So this handsome Aladdin 1A just smokes. Whatever I do starting it, she just smokes. I guess first off I should take it apart and clean the innards eh? I suppose I should look into the generator parts first -pricker, nipple etc?
Should there be a seal of some kind here at the base of the generator? The parts list are pretty incomplete.
There is an aluminium washer that seals with compression when tightening the vapouriser down. It could still be inside the junction (fuel) block, part A43. Stand by… Edit: Part A87, from: https://classicpressurelamps.com/threads/aladdin-australia-brochure.19023/ Tony
Aha thanks Tony, I'll check that in the morning. (I see it now- A87)! And the washer thickness will be quite important because it affects the travel height of the pricker eh. I can make an alloy washer, or I have plenty of copper and hard fibre washers in stock that should do the job. Maybe it's been sucking air or bleeding kero. And, there's no gauze packing or similar inside the vapouriser tube around the needle, and I can't find anything like that in the parts list. (The Austramax has a roll of brass gauze, -maybe the Aladdin doesn't need this, but maybe it's not shown in the parts list because it's regarded as part of the vapouriser.) I'd like to clean out the vapouriser well. Yes Tony, kero has certainly been leaking out of that joint. Will fix.
If it was not sealing properly you would have kero leaking out of that join, under pressure, at the bottom of the vapouriser. Your Aladdin 1A should have a pricker that is adjustable by means of a locking nut (A46) at the bottom of the needle rod (A49). Tony
Julian, there is no gauze in an Aladdin vapouriser. Was there much of a carbon buildup on the needle rod (a49)? The amount of carbon on the rod is a good indication of how much carbon is inside the vapouriser.
Little carbon on the rod, but it was bent a little, the pricker wire looks fine (not bent). I'll check out the lead washer or lack of after I've done my chores! woops, aluminium washer - thanks Tony.
A86. The vapouriser... what's inside that curved tube at the top. I assume that's part of the vapourisation 'process'. I want to clean out that whole thing, it'll be difficult getting in there, I guess It'll be down to whatever chemical I soak it in or rinse it in. (?)
It is hollow and part of the “vapourisation process” as you say. It’s called a Preston loop. There are quite a few posts on here about its function and cleaning it. Tony
Next. I used a fibre washer as I had no suitable sized aluminium washers for A87. Cleaned things, and did a 'no mantle test'. I got a quite a nice blue flame, though not perfect. But in the process of cleaning etc, I stuffed up the needle. Damn! So I'll be onto Sands tomorrow to get these parts. Hope they have them. I'm a bit more optimistic about it now. A bit annoyed with myself though. I must have reassembled it at least half a dozen times, and just once, I crunched the pricker. (Like we used to say in RC flying, it's always the last flight of the day that's the one you're likely to crash on! Hahahaha!)
I'm interested in the height of the assembly with regards to burning performance. I'll try to describe this. The nipple/jet outlet flows by venturi (?) into the gasmixer, and I would think that the distance between the nipple and the gasmixer 'inlet' would be quite critical. In mine the distance looks like about 8mm (but not actually measured yet). In my case, the height of the gasmixer above the nipple is set only by the globe (glass). That seems a bit arbitrary, yes/no? My lamp is slightly different to the one on the Aladdin brochure parts list, where the part arrowed isn't included. This part is only held up in position by the glass (it's slightly smaller than the circular metal frame top so it falls through that) - What am I missing?
Assemble your burner into the hood… Then go ahead. See parts here: 1A Aladdin restoration Is that an Aladdin’s glass? Tony
Yes thanks Tony, I needed to assemble that complete burner assembly into the hood first. That's what I was doing wrong! Thanks. So I assume now that that hood/burner assembly 'sets' the distance that the burner tube is above the jet nipple. My glass? - not sure if it's an actual Aladdin, -there's no I.D. on it. Diameter seems to fit as it should. Height is 120mm.
120mm is the correct height. There is no “adjustment” to the distance between the nipple and the J-tube. Cheers Tony
