Not an easy one. I don't have complete price lists but it was available from 1989 to 1995 for sure. Not listed in 1997 so dropped around '96. I am less clear on the start because I have no info from after 1980 and before 1989. So maybe 10 years from the mid 1980s to around 1996 ish. ::Neil::
If I do not remember wrong, they had it for sale on their web site for about 6 - 7 years ago. Michael
You might be right. I can only go on what the price lists tell me. Could be they dropped it from the price lists but sold off the remainder via the web. ::Neil::
With the general decline in sales of pressure lamps and, to make things worse, an assumed difficult market situation for this particular model (not being very popular?), it wouldn't surprise me if they simply gave up on that model after a few years and then later cleaned out the warehouse and sold various lamps and parts that had just been collecting dust on the shelves for several years. Maybe this could have a connection with the de facto end of production of the normal X246B - when did that happen? (speaking about the apparent default of the font-producing partner)
I do not think that the production of the X246B is ended only put on hold until they have found a new manufacturer of the tank. If ever! Only the future will show if they will take up the production again or not. I bought a X246B directly from Tilley in 2011 marked 8/11. Regarding the X246B-500 my guess is that they made it to order as long they had the vaporizer in stock. Michael
The only diferences are the vaporiser and burner. The 500 series has a longer mantle nozzle than the 300. I am not sure the vaporiser is all that different though. If you read the instructions for both 300 and 500 you will find they give the number of pump strokes for full pressure. For the 300 it is a total of 100 strokes and for the 500 it is 150 strokes. That massive increaase in pressure is where most if not all of the extra power comes from. ::Neil::
I think I saw a picture of a 500 Series hood that was higher than the normal one - or maybe that was something homemade?
No the only visible sign is the longer mantle nozzle. All the rest is standard X246B parts. A higher hood normally means the hood has not been seated right and is sitting on the ends of the bail. ::Neil::
Hmm... that small part should not tie up a lot of money for the manufacturer, so re-advertising the model around 7 years ago would probably not have happened for simply clearing the warehouse for parts. But maybe they had a lot of boxes, instruction guides, labels, etc. as well, just lying around...
Yes Tilley cheated a little with this one. It was sold as a 500 series lantern not 500cp. They achieved a brighter light by increasing the pressure and a bigger mantle. The vaporiser was given a new part number and this may indicate a larger jet but I have always suspected it was the same 606 used for the 300 lanterns in a new package. As the tank is the same in both and given how many dish down I think this lantern, if it was used as instructed, is almost certain to fail under the extra pressure. ::Neil::
