Tilley vapouriser

Hi folks, I decided to replace all the seals and fire up a Tilley 246b. It doesn't seem to reach full brightness and the light pulses. I heard on a previous thread that the vapiriser is to blame. On taking the pricker needle out I noticed a ridge. Does this belong there, or can i sand this away as with vapalux needles? And the tube, what can be done with that if it is clogged with soot.

 

The ridge is supposed to be there. You can use a length of bicycle brake cable with a frayed end placed in a drill chuck to "drill out" the soot from the vapouriser. Heating and quenching also helps.

 

Thanks, will try that, while on the subject, I noticed since I refurbished my vapalux 310,that the pricker does not work when the knob is turned. When dissmantled, I pushed needle all the way home with my thumbnail and i can feel the needle at the jet. Any ideas?

 

Only thing I can think of is the rubber washer on the vapouriser is too thick. James.

 

It did cross my mind, but this is from a kit supplied by Ross at the Fettlebox. I would have thought others would have had the same problem and he would have been aware of it. Could the tip have broken off?

 

I guess in an older lamp the cam that lifts the pricker wire can wear and not lift the pricker wire high enough. Might be worth adding a shim inside the control to sit on top of the cam follower block. ::Neil::

 

On the theme of brightness, just finished a Tl116 lamp which on initial lighting gives of a good light but after a few minutes running the brightness drops off.
Have changed the vaporiser but the same happens so i suspect the burner getting too hot as its turned black. However its the same burner off a wall lamp which operates ok with this burner.
Not all straight forward fettling lamps.

Esox.

 

Thanks guys, I tried a shim on the vapalux, by cutting a slice of an M6 bolt and using that, now works a treat. James's suspision that the washer was too thick must be correct. On the Tilley,I swapped the vapouriser from another donor lamp and that too works.
I heated and quenched the old one.Thanks for your advice.

 

I have at times found a mismatch between the needle, the vapouriser and the pricker mechanism, as described above. I've rectified it by adding a dab of solder to the bottom of the pricker wire.

Cheers

Tony