Hi Can anyone tell me the main cause of black mantle syndrome which is what I am getting on my Optimus 930 Thanks......Trevor
Wrong fuel to air ratio. It´s either getting too much fuel or too little air. Probable cause: enlarged jet. Fogas in Sweden will have the right parts. Also there could be physical obstacles in the air supply. Unfortunately I don´t yet own a 930 (and they are beautiful lanterns, so I don´t know how the air supply is built. I have had lanterns where wasps, mud daubers or spiders web have restricted air supply. Funny how insects decide to live in like 1000 degrees, they must like it hot?
Has the ceramic nozzle slightly unscrewed its self or the gas chamber above, is It the right size mantle, or as the gentleman before suggested jet is finished, could be any.
I do have a Høvik Verk 102 with the loop, how do I best clean it? I suppose soaking in citric will do a great deal, but I believe I also have to push something physical through the loop? Suggestions are most welcome!
Quenching normally works well, I normally feed a measured length of springy braided wire into the Preston loop from the jet end then put wire iinto cordless drill an spin slowly, carefully so not to damage thread for jet.
Yes, something like that. Citric acid and such is pretty useless to dissolve old hard coke, so that's not much help. It needs to be worked out, e.g. as Gozzy explains. I usually combine the working of the generatar with a wire/cable vs. heat and quench. The heat and quench can release the deposits, and the manual working cleans it out.
It might be worth trying(before the wire method) carb cleaner, swap the nozzle on the carb cleaner to a wd 40 nozzle which has long directing tube on it, the tube can be easily fed into the top of loop an pumped in under good pressure, do it several times an leave carb cleaner to soak each time. All methods work to a certain degree but mechanical intervention is a total clean. Hope this helps.
Hi Gozzy, I have checked the items that you mentioned and they are fine,but one thing I did find which is that the jet when hot became loose as the generator expanded,so I smeared a little dab of fire cement on the threads which cures when hot and this has solved the problem. The jet will can still be removed easily. Thanks for the input anyway guys.
That's great mate nice easy fix, things coming lose can be a problem what with so much expansion an contraction an gum gum is a good fix on jet. All the best.
Grand little lanterns these and for me perhaps the best Optimus ever made. Copper slip is best to seal the jets and other hot joints. I use the stuff regularly and it always works well. ::Neil::
Funny that, looks an works just llike mine! An i agree with Neil this lamp is my favourite optimus, mine is hung on centre pole in top of my 5m sole pad bell tent, the tent can be seen glowing from miles around, brilliant working lamp. Gozzy.
Hi Mackburner, Yes I do like the 930 I have another heading my way,should be here by Friday. Also I have a Optimus 1200,I can't decide which is the best. The 1200 seems to be brighter even with a frosted globe. Both cracking little lanterns though Trevor
Hi Gozzy That's a good idea of yours using a length of brake cable or similar to clean the vaporiser, I'll give that a go Trevor
I've always wanted one of these lamps that I can run and I finally found my first at a reasonable price (the one I posted in the gallery), but I need to find another as I just can't bring myself to light this one.
Hi Mathew I have three Optimus lanterns at the moment,and all have been lit. The 1200 was new unused when I bought it,but I am a firm believer in if you've got it use it . Cheers.........Trevor
