It's been a while since I've bought any NRV's new, as I have a rotating stock of fettled and unfettled ones. Someone mentioned a while back that new ones no longer come with lead washers but nylon ones instead, so I punched out a few from the plastic containers in which you buy milk in the UK. One has been in situ for about a week, and lit about 5 times on test, with no leakage so far. Always a good idea to fit a washer underneath the NRV, as it is better for removing them later, and this way you can get them for free. . .
Not such a new idea, Keith - I often come across old Bialaddins and Vapaluxes which are fitted with a red 'plastic' NRV washer. I doubt these are original and I presume they were supplied and/or fitted as replacements during a phase sometime in the 50s/early 60s (but possibly they were something to do with wartime shortages). I base this presumption on two things - I've not found them fitted to lanterns younger than about 40 years old and also that they are crap! Having said that, I haven't a clue which type of plastic they are made from. They are always hard and brittle by the time I come across them - i.e. they've already failed. I just replace them with the pukka washer from a Bialaddin seals kit. I daresay nitrile would be OK, too. I think milk bottles are polythene but I could be wrong. I doubt they're nylon. It will be interesting to see how your washers stand up over time... P.S. I think you need to get in touch with the SUSchool - scroll to the bottom of the page!
I'm not fitting them to all the stoves, just a couple to see how they last. As most of the bottles which hold paraffin seem to be of similar stuff I expect that they should be a reasonable replacement available at no cost.
Hi People often use the term nylon when referring to all white plastic, sealing washers of this type are more often than not polythene as it deforms more and is more "slick" so tightens down better. My experience anyway.
