From what I read on the internet exhaust paste/putty is a water soluble silicate composite that is brittle when dry. I would try an extended soak in plain water or some well placed impacts to try and loosen the joint. Perhaps a combination of both?
Wouldn’t that mean that people’s exhaust system components would develop leaks when driving in the rain? I’m not trying to be facetious here, but I really think this stuff (if indeed it is exhaust system paste) hardens and, at that point, is no longer water soluble. I did have the whole inner case submerged in a citric acid bath for over a day and neither the burner nor the mixing chamber would loosen with all the force I could muster. I understand the lamp belonged to a now-deceased professional angler (fly fisherman), and that he used it on his fishing trips. A guy like that would surely know some handy tricks for stopping those annoying parts from working loose as they often do.
Here are some shots of the inner case in its current condition. I guess the question really is, What is to be gained by dismantling the various components of the inner case if it’s all structurally sound and in proper adjustment? The rust looks worse than it is, it’s really just flash rust that developed after a nice long bath. I could give it a light sanding or soda blast the whole thing, taking care to cover the clay burner, if it would potentially improve the lifespan of the lantern.
This is what Base-camp has to say about part number 2365, "Pump valve complete with washer for marine stove 55/155, obsolete, use 2250" and 2250 "Pump valve complete with washer for paraffin stoves."
That helped to get the 155 link. I can see that 2365 is in a 1979 price list but not in one from 1985. Unfortunately I don't have any price lists in between, so can't be precise on when the part was discontinued.
I can try it. I’ve got a fresh 50/50 mix left over from a Tilley burner service I did this morning. I ended up having to paint the frame of the Optimus because there was some melted resin of some kind on the outer edges of it that had to be sanded off. I’ll try to get everything ready and assembled to give the lamp a proper test tonight.
Getting back to spare parts for the 1550, here’s the photo provided by Fogas on their website. They use the same number (2682) for the 500 CP jet and the needle, which is obviously a mistake. #2812 looks like it must be for other lanterns with the cantilever style rapid starters. The only seal in my 1550’s rapid starter is an o-ring, which is presumably #2352. What is the correct name of #2621 shown in the picture? I don’t find that number on The Base Camp’s list. Also, why isn’t there anything shown for the NRV seal?
A 500cp jet should be part number 2672. The needle is correct with 2682. 2621 is the bottom valve or fuel feed valve seal. If the picture is correct, then the 2365 NRV looks to have a steel barrel. That might be what differentiates it from the normal 2250 part. Maybe Fogas have a lot of 2365 NRV left over they want to use. The seal for it is the white (teflon?) ring in the picture. The original part (2089) was made of lead. The last version of the 1550 had the Px style quick starter. Therefore part 2812.
That’s getting me closer, thank you! I think I tripped up with the terminology I used when asking about the “seal” for the NRV. I suppose the internal bit I’m looking for is the actual “valve.” If I must replace the entire NRV with everything pre-installed, so be it. I thought there would also have been a separate part number for a lead washer for the NRV, but you seem to have indicated that the one shown in the Fogas photo is Teflon. Crazy how difficult it is to figure out common spare parts for a 1550. When I serviced the 350 I started this thread about, I just used Petromax parts I had on hand that I’d bought for eventual use in my Hipólito 250. I simply looked at the contents of the HK500 and HK150 service kits and ordered all the parts in common plus the specific ones applicable to the Hk250 (jet and needle, etc.). Side question: When the O-ring in the old style rapid starter gets old, does it tend to shrink in thickness? I’m wondering because when I lit the lantern just now the whole upper assembly was loose and wobbly once the lever was cracked open and fuel sprayed out. For the record, I don’t plan on using any of the old seals, I’m just wanting to sort out any issues with the lantern that might fall outside “regular maintenance.”
Fogas try to keep people like us happy - bear in mind that most of these parts are no longer made and they probably work hard to find substitutes for items no longer available to build a service kit.
You can get new pips for the NRV from the fettlebox. It is quite likely that a later lantern has a fully moulded pip and no brass cup. These are not fixable. The fettlebox also has a replacement brass cup to solve that problem. Yes, the o-rings do shrink when they go hard. Always a good idea to replace them.
Perfect! I wondered if Fettlebox might have the necessaries. I’ve ordered and installed one of their custom service kits for my Radius No. 1 stove and found it so good I turned right around and ordered another just to have it on hand. For the (public) record, I haven’t meant to diss Fogas in any way for the mistake(s) I pointed out on their 1550 service kit photo. I’m only a customer in need of parts and working with the cooperation of experts to correctly identity what needs to be ordered. Regardless of where the parts come from, the correct part numbers and descriptions are needed. I don’t know if Fogas sells the individual parts of the service kit, but I don’t need the full kit the way it’s pictured.
My service parts have finally arrived for the 1550. I’m in the final stages of reassembly and am hesitating just as I did with my previous 350 to attempt to remove the lead washers on the top of the tank. For some reason this just makes me nervous. What, really, is the best and safest way to remove these without damaging anything? Digging with a pick from the bottom edge, prying with a blade from the outside ridge inwards, tapping on a slotted screwdriver with a hammer to spin the washers loose, etc.? For me it’s very hard to tell for certain where the actual edges of the washers are after they’ve been deformed. Luckily the lead washer for the NRV came out with the NRV.
Well, no worries. They’ve finally popped out after an hour-long struggle. The first 58 minutes were wasted using a sharp right angle pick on the rapid starter washer. After that I decided to switch to a very small slotted screwdriver and just jam it into the meat of the washer and pry it out. That seems to be the way to go. I then found that there were two washers under the lower vapouriser, one really thick and the other very thin . This remains my least favorite part of working on Petromax-style lanterns. I have one lead washer and one Viton for this job. Would it make the most sense to use the lead washer for the rapid starter (since there doesn’t seem to be any reason to ever remove this—unless I’m missing something) and the Viton washer for the lower vapouriser (since it may be necessary to service the valve at the bottom at some point)? Sorry if this seems senseless. I’m trying my best to communicate through a 39 degree Celsius fever .
he he - yes just "digging" is the only way... I cannot advise on the washer choice as I have only ever used lead. The thickness is important as it determines where things end up. I think lead gives a little more wiggle room as it will compress. but it does not uncompress. So use the viton one first in case it will not work in well in whichever one you try first.
I would use two of the same washers if I had them, but for whatever reason I only received a total of one washer of this size in the kit I ordered from Base Camp (which was specifically for the 1550). I am fortunate to have a leftover Viton washer from a previous Petromax order. As you can see in the pictures, the nickel plating on the tank is weirdly thin and weak. I wanted to assemble the lantern tonight but after a quick blast of the insides with compressed air to clear out any debris, a massive sheet of the nickel plating peeled right off. Wasn’t expecting that one . Not the end of the world. I’ll have to prep and paint it, but I think it’ll look OK. In theory/practice, would soaking the whole tank in citric acid solution for a long time or even boiling it in it be the most effective way of getting down to the bare brass? I haven’t tried going at it with the air hose for this purpose, but I doubt it would remove all the plating.
