glowing particles shooting out now and then? They might indicate that you have some carbon build-up in the vapouriser that should be removed. But it sure works better now.
This level of working is enough to me. there was a little carbon inside the outer shield but it burns away. If i open the valve at totally the needle goes in the jet hole, so that is not possible thing to do. It runs something about less than 10 minutes, i make some more tests later tonight.
