Hi @Migwar and welcome. I have collected maybe 10 - 15 Petromax copies and 1 originial and I love them all! It is true that the Chinese build quality is not any way near as good as the German made originals but they often produce just as much light and I have very much enjoyed collecting as many different makes as I can... Golden Globe, Anchor, Sea Anchor, Aeroplane, Light Brand, Solar, Pelican and more! I also have Other European brands like Tilley, Bialaddin and also American makes like Coleman. I think when you start bringing them home you can't stop but that is the fun of this hobby. I would buy them all if the price is good, but that's just my obsession! Happy collecting from England
In the nine pictures, the second, third and fourth are the taken for the same lantern which is closest to or probably the Petromax with possibly some parts missing or swapped. However, all nine do not show the original Petromax hood. The first and fifth pictures are the same, showing the another lantern which, is probably a Light brand with the original globe but the red pump knob could be something else. Light brand usually have green pump knobs. Pictures number six and nine (possibly also Light Brand) are the same lantern, without a globe. Pictures number seven and eight are taken for the same lantern(possibly a variation of the Anchor brand) with pump spring wrongly installed. At most, there are only four different lanterns, not nine. Nevertheless, you can buy them all if the price is not objectionable. Its quite common in many places around the World for people to simply refer them as Petromax although they are entirely different brands.
@MYN , @ColinG thank you for the kind and informative comments. Actually I visited the shop today. The 4 of them lanterns (9 pictures) had different parts for other lanterns as mentioned in the most of the comments, also the globes weren't genuine. The 4 lanterns had the light brand hood/cap.The petromax lantern had the globe and the cap also light brand (Not sure also about other hidden parts). Hesitated frankly on buying any of them (as usual ). Another guy sent me the below pictures, he is selling this one for 60 USD, I think it also requires some close checking, but looks decent somehow (will be getting more information about this lantern throughout the day), with best regards.
Well that is or was a petromax lantern. Oldy too. It looks beaten up and the dents will not come out. Again you can spend your money only once. Make sure all the parts are good. A non working pressure gauge will iritate at some point. The inner burner can be rusted way or from another brand, check that too. And ask for sharp pictures. Aks a seller if he can light the lantern. Does it hold pressure, what state is the bottom ? But first: how are your repair skills, why do you want a pressure lantern ? What do you want? a nice shining, original, well known brand lantern or a dented but working all day usable lantern ? Dents don't influence the workings, holes are. Edit: 60 us dollars is why to expensive.
@WimVe Thank you. I Will start from the end: I liked the pressure lanterns, I actually want the pressure lantern for the sake of having a working pressure lantern, a new hobby maybe, to know about and check the mechanics. The way the pressure works in the system to reach to evaporate and burn is "something"; It does enlight one's brain somehow; Furthermore, a lantern may be useful sometimes. My repair skills are very modest, especially in this domain. What I want is the second idea which will be better if crowned by the first, I mean I want a working all-day usable lantern if needed, and better if it is shining (Not mandatory though). I have maybe to read more and be more involved in this domain, instead of keeping proposing novice level questions to you friends, which means "have a minimum experience and know what I want first"; However this will be taking me back to the first square I should have a Lantern to start training and acquiring real experience; Thus, I am seeking to buy one first and I prefer if it is functioning at a minimum and genuine from the first time. I think the satisfaction doesn't only come from owning a lantern and lighting it, the satisfaction will be from knowing the dynamics, dealing with failures, and fettling (I think this is your opinion too). Back to the first: Yes, the lantern looks beaten up, what I wanted to know is its age and any other advice about if some major defects are showing bluntly. I am considering the questions you've mentioned for them sellers, their answer is always "You buy and try yourself", the most of them are not educated enough in this field, they are street collectors you can say, and they call them "Antique lanterns" and you buy "as is" which means some may work and some may only end up on a rack like a vase. I totally agree with you in relation to dents and holes thanks again and best regards,
I would probably have bought the Petromax with the Golden Square glass and attempted to get it working then looked for original bits as I went along ? It all depends on what you are going to do and what your ideal criteria is ? The price can be one of the main things and so can the appearance A lot of the Far East lanterns are well made with brass parts so take a small magnet .. a fridge magnet will do
@Migwar The last pictures, (the 60 USD one) is a genuine Petromax. In my area, that asking price isn't that high. It can cost the equivalent of between 80USD to 110USD for a non-working Petromax in the condition similar to the one in the picture. That is a Petromax 523. Rated 500cp. However, the red enamelled hood with two holding screws on its cap might not be original to it but possibly an earlier Petromax. It might also have an older inner hood that's attached with the two screws. From the looks, the lantern in the pictures might date from the late 1950s to early 60s. I think it has a 'G' in the logo, not 'E&G'. The resolution of the pictures isn't sufficient for me to make out more details but I think this one looks ok for your consideration.
Hi everyone and thank you for all the support provided. Got the one in the pictures at the end. Checked it, did a small disassembly based on instructions received from this forum, which was shared earlier by you friends; changed the pump leather (Used a substitute from the 5r stove pump), the needle looked okay and also other parts . No pressure was passing to the tank, I gave the tube a kerosene bath and kept baby oil (contains mineral oil) overnight inside it. Some pushes at morning and the pressure was felt inside the tank. Cleaned the tank with some kerosene only (4 to 5 washes). Closed the gauge and warmed up the system using denatured alcohol. Less than a minute, while pumping continuously (the needle of the pressure gauge wasn't moving), then turned the main knob on. It took a bit of time to have the mantle all bright. On a second try, I've turned a bit anticlock wise the screw that sits on the tube above the needle, to tweak the combustion mixture of fuel and air, the mantle this time went very bright (The lantern still requires lot of work). Below are some pictures during preparation: And below are 4 pictures showing the 2 trials, the bright ones are from the second try (Noticed, when the lantern was very bright, that the gauge needle didn't pass the quarter or 1 kg/ sq.cm out of 4):
It works! This is excellent news! It seems to be an 'Anchor' lantern (or one of the very similar brands) as the tank is showing signs of rust coming through the chrome plating. Regardless, these lanterns are fairly robust and work reliably when cleaned and fixed. The rust can be treated with one of the readily available products but there will be small pits left behind.
Hi @ColinG and cheers .Yes, will try doing the necessary, any names for such products, if the forum rules allow? Many thanks. Hi @phaedrus42 , it does, a good Petromax may satisfy such hunger one day.... Maybe Many thanks to all of you guys. Regards, Migwar
In the US I've heard about a product called Evaporust that seems very popular and on UK eBay there is a product that I've used called Rust Destructor which works very well.
Hello everyone, do you usually remove fuel from the tank when not in use? If yes, for how much time it can be kept inside the tank? Thanks
I usually drain mine quickly - the next day if not using again. I filter it as it goes back in the bottle. Congratulations on a first lamp that works after some care ! other rust removal techniqes are citric acid solution, fine 0000 steel wool (with a light touch) and other rust treatments from car workshop suppliers. Some "remove" rust, some "convert" rust.
I don't usually remove any remaining fuel from the lanterns when not in use. That's only because I'm too lazy to do that. Usually, I'd need to discard those later anyway.(especially after prolonged storage). However, its a good practice to remove any remaining fuel from the lantern founts after use because many fuels tend to degrade, somewhat decompose/oxidize in the founts especially after being heated during lantern operation and with constant exposure to fresh air from the outside. Moisture tend to condense inside with the fuel and cause further deterioration of the fuel and frequently to some parts inside the fount as well. It depends on the purity of the fuel and the environment as well. Not all lanterns have positive shut off valves where you can keep the fount pressurized(like in most Coleman lanterns) and moisture out. At lot guys use Coleman Fuel in those where there are some corrosion inhibitors inside. So those might have less issues with fuel deterioration as compared to kerosene-fueled lanterns. A lot of kerosenes are not exactly sulphur-free and not pure alkanes. They are not so immune to microbes. So these tend to degrade faster if kept in contact with moist air. If you live in a place that's mostly very dry like the desert, the fuel might last a little longer without much decomposition.
