Hi, I was lucky enough to be given a Aida Record Express 1250 lantern not so long ago which has given me a taste for collecting pressure lanterns now!!! and the fun of figuring them out. unfortunately I'm having trouble with the rapid heating, instead of a nice blue blow torch like burn, it fires up with a crap load of yellow flame that resembles a prehistoric camp fire. any suggestions on what he problem is and what I can do to remedy this. cheers Mike
I'm not familiar with the lamp itself but preheaters work by producing a fine mist of paraffin mixed with air... If the air is lacking or reduced then you will get the yellow flames that you are seeing. I'm sure someone will be along soon who has more precise details for your lamp and where to look for restrictions in the air flow...
I think I might have one of those lanterns somewhere although I haven't seen it for years and I've rarely lit it. Similarly with those rapid pre-heaters in general - I prefer to pre-heat the slow way i.e. two minutes extra, with meths. If you can, I'd do it that way first so that you know the rest of the lantern is working OK. Notwithstanding all that, I do know that you need full pressure in the tank to operate the rapid pre-heater - generally 2 bar / 30psi / up to the red line on the gauge - and you need to keep pumping at times during pre-heating to keep the pressure up. So make sure you've done all that first. If lack of pressure isn't it, then it could be a blocked orifice in the pre-heater. Someone else will be able to give you advice regarding that. Hope that helps... P.S. which Wellington?
Thanks, you have one some where ?!! Sound like you have many. Wellington in New Zealand is where Im from. Very hard to find good lanterns here. They pop up now and then. Have built up the pressure and that seems fine prior to lighting the pre heater. I have had it going a few times just a lot a flames and chaos before it takes.
Hi, maybe another thread can help you with your problem, start here with reading. The preheater is assambled of two layers and it looks like that the tiny air holes on the inner layer are clogged, so too much kero/too less air in the mist. You have to remove the outer jet (outer layer) to get access to the inner layer for pricking/cleaning the holes. BR, Martin
I don't know if your problem is solved. There can be two major reasons for big yello flames: 1) operator error 2) malfunction of the rapid. 1) pressure should be around 2 bar all the time, so while pre heating you must pump and the mainvalve must be closed. After some minutes, better the seconds, you open SLOWLY the main valve letting the kerosene into the generator and vaporise. When you get the mantle to light up close the rapid an dopen the main valve. 2) make sure all the openings are clear. Of the jet as well as the air intake from withing the tank. You can get a nice blue torch for pre heating but experience show that most of the tim eyou get a nice big yellow flametrower. It is all in the adjustment, worn out, cleaniness of the parts. For me the slow pre heating with spirit cup is more relaxing. Have fun.
I have an Aida, and I found both the fuel and air induction jets clogged. NOTE: The orifice size of the pre-heater jet is much smaller than the main jet. You need a different tool to clean it out. The induction jets are not too difficult. Good luck!
Thanks everybody, one good clean, a prick, three restarts, 10 matches later and it fired perfectly. I think it may be picking up a bit of crap from the tank. So will give that a clean and new fuel. Next thing to also think about what I'm going to do about the green corrosion on the plating
