Hi Folks, An Optimus 550 - 500cp, I couldn't find anything to date it, I don't suppose they are marked on these lamps? It arrived rather dirty but was advertised as a runner so it was a good starting point. It was stripped and thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water. Straightened the pricker rod and adjusted the length. The pump leather came good after an overnight dunk in 3-in-1 oil but unfortunately it separated after a few pumps. New one fitted. The surface was speckled with verdigris and the bail was quite rusty. Nothing to lose so I tried a polish to see if it would brighten up - very pleasantly surprised! the verdigris came off and the surface of the fount and the hood came up very well! The bail I got the worst of the corrosion off and gave it a wax to try and keep the rust at bay. Mantle burning-in/shaping. I used a Peerless 24A Mantle which seemed huge and baggy on fitting but it shrunk and shaped very well, with a stunning white light! Mantle has retained a nice shape and burned in perfectly. Very happy. Alec.
Unfortunately Optimus never dated their lamps. The only way of dating is by looking at the parts used and comparing with different advertising and catalogues. The start date is a bit hard to define but will be somewhere in the mid 1960s. The end date is a bit easier as the 550 model is in a 1974 catalogue but not in a 1975 catalogue. Presumably they stopped producing the model during 1974. This matches with other models they stopped making at that time.
Hi @Rangie, great job on getting it running again. I noticed this example and others like it don't appear to have a preheat cup. How to you heat up the generator? I presume these are Kero powered? Thanks John
Yes they're kero powered. The spirit dish is stamped into the plate which holds the frame to the tank. It holds twice the amount of spirit as the usual cup (9/10mm versus 4.5/5mm) and it is not unusual to have to fill it twice - even on a warm evening. This image is of two such plates, you'll notice that the one on the left is slightly deformed due to a previous owner overtightening the fixing screw. Before I reshaped it, much of the flame (i.e. heat) came out of the hole intended for the spout of the filler can which did little to preheat the vapouriser and that particular lantern most definitely needed two charges of spirit (20mm !) before I realised what the problem was.
I have one which had the same problem, I tapped the plate back into shape with a plastic mallet, then I measured the distance from the bottom of the plate to the top of the fount where the screw is fixed, I then cut a length of brass tube which slipped over the threaded boss and sits tight under the plate so that when you tighten the screw it clamps onto the brass tube and cannot deform the plate. It works quite well. Optimus 1350 knowledge needed
I had one that was deformed and cracked. Barely visible crack but led to meths leaking before and during preheat. I must confess I bought a new one but will repair the cracked one when needed C
Hi everyone, I’m quite new to these lanterns but very happy to have bought an optimus 550/500CP. It looks neat but I think it might need some parts replaced. Where can I get the runners and stuff like that? thanks for the tip on the mantles anyways!
I got my spares at Hos oss hittar du gasol & tillbehör till husvagnen, hushållet, båten eller industrin. Vi har Sveriges bredaste utbud. Välkommen att besöka vår hemsida. but they stopped sending to the UK.
