Sorry but whilst I know there's a great deal of info scattered around various previous chats on the subject, I still can not get my head around the numerical system used by Petromax on their lamps. In particular the year of production. I have one with the numbers 4015 impressed in the base, and it had non-serviceable NRV until I robbed one I could change the pip in from a seriously bio-degraded Chinese Anchor lamp, as I winced at the £11.95 it looked like I would have to fork out at Base Camp. Surprisingly it wound in just perfectly and the diddy little existing lead seal round it , obviously fitted the concave profile of the pump tube valve seat rather well. Any observations on the numericals I would be most readily grateful for.
Your Petromax 829 with the number 4015 have been manufactured in 1961 or 1971. If your Petromax has these features then it was manufactured on a Friday in the 40th week of 1961. If your Petromax has these features then it was manufactured on a Friday in the 40th week of 1971. The most important non-interchangeable feature is the ring soldered to the tank under the rapid .Since 1964/65 Non-repairable NRVs were installed at Petromax around 1970. I ask all founding members,experts and knowledgeable people for recognition. The so-called code of the 60s worked from 1961 to 1972.
With so many physical lantern specimens and co-inciding factors which can be seen in posters, images, etc of the units from Altena that we've come to witness so far, I think the workability of the '60s' coding is extremely convincing. That's even when I've not actually come across any published documents by Graetz that states anything about the code.
I find what I am showing here convincing,It is clear to me that the code of the sixties was simple allowed to continue running until the end of production in Altena. 2211 and 0313 @MYN Wheter you found documents or not doesen't interest me. I know what I have collected over the years. I ask for recognition
@Reinhard I believe we have mostly come to recognize that. I believe it is still the most logical one so far.
Thank you Reinhard and others. The images are indeed very helpful, and it appears my example has the characteristics dating to 1971. It didn't come with a spirit cup and I much doubt there ever was one. It does however start readily using the pre-heater, although this gives a goodly amount of soot and ideally needs to be done outdoors and not on the dining table, as the smell of partially burnt Kero lingers so long.
@ROGER BAKER Yes ,the Petromax Rapid did not have a spirit cup until production ended in Germany. They were then available as standard from Portuguese production (1974-1999), but without a riser tube.When production was moved to China,the Petromax Rapid spirit cups with riser tube were standard. You can subsequently order these spirit cups from the Petromax shop.
Thank you again Reinhard I once tried a riser enabled spirit cup from a Chinese clone Butterfly lamp I own, but it didn't sit flat and was in danger of coming loose and hitting the mantle when tipping the fuel out so I abandoned that idea. The base plate inside my frame is rather corroded, and next time I strip her down I'm going to try a glazed enamel one from the aforementioned Anchor/donor Chinese lamp. (Not sure where the spirit cup from that ended up)I'm assuming it will fit. Anything to stop myself from squandering too much of my children's inheritance.
