Coleman 502 (9/79 production date)

Though not featured in the Gallery until now it has made a couple of guest appearances on CCS before: I drowned my Coleman 502 and as a ‘frankie’ temporarily fuelled on butane with an adapted fuel cap.

Swapping the cap back to the standard item, it’s fuelled on white gasoline here.






The distinctive subdued hiss …


John

 

@presscall
John, when I first saw that stove it inspired me to get one. It was a long search but eventually, I managed to have one imported, in the days when shipping was not so extortionate. I even managed to get the heater tube-type thing that fits on top of the burner.

Si

 

@Big Si Ha! A noble history to it then Si! The heater drum, yes. I’ve one for it somewhere.

I haven’t used it for a while, but realised I’ve been missing out on its excellent usability - a genuinely quick light-up, rock-solid platform for a pot, good wind-shielding thanks to the deep bowl surrounding the burner and perfect controllability using the pricker control as directed by the instruction label on the tank. Not least, it’s easy on the eye in a steam-punk sort of way, with the control wheel dial, exposed pipework and manifold.

The steel burner bowl had lost most of its chrome plating on the interior and was prone to rusting.

Though I realised I couldn’t restore a gleaming finish, I rust-proofed it at least by nickel plating it, following my successful trial of the process.

Here it is in the electrolyte, nickel anode suspended above it - the plastic bottle is to keep the anode upright.



John

 

The Coleman’s simmer control and jet pricker in action.

 

Hi @presscall, very nice of all Coleman single burners the 502 is my favourite, they perform well and great build quality and the design and shape to me is iconic, the 502 is one stove i would never part with

 

Great job John. I'm a big fan of the 502 as well, the only issue I sometimes have is catching my finger joint on the very hot bowl whilst turning the valve wheel. I just wish there was a bit more clearance. Mind you, after doing it once, you tend to take great care!

 

Cheers @mr optimus @Robert Radcliffe
Regarding the proximity of hot metal Rob, I’ve done that too, once too often. When Coleman shrank the 500 Sportster layout down to the 502 size, they evidently didn’t factor that in.

 

@presscall . the instructions being black on a white background is the big tipoff to that being a end of production stove. Usually, the instructions were white with the stove's paint providing the background.

Find a Coleman lantern safe to go on the bottom, and you've got a right package for going a field, IMO!

Murph

 

@Murph
Like so, eh? (Daryl’s photo of his ‘69 production stove)




Thanks Murph, I didn’t know that.

John

 

@presscall , John, the black knob and different markings on the knob disc also are different, but that could be due to parts replacement. The older ones had brick red knobs.

IIRC, the very first ones had the pump or filler in a different location on the fount, due to Coleman using up the 502 founts after that design nightmare!!

Murph

 

I guess you meant the 501 Murph. Yes, it makes sense. Thanks for contributing the interesting additional information.

John

 

To me - the 500 and the 502 are some of Colemans best single burners ever made. The 502 is not the most powerfull, but its so easy-going for cooking.
I never tried (as I sadly don’t have one) the Heat Drum. Any good/bad experiences with this?

 

It works well, Harder, but in the UK at least a kerosene-fuelled Bialaddin or Tilley bowl fire is a more economical option for the longer duration a heater’s in use. The directional heat of a bowl fire is more comfortable too. The heat drum is I think intended to heat an enclosed space such as a hide and it’s not a focused output like a bowl fire provides.

 

Thank you @presscall - that makes good sense.
Could be a bit worried over a heat drum on top of a Gasoline/CF stove, but I’ve never heard of accidents with this combo.
Now to find an affordable Heat Drum…

 

In the 502 serie, like the 400, does the first one are all brass inside and then they did add plastic?
Thanks

 

We used to heat our hides over wood fires.

 

@Harder D. Soerensen , the heat drum works - but at a dangerous cost, IMO.

I have one and needed the answer to the big question, can it be used in confined spaces?

I have a room in my attic, isolated from the house for safety reasons (brazing fumes), and having never had any issues with running the stoves in that area, no worries. So, being the daft Paddy I am, I fired up my 502 and put the heat drum on it, door closed on the room for test reasons.

Inside of four minutes, I had the beginnings of a unwelcome headache that meant only one thing - CARBON MONOXIDE!

I opened the window in that room, opened the door for flow through ventilation, shut down the stove, and me and my welding oxygen bottle were good friends for a while. Got my answer the hard way, I did!

Murph

 

Thanks @Murph
My concerns were the Carbon M. and possible over-heating of the stove.

 

@Harder D. Soerensen, those 502 founts were given a serious pressure test, given the stove works its best at 30 PSI (2.2 barr), no wonder people have caps with external valves to pump them up with bicycle tire pumps!

IIRC, they were tested to around 140 PSI for leaks, never seen one in decent order with any leaks.

Given that, I've never worried about overheating.

Murph

 

Interesting
How about the inside, are they easy to work with. I mean if they come very hot and doesn't have plastic inside the tank there is always something you can do to fix it even if parts are not available.
One thing I like about them is it can be possible to used them on Kero if you install a wire around generator.
Is it still true?