Wife's father's SVEA 123 needs help

Discussion in 'Fettling Forum' started by Doug W, May 5, 2020.

  1. Doug W United States

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    Greetings,

    My first post here. I was not looking for a new obsession during quarantine, but as I get closer to 70, it seems there are shiny objects everywhere. My wife's step-mother dropped this off at our house at some point in the last 27 years but I just noticed it the other day and began researching and that is how I ended up here.

    Apparently my wife's father regularly took off on solo bike camping trips with this SVEA 123.

    I found a windscreen on Ebay and that is on the way. After watching some videos I disassembled what I could. Everything came apart fairly easily except for the igniter being stuck to the tank.

    So my first 2 issues:

    1. Read some posts about loosening the tank from the igniter. I tried the 12mm wrench in the vise trick but no luck. It felt to me that any more pressure would lead to disaster. Could someone detail their tricks for getting this part unstuck?

    2. I fired up the stove and after things are warmed up either by the "laying on of hands method" or starting the fire in the little trough, I get a little volcano with white gas occasionally spurting out while flaming. It is pretty exciting. By the way, there is no material wrapped around the spindle.

    Any help is appreciated,
    Doug
     
  2. Doug W United States

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    I guess you can't edit the post after 30 minutes or so. Just wanted to add that I did spray the frozen part with Liquid Wrench with no luck.
     
  3. kerophile

    kerophile United Kingdom SotM Winner Subscriber

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  4. Metropolitantrout

    Metropolitantrout SotM Winner Subscriber

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    Are you trying to replace the wick? If not, I'd leave it be. If your father in law took care of the stove it's probably fine.

    Some steps to try before you remove the riser/vaporiser.
    Replace fuel cap seal.
    Replace PIP
    Clean jet with pricker, remove it and clean it further if needed ( a 5 min soak in vinegar works).
    Prime it with alcohol (the hand method is less effective).

    If it still lacks performance then the wick might need service.

    On some older stoves they sometimes silver soldered the riser/vaporiser to the the tank. Never saw that on a 123 but could have been done by the owner. I would try heating it with a propane torch to loosen up that joint. If that doesn't work, you might need a hotter torch (if there is solder in there). Before doing so, empty the tank of any fuel and give it a rinse with water. There's a cotton wick inside the riser/vaporiser which will probably get scorched from the torch but you can easily replace it with some cotton mop strands. Plenty of threads and videos out there on this.

    Good luck! Jerry
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
  5. Doug W United States

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    @kerophile Thanks for the link.

    @Metropolitantrout I don't have enough knowledge to know if the wick does or doesn't need replacement. I see that it does have a wick. It just seemed to me that eventually this thing should come apart. I will try your suggestions to get it unstuck and if they don't work, maybe leave it alone.

    I have seen a video of a guy making a seal with a bike inner tube-is that OK or should I find a real replacement part?

    I will have to learn what a PIP is before I replace it, and I guess I can find a pricker on ebay. I will also need to make or find a burner plate to complete the set.

    The volcanic spouting of fluid - Is that because there is no graphite packed around the spindle?

    Thanks,
    Doug
     
  6. Ray123

    Ray123 Subscriber

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    Probably the volcanic spouting was caused by the lack of a burner plate. It won't run without the burner plate. At least you know fuel was being wicked up into the burner.

    Was there flame coming from the spindle?

    A pip is a small washer. Think of it as a tiny hockey puck around 5 mm diameter. The top section of the fill cap has a safety release valve with a pip and spring and will open to release pressure if the stove is ever over pressured.
     
  7. Doug W United States

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    Ray,

    So I will have to actually get or make a burner plate. I can fashion one temporarily just to see if I can get a nice blue flame without the killer volcano. There was no flame coming from the spindle. I can relate to hockey analogies. Thanks for the info.
     
  8. kerophile

    kerophile United Kingdom SotM Winner Subscriber

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    Do not make washers from old inner tubes!
    There are idiots on the internet who make dangerous assertions with no thought (or care) of the consequences. The washer has to be resistant to Coleman fuel/gasoline under pressure. If the seal fails things can get very exciting very quickly!
    The tank washer and SRV “pip” should be made from Viton or good quality Nitrile.

    Fettlebox see RHS of the page has these:

    Svea 123/123R filler cap seal & safety valve pip. - The Fettlebox

    Filler Cap Seal - 123/123R, 111, 8/8R 71 etc. Pack of 2 - The Fettlebox

    Best Regards,
    Kerophile.
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
  9. Metropolitantrout

    Metropolitantrout SotM Winner Subscriber

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    See steps 5-8 in the link Kerophile provided following your initial post. This shows how to dismantle the SRV (safety Release Valve) and access the PIP.

    You're going need a special tool to get at the PIP and Kerophile provided you with the right replacement parts.

    This tool should do it:
    five angle(Penta) wrench for optimus111/svea123,8r,99,199 primus(Square,hexagon) | eBay

    Fixing these old stoves is kind of like going down the rabbit hole. Not terribly difficult but lots of unknowns if you haven't worked on them before.
     
  10. Doug W United States

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    OK I promise to be good and only get the right parts. When I first found this thing in the house and began to try to figure it out on the Internet, I recognized the rabbit hole potential but I am now on a mission to get this thing working and hopefully post-quarantine, before fall, my wife and I take an overnight bike trip to a state park and heat up stuff with this stove.

    Sadly, I have found myself thinking about scouring antique shops for other camp stove goodies.

    Thanks for the advice.
     
  11. William Ritchie

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    When you get it going you will realize what a sweet rabbit hole it is . Sorta like lays potato chips " Bet you can't own just one " Have fun with it , you will enjoy the sound and efficiency , worth all the effort that you put into it . Your Father in law will smile upon you . WR
     
  12. Doug W United States

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    I am sure he will smile, he passed away a couple years before I met my wife but apparently he would head off on a bicycle with a tent, sleeping bag and this stove sometimes for a couple weeks or more. I just tried the SVEA 123 again and put a temporary piece of metal over the bell to serve as a burner plate but I did not achieve the "sound" or a blue flame so I guess I will order the proper viton stuff and see what I end up with.
     
  13. Majicwrench

    Majicwrench Subscriber

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    As was stated above, no reason to take it apart if it is stuck. Too many folks fix em till they're broken.
    Same with pip, I would get it running first, or do a dunk test to find leaks.
    Saw years ago a guy made a burner plate from a penny with holes drilled in the edges and supported by small wires that went to the burner bell.
     
  14. Doug W United States

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    So the dunk test is to pump air in the bell, close everything up and put the stove underwater and look for bubbles?
     
  15. snwcmpr

    snwcmpr SotM Winner Subscriber

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    Close.
    Freeze or cool the stove.
    Dunk in hot water.
    As the pressure builds, leaks will show as bubbles.
     
  16. Doug W United States

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    Thanks I will give that a shot tomorrow. Very helpful folks at this site!
     
  17. gieorgijewski

    gieorgijewski Subscriber

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    imo
    Open -Close tank. initial prefreeze depressure
    Freeze or cool the stove.
    Open -Close tank or valve. - initial preheating depressure
    Dunk in hot water.
    As the pressure builds, leaks will show as bubbles.
     
  18. afoton

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    Freeze. Close when the tank is full of cold air. When dunk in hot water, this air will expand and give pressure.
     
  19. Ed Winskill

    Ed Winskill United States Subscriber

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    A mix of issues here, but a proper burner plate is...essential. And simple. Without it, it's a quasi-Bunsen burner; of no use whatsoever.

    Seals and pips and vitron and all-- important. But secondary to the burner plate. It's what makes it a stove.
     
  20. kerophile

    kerophile United Kingdom SotM Winner Subscriber

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