Think I'll go this way for my next one. This is a nimonic copper original. I don't know how long the mantle had been used (if at all) when I got it, but there's less than thirty hours use in my R1: It's 45mm across the bulb, and 38mm top to bottom. There may be an issue with the generator in that it might be overburning. Also, in place of a ceramic tube to insulate the burner tube, I have used a piece of steel with some brass wire wound around the burner tube, mainly to centralise the steel tube - the top of which shows clear signs of melting where the flames exit the jets. Derek PS £5 a gallon in Davis of Broseley, Salop.
Addendum: When burning. You can see the hot spots. Plenty of heat, but suspect the generator is shot.
Hello Derek, the ceramic tube is required or you will ruin burner spigots and vapourisers and mantles. That mantle could be repaired, Jeff.
I note Base Camp now do 'insulation' tubes tubes, but short of beginning sewing lessons with copper wire how would you propose a repair, just handling the wire globe cause more to crumble away? I'm genuinely curious.
These photos show another style of wire mesh heater mantle and it works well. I bought this one about 17 years ago and I do not know it's construction method, Jeff.
You can't use copper wire to repair one of these. They run too hot and the copper will rapidly oxidise or burn away. The originals were nemonic metal which I think is a sort of Nickel-Copper alloy which in effect is stainless and survives long periods of red heat. ::Neil::
I think in military terms it`s BER (beyond economic repair) but i am also loathe to chuck something that might be of some use you could try nichrome element wire from an electric heater or old type jug element.
I was given a 1950 military Bia/Vap lantern with a sticky label bearing the letters B.E.R. which I assumed was 'beyond economic repair' What was actually wrong with it? - the pump-rod had been left sticking out at some point and was slightly bent. It took about a minute to straighten in a vice. So in this case, BER = 'more than I can be bothered to put right.' The taxpayer foots the bill...
Many moons ago as a young Lance Corporal I was told to drive a Land Rover and trailer from Rheindahlen in Germany to a vehicle depot near Antwerp in Belgium. I was to hand it in and drive a new one back. Bloody awful drive, impossible to drive in a straight line, suspension like concrete plus 'press & hope' brakes. Perhaps before I set off I should have asked what BER meant that was chalked on the drivers door. They told me when I got to Antwerp! Just to add insult to injury, the new Land Rover started overheating after about 5 miles. Found there was no coolant in the radiator!! Had to walk to a farm and beg two buckets of water. Terry
