Got a Svea 5 off ebay for £33.50 delivered. I just washed it, found it held pressure so tried lighting it. First attempt it seemed to light OK but then got a yellow flamed conflagration as it caught fire below the burner and the meths holder filled with paraffin. Second attempt I put more meths in for a more thorough preheating and it seemed to work well enough but the burner cap went red hot. I changed the jet for one from a Julian Shaw ebay Primus stove repair kit but not noticably different. The outer burner cap is sooty from the yellow flame but it is brass. The glowing red burner cap isn't right is it? I can't see any flames under the burner and the only noise seems to be the hiss from the jet of vapour. Am I missing something?
Hi @AvidNerdlinger. The colour range of metals on heating depends on temperature amongst other factors. Brass begins to glow and then gives a bright red colouration, at lower temperatures than a similar sized steel sample. So brass outer caps will give a bright red colouration at temperatures where steel caps, at the same power are still dull in colour. If your brass outer cap is not exhibiting any of the other symptoms of under-burn, such as the characteristic roar, relax, your stove is not suffering from under-burn and is not on the road to imminent destruction through melting etc. Thanks George. Best Regards, Kerophile.
How to avoid under-burn when lighting a silent burner pressure stove: Hi, the way to avoid underburn is to never allow ignition of the flammable mixture under the outer burner cap. 1. Pre-heat the burner with absolutely no pressure in the tank. 2. Allow the pre-heat flame to totally extinguish. 3. Quickly close the air release, and pump the tank 10-15 pump strokes. 4. You should get clouds of white paraffin vapour/air mixture exit the many holes in the outer cap. 5. Only now should you light this mixture with a match or flame applied above the outer cap. 6. After 2-3 minutes of successful burn you can increase pressure gradually until full power is achieved. 7. If, on lighting, the burner immediately reverts to underburn, release tank pressure and start the whole process again. 8. If you get underburn on the second attempt.....Give up stoves and take up stamp collecting. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Hi, @AvidNerdlinger , A good flame pattern and colour will improve as the tank is progressively cleaned by new fuel. Cap redness is nothing to be concerned about with your stove. Paradoxically higher tank pressure will propel the flamelets further away from the surface of the outer cap and their radiant heat transfer to the cap can reduce. Try a higher power and see if it has an effect on cap redness. Best Regards, Kerophile,
Welcome news thanks. I was using only a couple of pump strokes before lighting then another 5 or 6 so I'll try a lot more tomorrow with much more confidence.
Tested again with a lot more pumping. At first it was a weak flame but no red cap and then it sort of popped into life as if there was a blockage that cleared: Letting out a bit of pressure to lower the flame reproduced red glow: pump it up: pump it up: pump it up: I am now well prepared for the next power cut.
Hi @AvidNerdlinger . Nice set of photographs showing the behaviour of your silent burner, and how you can control it! As I said you should see further improvement as you use the stove and put clean fuel through it. Best Regards, Kerophile.
