Hi All, I'm sorry, but I've just spent the last day and a half, working to try to display the inner workings of an old Coleman Lanterns fount, I'd wrote a nice piece, all about this; but just as I'd chosen to upload the photographs (many good ones taken), the darn software went & cut all my text, from off the screen. Everything, just vamoosht ! so; if any one would still like to see the rest of the pictures, hopefully this still doesn't present a problem to me "Yet a flippin' gain", 2nd time try, coming up, i'll aim to upload the rest, in time, if required ? The task was very enjoyable, but proper PPE should be used. I didn't clamp the fount down (which is a definate No No, but Safety glasses & gloves ought to be worn, etc (think on). No correct punctuation, above; etc but hopefully the photo's can be appreciated, and they'll give those that aren't fully 'in the know', yet; how the tanks pump cylinder, check valve & Safety snorkel, is put together/works. Thanks, Regards, Jon.
Interesting but you will have a job on fettling that one to run again. Looks terminal to me. Nice to see the pump air tube though. ::Neil::
Jon, Excellent project and a great reference. Always wanted to know what was connected to the end of the pump tube and how it was routed. I'll bet that you're the first one here to actually polish the inside of a tank! A very professional look to it all. A quick note on your troubles while editing your post. You're not the first and certainly won't be the last to somehow lose a lot of time consuming editing of a long post. Whether it be a computer hang or a quick look somewhere else on the site, suddenly it's gone. I have done this myself. To avoid this aggravation, I now compose a lengthy post in a side editor like notepad, where you can do periodic saves. When done, I just copy it all into a post and do the final touch up and picture adding there. Dan
Yes Neil, I've been blood sweat n' tears, with this little tank; it was the first 228D I bought, and I just wanted to actually see, and own one; with this buy; unfortunately my inexperience proved too hazardous & the burner needed to release, quicker than it was prepared too. It's there as a lesson, more than anything but I managed to gain more hindsight, from the soldering joints, by doing ze ol' hong kong phoey blitz. I expected there to be a maze of spaghetti pipe work, and further intricacies, to further puzzle over; but as you'd described, previously; it is a very simple system. There's just the problem with this though, still to me, that the snorkel is acting discouragingly, as a fail safe 'belt & braces' device, whilst also, unfortunately behaving as a condensing tube, for all the heat and vapors, at the apex area of the tank, to funnel track these airborne gaseous elements, back down the snorkel (even when the tank, is correctly sat on its feet); as liquid fuel. Would you agree that when a faulty check valve becomes incorrectly by passable, although maybe intermittently so ; the lantern will still hold enough pressure within the tank, to keep the generator stoked & burning, but the fuel will leak through into the base of the pump cylinder, via the 90 %-ish, below par functioning, of the CV ? My third Coleman 228D, presented this to me, three times (a quarter of a thimble cup, each time, and of Naptha; just below the pump cup); before I realized what was occurring, & then at this; found the checks showed the CV to be a two way street, whether the CV was turned on, or turned off, regardless. With a newer conditioned CV, replacing this weak barrier, the back flow ceased totally. Here's my 3rd 228 D, (scan uploaded) the first, is for my wall, on a plinth , I'm yet to carve out, in & from, oak (that's all it's fit for now, sadly), & the second, is hopefully around two months away from a newly applied, jacket of chrome (Ouch £)! This grand hobby of Lanterns, certainly keeps me on my toes, and the vitality levels are about to get a bit more of a kick start, shortly; with the colder weather, sauntering around the corner, not far in front. It's still one of the best feelings, seeing the work, come to positive fruition, with all the excitement of a good first burn, from a complete take down, but the trick is also enjoying the failures. They keep me smiling, and as they used to say, way & long before I arrived on this little ball of coal; "lamps is lamps", (Many a good deed, done under their light). Jon.
Hi Dan, Cheers for the thumbs up, it all took some putting together, but despite the confusion of losing a good part of the story, which I initially began explaining ( the Amish Community/Family homestead, lantern owners, from Pennsylvania State, America, whom ran the lamp, possibly from the time this went to retail ); before losing it (nearly sending me through into the next door neighbors bathroom), hopefully this topic maybe further pursued and brought more to light ? It would be good to hear if my suspicions are correct, or even partially correct; I've had some top trooper advice, with regard to the condensing behavior, displayed by the snorkel type pipe, but still do not know, in agreement or other wise, whether this is really happening, when a CV isn't working at it's preferred 100 % optimum. As log as the CV is tight and without any leak, the wrong way; the snorkel could be boiling an egg, for all I care; this wouldn't matter, because the integrity of lamp would still be secure. I'm not a particularly bright person, when it gets to scientific issue (this is why I'm asking for), but I was always told that condensing occurs, over most given distances of containment, where chemically versatile substances, are affected by hotter temperatures being drawn through, or over; colder ones ? Is this not what is happening, when a colder temperature very very slowly, creeps through the side of that ball baring, from the front to the back of the CV (originating from the pump cylinders, slack, top cap lid), through the small infusion holes, and up the snorkel tube, to the heart of the heat ? I'll take your advice, the next time I decide to write an epic, and get some of it down on paper. Computers can be just so confounding, & I suppose its always harder to remember the times, they didn't give back, problems. I'll send some more scans, if they'd be any use to you, let me know ? Cheers, Jon.
The whole point of a Coleman pump valve unit is that it is a double acting design. If the ball valve is passing slightly you may well get some fuel in the pump tube because the fuel vapours condense out BUT that ball valve is only one part of the check valve because the system also has a lock down needle valve and with that closed you don't get anything back at all. One of the things to look for when doing an under water pressure test is the action of the pump check valves. You may get some slight bubbles with just the ball valve closed but when the pump needle valve is closed you should get none. You may need to work that valve on and off a few times to get it to seat properly. Needle valves will often re seat when worked and this Coleman pump check is a pretty reliable device which rarely fails. ::Neil::
Hi Neil, I did re seat the check valve, after the second burn of the pictured lamp, the reason behind this, was I could feel the threads to the on/off slide rod, were 'mildly crunching (best way to put this), when I de-activated the valve, or closed it off. I presumed this was just some fine dirt, that had escaped the fettling process, and the deposit was wedged in some area of the CV threads. To me, it had to be the central on/off, valve tongue (javelin spear), because it was noticeable, all of the time; whilst priming. I gave it a good clean out, with a stiff brush, and hot soapy water (tank empty, of course), dried off; then re-fitted; but still after all that, it was still crunching, as though it was willing itself to cross-thread. More head scratching, later then lead me to remove the CV completely, and inspect for muckment, but other than noticing a pink tinge to the threads of the valve, it looked as clean as when I'd first citric, cleansed it. So, I popped it back, but this time; I really turned it tight, with the CV removal tool, then fitted everything else back. It was empty of fuel, so I took it to the bath, dipped it; and eventually the trickle of oxygen bubbles, ceased. I dried the lamp off, then fueled up (I'd dried the pump cylinder out, also; and re-oiled the pump cup). On all that, I was still feeling that grating, with the threads ! Well, it just must be like that, I've tried; it's getting lit, bloody sick o' this. So, off it lit, and ran for over 4 hrs, really sweet; but my thumb was just going on strike, all the time. It takes some strength, making sure that the pressure isn't lost, when re-priming with air. I got some bad cramp, in my left thumb joint, and it hurt all day, from morning till later on, evening time. I lit the lamp again, and noticed the same problem of the grating, when opening & closing; so I decided to just re-check the full seating of the CV, from strangling it, virtually; the day before and found that I could miraculously turn the valve, further tight (with the CV removal tool), at least another fifth of a turn, but no further at all. Well, since then, it doesn't grate; it now opens and closes, with out any awkwardness (which is saving my thumbs, also). I'm quite sure I'd been reading something, with your armorial bearings, on it; before I'd the nounce' to breeze that one through. It certainly worked. I realize the Snorkel (poor terminology, I just don't know what it's properly called?), is plenty safe enough; a pea sized amount of fuel, on the isolated occasions it becomes evident, isn't heading nobody toward a fireball; unless they are being extremely careless. Cheers, Jon.
The pink tinge might suggest you had it too long in the citric acid. Also the 'crunching' could possibly have been due to tiny citric acid crystals on the threads.
Hi David, Yes, I may have simply just left the brass, to long in the soak, and that's what caused this very slight, mis alignment; it's puzzling, how just 'damn near microscopic, burnt zinc, can cause such a stress, to a chaps thumbs/fingers. It didn't sound (through subtle, soft metal contact vibration to the mitts), to be something so slight or minimal, as metal slush, residue; but considering the amount of times I rechecked the whole unit (pump cylinder wise), it could possibly have only been, just that. My eyesight isn't as good as it was, but under a well lit kitchen window, at mid-day; there was nothing visibly, out of the ordinary. Could be a good investment, to seek one of those flexi head torch's, threading it just into the tube. Incidentally, I picked up a few of those flexi head BBQ lighters, from Aldi; the other day, they're quite good, and only £2.50, a pop. They're branded simply, "Prof", and give out some lengthy blue flame. There's a good choice of colours, in them; and the reservoir chamber is easy to see, unlike some I tried before. Cheers, Jon.
