These valves are usually my nightmare and I'm now dealing wiht a good condition Primus 1081 tank I bought for just a few coins to replace the one on my lantern, but the valve, which doesn't work, not only refuses to leave the pump, but it was damaged in the past (by my self) and I can't remove it even with a new tool. Any idea before to remove the entire pump? I don't want to do it. Thanks. Juan
This is a routine operation that has to be done on a most lamps at some time. There can be problems though. Some like Primus have a two flat centre which needs a special tool to remove. I found the tool made by Primus for the job to be a poor thing so I made my own out of a large bolt. This fits tightly on the valve and always unscrews the valve without damage. Other makes have a screwdriver slot in the valve and these are much easier to damage with the wrong size screwdriver. Ok so unscrewing is one thing but then you can have a valve that is unscrewed but refuses to drop out because the lead washer retains it. I have a few times had to use a suitably bent rod inserted through the filler to shove it out from the inside. Last resort is to remove the pump tube and access the washer from the inside. Lastly a word of warning. Some HASAG pump check valves are screwed together with a left hand thread. Trick is to grip the outer body and rock it back and forth until it gives. I don't know any other make like this but it is as well to remember that left hand thread check valves exist. ::Neil::
Hi Juan, You need a wrench like this (recently made) one. The better ones were included with the Optimus / Radius / Primus lantern sets. Erik
I originally damaged the valve with an original Primus tool and I also damaged the tool. I made another one, very similar to the one you show, Erik, and I could remove valves from other lanterns but this is very deformed. Also, I guess that I'll make a new one from a big bolt like Neil says; 18 mm would center perfectly the valve on the tool. But the original question is: when every tool fails is there anything to do before to remove the pump? I thought it could be possible to drill the valve carefully below the threads diameter, or something like this and I would like to know if somebody experienced something. I'm much better drilling than soldering and to remove the pump is a big issue to me. Juan
Not really an option. It would be much too easy to damage the threads if you tried to drill the valve out. Only way here is to remove the pump tube and then unsolder the end cap so you can get to the valve without the tube in the way. I do understand that soldering can be an issue. You really need to be shown by someone who is experienced but it's actually simple enough. Remember less is more here so you don't need great blobs of the stuff. If the gap is fine then capillary action will run the solder where you need it. Bright clean metal and then a little flux. Add a little solder to "tin" the surfaces and then assemble with just enough heat to run the solder. You may feed a little more solder but only a little. If you are going to play with old lamps then you really need to learn this skill and practice some. I suggest you find some scrap pieces of metal and practice soldering things together until you have the feel of how much solder to apply and how much heat. ::Neil::
What I did in a case when the NRV head was totally deformed and the NRV was still stuck was to use a screw extractor. you cannot use that NRV again but its a step before removing the pump.
I don't care about the valve, I just want it out of the lantern. Screw extractor? I'll have a look where to find one. Thanks. I hope not to remove the pump!!!
there are sets available usually at hardware stores just dont use to small one as I had one sheared in the valve
I didn't know them; yesterday I asked at the maintenance office if they know and I guess they should guess that I'm a little stupid: "of course we have got them" was the answer. Today I'll get one. Thanks.
I finally made a last try with a big bolt before to try with the screw extractor. I made it from a bolt just a few mm less than the pump inside diameter in order to center the valve top on it; the bolt head is enough big to press it with my hand and to make a very big effort over it and I finally could remove the rebel valve. On the top it is the original tool I used to deform the valve...
I finally did what Neil told me some time ago: to have something to enough force on it to avoid the valve to skip from the tool. That's why the original tool didn't work: you don't have enough force on your hand for some rebel valves; I pressed with my body on the bolt.
I can't remember if I have shown this before but anyway here is my valve tool. I cut a slot in the bolt head and soldered in a flat steel cross piece. This allows you to use a considerable down force and turn with the same hand. I have never had it slip and damage a valve. I then got clever and added a smaller bolt with a slot to unscrew stove jets. Works well but I don't have any stoves now to play with. I then tried to get even cleverer and cut a wrench in one end but that is useless because the steel is not hard enough and anyway the bolts get in the way. Being of an idle disposition I left it that way rather than tidy it up. If I was doing this now I would braze or silver solder the cross piece in but this one is soft lead soldered. Works OK though because the slot takes the strain and the solder just locates it. Works very well as a one handed tool and simple to make. Every lampy tool kit needs one. ::Neil::
Sorry Neil, I see now thst it has a screwdriver "bit" sticking out the bottom of the bolt, the one Juan was describing looks like a slot in the bottom of the bolt would be required. Has anyone got the actual physical dimensions of the Vapalux slot in the NRV, also a picture or 2 of what they look like when they come out and are being fettled would be nice. Ross how successful is the screwdriver approach/
Look again, it is slotted like Juan's. Here is an image of the valve from an Aladdin 1A. Same as most in all Swedish and a lot of German lanterns. ::Neil::
Mods please take my comments out of this thread as I was referring to the Vapalux type NRV which is a scewdriver type fitting as Ross pointed out, perhaps the title of the thread could be modified with Juan's permission to specify the models which the "slot in bolt" type removal tool can be used for. I will start a new thread about Vapalux/Bialaddin NRV removal and fettle, I have taken some pics so hopefully they will explain better
Iwoo, we can't take your comments out of a topic when they already have been answered. Subsequent posts will become totally out of context. It's a living discussion going on here, so I don't see anything wrong with your inputs, and in response, they have also brought out a couple of good pictures and explanations.
How about these newly made keys? It is from CCS member, Stu. http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/22101/post/196241/hl//fromsearch/1/
