Hello, Could I please ask for help? My new Tilley lamp lighting faint. The light is orange, no white. Where can be a problem? I am preheating 5 minutes, but the problem persists :-( I all firmly tightened it, but the problem persists :-( I am using original a mantle. I am using kerosene. Arround mantle is the corona. I have similar problem as in this forum: http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/10253 But I have not got this problem from forum: (The twist however is once my lamp is burning and almost lit, there is a vent of vaporised fuel from one of the ports in the cap. This vent looks like steam, does not ignite itself, but I can light this exhaust, and it burns steadily. What confuses me is why this flammable mixture is venting through the cap, not through the mantle.) Do you know where might be wrong? Thank you very much for your help, Michal Kucera
It sounds to me as though the vapouriser is defective. The vapouriser is INTENDED to emit a jet of vapourised fuel vertically upwards in order that it may mix with air sucked in through the 3 air tubes and burn at the mantle. It sounds as though the vapouriser is defective and is directing the jet sideways such that some of the fuel emerges from one of the air tubes. If the lamp is new and purchased direct from the makers then I would contact them with a view to either returning the complete lamp, or perhaps them sending to you a new vapouriser. If you purchased the lamp second hand, then unless it was warrented to be in full working order, you will probably have to buy a new vapouriser yourself. They are very easy to fit.
If I do not recall wrong I think we had a topic for not so long ago where a member had bought a new lantern directly from Tilley with a very similar problem. There might be some quality problems with the vaporizers from Tilley now. If you remove the top with the burner and pump a few strokes there will be a thin stream of kerosene from the jet. You will see if the stream will be straight up or if it goes to the side. In any case contact Tilley for a solution of the problem. A new lantern should work straight out of the box. Michael
How many pump-strokes are you applying? No more than six for initial lighting then allow the lantern to run at that pressure for a minute or so. Then slowly pump up to a further 75-80 strokes for normal running...
Thank you very much for your help. Thin stream of kerosene from the jet straight up of vaporize sprayed vertically. I tried to remove the needle. Shine was a little better but not much. Apparently not sufficiently strong pressure, but I do not know. I contacted Tilley company on Friday. I pressure 10 pumps to 20 seconds and then adding.
Do you know anyone who has a Tilley lamp ? and who is used to the proper operation thereof. I strongly suspect that you are lighting the lamp correctly and that the vapouriser is defective as initially suggested. It would however be preferable for someone else to try and light the lamp, in order to completely rule out operator error.
I unfolded and folded again vaporizer and valve. Now the light is better, but the light is so approx. 25W (bulb) and around the mantle is still corona. I have pumped six times for initial lighting for a minute or so. Then I slowly pump up to a further 90 strokes.
If the vaporiser and needle are clear of carbon, check to see if the screen under the fuel cock is clear. When pumping the lamp pump , pump it like you mean it, quickly !
Tankie Why would pumping it quickly, rather than leisurely, make any difference if the lantern was working properly? Tilley's recommended lighting procedure requires approximately 15 pumps before opening the control cock; then allowing the burner etc (1 min or so). to heat up; and then pumping a total of 100 pumps (or the pressure gauge flush to the top of the nipple). There is no need to pump vigorously. Tony
might be the pricker needle isn't coming through the jet to clear .With the assembly of the vapouriser close the valve and run your finger nail across the top of jet see if you can feel the point coming through.Sometimes when it starts up the mantle like yours you have to reprick the jet a few times . Bob
If you pump slowly the compressed air just leaks past the pump washer. Is there a spring on the needle to pull the pricker back?
Tankie If your pump leather isn't working properly and you pump hard, won't that just make the air escape faster past the malfunctioning pump... Or am I missing something here? My point is simply that if your pump is working properly, you don't have to "pump like mad" to make your lamp work. Cheers Tony
Hello, I was testing vaporizer without burner. There was thin stream of kerosene from the jet straight up of vaporize sprayed vertically. Stream was approx. 2-3 feet - approx 50 pump. Second time I tested burner without mantle. The flame was longer more than one half of shine before. Example is on picture. When I puted on mantle there was still corona arround mantle :-( The lamp shined approx. 25 Wat bulb :-(
Michal Are you saying that your flame looks the same as the one in my photo above? If so, that is generally ok. But, if you are using good quality kerosene, and you are still getting a yellow flame outside the mantle after only 50 pumps, I suspect that your jet is enlarged. Before fitting a new vapouriser, check the following (including the good advice from Tankie about checking that your pricker needle has its spring): 1. Hand tighten all components of the burner and check there are no air gaps in the burner components; 2. Hand tighten the vapouriser; 3. Make sure the tank is filled only to about 1 inch below the filler hole. Pre-heat for two and a half minutes; pump 15 times; and then open the control cock. If your mantle begins to glow evenly, allow to burn for another minute at that pressure; then pump steadily to 50 pumps and see how it goes. If your mantle is not glowing evenly after the first 15 pumps, or if it is fluttering on and off, pump a few more times until you get an even light. 4. If all looks good after the additional 50 pumps, you can pump to a total of 100. Keep your eye on the mantle. I find that a worn jet, a faulty burner, or too much pressure (eg if the tank is too full) will cause the mantle to flare and burn yellow. Cheers Tony
Dim light,flame corona round the mantle,long yellow flames:could be rich burning due to an enlarged jet? (either manufactured out of tolerance or bodged by an overlong pricker). In which case you'll need a new vaporiser.
