Paraffin Stove Problem

[Mikey P]

I've recently renovated a brass 'Primus'-style paraffin stove and had a go at lighting it the other day. Whilst the pump seems to be working OK, I found that the jet of fuel was not consistent and I didn't seem to get the 'roar' - more of a yellow 'flame'.

Do I need to enure that the level of paraffin in the tank is above a certain level (say, half full?) and what should the jet of fuel look like? Should it be a fairly thick jet or more of a very narrow jet?

If you think the burner tubes need cleaning, what's best way to do this? I have already run it through with some solvent and removed a lot of carbon but there could be more in the more inaccessible places!

Any advice appreciated.

 

[ANDYRAF]

How long did you have it running as parafin takes a while to get up to temperature, also I have found that about three quarters full is best.

 

[Mikey P]

How long did you have it running as parafin takes a while to get up to temperature, also I have found that about three quarters full is best.

Right - I'll give it a try tonight and let you know how I got on. I think there was not enough fuel in it.

By the way, you at St Mawgan?

 

[ANDYRAF]

No I retired down here and love it. Any chance of a picture of the stove it would make it easier to help.

 

[bikething]

sounds like it needs a bit more priming - once it's up to working temperature you shouldn't 'see' the jet as it should be vapourising inside the stove, and burning a blue flame like a gas burner..

also try cleaning the jet hole with a 'pricker' .

 

[Mikey P]

sounds like it needs a bit more priming - once it's up to working temperature you shouldn't 'see' the jet as it should be vapourising inside the stove, and burning a blue flame like a gas burner..

also try cleaning the jet hole with a 'pricker' .

Roger that.

So: 3/4 full, ***** jet and more reheat.

It's one of the Korean-made copy stoves that someone (Gaah! Can't remember who it was!) swapped on this site. It's a classic style and looks just like this:

http://www.base-camp.co.uk/exploded%20views/Optimus/00%20Camper.htm

 

[ANDYRAF]

Yes mike go with the pricker and longer pre-heat.



ALSO STAND WELL BACK.

ANDY

 

[rik_uk3]

Sounds like a Shinobro, good stove, well made. Prime the stove well with meths, once lit, let it burn a few seconds then pump the stove. Don't be afraid to pump the stove well. The less fuel in a tank the more pumps you need, but once you get the hang of it you can light the stove with very little fuel in it.

Have you checked for air leaks on the stove? Empty the tank, pump up pressure and dunk in a bucket of water, this will show up leaks (don't submerse the burner).

If you are going to clean the burner, remove the jet first. A lot of fellow collectors use 'heat and quench' Heat burner head to red heat and quench in cold water, this really does get shot of the carbon build up.

A vinegar soaking is good for getting muck off the outside of the stove, try half an hour at a time and check. Don't over soak or the brass goes pink and its a bugger to polish then. Get the bath right and it really does cut down on the brasso/elbow grease time

PM me if I can be of any help

 

[baggins]

Hi Mikey,
twas me who you did the swap with. I did have the same trouble with the one i kept. After a bit of reserch, i started running it on coleman type fuel and not parafin. My one runs really well on coleman ( somebody please tell me it won't explode). The confusing thing is they have kerosene stamped on the side. parafin, coleman, kerosene, i don't really know the difference.
Hope this helps
Baggins

 

[rik_uk3]

Hi Mikey,
twas me who you did the swap with. I did have the same trouble with the one i kept. After a bit of reserch, i started running it on coleman type fuel and not parafin. My one runs really well on coleman ( somebody please tell me it won't explode). The confusing thing is they have kerosene stamped on the side. parafin, coleman, kerosene, i don't really know the difference.
Hope this helps
Baggins

DO NOT USE COLEMAN FUEL IN THESE STOVES FOR FIGS SAKE

When I calm down, I'll try and offer some help

 

[Mikey P]

rik_uk - deep breaths, mate. Deep breaths.

Right - a partial success:

a. 3/4 full tank. Left it pre-heating with meths for a while until hot enough.​

b. Closed valve and pumped (the stove, that is). ​

c. Got nice roaring blue flame. ​

d. Flame died down within seconds. Came back again when pumped.​

This suggests I have an air leak. rik - any common places for air leaks or might I be missing a washer somewhere?

 

[JohnC]

If you removed the burner assembly from the tank the seal there may be missing, also the seals on the fuel inlet and the pressure release valve may be faulty too. It may be worth checking/replacingthem.

This forum has some nice tips for rebuilding stoves http://www.spiritburner.com/forum/

 

[rik_uk3]

rik_uk - deep breaths, mate. Deep breaths.

Right - a partial success:

a. 3/4 full tank. Left it pre-heating with meths for a while until hot enough.​

b. Closed valve and pumped (the stove, that is). ​

c. Got nice roaring blue flame. ​

d. Flame died down within seconds. Came back again when pumped.​

This suggests I have an air leak. rik - any common places for air leaks or might I be missing a washer somewhere?

Mickey, do the water dunk test, that will show where the leak is, let me know where and I may well have the spares you need

Richard

 

[Mikey P]

Roger the Cat, Meow.

I'll do the dunk test as from your's and JohnC's emails, it looks like it's probably a leak. It'll have to be tomorrow night though as I'm hosting at a function tonight yuck: !!!).

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Bet you it's the pump.

 

[bikething]

Bet you it's the pump.

maybe if the non-return valve has failed - If it was the pump washer then it would be difficult to pump up pressure in the first place, rather than leaking.

on the subject of pump washers, If it's a leather one and has dried out, a soak in olive oil may help

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Pumps were the main fixs req'd on all paraffin lamps and burners when we had scout camps.

The leather expands out when pushing then it might be leaking ?

Nick

 

[bikething]

Pumps were the main fixs req'd on all paraffin lamps and burners when we had scout camps.

The leather expands out when pushing then it might be leaking ?

Nick

When you push the pump in it squeezes the air through a non return valve fitted at the inner end of the pump tube - if that was leaking the pressure would tend to push the pump rod back out (probably with fuel as the end of the pump is usually below the fuel level in the tank.

If the pump leather was in poor repair you wouldn't build up as much pressure on the forward stroke as the air would be leaking around the washer, so less air is forced through the non-return valve and into the tank

 

[Mikey P]

Right, the moment you've been waiting for...

Pumped the tank, popped it in a bucket...no bubbles. Bum.

Left it for abut 20 secs, then took it out, released the air valve and a nice hiss. So, the tank itself seems to be keeping pressure. Does this mean there is potentially an air leak somewhere in the burner assembly? It is pretty old.

From the diagram I've looked at, there are a couple of O-rings on the tank cap and the filler cap. The rest seem to be lead packing or something called 'caimonite'? on the bits which get hot.

So, what's next? I'll try and light it again this week or weekend and see what happens. Alternatively, is it possible to get replacement packing and washers for the stove? I'm wondering just whether I should replace all of the washers and packing on the burner, caps and pump just to be sure.

You'll all be pleased to hear that I've just started renovating a Tilley Stormlight! Yay! Standby, standby.

 

[Martyn]

Hi Mikey,
twas me who you did the swap with. I did have the same trouble with the one i kept. After a bit of reserch, i started running it on coleman type fuel and not parafin. My one runs really well on coleman ( somebody please tell me it won't explode). The confusing thing is they have kerosene stamped on the side. parafin, coleman, kerosene, i don't really know the difference.
Hope this helps
Baggins

Kersosine, Kerosene, Kero, lamp oil, Jet-A fuel and Paraffin are all the same thing.

Coleman fuel is petrol!!!!!

Dear God man, DONT run this stove on petrol - ever, that means coleman fuel, naptha, panel wipe, unleaded or any other variant.

It will work, but it's not designed to be used with petrol and is very dangerous with that fuel. The way you shut off a parafin stove is to open the pressure valve and let the pressurised gas out until the flame dies. That's not a problem with paraffin, because it's basically an oil and not very volatile. But petrol is increadibly volatile. If you depressurise a lit petrol stove without shutting the flame off first, you'll let out a big cloud of pressurised petrol vapour wich only needs a spark to become a very hot, very big fireball. That's why all petrol stoves, have a positive shut-off which allows you to turn the flame off before you depressurise the tank. Paraffin stoves dont have this shut-off, because they dont need them.

If you carry on using petrol in it, at some point you will probably be enveloped in a fireball and that means a helicopter ride to the burns unit, skin grafts and a nice, new toupe. If you use this stove inside a tent with petrol in it, you probably wont survive - though you would qualify for a Darwin award, which would make for an interesting thread or two on the forums.

The good news is you can buy Paraffin from B&Q for about £1 per litre, whereas Coleman fuel is about £10 per litre. So by using Paraffin, you get to save money as well as your life.