1961 Petromax Rapid 828 Paraffin Lamp Demonstration

My 1961 Petromax Rapid 828, 350cp paraffin lamp. Found at the local tip several years ago, I've only just got around to replacing the seals and restoring it. Wish I'd done it sooner as it's so much better than either of my Tilleys.

PS. See if you spot the 'deliberate' mistake ;-)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• petromax
• rapid
• petromax 828
• paraffin
• kerosine
• kero
• lamp
• lantern
• pressure
• tilley
• german
• light
• lighting
• fire
• burn
• lights
• flame
• burning
• coleman
• deutsch
• vintage
• original

[RocketScientist79]

How can anybody, I mean anybody throw away as junk such a marvelous piece of German engineering as that! I mean it knocks all tilley lamps and Vapaluxes into a cocked hat because they are all fiddly to start using meths. This one has the onboard afterburner just like the Anchor and Hipolito copies do! Lovelly! Whoever binned this lamp wants shooting!!!

[enpeemac]

@RocketScientist79 Thanks, I agree 100%. In fact I now work within the recycling industry and am still regularly amazed at what our society are happy to throw away.

[rustymotor]

Marvelous find you made, I like the preheater, makes lighting the lamp more fun! Your shed looks good, lots of interesting stuff you have. Maybe people on youtube who have interesting work areas could put out some vids! Best junk collections or whatever.

[enpeemac]

@rustymotor Thanks, yes it was a lucky find (actually got two but the other is missing a few parts), I'd never seen one of these before. They're are so easy to light with that preheater and a lot of fun too! Way too much junk in the tiny workshop TBH, but whenever I get bored there's always something interesting to play with in there.

[MakeDoAndMend1]

Gosh it made me jump when it fired up. Good find. Never seen anything like that before. The thought of all that polishing purts me off. Her indoors would get me cleaning every day if I had one of them. ?

[enpeemac]

@MakeDoAndMend1 Haha, yeah, this is my kind of bling! They're nickel plate on brass so not too bad to keep shiny and it makes a nice change from rusty old engines!

[teaker1s]

Tthe marketing claims of pelam.de and BriteLyt about there stainless nozzle are dubious due to expansion and heat transfer

there are several reports of structural failure and unsurprisingly brass stainless loosening with heat.

As a personal choice ceramic has been used in hot zones with great success and mantles are far more likely to break first.

Of the upgrades available the sprung leather spreader may be of interest.

[banjo5str]

@teaker1s Thats maybe why a little common sense (I new I had some!!!) kicked in, as when had petrol blowlamp yrs ago, it was dodgy, I do have a petrol Optimus camping stove according to info sheet can only use 2star unleaded, it works fine, perhaps made with your answer points in mind, But will not be useing petrol in the 500HK, thanks for the back-up.

[teaker1s]

The lamp makers guild and cjn adams who make a multi fuel version both say that it is paraffin only and petrol is dangerous for the following reasons.

1) the lead seals are susceptible to mantle failure and heat travelling to font is dangerous.

2) the pump design can spray fuel out on check valve failure.

3) venting of petrol vapour on shut down next to hot mantle is asking for issues.

Don't take my word for it but the German army stopped petrol use in their lamps and re labelled paraffin

[banjo5str]

Rustymotor, prior to below I checked it up, can use just about any fuel, ie petrol, kerosene, bio fuel, paraffin, even a mix of citronella 50/50, I'm really chuffed with this boot-find, all new in a box, never been lit lamp,incl some spares, stands 16" high, told it's a 350/500 HK? nickle plate on brass, thanks again for your bit of info, Brian UK

[banjo5str]

Hiya Rustymotor, well pumped it up! It was leaking at everywhere it had a joint, stripped all of it, sealer on all, even had to dismantle the rapid light part, filled with paraffin, got it's 1st mantle on ever, filled dish with meth, bit wary of rapid thingy!!! let it heat, opened up couple of pops, mantle shaped, great light, brilliant, since lit it with rapid lite, works fine, still glad I was used to a tilly, that helped, thanks again rustymotor, it's a 350/5ooHK, I'm first to light it. Brian

[banjo5str]

Hiya Rustymotor, thanks for the info, the lamp has a rapid heater & the small dish for fuel, was looking at another site by 'britelyt' and was pleased to see verified your reply regarding paraffin was ok to use, as was'nt to keen on the petrol idea, yrs ago had a petrol blowlamp paint burner 'deco' & that was a dodgy affair, thanks again for your reply...Brian UK. U need any news from UK?

[rustymotor]

@banjo5str Gday, sounds like a parrafin lamp that uses a preheater for the vaporiser, methylated spirits is placed in the dish and lit thus heating the vaporiser. Your lamp would probally run on kerosene or parafin and also should run ok on unleaded petrol.

Anyway it sounds like a marvelous car-boot find!

[banjo5str]

@rustymotor Hiya, I got a lamp that looks exactly the same as yours, although it has a small dish with a tube in it at base of stem (vaporiser) no info not been lit all there, how do I know whether it's for Paraffin or Petrol? even has new mantels, just no info! any help appreciated please, Brian UK. ps got it at car-boot. unused.