I don't know enough about problems associated with the fuel/air mix. I have just fettled a Tilley X246A. It holds pressure, has no leaks but after a long pre-heat there were problems when I tried to get it going. The mantle wouldn't incandesce properly - only at the very top - and a corona of flame was burning outside the mantle and up into the hood. I don't really understand enough to diagnose the problem however. Here is some information about the lantern. 1. The vaporiser is original and the pricker functions correctly as I can feel it when it's fully up. 2. I'm using a peerless mantle as these have performed excellently on my Bialaddins and Vapalux 3. I fitted all new seals and there are no leaks. 4. The tank is pressurizing Are Peerless mantles not good with Tilleys? I wondered if they are too big? Has the vaporiser jet become enlarged over time? Could it be a blockage in the burner? Any help would be gratefully received Colin (I have a similar problem on one of my Anchor 950s)
Hello @ColinG , these problems are probably not your mantles, It is much more likely to be the vapouriser. I hope you still have the pricker fitted - it can help with the diagnosis - at least so I find. Light it and and let it get hot, adjust the pressure for best burn by pumping or releasing pressure from the tank. Once it is burning in a stable condition , probably with a halo as you say, try closing the fuel valve very very slowly, and yes I mean very slowly! On mine there was a very narrow range of the fuel control setting where the halo disappeared, any less it popped and started to underburn or it went out, any more and it hissed loudly and had the halo. There was a "zone" where it would run bright white and with a quiet hiss - not a roar. With care you might find that zone of the fuel cock where it will run bright but the setting will be unstable and "tweaky" to keep up the same brightness for long. It is a symptom of too much fuel and not enough air. It is a sign of needing a new vapouriser or else trying to resurrect the one you have by peening it maybe? I have been writing about the X246B lately but I don't know that X246As were exempt from the same problems. I would always like to know more. By the way that X246B-500 of yours remains unlit - I have examined it but it is much too good for any experiments!! I found another X246B from 1973 which is right for that. All the best!
Hi Colin, if the air tubes are clear, then it's probably the jet which has become enlarged. Swap the top with one which you know works well, if you get flames outside the mantle on the good one, the vapouriser is at fault. I take it that you have more than one Anchor ? Try swapping the jet with one from a lantern that burns as it should, if it now behaves as it should, then it's most likely that the jet has become oversized. If the problem persists, check the gap between the jet and mixing tube (a.k.a. J tube), it should be around the 14mm mark, if you don't have the combination tool, you can use a 14mm drill bit, rest it on top of the jet and adjust the J tube accordingly but make sure the needle is down before you start! There is a mixture adjusting screw in the mixing tube, make sure that the slot vertical. It is possible that the cleaning needle has worked loose and believe it or not, this does affect the way your lantern burns, so you may want to check that it is still tight. Henry.
Thank you all so much - very helpful advice indeed. I'm lucky enough to to have a replacement Tilley vaporiser and if that works I can have a go at peening the jet. I wondered if you'd weaken and light the X246b 500 but I'm glad you haven't, Jon. As for the Anchor, I will work through your suggestions and get it sorted, thanks Henry.
@ColinG Good luck and I hope you have success. A cautionary tale. I once fettled an Anchor 909 (350cp), fitted new seals, new jet and needle and checked the adjustments. It worked like a charm for about 20 to 30 minutes and then started to misbehave. After many hours of fiddling and head scratching, in desperation, I eventually increased the air gap to 16mm and it's worked a treat ever since. Henry.
I quite often swap X246 hoods around when testing a problem lamp. I have been known to inset a metal blade through an opening in the top of the hoods and gently swap them while they are hot, being careful not to damage the mantle when lowering them onto the vaporiser. Having a good spare burner is also handy to check the vaporisers.
As other members have already mentioned, the vapouriser's jet is probably enlarged, but Tilley burners also wear out.
My X246A now has a different vaporiser from a donor lantern and it works perfectly - thanks for the lesson in Tilley problems guys. Here are a few photos of it happily singing away while I type. My next job is to resurrect the newly acquired straight leg X246 which I got from eBay a few days back
I recognise the battle scar on that highly-polished fount. Isn't that the X246 on which you were about to paint the cage gold? It looks really good! Nice job.
