http://www.dr-bommel.de  © : Jan Moeller, Germany

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Content  PDF Version

Additional and detalied information
Chapter 14 - Generator details
Chapter 15 - Rapid pre-heater details
Chapter 16 - Valve, valve shaft details
Chapter 17 - Check valve details
Chapter 18 - Identification of age

Chapter 14 - Generator details

Here below some detail pictures of the generator parts:
- Complete generator with rod, foot valve, main valve and nozzle with needle
- Upper part of gen with nozzle and needle
- Lower part of gen w. gen rod, foot valve body, spring and sea

Pic. 38: Complete generator with rod, foot valve, main valve and nozzle with needle

Pic. 39: Upper part of gen with nozzle and needle

Pic. 40: Lower part of gen w. gen rod foot valve body, spring and seal

Chapter 15 - Rapid pre-heater details

Some more pictures of the Rapid torch pre-heater:
- Fully assembled Rapid
- Disassembled
- Rapid details

Pic. 41: Fully assembled Rapid 

Pic. 42: Disassembled 

Pic. 43: Rapid details

Chapter 16 - Valve, valve shaft details

- The valve completely disassembled
- Completety assembled
- A new graphite packing (#108) fitted
- Valve wheel in ‘open’ position
- Valve wheel in ‘closed’ position

Pic. 45: A new graphite packing (#108) fitted

Pic. 47: Valve wheel in ‘open’ position 

Pic. 48: Valve wheel in ‘closed’ position

Chapter 17 - Check valve details

Pic. 49: Pump check valve disassembled 

Pic. 50: View into the pump body

Pic. 51: Pump, pump body and pump check valve

Chapter 18 - Identification of age

The manufacturing date, for some lanterns, can be found according to the four-digit no. on the bottom of the fount. However, as far as we know today this is valid only for lanterns made in the 1960’s.

My lantern bears the no. 4385.
The first two digits refer to the week the lantern was made. Here it means week 43.
The number 8 refers to the year: 8 means 1968.
The 5 refers to the day in the week: 5th day means Friday.

From this it seems the lantern was made Friday, Oct.25th 1968.
This way of identification is valid only for the ‘civil’ Petromax lanterns. Lanterns made for the army (with the dull grey surface) don’t carry such numbers.
Newer lanterns also have certain numbering but there is no valid and proven interpretation up to now.

Pic. 52: The number on the bottom of the fount

That was it!

My way and my experience during restoration of a Petromax lantern.
Enjoy and run your lantern safely.
© Jan Moeller 2008