Optimus 930 first light

My 930 Optimus lantern fired up



It really gets hot. You can see mixing tube is almost red on pictures. I'm not quite sure is it ok It does not look so red in real. There are no visible flames or anything that I think I should bother.

But it gives really nice light

 

Very nice, congrats!
(Last night start of my Vapalux failed -- leather in the pump is broken, now the new one is drying in the form).

Do I see well -- is it a black cat in the background?

 

Thanks Mark

Nope, no cats Maybe some pressure lamp black ghost

 

Congratulations on getting the lamp running. I wonder if the colour of the mixing tube is from reflected light? You say it doesn't look red with the naked eye? If it is red it would usually indicate a back burn in the mixing tube and would also have a noticable sound. Sort of like a rumbling jet motor. Back burn is not good and can dmamge a mixing tube quite quickly.

 

Thanks Nils,

You may have right - lamp is really loud - louder then petromax 500. And it looks, that mixing tube is very hot. All lamp is very hot - after few hours it was too hot to touch even bottom of the tank What can I do with it? I order new gas chamber, new nozzle, jet and needle, so I will replace it soon.

 

Skipper, kaboom?
Ouch, it may be dangerous.
Try to:
1.) Increase air gap between jet nozzle and mixing tube.
2.) Look at the burner -- maybe some holes are blocked and it backfires into the mixing tube?
3.) Has Optimus a "paddle" -- bolt with flat end in the mixing tube, like in Petromax? Maybe fiddle a bit with this (if exists).
mixing tube screw
Part # 32 on the big picture

 

Back burn sometimes dissapears next time you light the lantern. If not it could be related to the air gap to the mixing tube or a leak in one of the joints between the mixing tube, gas chamber and flame spreader.

Mark_2: there is no "paddle" in the mixing tube of the 930.

 

Thanks Mark,

When tank was so hot I shuted it down, so no kaboom this time

I tried to start it today and it worked a little better - much quieter.

In my 930 mixing tube cannot be adjusted. There is no regulation bolt in it also. I just ordered new parts and will replace nozzle and check it again.
Hope that this will help

 

According to the picture:

there is a big, rectangular, flat nut, which keeps the mixing tube in place. Another is on the opposite side of the body, I think.
Some regulation seems to be possible...

 

This is very first version of Optimus 930. In later version mixing tube is fixed in place only by gas chamber.

 

I repleaced gas chamber for original one from Optimus 930. I replaced jet and needle for 200 from 930. Lamp runs much better, not so loud and not so hot. Nozzle is still from petromax 250, but it is OK - fits right and looks exactly as from 930. In conclusion, now I know, that even gas chamber from petromax 250 fits, it shouldn't be use in this lamp - it has different shape and leght.