Taylor Burners issues

ianc1200

ianc1200

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I am on my second 030 Taylors cooker since the late 80's, and have over the years replaced burners multiple times. I recently put a new 4 stalk burner from Sea Sure, which is a different design in that it has a much larger body in it's bottom half. My wife tried to light it and simply got yellow flames. Much to my surprise I did as well, and spent much of Saturday afternoon taking it on and off, swapping to the other side etc. My conclusion was there's too much metal to start it using paraffin - I did once get it started but only the once. Anybody else had a similar problem and is the answer a small blow torch to really get it heated?

I also noticed it came with a cone shaped washer, instead of the small flat aluminum washer (presumably to seal onto the balancing jet), and there's a brass mesh inside the burner at it's base. The cone shaped washer wasn't on the exploded parts diagram it came with which still showed a flat washer. Just variations in design?

New burner

View attachment 58232


View attachment 58234

Old burner

View attachment 58233

Flat/cone washers

View attachment 58235
 
It is some time since I had a Taylor's stove but when I did it had burners like your 'new' ones. When investigating problems I found that there was a second jet inside the unit that could not be pricked. This was blocking periodically and ultimately I removed it altogether, which improved reliability considerably. It may be that the mesh has replaced this jet. Other than that the burners and stove were very reliable but I believe the tubes ultimately block with carbon that cannot be cleaned out.

We always used methylated spirits to light ours and did not experience the problems you have, so cannot help there, sorry.
 
Are you pre heating with the maximum amount possible of meths? Fill the cup to overflowing and squirt a bit on top of the burner as well, I use a syringe.
I don't see how that can't work, unless you have a hidden burner problem. Those new burners got well reviewed, as I remember.
Let us fellow Taylor users know how you get on please! Bob.
 
Blow torch can be more effective than meths to heat the burner. More predictable and probably a bit quicker.
 
ianc1200 said:
I also noticed it came with a cone shaped washer, instead of the small flat aluminum washer (presumably to seal onto the balancing jet), and there's a brass mesh inside the burner at it's base. The cone shaped washer wasn't on the exploded parts diagram it came with which still showed a flat washer. Just variations in design?
Click to expand...

I have bought two of these new Hanse burners as back-ups, but not yet installed them. From memory they came with both the flat washer (for Taylors) and cone shaped washer (for Optimus and perhaps others).
As already mentioned, pre-heating for a bit longer, using more meths/ethanol, should solve the problem. Also, using a wick might help concentrate the heat.
Regarding blow-torches, my two Optimus cookers have integral jet-burners for pre-heating, but I stopped using them a long time ago because it was so easy to damage the burners by pre-heating for too long, creating pinholes etc.
 
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I've got a Taylors cooker - fine so far - but keep an eye on threads such as this. Coupke of good tips from Babayaga....thanks
 
BabaYaga said:
I have bought two of these new Hanse burners as back-ups...
Click to expand...
Editing this post out because I was jumping to conclusions and just plain wrong. Apologies to all. I thought your new burner was a two leg one from the first photo. In fact I think it is a Hanse burner. If it is, they work very well. Try it at 15 psi. I'm guessing that, like me, you've been running your stove at 20-25 psi. They deliver fuel too fast at that pressure. I actually run them up to about 18 psi on my gauge, but it reads high (if my tyre gauge is correct). The wicks I got from John Gardner are good and thick. Try two wicks if they are thinner and don't fill the meths cup. I prime with 20-25 ml of meths. (I use a syringe hence the precision.) It burns for 4 mins and they light fine every time.

I sent you a message with John's mobile number.

John knows everything about Taylor's stoves and will happily talk to you about the problem.

Apologies again.
 
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Amulet said:
Your burners are crap.
Click to expand...

My burners are crap?
I think you possibly quoted the wrong person?
The OP did not mention manufacturer, but said he got them from Sea Sure. I got the impression that they were indeed Hanse ("much larger body in it´s bottom half"). Hard to tell from the photo.
Do you mean to say that there are currently two different burners for Taylors/Optimus etc on the market?
 
BabaYaga said:
My burners are crap?
I think you possibly quoted the wrong person?
The OP did not mention manufacturer, but said he got them from Sea Sure. I got the impression that they were indeed Hanse ("much larger body in it´s bottom half"). Hard to tell from the photo.
Do you mean to say that there are currently two different burners for Taylors/Optimus etc on the market?
Click to expand...

I was talking crap - see my edited post above.
 
I use a blow torch on mine for about 30 seconds. I have the 4 leg burners. I get my spares and advice from base camp which is based in Littlehampton. I know using a blow torch means you have gas on board but its only a small container. I serviced mine and it was a faff at the beginning as I had the same problem you did. I refitted them and they were fine. It was a bit like turning the computer off and on again, no idea why they decided to work but they did.
 
Must say thank you for all the posts. Very interesting re the pressure; I increased to 25+ so perhaps going in the wrong direction! Did think it was an issue of not heating enough as I had completely filled the meths cup and just about got it working.

Re the flat washers, these are aluminium, but is there anything special or can I get from anywhere?

Don't believe I've had a pm re John's mobile number (but could be me not knowing how to get from my phone) but is this John who ran the taylorscookers spares from Hythe in Hampshire?
 
Very interesting suggestion about REDUCING the pressure... I always assumed, as you do, that morer is bester and vigorously pumped up to the red line and a bit more for Mother.
I have been troubled with yellow bits of flame appearing in the blue, tea time is now tinkering time..
thanks for the educational thread Bob
 
ianc1200 said:
Must say thank you for all the posts. Very interesting re the pressure; I increased to 25+ so perhaps going in the wrong direction! Did think it was an issue of not heating enough as I had completely filled the meths cup and just about got it working.

Re the flat washers, these are aluminium, but is there anything special or can I get from anywhere?

Don't believe I've had a pm re John's mobile number (but could be me not knowing how to get from my phone) but is this John who ran the taylorscookers spares from Hythe in Hampshire?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is the same John I believe.

Alu washers - I bought 100 for next to nothing - can't find the supplier. They were thinner and harder than the Taylors spares I had previously received, so I took fright and ordered some from the aforesaid John. When they arrived they were indistinguishable from the 100 I already had.

Hope the pressure reduction works. Mine's on 15-16.

Preheating. To reiterate - you must have a decent wick (As opposed to an indecent one I guess), without too much of the meths evaporates off and burns where it does no good.
 
Hi, I have a problem with the burners in my taylors stove ,I bought 2 new ones made by Hanse in Germany . One in 2012 an one in 2014 ,though they would go straight into my spares box(as I always want to have one complete burner spare,) and not fitted for a season or 2 until I had a problem with with a burner in the stove. Now both burners have developed holes in the main body below the legs with a jet of flame shooting out. The one in the oven is the worst with a jet of flame about 3-4 inches long and I hardly use the oven and am only on board for 5 weeks in the year .my boat is in France . Has anyone else had problems with new Hanse burners?
image: http://www.ybw.com/forums/images/ybw/misc/progress.gif


Read more at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...erent-Q-this-time-!/page2#yWv7cblDUqg4HlbB.99
 
The Hanse replacement burner on my stove has been very good. It is heavier than the original and needs more pre-heat to start. It seems to need twice as much meths in the cup as the old one. Still runs at the same pressure. No sign of holes but it does seem more prone to leaking after being off for a week or two and often requires a gentle nip up on the feed pipe. Not sure why. I think if there was a structural problem it would have manifested itself by now after a few years use. I haven't cleaned it or changed the washer for at least 2 years.
 
Hi ,thanks for your reply , I have given one mine to Mike of Basecamp who is sending it to Hanse .I will post their comment.
 
Higher pressure can mean more fuel goes through the burner. This may need more pre heat than is available from the feedback heat generated by the burner. Thus the burner is cooled and the paraffin jet is not able to properly atomize, usually resulting in a yellow flame.
 
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