Anchor oil lamp goes out

Conachair

Conachair

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I think it must be not getting oxygen as the burner seems to work fine on its' own.
anchorlight.jpg

But flame goes out after a few minutes when it's in the lamp. Before I go too mad with the cordless, anyone kniw a fix without drilling holes? Or how many holes/size, should they be towards the bottom of the lamp? Cheers.
 
You lucky man. The oil burner on those lights has usually been lost long ago when the thing was "upgraded" to use electricity.

Surely it should work without drilling holes; they worked in the past.
Doesn't the air need to escape at the top too?

I don't know. I just envy you. Lovely old thing. (the light, not you!)
 
There is little hole at the top, with a grub screw. And presumably it did work once upon a time, never has done for me but maybe someone around here knows something I don't. About the lamp that is /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
I've just had a look at SWMBO's light, which is identical to yours but no burner. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

If I shine a torch into the body I can see that there are a number of small holes on the inner "sleeve" up at the top. Presumably these are for the "exhaust", and the outer sleeve acts as a windshield.

I can't see how the burner fits in but presumably it should have a gap to allow air in. It may be worth fiddling with it to make sure that air can get in.

A thought. You are not lighting it then placing it on a table are you? That may block the air inlet. The lights were designed to be suspended in the rigging. Try hanging it from something?


Alternatively I could let you have the electrical modification from SHMBO's light and you could send the burner to me. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Silly question but...Is there still plenty of wick in (as the archbishop said to...) in the reservoir ? If it's a bit short, the supply to the burny bit will not be enough to sustain ignition.

Moving the burner outside the lamp might slosh some around to creep up the wick.

Otherwise its oxygen starvation, or exhaust blockage.
 
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I can't see how the burner fits in but presumably it should have a gap to allow air in. It may be worth fiddling with it to make sure that air can get in.


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Burner has a sort of bayonet which fits into 2 slots on the main body then half turn locks it.
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A thought. You are not lighting it then placing it on a table are you? That may block the air inlet. The lights were designed to be suspended in the rigging. Try hanging it from something?

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Clever Chap! Goes out very quickly sitting on a table but still dies when hung, just takes a little longer.


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Alternatively I could let you have the electrical modification from SHMBO's light and you could send the burner to me. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

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Great idea, but, well it's the postal service, can't be trusted /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Another try..........

The lens looks dirty/sooty. You haven't had the wick turned up too much have you?
Try turning it down? Uses less air?

Are the "exhaust" holes clear?

I know what you mean about the postal service. I was thinking of using a courier. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
It looks as if the top of the lamp is secured by the struts with bolts at the bottom, before going anywhere near it with a drill try to disassemble the top from the base (carefully) and try to examine the inside of the lamp, maybe the vents are clogged with soot. Also the wick does look to be a little short I would have thought that you would need to have about 5mm showing above the neck of the wick holder. No experience of this type of lamp but when I was in the scouts we used to use hurricane lamps which had a similar wick but the glass was on a lifting mechanism.
Good luck with it.

Mal
 
I've just had another look at your initial picture and it's obvious what the problem is. You are using the wrong lamp oil. That bottle of red stuff is intended for port navigation lights. You need some clear oil. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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... If it's a bit short, the supply to the burny bit will not be enough to sustain ignition.

Moving the burner outside the lamp might slosh some around to creep up the wick.



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I would go along with that being the probable cause.
 
Many years ago we had a similar lamp, however it had small holes in the bottom section of copper to let some air in? not in the bottom otherwise it extingishes the lamp while on a table , but on the vertical upstand. ours had a internal draft ring about 1/8" behind the holes. Also though might not be relevent ours had a second glass that went over the wick to encourage a stable flame. Used it hundreds of nights.
 
Actually he's right I think. Your poncy coloured lamp oil from the Eastern Emporium (that's where I got mine before I realised it was crap) is too thick. Stick some old fashioned paraffin in it and it'll do fine I think. I have one of these and fire it up with paraffin. I replaced the wick once I suspected the fuel was the problem. It will now burn the tank dry (unfortunately before daybreak). It doesn't count as one of my best buys. It also soots up the lens.

Some trad paraffin lamp instructions explicitly advise against coloured oil. I think it clogs your wick.
 
Ah the red stuff. In my close to zero portuguese that is parafin. Though it looks like diesil, smells like diesil and quacks like a duck. Must be a diesil duck then. Might not put it in the lamp. Which..... now seems to be working perfectly. Turned the wick down a bit and didn't screw the burner in tight so there are some airgaps and all seems well. I'll leave it overnight to see if it's still on the go in the morning and then consider a new phrase book.
Thanks all
PS for those kind offers to remove the source of distress from my boat, thanks but I'd hate to put you any bother, /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
No, it just means he had a slightly smaller flame.
If you look at the OP you'll see that the lamp burnt OK when it was not inside the body of the light.
 
Parrafin=Petroleo in Portuguese. Living on a farm with no electricity there, we used oil lights all the time.....with the red stuff. To get more light we `turboed´ them up by fitting a little tin collar around the burner to improve the airflow.
Andrew
Cors, it used a bit more oil. Not a prob then at 3 esc. /ltr. (200esc=1€) Not so much use if you you want it to last the night. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Your right, looks and smells like diesil but worked in anoher lamp no probs and no smell all night. Shouldn't trust your senses........
 
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