Control cock washer

It seems each kit I get for an x246 has 2 gaskets or o-rings for the control cock. The kit I'm using most recently has small o-rings that seem to fit nicely but there are two. In fact I notice in an ad on this very site there are 2 o-rings shown.
Thus far I have only installed one which seems to be sealing although only air, the weather here is terrible so I haven't fired the lamp yet. Before I make a leaky kerosene mess, should I put the second o-ring in?

 

Just put the second o ring in thats what its for .
Bob .

 

I forgot to mention before that only one o-ring came out which is what adds to my confusion.

 

@curtludwig

I always put 2 O-rings in. It’s easier to finger tighten the packing nut that way, and easier to adjust if you get a leak.

Cheers

Tony

 

@curtludwig , you may have to dig the remaining old one out of the gland nut with a fine pointy tool. They get hard and brittle and even work their way into the screw threads. The Fettlebox Viton o-rings should remain supple for may years. I agree with Tony's reason for using 2 o-rings.

 

Yes, this puzzled me for a while, too.

Tilley supplied two seals in the spares pack for the gland nut and presumably also fitted two to the lanterns during manufacture. Now Tilley wouldn't go to the further expense of supplying an extra tiny seal if they didn't think it was necessary. So you should fit both of them.

However, I've only ever fitted one because one does the job and in engineering terms it's not good practice to fit two thinner gaskets instead of one thicker gasket. I presume other owners have felt the same way about this which would explain why the lanterns you're servicing have had only one seal fitted. I've always kept the second seal as a spare.

Now as Tony says, there may be advantages in fitting both seals - all I can say is that I've never noticed them because I've never fitted both seals. However, if I ever service another Tilley control cock (highly unlikely!), I'll fit both seals and see if I notice the difference...

 

In my opinion, it's better to fit both of the gland washers, but one will usually do the job.

 

I've just this minute serviced a friend's Guardsman dated 12/60. One washer came out and I put one back in, forgetting it should ideally be two!?? I then went to flame test the lantern and it leaked fuel out of the control cock quite significantly. I then put a second washer in and it stopped the leak.

 

I only use one. But then, the seals are pretty thin. I would guess if they are old and a liitle hardened, its not that easy to deform it sufficiently, merely by finger-tightening the control cock. Using two seals or a thicker and softer one would probably lessen the amount of force required for tightening.