Hi All, I am new here and looking for advice and think I am at the right place. I am new owner of Radius No100 and am not able to speak to previous owner about it. I have been lighting it using the right procedure, I think but it only burns really rich with flames coming out mixture ports (side holes). I think there may be a mismatch of parts, can anyone confirm?? If thats the case can someone direct me as to what is needed for this guy to work/burn correctly. Thanks in advance. Darren
Hi @Darren Trudeau here is a link to a similar No.100 stove: 1926 Primus No. 100 These stoves were primarily intended to be a roarer style using a flame-plate on the burner bell. As an option, the flame-place can be removed and replaced with a “silent damper” to produce “silent” operation. A proper silent damper is a composite fabrication, comprising both inner and outer burner caps accurately crimped together at the factory It is not possible without close-up photos to say whether you actually have a proper silent damper, or merely a standard outer cap from some other burner. Without a proper flame-plate or silent damper you will not get your stove to operate properly. Take some additional photos and show us. Best Regards, Kerophile.
@Darren Trudeau I’ve not seen a Radius No. 100 before, and there isn’t one in the Reference Gallery. Can you photograph in detail the burner cap that is sitting in the burner bell (from upside down as well). This style of stove has a flat steel flame plate that sits on the top of the burner bell with arms that fit into the 4 slots on the bell (see Optimus 100 in Reference Gallery). There can come also with a silent burner, but we should check that you have a proper silent burner, not the outer burner cap from another stove. Cheers Tony Edit: Crossed with @kerophile
Hi Darren - and a warmly welcome here. Thats quite a rare beauty you have there - never seen one before now. If you subscribe you’ll have access to the old Catalogues in the stove reference library where this page is taken from: here you can see the original parts. your stove comes with both the flame plate and your silence version. cheers
Thanks guys, inside of silent burner cap is missing 100/30. So I guess I need 100/19 or 100/30 for it to work otherwise its a piece of art. Yes/no? Thx, Darren
Sooo funny story. I went down to the garage to take the photos and thought "you did turn the stove upside down and the burner and cap came off and hit the floor the other day" Funny part, well the inner cap was under my Chevelle by the back tire.....Doh! I will light it again and see how it works a bit later. Mr. Kerophile do you think it will burn proper without 2 pieces being crimped together because the parts list Mr. Soerensen posted shows 2 part numbers. Thx, D
I tried to boil a small pot of water and gave up at 12 minutes, the flame was blue with a tiny little lick of orange. I also have a coleman model 500 that will boil same amount of water in same pot in 6 minutes. Possible the old kerosene is not as potent as it once was or are radius stoves not as hot as the naptha powered colemans?
Kerosene has more stored energy than gasoline. The jet size will be one of the factors that determines how hot your stove burns (ie how much energy is being produced). The jet on your stove is 0.23mm (new). Cheers Tony
Hi @Darren Trudeau . I have never seen a Radius 100 before despite having very many other Radius stoves. If you have both parts of the Radius silent burner it should work as designed. Please post some additional photos of the stove and burner! In the link to the Primus No.100 that I provided there are many photos of the stove running, so you should be able to get a good idea of the flame pattern you are aiming for with “silent damper” The “lipstick” element of the burner should have a brass gauze plug in its upper section. It is worth confirming this, and giving it a good clean if it is present. As Tony has informed you, the jet aperture should be 0.23 mm diameter and clear. This is achieved with a pricker wire of just under the 0.23 mm diameter. Now that you have the stove operating it is a matter of improving performance. You might also consider buying or making a flame plate, so that you have the option of running your lovely Radius No.100 stove in roarer mode. “If you want to handcraft a flame plate for a No.100 style stove, the dimensions are as follows: The overall diameter of the plate (measured tip-to tip of the legs) is approximately 64mm or 2.5inches. The Centre plate has a diameter of 44mm or approx. 1.75inches. The thickness is probably not critical, if you are using stainless steel. 0.6mm (or 24 thousands of an inch) is adequate. For brass sheet I would probably double that thickness. Before using the above dimensions to fashion a plate, I recommend checking the dimensions of your burner bell. The one I measured had a diameter of 59.3mm or approx 2.36in at the base of the cutouts, where the flame plate legs perch” Best Regards, Kerophile.
Hi @Darren Trudeau It would be interesting to know the manufacturing date of your Radius No.100. Is there any mention of Ltd.? after the various Radius markings on your stove? Have a look at this old post to see similarities with your No.100 model: Radius 17. Late 1930s/Early 1940s. Transition stove. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Ok Fellas here is some high def campstove porn you are gonna want to see.... Hope that wasn't too offensive to anyone and if it was it was in fun and sorry... So what do you think?? Age wise. Also based on the inner cup amount of buildup the hole/gauze is probably dirty yes/no? How do I clean it without damaging it?
@Darren Trudeau It appears not to have “Radius Ltd.”, therefore before 1937. @kerophile might come in with a more precise date range. If the gauze is dirty you can clean it by unrolling it and either: soaking it in acetone or carburettor cleaner then scrubbing with a toothbrush; or carefully burning off the carbon with a low intensity butane or propane flame. Your pricker wire needs to be <0.23mm, so a high E guitar string (about 0.20mm) is a good size. Cheers Tony Edit: A collection of photographs of this stove needs to be put in the Reference Gallery when you’re up to it.
So just grab the appropriate sized wrench and unscrew (counterclockwise?) the vaporisor riser tube and the gauze filter is sitting in there? I don't want to damage the little gem. Thx, Darren
Hi, thanks for posting the additional photos. As I suspected, despite its excellent condition, your stove probably dates from the 1930s. Certainly before 1940. The trivet is likely original and comes from the same period: It would be wise to inspect /replace washers and seals on your Radius No.100 when you are working on the stove. primus-etc-1-75-pint-45-48-106.html Best Regards, Kerophile.
Fitting brass gauze in “lipstick” vaporisers: Vaporisation Gauze for No.96 and No.100 stoves. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Mr. Kerophile, This: Is suggested to ensure enough pressure is building when pumping? I removed burner riser, checked orifice was clear and the gauze was present but gauze did reside in the lower part of the tube down away from orfice and seems a little shorter, seems sort of squished shorter then it should be and was a bit blackened. Guaze was like the guage of window screen but is brass and the shape of the part number 110/93 (cylindrical with folded section at bottom)with sort of hollow area in the middle. I have not tried the boil water test yet as I was using borrowed old kerosene and will have to buy my own to light again. So aside from that any other issues I should check? I was thinking about using soapy water in a spray bottle to check for leaks like finding the screw in tire procedure. What do you think? How many pumps with no fuel to check for leakage with soapy water? Thx, D
Just a few pumps will show every low pressure leak with spraying soapy water, full pressure recommended for the final test. That gauze is vital for the function and should reach upper part of the riser with snug fit to the walls, roll out, wipe off excessive dirt, roll again and push it gently into the riser.