I have just recently acquired a Coleman 118 slant generator table lamp. It lights up and burns bright. However since I can seem to figure out how the air mixing system on this lamp is suppose to work, I’ve been lighting it as though its not quick light. I can't see any way for font air to be mixed with the fuel, or any way to switch the mixing of font air on and off. Can any body shed some lite on this? How am I suppose to light this in the instant light fashion? Thanks for your comments. Rick
They are not a Quik-Lite. The Slant burner is the first Instant-Lite. You can't turn off the air. It is a constant feed from the upper part of the fuel pick up system. Sometimes these can take a while to settle and I have known a table lamp take half an hour before it burns bright as the gasoline supply gradually increases. You light like any Instant burner by applying a match to the mantles and turning the valve on. ::Neil::
Thanks for the reply. I have noticed that this lamp is slow to reech full output, and it does surge and sputter a bit. However it settles down and burns bright and stable after a few minutes. Ill take it outside and try the instant light methode when the rain here stops. Rick
Yes they do that and the other problem they have is they need more pumping as the constant air feed reduces pressure faster than in the later types which have an air shut off valve. The system works well enough but was not ideal and that is why the type only lasted about three years. ::Neil::
Yes to all you have said. It is an air hungry lamp. The lamp in question is really in to good a shape to be taking apart just to see how it works. I will have to wait for one that needs repair to see first hand how this first attempt at instant lighting was put together. I'll be getting my camera out soon, and will be posting this one in the reference gallery soon since I have not seen any 118s there yet. Rick
Hi Rick, The slant fuel/air system operates strictly on density. There are two variants of the fuel/air pickup tube. The twin tube, and the tube in tube. Both have the "P" metering orifice at the bottom of the tube inside where the fuel pickup screen barrel is. There were two types of screens. One was the hemispherical with the two small inlet holes and a screen. The other was the barrel with a screen wrapped around the outside and four fuel inlets. The twin tube was the first variant I think. That had the hemisphere. PITA for sure but it kept the servicemen busy. In the riser tube there is a brass rod that acts as a flow restrictor to a certain degree. Then to add insult to injury there was ANOTHER of those hemispherical screened orifices pressed into the outlet of the riser tube. Needless to say ANY amount of dirt in the fuel system clogged up the works. Now as to its operation. I have found that the top hemisphere can be removed. They are almost impossible to clean and I'll bet they were a "throw away" part. When the lamp lights off the mix of fuel and air with the valve barely open is the "light off mix". Flow rates allow more air into the pickup chamber. Once the lamp gets burning and the valve is opened fully the flow rate of the fuel has a greater density than that of the air and in effect the air gets "shut off" to a degree in that chamber just above the metering orifice I spoke off. But as Neal eluded to, this system didn't last long because of what I like to refer as the "Chattanooga Choo Choo Effect". It sounds just like a steam locomotive. It will settle after a while and burn rather nicely. Removing that top orifice tends to facilitate that increased flow rate to shut off the air. It also eliminates another maintenance headache. But the brass rod has to be in place or the lamp will flood. Thank God someone at Coleman thought up the F/A tube! Bob
Thanks for the explanation Bob I can see how fine screens and questionable grades of fuel could be a reel head ache. I'll keep good clean Coleman fuel in mine and hope for the best. I rinsed the the font out on mine and then filled it with fuel. So far, as I've been running it for a couple of hours a night this week it seem to be becoming more stable (less surging) and the generator needs far less frequent pricking. All I need now is lamp shade or globe for it. Rick
These were made with three different generators. The original was a T88 which incorporates a pricker. The pricker rod is screwed into the end of the needle valve contol so you can always tell an early lamp by removing the valve spindle to see if it has a screw thread in the end. The pricker is operated by closing off the lamp which is awkward as you nearly always have to re light. Coleman then changed to use the Q77 generator and finally sold the lamps with an R55. Older lamps with replacement generators often have the valve for a T88 but with Q77 or R55 there is no pricker rod screwed into the valve. ::Neil::
Hi Rick, Coleman "chose" the 443 plain and 444 decorated Kremelite shades to adorn the slants. These are some of my favorites. They are uranium glass so they glow green when exposed to UV light. My pair of slants I chose to make them polished brass founts. The "Colac" finish was beat on both but no dents. Like Neal said the R-55 is a usable generator on these. The best choice IMO for regular use. Bob
Thanks a lot for the pics of the shades. I really like your polished tanks. Its been all I can do to keep my self from polishing the tank on mine, but since mine has about 90% of its original finnish I'v made myself leave it alone. I'll wait for one that needs a good fettling before I polish one. I'm using an R55 gen on mine the obvious choice for a user since I light mine quite often. I have found that I do tend to light it as though it was a quick-lite since it can tend to flood lighting by the instant light method. Rick
