I've got a Petromax clone, Wenzel 500cp that's been acting up. After alcohol preheat it's smoking, blackening the mantel and excess corona around the mantel. I recently had to update the NRV pip and found rust debris in tant. After repairs, flush and fill I noticed these problems. The lantern has sat for about a year but it worked well with a new stainless burner nozzle last year. Air gap looks good and the only question is the jet/orifice. I removed it to flush generator to ensure no debris. Now I think that it may be leaking a little. Perplexed, Andy
Thanks for the welcome. I typically float on the sister site, CCS, and I have typically only popped in here for reference "sightseeing" since registering. Gas Appliances share so much common ground and if this was a stove I'd have seen this a bit differently by the way it mannafest. When I removed the jet I noticed that the pricker needle was slightly bent and perhaps the cause of elongating the jet/orifice. I'll surely replace these as a set to insure no unforeseen troubles. Thanks, Andy R
Hello Andy, First: get rid of the stainless steel nozzle. Mount a ceramic one. Secundo: do not pressure up the lantern until its time to light. Kerosene above the bottom valve will always find its way out and since you are pre heating it will start to burn. Also when it is cold or the kerosene is cold, use two pre heating cups.
Is it possible to have the wrong mantle? I've got an "off-brand" that's supposed to be for a 500cp Petromax clones. I've changed the jet and cleaning needle, double preheat and it is still acting up. The rapid heated needs more cleaning than the pricker will handle. May hit the generator with the blow lamp(propane torch).
Removed and cleaned char bits off of cleaning needle rod. Problem still manifest. Can the loop portion of the generator/vaporizer get plugged with crusty bits and cause problems? There was nasty metal crust in the tank and when I up-ended it probably stirred up the crud that plugged the preheater. With the rapid heater operational again I am 100% satisfied that there is an adequate pre-heat. This Lantern worked flawless a year ago before the problem with the NRV changeout. I'm getting ready to strip it down again and try to blow out or fish a line through the vaporizer loop. Perplexed, Andy
Hi there! I'm not too familiar with this lamp myself but from what I have read on the threads here, Yes it can clog up and needs to be checked also? Good luck with the fettling and let us know how you get on? Regards, T.
