Wanted: Coleman 533 Generator

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Mikey P

Full Member
Nov 22, 2003
2,257
12
53
Glasgow, Scotland
Hello!

I've 'inherited' a Coleman Dual Fuel 533 stove, which I'm in the process of cleaning and putting back together.

Everything appears to be there and I don't think there's anything vital missing; however, ...

... there is a stainless steel wire that normally sits inside the generator tube but it's been pulled out. I can't for the life of me get it back in and so I'd really like to try and replace the generator tube.

I've managed to find them on sale but they are pretty expensive for what they are (anywhere between £17 and £22). So, I'm wondering if anyone has an old tube - with the wire still in it - that they've got hanging around on a broken stove, whatever, and would like to part with?

The generator part number is 442-5891 or 533-5891. See this page for a diagram (generator tube is marked '201066'): http://www.base-camp.co.uk/Coleman/Coleman533.htm

I'm happy to pay a reasonable price for a decent second-hand part.

Ta!
 

livefast999

Member
Aug 12, 2008
48
0
uk
Sorry I dont have one spare however, that thin wire is usually connected to the valve. When you close the valve ie switch the stove off, that wire is supposed to move so that it comes thru the jet the other side of the generator and clean any debris carbon etc.

On my stove that wire doesnt go far enough to clean out the jet in normal use. I had to take the generator off, and use pin nose pliers to push the wire far enough so it did clean the jet.

I dont know if this is a deliberate design fault, so that coleman sell loads of generators, but that cleaner wire doesnt do the job !

You could use that wire to clean the jet the opposite way it was designed for !

Oh and dont run them on unleaded as this will block the generator.

Hope this makes sense, and may help in the future.
 

Mikey P

Full Member
Nov 22, 2003
2,257
12
53
Glasgow, Scotland
Sorry I dont have one spare however, that thin wire is usually connected to the valve. When you close the valve ie switch the stove off, that wire is supposed to move so that it comes thru the jet the other side of the generator and clean any debris carbon etc.

On my stove that wire doesnt go far enough to clean out the jet in normal use. I had to take the generator off, and use pin nose pliers to push the wire far enough so it did clean the jet.

I dont know if this is a deliberate design fault, so that coleman sell loads of generators, but that cleaner wire doesnt do the job !

You could use that wire to clean the jet the opposite way it was designed for !

Oh and dont run them on unleaded as this will block the generator.

Hope this makes sense, and may help in the future.

Hmmmm.... sounds like the system may run perfectly well without this wire in place.

Also, why do you recommend not to use unleaded? Is it really that bad? If so, what's the alternative?
 

livefast999

Member
Aug 12, 2008
48
0
uk
It should work without it, but make sure you clean the jet on the generator, and if you do end up getting a new generator, remember that the wire needs to be attached the the valve before you can screw the fitting onto the valve body.

Ive spoke to a few people who have previously had these stoves, and they all said they got problems with them and got rid of them. At which point I asked if they used unleaded fuel, and the answer was yes !

Go to your local car bodyshop supply company and asked for Panel Wipe, this is used to clean car body panels during preparation etc. It should cost around £15 for a gallon :)

Unless your loaded in which case buy coleman fuel at £60 per gallon !!!!!

Alternatively you could visit your friendly local car bodyshop, and try to blag some. Oh and its worth getting a fuel bottle like an msr stove.

HTH
 

dazcon

Nomad
Jan 8, 2010
443
24
clydebank
The wire is the needle that controls the fuel outlet on the generator. It gets worn and blocked with carbon and debris from the fuel. Just buy a new generator. There is a friend of mine who sells coleman spares on e-bay. MCSCOTT Heis just along the road from you in Clydebank and is the most reliable seller on e-bay.Drop him a line and mention my name, i guarantee that you wont be dissapointed.

Dazcon.
 

johnboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 2, 2003
2,258
5
Hamilton NZ
www.facebook.com
Hmmmm.... sounds like the system may run perfectly well without this wire in place.

Also, why do you recommend not to use unleaded? Is it really that bad? If so, what's the alternative?

It will run without the wire but you'll not be able to clean the jet which may become blocked and then you'll have to dissassemble the gen tube to blow out the jet. Also without the wire the gen tube will slowly 'coke' up on the inside and become blocked.

All coleman appliance that run on whitegas are the same the Generator tubes clog and then get replaced.. Coleman do a roaring trade in spares.. if you run the stove on white gasoline / Aspen etc then the gen tubes will last a long time. Also if you filter the fuel that helps also. If you run it on Unleaded the gen tube will clog very quickly the same is true for LRP the additives in 'petrol' for automotive use just don't vapourise at the pressures a stove generates and clog up the gen tube rapidly..

You might try and get some automotive carb cleaner and give the inside of the gen tube a squirt let it soak then blow it through with an airline that will remove most of the crud inside but ultimately you'll need a new gen tube..

For what it's worth adding a few extra crinkle washers to a colman 533 / 520 is worth the effort as it gives a bigger capacity burner and the stove can generate more heat but you have to be careful not to over do it.











have fun...
 

johnboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 2, 2003
2,258
5
Hamilton NZ
www.facebook.com
How does the lack of Wire cause the gen tube to coke up ? I agree that without it, it cant clean the jet.

With the wire moving back and forth in the gen tube as you actuate the control leaver any deposits have a hard time solidifying ( the wire acts a bit like a pull through in a rifle barrel) remove the wire and there is nothing to stop the gen clogging solid which it will do reasonably quickly if the appliance is run on Unleaded or at least in my experience it will...

Hope this explains ok..

Cheers

John
 

livefast999

Member
Aug 12, 2008
48
0
uk
With the wire moving back and forth in the gen tube as you actuate the control leaver any deposits have a hard time solidifying ( the wire acts a bit like a pull through in a rifle barrel) remove the wire and there is nothing to stop the gen clogging solid which it will do reasonably quickly if the appliance is run on Unleaded or at least in my experience it will...

Hope this explains ok..

Cheers

John

The tube that the cleaning wire goes into, is purely a guide so that it lines up with the jet correctly in order to clean it when you turn the fuel valve off (obviously a small amount of fuel may travel along it). The fuel actually goes around the outside of that tube following the spriral wire. Its also been mentioned that the cleaning wire controls the fuel flow, which is wrong cos that is what the fuel valve is for. Everyone has their own theories on this, so I called coleman today, to find out for myself, and the guy confirmed that what I was saying is correct.
 
I had two of these stoves with clogged generators. On taking one of the stoves apart I managed to break the cleaning wire in the generator, but used this broken wire to clean the jet and reassembled the stove. Now working perfectly with the wire missing from the generator. I then used the broken wire to clean the jet of the other stove.

Both stoves now back working. I don't think the cleaner wire works very well, and the generator will eventually clog with or without it! But just pricking the jet clear when this happens will restore it for a while.

In my youth; as a Scout we had old paraffin Primus Stoves to use whilst camping and they came with a small metal pricker wire to clean the jets when they became clogged. Some things never change! They just need a little work now and then.
 

Carolfk

New Member
Nov 2, 2015
1
0
Brazil
The wire broke inside the generator and I could not took it off. The stove is not working. Any ideas, please?

I am sorry about my English. It is terrible.



I had two of these stoves with clogged generators. On taking one of the stoves apart I managed to break the cleaning wire in the generator, but used this broken wire to clean the jet and reassembled the stove. Now working perfectly with the wire missing from the generator. I then used the broken wire to clean the jet of the other stove.

Both stoves now back working. I don't think the cleaner wire works very well, and the generator will eventually clog with or without it! But just pricking the jet clear when this happens will restore it for a while.

In my youth; as a Scout we had old paraffin Primus Stoves to use whilst camping and they came with a small metal pricker wire to clean the jets when they became clogged. Some things never change! They just need a little work now and then.
 

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