Coleman PQ lamps

I see a few in the gallery so they aren't exactly hens teeth but: Can anyone tell me how uncommon or common are Coleman PQ lamps?

 

Not that rare I don't think. I had about half a dozen at one point, though I sold off a few since then. Were you looking for one?

 

I think it would be relative to where you are in the world. In NZ they are not that common

 

I'm thinking of the UK mainly...

Either way , I seem to be the proud owner of a rather dilapidated one with some bits missing. It came as a job lot with two other items.

The tank looks to be good though which is possibly the main thing.

 

Are the spring galleries easy to get hold of for these?

 

They were sold in the UK through the 1920s and whilst not common they can turn up. Good to fettle because the burners are the very simple Quick-Lite which mostly only needs a clean or maybe a new R55 generator. The shade carriers are the same as on the CQ table lamps and I think there are repros out there. I have made a few in the past as well. Simple enough bit of sheet metal work to create. ::Neil::

 

One of the burner tubes on mine is damaged and missing the very end with the mesh in Neil...

What do I need to look out for if I have to replace it?

Also I'm curious as to how they normally seal the thread on the arms. One of mine is quite loose and someone has attempted to solder it in at some point.

Not a problem if I have no choice but to solder it and I'd definitly do a better job than it currently has, but I would like to know how they sealed originally.

I suspect what often happens with these is that someone uses the arms to lever on when unscrewing the tank... Pretty obvious that you shouldn't of course but that never seems to stop people

Also what do I need to pump it up? And finally is it intended to run on Coleman fuel?

I've never dealt with one of these early style Colemans before so it's a bit of a learning curve...

 

oldcolemanparts.com sell some of the bits you need e.g.

Pump:

https://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=3079&cat=&page=1

Shade holder:

https://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=2660&cat=&page=1

Burner:

https://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=2580&cat=&page=1

You could also post a wanted ad on colemancollectorsforum.com. The parts should be common enough and it might work out cheaper.

 

Thanks James that's great...

 

Coleman PQ is a Quick-Lite so will only really be happy on Coleman fuel or an equivalent. The burner tubes and mantle caps should be available as suggested above. The pump is one of these http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/128

The two swan neck arms do unscrew and yes people often damaged them trying to unscrew the centre block. I used PTFE tape to seal the threads which worked very well but if the threads are damaged maybe soldering will be the only way. ::Neil::

 

Hello Neil,

I have one of these lamps arriving shortly. Is it possible to replace the old generators with R55 and run it on kerosene?

 

Yes you can fit an R55 but the lamp will still not like kero. Lamps designed for kero and an R55 have a restrictor built into the air intake tube to adjust the mixture. ::Neil::

 

What's not to like about having a tank of "petrol" hanging above your head?

On the subject of the pumps... Is there a bike pump adaptor available?

If not I can't help thinking there's a market for one among collectors...

PS. Can anyone tell me, should the hanging rod just unscrew from the tank and/or the rest of the arm assembly?

 

I've seen quite a few on ebay com of late.

 

Matty.
R55s in the coleman chandilier dont always work sometimes you get one running rich and the other to lean .best to use the Q gennies.
Yes the hanging rod just unscrews .
Bob

 

Matty - they all seem to be in the US though, none on the UK site at the moment.

 

To cut a long story short, I have problems with my elbows and shoulders.

After reading elsewhere, (Neil) that Coleman founts are rated to 100 psi I decided to use a portable electric compressor to pressurise the founts. It's not that I pressurise the founts to 100 psi, far from it, it's that I knew I couldn't accidentally over pressurise the fount so it would be safe to do and didn't cause myself dramas.

Thanks Bob.

 

I use a compressor on quite a few hanging lamps. Some pendants are hard to pump in the normal way. However I use a tyre inflator with an adaptor which indicates the pressure just like doing car tyres.

On Coleman lamps, Herb used to have a QL lamp tank on a shelf with a gauge sitting at 400psi which had been pumped up some 40 years previously and had never dropped at all. The base had bulged slightly but it held the pressure. Coleman had an engineer in the factory from around 1914 ish and the tanks since then were made to industry pressure vessel insurance standards. So operating pressure 30 psi, Customer test pressure 60 psi and works test 120 psi. This is still true for todays lamps out of Wichita. Do NOT assume all manufacturers tanks are made to this standard because some most certainly ain't. ::Neil::

 

Does anyone have an exploded view of the NRV assembly and how does it come apart?

I assume that this also acted as the filler cap even though mine has a lead washer...

 

From memory, I don't think they're meant to be taken apart. They just seem to work even if there's a bit of corrosion inside. The ball has to hold the pressure for only a short while before the valve is screwed back down so even if there's a small leak (there sometimes is) it's of no significance...

 

What mantles are the best to use on the PQ lamps?

Sorry for the boring question but I simply don't know.

 

Matty.
You can use Coleman 21s but the best size is Coleman 20s that way the control knob doesn't get burnt or hot
Bob .

 

Bob,

Excellent lamp and thanks for the advice.

Shades are the next thing on my list for the PQ.

As with most lamps I don't know very much about Colemans. Are you able to tell me the shade product number that suits PQ lamps?

 

Most shades will suit the lamp. They were perhaps mostly sold with the 329 but they were shown in some catalogues with the half opal 321 globe shade. You can get repro shades from Fred Kuntz. ::Neil::

 

You've lost me here David...

I don't see anything to screw down.

 

Neil,

Thanks for the advice on the shades.

It's a shame whomever it was that broke the solder away from where the arms go into the stem didn't see your advice about not turning the arms, and to use a spanner, when wishing to take the stem from the tank.

At least that's all the damage that was done as the thread is fine and the affected arm isn't bent or damaged.

 

There's supposed to be an air screw that screws into the filler cap. When it is completely screwed in it locks the air intake valve closed. When it is unscrewed slightly you can pump air through a recess in the screw head into the valve and tank.

I would not recommend lighting the lamp without this part on Gasoline, as the ball bearing alone often does not completely prevent flammable vapours from escaping from the valve.

You can see a picture of it here:

https://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=2675&cat=&page=1

 

Thanks James, mine is missing that screw....

I guess it's not uncommon for that to get lost.

 

Thanks, James - you saved my fingers typing...

 

As they say in tennis 15 all.