Just bought a used Petromax clone need fettling advise.

I just bought this Egret 909 350cp lantern for cheap on E-bay. Should be here early next week.


I am planning on cleaning her up and using.

I own quite a few Coleman gas pressure lanterns, but this will be my first Petromax style. What should I check before I try to light her up.

I will polish the chrome once she is a runner.

 

Have fun fettling your lantern and don't let the negative comments about quality put you off (unless there your own ). Clones can vary in performance even from the same manufacturer.
Let us know how you go.

 

Thanks, Just wondering if there is anything I need to look out for.

 

Hi @Chip Packard ,
First thing to keep in mind is that you should not remove any attachments on the fount except those that are obvious and non-intrusive such as the lantern frame, hood, fuel filling cap, pump rod and piston(leather?).
Parts such as the pump NRV, rapid preheater and lower generator part/fuel pickup tube which are threaded into the fount should be left on unless unavoidable such as if they're blocked or leaking. These parts could be already seized and the built quality is unknown. Any attempts to dis-assemble these from the fount might lead to their breakages.
Spray some penetrating oil on everything and leave the lantern aside for a couple of days before starting.

 

Hi Chip, attached below is a good guide from Erwin Schaefer's website on how to fully service a Petromax lantern. Your Egret is pretty much identical.
I think Britelyte have all the service parts you will need. If you have a leather punch set and some 1/8" Viton, Buna-N or nitrile rubber sheet plus a piece of 1/8" thick lead sheet, you can easily make all the seals yourself.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi ..I have stripped and serviced a 909 / also a 959 Anchor also a 829 Bundeswher HK Petromax.. all similar , constructed all differently.... but very similar in design... to be honest
I think the first thing you should consider is lamp Pressure ...either by a soapy water test , or an immersion total in water... appearance of air bubbles .. after removal of top frame hood and glass ... take pressure up to 1 bar and check for leaks ... no leaks ..then go for ignition and lighting .. pressured at least you know the pump works and valves within ... no ignition then its a strip down and clean job .its a big learning curve but there's a lot of information here and veritable experts much wiser than me ......you can make your own seals from roofing lead easy... good luck

 

@Chip Packard ,
These Petromax-styled lanterns are in general, different beasts from your regular Coleman lanterns.(Regular Coleman here refers to those that use straight-run gasoline, CF, naphta-based fuels, have positive shut-off valves and no Preston loop-type of generators/vaporizers).

Do not expect the generator foot valve or the pricker needle to reliably shut off the fuel feed. The rapid preheater torch is also likely to be either partially or completely blocked or perhaps leaking air for an old lantern. Preston loop generator carbonized and clogged. Fuel jet or nipple clogged or worn. Pump NRV leaking fuel...and so on. These are the norms and require fettling to bring them up to shape. Adjustments of the pricker length and air gap of the mixing chamber also add to the variables you could tinker with.
If done correctly, the lantern should light up as bright as the brightest of your usual Coleman lanterns.

 

OK The Egret arrived late yesterday, and this afternoon I found time to take a closer look at her Her is how she was when she showed up.
Dirty, but complete

General corrosion, but no major rust that I can see

Worst of the surface rust is on the bonnet.

Original Egret glass globe

Based on these pics I don't think she has ever been fired.

 

First thin I did, was check the seal on the fill/pressure gauge. Rubber was like new. Then I gave it a couple of pumps, and the pump seems to work great and no obvious leaks, Based upon that I began to clean without a full disassembly. (I was told if it's not broken don't "F" with it.)


Microfiber cloth, OOOO Steel wool, and some Blue Magic Metal Polish.

Cleaned up nicely

I'll need to find some better lighting to get a good picture of the Logo

She is polished

With the Top Reflector

 

Now for the questions:



Between the bonnet and the frame there is a nylon/plastic insert seen in the pictures above. I do not remember seeing this in anyone else's pictures of their Chinese Petromax Clones.

Is this just a piece to protect the glass globe for shipping, or should I leave it in there. I am worried it will melt if I fire the lantern. LOL

I am waiting to find out before I light her off.

 

After that is determined, I need to know if I need to adjust the mixer gap?


Does this look OK?

 

Yes, the plastic insert is a transport protection for the glass/chimney.
Keep it, because it might be handy when you want to transport you lantern.

If I do not remember wrong the gap for the mixing tube shall be at least 14,2mm and can be adjusted up if needed.

Your lantern is, to what I understand, unused because of the plastic transport item so I do not think you need to adjust the gap.

I do not know who is the manufacturer of Egret but I suspect Anchor.

Usually the build quality of Anchor is good but might need a little fettle at delivery but not always.

The big problem is that most Chinese lanterns are made of chrome plated steel and that makes them rust easily.

Whip it off and store it dry after use!

I have a workmate that has an Anchor hanging outside all the time and it do not look nice at all but is working.

When I bought my first Anchor for 28 years ago the spare mantles sold was Egret. That have made me think that it is Anchor that makes the Egret brand but I can not be sure.

Michael

 

So far so good! You should still check the jet, upper vaporiser and burner for tightness and if necessary flush manufacturing debris from the fount. Then do a test burn at low pressure without a mantle. After that, a nice big mantle and away you go.
Recommended to pre-heat with alcohol when installing a new mantle.

 

Looks good enough. From this point, after removing the plastic transport protection rim, hood(inner and outer) and the glass globe, I'd just flush clean the fount with kerosene.
After that fill the fount one-third full with kerosene and pump it up 1-2 bars with the pricker up. Check for any obvious leaks. Then turn the pricker down and release the fuel. See if it shoots straight and sharp. If it does, your lantern would probably work fine with minor fettling if any.

 

Looks like you are good to go , keeps us all posted... if you like diy and fiddling with
stuff in your work area ...these lamps will keep you goingfor ever ... make sure all nuts that
you can fit a spanner on are tight .. not overtight... did you get a lamp spanner with it ?
Mantles from China ..well they are very cheap...quality is dubious ... Peerless mantles are
great bright and solid .. if you want ebay sites I have them .. good luck

 

I did not get a lamp spanner with it. I ordered a 10 pack of non-radiative 500/600 cp,Diameter: 10cm/3.94 inch,Pull length:12cm/4.72 inch mantles off of amazon for $6.99



These things are much bigger than my Coleman mantles. I will let you know how they work, and will look for peerless for my next purchase.

 

Made a special stop at Home depot to pick up some denatured alcohol to do a soft start for the first one, and when I went to fill the lantern, I figured out that my Coleman filter funnel, is too big for the fuel fill on this lantern. I will need to pick up a smaller funnel before I can fill with fuel.

 

I use a Mr Funnel fuel seperator you have probably seen them .. they really work ..I have
the small size .. med and large available ... .filters all the crud out of your kerosene / gas
a small residue is left in base which you pour/ dispose of... or use it for something else ... fuel goes into a plastic jug which is transfered into the tank with an ordinary funnel ,,, hey easy.... never regretted buying one... although was expensive about £18 here in the UK ,,, the dirt in fuel is just amazing and the less there is in the tank the better ... you could of course use other paper filters on a small filter funnel ... coffee filters ... ink blotting / tissues etc ...check Mr Funnel AF1C out ,,, good luck with the lamp

 

I use the large MR Funnel when filling the diesel tank on my sailboat. Works great, but most definitely will not fit the orifice on the Egret. LOL

 

Yo that

 

As for dimensions and distances you can check here: petromax.nl
Make sure all the fiitings are thight and proper sealed.
Check if tank is clean.

 

@WimVe ,

I got her lit last night. No leaks and an easy start.

 

Congratulations

 

Well done... nice

 

@Chip Packard
I'll bet you've got that started without much fettling? Except cleaning of course.
Just guessing from the looks of your lantern when you first received it.

 

Looking good!

Regards Jeremy

 

Ni real fettling at all other than figuring out it still had the packing material around the glass globe. Just a lot of metal polishing and some education on how to correctly light it plus putting on a nice mantle.

 

Congratulations Chip.
So what do you think of these clones?

 

Hi Chip ... one of the great improvements that I have made to all three of my Petromax/ Chinese clones is the purchase of an EZ pump adapter which really makes pressurizing tank issues history and also being kinder also to the fragile cloth mantles... air is pumped in seconds to pressurize by an air pump ... or air line into the fuel tank and up to your own chosen required bar pressure... types of air pumps can be motor/foot/ or hand // ...electric ... size it is a shrader valve type..... it saves time and stress on you/ and the fragile mantle ... have a look at one it should just screw in the pump orifice...standard fit....