Hello I am new and have a question. Yesterday I bought a Valor 525T heater in a good shape. When I got home the first thing was to clean it up and saw one problem and for me a great problem. There is no way that I can replaced the wick? It is stuck. Maybe it is because I have no manual or whatsoever to make it running. This is also my question, has somebody a clue or a manual or photo's so I can fix it. Is there also a number or anything else to see what for year this heater is? Thanks anyway, Louie.
Hi Louie Wicks for the Valor 525T can still be purchased. You say that the wick is stuck. It moves up and down using a cogged wheel engaging with slots in a metal sleeve on the circular wick. The wick can sometimes get stuck if it has not moved for a long time. Grip the wick and pull while rotating the wick moving wheel. Once it starts moving it should move easily and the wick can be removed.
That's right, the wicks ar stil for sale but the main trouble is that he is stuck.The cogged wheel is still running but some slots ar missing so i can't move the thing up.It looks like to me that the wick is fastened to the tank??When i move him to the right and the left the bottom of the tank is also moving!Is this normal??I wil try this week again with some slight pressure, maybe he wil coming loose but i have a hard feeling about that.Thanks anyway, greetz Louie.
Hi Louie, it sometimes helps to saturate the wick with paraffin (petroleum, lamp olie), this acts as a lubricant. If things still don't move, try to "cut" with a very thin knife (aardappel schil mes of zo) between wick and its housing. Whatever you do, don't apply to much force, it is all to easy to damage things! Groetjes, Wim
sounds like wick stuck to the tank bottom - most probably by rust. Wim is right put some paraffin in and soak it. Maybe you can reach the wick with a bent metal rod put through the filler. Hook it and slowly work it free from the bottom of the tank.
I had a similar problem with my Valor heater. It would not move using the height adjusting wheel. I gripped the top of the circular wick with a pair of pliers and pulled while also rotating the adjusting wheel. It eventually started to move and then it rose easily using just the adjusting wheel.
Thanks for the replies. I have also buy another one, only the burner self. This went easy. I have now the other one soaked in degreaser for a week now. I will check this week for the result.Is there another way to do it easier in the future? Another thing, does anyone know what year these heaters are? Greetz Louie.
No, I don't think there is. What happens is the old fuel dries, hardens and turns to glue. The only way to loosen a stuck wick is to break the hardened fuel down with degreaser or hot soapy water. To prevent that from happening again, at the end of the heating season, empty all fuel and dry the tank and wick good before storing the heater away for the summer. The Valor Co. is still operating. Maybe they can provide more information as to the age of your heater. Probably they ended production of these style heaters when the newer style Japanese heaters became popular in the 70's.
