Ignition!!!
Thank you guys for your info and links. Have ordered a couple of spare mantles and a new meths prelighter
Thank you guys for your info and links. Have ordered a couple of spare mantles and a new meths prelighter
New Tilley Lamp
- Thread starter Nat
- Start date
I had some flaring at first on mine but found that running it for a while seems to clear it. I also cleaned the needle in the stem tube.
Someone told me a little nugget - maybe everyone else knows this already but I didn't! Can anyone else confirm? The plastic knob at the base of the stem is not for adjusting light output - it raises and lowers the needle, which clears the jet if it gets all kakky. To raise or lower light output, you adjust pressure by pumping more or releasing pressure from the valve on the tank.
Someone told me a little nugget - maybe everyone else knows this already but I didn't! Can anyone else confirm? The plastic knob at the base of the stem is not for adjusting light output - it raises and lowers the needle, which clears the jet if it gets all kakky. To raise or lower light output, you adjust pressure by pumping more or releasing pressure from the valve on the tank.
No, I didn't know until I read the instructions on the Base Camp web site on lighting the lamp: http://www.base-camp.co.uk/instructions Vlux.htm
Some useful stuff there.
Geoff
Thats 100% correct. Using the cleaning needle to control the light output will wear the jet in the vapouriser tube prematurely... Tilly's have enought problems without giving them more...
Just got back to work after a few days in Belgium visiting my wife's great Uncle's grave at Klein-Vierstraat (got back by our pre-booked ticket on the Eurotunnel) to find this waiting for me.
Seems to be a Vapalux M320, when compared with other pictures on the internet, though the only identification mark is "Vapalux" imprinted on the end of the jet cleaner knob. I have to say that at £16 + P&P it seems a great bargain - assuming it works.
The seller warned that the mantle probably wouldn't stand posting, but when I unpacked at work, I found that he had fitted a brand new mantle (unused).
Can't wait to get home and try it.
Geoff
PS: Apologies for hijacking Nat's thread!
Seems to be a Vapalux M320, when compared with other pictures on the internet, though the only identification mark is "Vapalux" imprinted on the end of the jet cleaner knob. I have to say that at £16 + P&P it seems a great bargain - assuming it works.
The seller warned that the mantle probably wouldn't stand posting, but when I unpacked at work, I found that he had fitted a brand new mantle (unused).
Can't wait to get home and try it.
Geoff
PS: Apologies for hijacking Nat's thread!
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I can scan an original Vapalux instruction card if any of you want a copy, pm me your email and I'll send them to you.
From basecamp site:-No, I didn't know until I read the instructions on the Base Camp web site on lighting the lamp: http://www.base-camp.co.uk/instructions Vlux.htm
Some useful stuff there.
Geoff
for the tilley lamp not the vapalux. The tilley uses the control knob for lighting and extinguishing.
Lighting procedure for the Tilley stormlight is as follows:-
1) Make sure lamp is turned off.
2) Unscrew pump and ensure there is sufficient paraffin in the tank, approx. half full, replace pump.
3) Should you be re-lighting the lamp and know there is sufficient paraffin in the tank, always loosen pump to release any pressure present then retighten pump.
4) Ensure mantle is in good order, (see 'fitting new mantle' if absent or damaged)
5) Soak preheater torch in methylated spirit.
6) Clip preheater torch around vapouriser stem, light and slide up under glass.
7) LEAVE THE LAMP ALONE!!, don't fiddle!, when the methylated spirit begins to burn down give three to five full strokes on the pump.
8) Just before the methylated spirit goes out turn on the lantern and the mantle should light with a gentle 'Pop' and give a slightly yellow light.
9) Allow to burn for 30 seconds or so then give several strokes on the pump until the mantle is burning bright white and the lantern gives a steady hiss. Over-pumping will cause yellow flame outside the mantle and can damage the tank.
To extinguish the lamp simply turn the control knob off.
Older models have a small 'nipple' on the tank, if working, (and they seldom did), a rod will rise flush with the top of the nipple when pressure is correct. If the light begins to fade or the mantle 'pulses' light give additional strokes of the pump to restore brightness.
And here it is going. I'm very happy and just waiting for it to get dark so I can use it in anger. 
Thanks to all the experts here for the advice.
Geoff
Thanks to all the experts here for the advice.
Geoff
Lamp worked really well, but a query on the pricker wire.
As far as I can tell you wouldn't normally need to use it unless the jet becomes blocked, and it would be operated by rotating the little black knob clockwise. I wanted to check that it worked, but it seemed to have no effect on the brightness of the lamp. Would you expect it to? I'd have thought that it would cut off the flow of paraffin.
With the lamp cap removed, you can see the tiny jet hole, but nothing when the pricker knob was rotated. Should you expect to see the pricker wire protrude through the jet hole?
I'm wondering if this means that the wire is either stuck, or broken, and if this is really a problem? I'm not sure if the jets are the same /similar size to the Monitor /Primus stoves and whether you could use the pricker from one of those if the jet became blocked (given that you couldn't do it while the lamp is running).
Looking at the instructions and exploded diagram, it doesn't look a great problem to replace the wire, but is it really worth the effort (i.e. do you reguler users need to use it much)?
Thanks
Geoff
As far as I can tell you wouldn't normally need to use it unless the jet becomes blocked, and it would be operated by rotating the little black knob clockwise. I wanted to check that it worked, but it seemed to have no effect on the brightness of the lamp. Would you expect it to? I'd have thought that it would cut off the flow of paraffin.
With the lamp cap removed, you can see the tiny jet hole, but nothing when the pricker knob was rotated. Should you expect to see the pricker wire protrude through the jet hole?
I'm wondering if this means that the wire is either stuck, or broken, and if this is really a problem? I'm not sure if the jets are the same /similar size to the Monitor /Primus stoves and whether you could use the pricker from one of those if the jet became blocked (given that you couldn't do it while the lamp is running).
Looking at the instructions and exploded diagram, it doesn't look a great problem to replace the wire, but is it really worth the effort (i.e. do you reguler users need to use it much)?
Thanks
Geoff
Put your finger on top of the tube and you should just feel the needle as it works.
Don't forget to pump the tank a lot for maximum brightness, 20 pumps is no good, 50 is better.
Don't forget to pump the tank a lot for maximum brightness, 20 pumps is no good, 50 is better.
I've just had the diffuser apart and had a look at the cleaning wire, etc. The wire is fine and operates as expected when pushed in by hand - i.e. you can see the tiny point on the tip protrude out of the jet.
However, it doesn't poke up far enough when the diffuser is refitted to the lamp and operated by the cleaning knob. Looks possibly like either the base of the wire, or the top of the cam, (or both) could be worn, so the wire doesn't lift high enough.
Interestingly, the base of the cleaning wire seems to have a separate metal 'shroud', against which the return spring sits. I've just had a thought that maybe that might be adjustable, in order to alter the effective length (and therefore the lift) of the cleaning wire?
Geoff
However, it doesn't poke up far enough when the diffuser is refitted to the lamp and operated by the cleaning knob. Looks possibly like either the base of the wire, or the top of the cam, (or both) could be worn, so the wire doesn't lift high enough.
Interestingly, the base of the cleaning wire seems to have a separate metal 'shroud', against which the return spring sits. I've just had a thought that maybe that might be adjustable, in order to alter the effective length (and therefore the lift) of the cleaning wire?
Geoff
I think I've got the answer as to why the cleaning wire isn't rising high enough. Looks like someone has fitted a non-standard rubber washer where the diffuser screws into the body of the lamp. Evidenced by the fact that the central hole in the washer isn't neatly cut.
The thick rubber washer means that the diffuser is raised, so the cleaning wire can't get high enough to protrude into the diffuser jet hole.
Looks like a call to Base Camp for a new washer might be needed.
Geoff
The thick rubber washer means that the diffuser is raised, so the cleaning wire can't get high enough to protrude into the diffuser jet hole.
Looks like a call to Base Camp for a new washer might be needed.
Geoff
Just be careful messing with the wire Geoff, if you bend it, your vapouriser will be buggered and they are about a tenner to replace. The whole vap tube is supposed to be non user serviceable and they are certainly the Achilles heel of the vapalux lanterns. I killed one taking it apart to see how it works.
Tip for mantles, dont buy vapalux, get the Tilley 164H happy mantle for it, they are a tad bigger and MUCH brighter ...and like rich says, give it some welly to get it going nice and bright.
Also, washer and service kits for the vapalux pop up on ebay quite regularly, they can be a little cheaper than Basecamp.
Also, look out for Bialaddin 320, exact same lamp and all parts are interchangeable.
Tip for mantles, dont buy vapalux, get the Tilley 164H happy mantle for it, they are a tad bigger and MUCH brighter ...and like rich says, give it some welly to get it going nice and bright.
Also, washer and service kits for the vapalux pop up on ebay quite regularly, they can be a little cheaper than Basecamp.
Also, look out for Bialaddin 320, exact same lamp and all parts are interchangeable.
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Just be careful messing with the wire Geoff, if you bend it, your vapouriser will be buggered and they are about a tenner to replace. The whole vap tube is supposed to be non user serviceable and they are certainly the Achilles heel of the vapalux lanterns. I killed one taking it apart to see how it works.
Thanks for all that - very useful advice.
Having checked out a couple of pictures of the same lamp as mine on Ebay, I can see that the washer fitted at the base of the vapouriser is definitely incorrect. Looks like someone has possibly used a filler cap washer, and hacked out a central hole. If you look at the images of the M320 earlier in this thread, you can see a black stripe at the base of the vapuoriser - this is the big fat rubber washer.
From the machining on the jet cleaner and the base of the vapuriser, it looks like the washer should be much smaller and should sit inside the recess in the top of the jet cleaner assembly.
Geoff
