Hi All I don't like the fiddly control valve on the 533, so I was wondering if anyone knows if I could replace it with the control valve from the Coleman Apex II. All the best Leigh
Yeah that control knob leaves something to be desired. Watch your fingers. Sorry I don't know if you can use a Apex II control valve. Worth a shot I guess. Knowing Coleman most likely they are using the same part. But looking at the valve of the two stoves I don't believe so. Somewhere on this site someone post a modification to the control knob. You could braze/solder on a piece of steel to make the knob longer. Sorry I couldn't be of any help. But I believe this is a problem that needs to be addressed. Cheers, Jeff
Just had a quick look at my 533 and apex11. The 533 uses one control to turn off and flame hight. The apex uses the control on the stove for flame control and a separate knob on the pump to turn off. If the control from the apex does fit the only way to turn the stove off would be wait for it to run out of fuel. Not sure this is a wise idea
Jeff, thanks for your thoughts. I'll try some more searches and see if I can find the post about the mod. Hi Geeves, I don't want to replace the whole assembly, just the part of the control valve that you have to hold to operate the stove. I had hoped that the part from the Apex II might fit the 533. This would mean holding the folding wire (Apex II), rather than the fiddly little leaver with the drop of red plastic on the end (533). All the best Leigh
I found the link. Sorry different stove. Coleman but a 550 not a 533. Might help. Here is the internal Link Cheers, Jeff
What about making a key from a metal rod with a slot in the end to operate the knob. It wouldnt be permanently attached so wouldnt get hot just like older optimus stoves
Geeves, I've been wondering about that, since reading the link Jeff posted above. I'm off interstate before the sparrow even wakes tomorrow and back late Sunday, so I guess this will have to wait for a week. I decided to ring Coleman Service and they tell me they have had a look at the Apex II and Sportster and confirmed that the parts are not compatible. All the best Leigh
Hi All Coleman sent me the control valve from an Apex II and this is what I came up with. I cut the bent part of the control lever off the 533 and used part of the control lever from the Apex II. Both of these are screwed into a 240V cable joiner, with the insulation removed. It seems to work and gets the fingers much further away from the burner. All the best Leigh
If you undo the gland nut under the control you can take the spring clip off. It was only to lock the control in the off position and doesnt do that very well anyway
