Tilley 246 Pressure Lamp

[Bishop]

Whoohoo we have incandescence



Big thanks to Sam Winston down at the allotments who had two Tilley mantles that have been gathering dust for a decade and the pearl of caravanning wisdom that dental floss works wonders as a thread sealant if you have lost the clamp O-ring for the pump.

No idea how old it is or when it was last (if ever) serviced but the beast runs! The label on the bottom has long since peeled away and apart from the "Tilley - made in England" stamp on the tank cannot see any other markings.

Currently using just regular 'Pre-Pac' paraffin but I have come across references to something called the Amish mix of kerosene/paraffin with 30% Coleman fuel. Supposed to reduce soot build up in the vaporiser tube and give longer mantle life, anybody tried it?

 

[Monikieman]

I think 1950'/60's perhaps but not too sure. Never heard of the amish mix but makes sense. Great looking lamp. Very theraputic on a quiet night.
ery theraputic on a quiet night

 

[Toddy]

These are brilliant lights. We lived through the powercuts of the seventies and used them every evening. They were bright, warm and utterly reliable.
I have two in the shed and I really ought to get them trued up and running clean again.

I hadn't heard of the Amish mix either. We just used meths to heat it up and then paraffin for the fuel for the light.

There's a whole forum devoted to this type of lantern though. Might be worth a look there.
I know my brother still has a wartime one that's in brilliant order (it was one we used as children in the 70's) It has a polished shade, and it really does work to reflect light downwards.

cheers,
Toddy…..one of the few kids who had no excuse not to do her homework because, "You have light!",

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up,

How topical - I was just about to post this in the car boot find thread but probably better here.

I picked up this 'Tilley' at a car boot on a rainy day whilst on holiday in Devon - for 3 quid - that's correct £3!!!!



A couple of days renovating and maintenance and it's ready to rock.



It's a Bialladin version and almost identical to the military Vapalux (previously made in Halifax) which I already had and which I too have used as an emergency light/patio table lamp/heater for decades.



These lamps were standard issue during my military career especially during arctic deployment. If you know how to use them correctly they are the dogs doo-dahs.
As Toddy stated -light and a small degree of warmth and I concur re the shade attachment.

You can still get most of the parts, I ordered a new glass for the mil one last year (it is better than the original - slightly thicker) plus a washers servicing kit.

Re fuel - don't use Coleman petrol - it's expensive - use Aspen 4T (I have successfully) or I have heard some use panel wipe. I'm not sure whether it has any effect on soot-ing (the most relevant place would be the generator tube and you can't see inside that but I've never had one of those completely block).

I have had this occur of the primus 00 stove generators though but heating, quenching and tapping the debris out sorts that out. Might work on the Tilly genny but carefully take out the jet pricker first!

BE AWARE of the following however -

You can use alcohol gel (i.e. Fire Dragon) to heat the generator tube instead of meths.

Don't use an HPP lamp with a damaged mantel - if a jet of hot vapourised fuel spurts out of the mantel globe it can crack the glass lens (been there done that!).

Make sure that wherever you are using it fresh air ventilation is good otherwise you might end up with 'tent-eye' to say the least! (Arctic warfare bods are likely to be nodding

Hope this helps.

 

[Bishop]

Thanks for that tip about a damaged mantle risking cracking the glass, thankfully the mantles are relatively cheap to replace. Unlike my two Aladdin's, whilst awesome lamps my piggy bank takes a serious nose-dive when those mantles need replacing. On the plus side they are bit more forgiving when they develop holes.

 

[Toddy]

I hadn't thought of using the greenheat gel to preheat the column, Jaeger…that's inspired

M

 

[MartinK9]

Lovely lamps, both the Vapalux and the Tilley.

I moved mine on and got a couple of finger lamps:



Perfect for the house.

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up,

Bishop- you're welcome

Martin K9 - nice finger lamps - but you mean you got rid of the HPPs? !!!

Toddy - thanks, I've been using the gel as a pre-heater for various stoves/lamps since some winter stove issues last winter and as a quick ignitor for my BRS fan assisted wood stove which gets used several times per week.

I don't know how long para/kero and meths will be around for in the UK (I suppose I should gather a small stock pile?) but I think that alcohol gel will be here long after.